While there are numerous reasons for using cover crops, a primary one is improving soil health.In fact, it’s the one benefit most farmers using cover crops have experienced: In the most recent Cover Crop...
When you picture what’s happening below ground in your fields, you probably imagine a web of roots branching out to provide your crops support, nutrients and water. But root growth isn’t the only thing...
You probably know that having a crop rotation is a good thing. Growing different crops back to back provides several benefits, such as preventing pests and disease, improving soil health and reducing fertilizer...
Direct Driller Magazine Issue 4 Direct Driller Issue 4 is out now! You can read the digital version here: Direct Driller - Issue 4 - January 2019 The first 3 issues have had a great reception and we hope...
Many farmers across the U.S. experienced wet weather last growing season. According to NOAA, the 12-month period between July 2018 and June 2019 set the precipitation record in the U.S. with an average...
FARM WALKS WITH THE SOIL FARMERS OF THE YEAR 2018The winners of the FCCT Soil Farmer of the Year competition opened their gates over four days and provided a veritable masterclass in managing soils. Spanning...
If you’ve considered using cereal rye as a cover crop in front of corn, you’ve probably been warned that your yield would suffer.And the truth is it might. Research has shown that corn yields can take...
It's a fact: cover crops tend to make good farmers into great farmers and average farmers into bad farmers. Cover crops work. But, management is key and the learning curve can be steep. If you've been sitting...
If someone asked you, “How do plants take up the water and nutrients they need?” you’d probably tell them through the roots. But did you know that for many crops, those roots aren’t working alone?That’s...
Some growers may have had no option but to plant green — as shown above — into their cover crops this year because of poor weather conditions. In this photo by Ted Kornecki, USDA Agricultural Research Service, the farmer is terminating his cereal rye with a roller at the same time he is planting his cotton.
With May 2018 to April 2019 being the wettest 12-month period on record, according to NOAA, many farmers across the nation were forced to delay planting. In fact, for the first time on record, less than...
When it comes to cover crops and nutrient management, a lot of the focus is on what cover crops can do for soil fertility. Depending on the species being used, they can prevent leftover nutrients from running...
When it comes to creating a cover crop mix, the options are endless. You need to determine what kind of species you’ll use, how many you’ll use, and at what seeding rates. For anyone new to cover crop...
A common concern growers may have when they move to a no-till system is nutrient stratification.Without tillage to mix fertilizer into the soil, no-tillers may wonder whether the nutrients applied to the...
Our 31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest has now come to a close. We want to thank everyone who participated in this year’s contest including those who submitted entries and those who voted for their...
AgFuse is excited to announce our third year of hosting a fun photo contest and we want you to be a part of it. There will be three winners with the first prize being a $200 gift card to Amazon! The second...
Welcome to AgFuse’s fourth year of hosting a 31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest! This is a fun time for each of us to share our favorite cover crop photos. There will be three winners with the first...
If you’re a farmer, at some point you’ll likely experience a late harvest, whether it’s due to Mother Nature or an equipment problem. And if you plan on seeding your cover crops after your crops are...
Experts warn that growing continuous peanuts or other legumes close in rotation to the peanut crop can have detrimental effects on peanuts — namely soilborne diseases. This includes leguminous cover crops. Photo by Jack Dykinga, USDA Agricultural Research Service
It’s common knowledge among peanut farmers that the farther out you space your peanut crops in your rotation, the better off the peanuts will be. Research backs this up. Jason Sarver, Extension Peanut...
In the past few years, we have made a concerted effort to increase the usage of cover crops and other conservation practices on our farm. I have learned a lot of lessons from this experience but one stands...
The 2019 edition of our “31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest” has ended. We received many great entries and want to thank everyone for their participation. As previously detailed, we will award three...
Grasses like cereal rye are a good species for beginning cover crop users as they grow fast and have fibrous roots. Photo by Stephen Ausmus, USDA Agricultural Research Service.
In 1995, Pennsylvania farmer Steve Groff was speaking at an event when he asked the audience the question: Do cover crops pay off?His thinking at the time was that he had been no-tilling since 1982, and...
Part 1: Know Your True Cost of Production Why Your TCOP Matters How to Calculate Your TCOP Part 2: Take the Emotions Out of Your Marketing Plan Why You Need a Plan How to Create a Marketing Matrix How to...
Wet conditions across the country forced many farmers to forgo their plans for the season and take prevented planting payments instead. The USDA says that as of July 8, 2019, its paid roughly $184 million...
Mulch is one of the most versatile and cost-effective materials that can be used to improve a property. It is a multi-purpose material that is used to conserve moisture in the soil, keep it cooler, reduce...
18 years ago, we bought our first self-propelled sprayer and it revolutionized access to land, it was light and well balanced and made fertilizer and crop protection applications easy. Our timeliness...
It can be read here and you will see it has grown to 100 pages, which is where we expect it to stay going forward. Direct Driller Issue 3 Issue 3 Of Direct Driller magazine. The conservation agriculture...
From Direct Driller Magazine: Issue 2Written by Frédéric ThomasLike many farmers, Michel Mercier first got into direct drilling based on the economic savings it offered. He first worked with an SE Horsch...
In the 52 Weeks of Agronomy Series I've been posting on my website, I took a week and explained this agronomist's take on soil health vs. soil fertility. To read the article and get caught up on the rest...
2019 is coming in with a bang across many sectors of the market. Outside market volatility feels unprecedented with wild swings higher or lower on seemingly little in the way of major headlines, while commodity...
This Week in AgricultureA Mixed Bag of Information from the Week that Was: September 14, 2018· Updated USDA numbers, continued trade negotiations, African Swine Fever and a hurricane captured most of the...
· A week full of rumors, confirmation and headlines gave everyone a lot to talk about, but surprisingly left the markets somewhat directionless. · The week started with Reuters reporting China was looking...
Excessive roof snow load can cause your barn to collapse When heavy snow meets fierce winds, even the best-engineered buildings can collapse. That's why it's important to calculate your roof load an adequately...
· Calling this week’s trade a ‘roller coaster ride’ would likely be putting it mildly as traders and farmers work to recover from price whiplash. A trio of what could be viewed as bullish news stories...
A common issue among landowners, both large and small, is vandalism occurring on the property. One of the most interesting stories regarding vandalism is a Florida farm-owner we know woke up in the middle...
Understanding Farm Succession Planning Finding time to talk to your family about succession planning for your farm may be difficult. You may also be uncomfortable with the thought of selling your farm...
The combination of increased risk and high-value assets makes fire protection at farms and ranches a high priority. The first step in minimizing the fire and wildfire risk is increased knowledge and awareness.It's...
When it comes to fertility in crop production, nitrogen is one of the most critical nutrients involved. “Nitrogen plays an important part in many essential functions and compounds necessary for life,”...
This is an unquestionably tough time to be a farmer. A trade war has beaten down already marginal prices, inputs have risen more than anyone could have predicted and many of us have experienced a so-called...
· The moment we have all been waiting for is just a day away as the G20 summit kicks off and the world awaits the dinner meeting between President Xi and President Trump scheduled for Saturday. Traders...
Cover crops not only helped Russell Hedrick win the 2016 North Carolina Dryland and No-Till Dryland yield contest, they also saved him $123 per acre on fertilizer and herbicide costs.
There are many factors that can influence corn yield. In fact, Fred Below, a plant physiologist at the University of Illinois, identified seven of them, which he dubbed the “Seven Wonders of the Corn...
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