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.

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.