Cover Crops - More Than Soil Erosion Protection

Many farmers are noticing a bump in production after cover crops. Is this due to some magic that happens when covers are planted? Likely not. It can most likely be attributed to the biological processes that are enhanced with a living root in the soil. Roots are the best way to feed your soil.
In order to make soil healthier, is to abide by four principles - minimize soil disturbance, energize with plant diversity, keep the soil covered, and maximize roots living as long as possible. When a person plants cover crops, it covers three of the four principles - adding diversity to the rotation, providing shade and residue to protect the soil, and adds a living root for the soil microbes to feed from.
The Green County Land and Water Conservation Department and Natural Resources Conservation Service has worked with farmers in the county to provide demonstration plots for others to learn from. On Wednesday, November 4, two sites will host discussions and demonstrations regarding cover crops and soil health. In the morning from 10:00 a.m. until Noon, staff will be at the Randy and Chad Kesler farm in Sylvester Township at W3256 County SS. The Keslers planted some seed from Heritage Seed Company and they also selected seeds that should winterkill, so there would be no management in the spring. They planted radish, crimson clover, oats, berseem clover and Austrian winter peas.
And the afternoon session will be from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Staff will be north of Monroe at the northwest corner of the intersection of Highway 69 and Aebly Road, on land operated by Aaron Digman. He planted six strips of a variety of mixes. There are some common species like oats, radish and turnip, but there are also some uncommonly used species like sunn hemp and pearl millet. The sunn hemp and pearl millet have been killed by the frost. The rest of the species look pretty good yet. Not all of the plants will winterkill at this site. Both sites were planted in August after winter wheat. Anyone that would like to try cover crops or get a better look at their potential should attend either session.
For more information contact the Green County Land Conservation Office at (608) 325-4195 ext 3.