Tim Buckley on July 7th, 2010

The Midwest Cover Crop Council is producing a very useful tool for those interested in venturing into no-till. Here’s the link to their web information
.  They look at a variety of factors - location, soil type, crops planted after the cover crop and more.
But for general information, here are a range of attributes we’ve [...]

Continue reading about Cover Crop Planting in Your Future?

I noticed these recent posts on No-Till Farmer’s website - growers recognizing the value of cover crops to prevent erosion. Note that in the second case, he’s using cover crops on waterways, as well as on crop lands.
Dan Gillespie is a no-tiller at Meadow Grove, Neb., and state NRCS no-till specialist. At this time, [...]

Continue reading about Annual Ryegrass and other Cover Crops - Erosion Control Plus

A grower from Kentucky wrote recently about his use of annual ryegrass as a cover crop:
I think one of the keys to winter survival of Ryegrass is to NOT put nitrogen on it in the fall. Nitrogen causes a plant to take on a lot of water. What happens when water freezes? It expands and [...]

Continue reading about Nitrogen Use with Annual Ryegrass in the Fall - To do or Not to do?

Michigan State Univ. extension educator Dan Hudson published the following about cover crops.  To view the entire presentation, click here:
Here are the main points, both about the benefits of cover crops and that of annual ryegrass and crimson clover:
Reasons for Cover Crops - Farmer Perspective
Strong
• Improve yield or profit
• Fix/scavenge nitrogen
• Improve soil quality
– OM, [...]

Continue reading about Michigan State Studies Annual Ryegrass and Crimson Clover as Cover Crops

Tim Buckley on April 9th, 2010

This post came from “Go Green Toolshed,” a blog on the virtues and mechanics of organic farming. It seemed particularly on target with this segment talking about benefits of no-till farming and  its relationship to the carbon dioxide cycle:
The land-based carbon cycle works as plants take CO2 out of the atmosphere and convert it to [...]

Continue reading about Organic farming depends on cover crops and no-till

Next Saturday, two Soil & Water Conservation Districts and a local college will sponsor a field day in Pierceton, IN - a “show and tell” about the use and benefits of cover crops.
I’ll be among those presenting information, on annual ryegrass particularly but touching on the use of other cover crops too.
Jamie and Jim Scott [...]

Continue reading about Field Day April 3 - Cover Crops, including Annual Ryegrass, in S. Illinois