The Grow Down on Soil Health
Welcome to “The Grow Down on Soil Health” podcast, where we dive deep into sustainable farming practices designed to enhance both your land and your bottom line. Join host Ben West, Ph.D., executive director of Farmers for Soil Health, and a diverse lineup of guests from various agricultural backgrounds as they share entertaining stories, invaluable soil health management techniques, and the incredible benefits cover crops can bring to your farm.
Cover Crops, Row Crops & Livestock, Oh My!
In this webinar, Indiana producer and first-generation row crop farmer Woody Nichols and Technical Assistance Specialist Hans Schmitz have an open discussion about cover crops, soil health practices in row-crop farming, rotational grazing, and conservation practice adoption.
What You’re Missing if You’re Only Testing for Fertility
Understanding your soil is the foundation of good farm management. Soil testing gives farmers, agronomists and landowners the data needed to assess and improve their soil’s physical, chemical and biological properties, supporting better decisions that enhance productivity and long-term sustainability. But not all soil tests tell the same story. There are two different approaches – soil fertility testing and soil health testing – and understanding the difference between them is key to getting the most out of your farming operation.
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Does Planting Green Into a Rye Cover Crop Affect Corn Growth and Yield?
To help provide some insight into how “planting green” might affect corn growth and yield, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach conducted an experimental field plot study comparing the effect of termination date of a winter cereal rye cover crop on growth, development, seedling disease and yield of corn in 2019 and 2020.
Economics of Soil Health Systems
The Soil Health Institute partnered with the National Association of Conservation Districts and the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service to interview 30 farmers across the U.S. who have adopted soil health management systems and used partial budget analysis to compare financial returns by quantifying the net economic effect of changes in their production systems. Review the results of Farm #12 today.
Economics of Soil Health Systems on 100 Farms
The Soil Health Institute and Cargill conducted this project of interviewing 100 farmers across nine states to provide economic information that you may find helpful when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices and systems.
Experimenting with Cover Crops with Joe Rothermel
Farmer Joe Rothermel joins this episode of Soil Sense to talk about cover crops, strip tillage, and experiments he’s trying on his farm in east central Illinois. He is motivated to find ways to lower his inputs while maintaining profitable yields.