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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Slakes: A Free Smartphone App to Measure Aggregate Stability
The Slakes app uses image analysis to measure the ability of dry soil aggregates to resist dispersion once rewetted. Weaker aggregates will slake (or break apart) more easily, while stronger aggregates will slake less, indicating better soil aggregation and healthier soil. Learn more!
Soil and Water Conservation with Ryan Britt
In this episode of Soil Sense, fifth generation farmer Ryan Britt talks about the practices he’s combined over the years and the results he’s seeing in north central Missouri. Ryan shares the journey he and his father have been on to transition their farm to no-till, add more cover crops, plant green, and incorporate livestock into their row crop operations.
Soil Health
Read this article from the USDA-NRCS to learn more about soil health and how to manage it.
Soil Health and Community with Ray Gaesser
Ray Gaesser shares about his adoption of soil health building practices, no-till and cover crops, what he did to survive tough times in the 1980s, and how the interest in soil health is bringing new economic opportunities to his community.