Legumes still can provide valuable N to today’s cropping systems. Legumes also contribute a non-nitrogen rotation effect due to addition of soil organic matter and improvement in soil health. Corn grown following alfalfa stands that are 2+ years old (and contained at least 50% alfalfa) require no nitrogen fertilizer on many soils. Red clover N credits are less than for alfalfa.
The study looked a pumpkin plots in Kansas, where the Halloween staple is frequently grown in rotation following soybeans, and are a staple of agritourism, according to the study published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal.
There's plenty of speculation that two key no-till herbicides will be in short supply and cost more for the 2022 growing season. These two herbicides are glyphosate (Roundup, plus others) and glufosinate (Liberty, plus others).
Northwest Kansas no-tiller says his soil building and nutrient cycling didn’t start until he added livestock to his diversified farming operation. He credits grazing and cover crops for erosion control and yield increases.
When Michael Thompson was 18 he envisioned himself joining his parents in their farming operation in northwestern Kansas and becoming a dedicated, 100% cash grain farmer. However, life and generations of conventional farming got in the way.
Cover crops can be used for different reasons, such as to provide soil erosion protection, alleviate compaction, control weeds, fix atmospheric nitrogen for the next crop, harvest for hay, and as a grazing resource. The reason for using a cover crop will determine which species or mixture of species you choose, as well as how you manage it.
While less than 2% of America’s cropland is seeded to cover crops, a remarkable 77% of no-tillers enjoy the many benefits offered by protecting the soil over the winter months.
Following harvest of winter wheat or other small grains, fields are often left fallow. But with more than 40% of the growing season remaining, planting a cover crop may be a good option, says University of Wisconsin Extension.
Tom Gasper of North Vernon, Ind., talks about the benefits his family's no-till operation is seeing from using cover crops on more than 2,000 acres, the species they’re using and why they decided to have their covers aerially seeded.
Contour farming, no-till, cover crops and a sustainable farming cycle are allowing Wisconsin No-TIller Jack Herricks and his family to remain profitable and viable for future generations to come.
When Jack Herricks was 12 years old, his neighbor told him something about the importance of conservation that would stick with him through his whole life.
Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.
Discover 2-days of cutting-edge ideas, techniques and strategies in Coralville, Iowa., July 28-29. Join the most innovative, forward-thinking minds in strip-till to raise your level of strip-till profitability, efficiency and efficacy.
Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.
The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.