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Learning about the benefits of planting cover crops.

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Delayed Spring Planting

Jun 08 2013

Cover Crops and Prevented Planting Guidelines

There are thousands upon Thousands of acres - mainly in the upper Midwest not planted in early June 2013.
There are thousands upon thousands of acres – mainly in the upper Midwest still not planted in early June 2013.

Over the past few weeks I have heard from countless farmers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, and Iowa that are considering taking prevented planting on all or parts of their farms. Growers Edge just published an excellent piece Prevented Planting Guidelines. 

Also see my articles on Prevented Planting Row Crop Acres – Which Cover Crops Can Help? and Summer Annual Grasses for Cover Crops for Prevented Planting Acres that may also be helpful.

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Cover Crop Benefits, Crop insurance, Delayed Spring Planting, Prevented planting · Tagged: cover crop radishes, cover crops, Growers Edge, Oats, prevented planting, Radishes, sudangrass, Summer Annuals

May 08 2013

Cover Crops: Buy One Year, Get Another Year Free

Surprise!  That's what our reaction was to the volunteer annual ryegrass growing in our fields nearly 18 months after they were sown.
Surprise! That’s what our reaction was to the volunteer annual ryegrass growing in our fields nearly 18 months after they were sown.

Almost two years to the day I posted an article about Killing Tall Annual Ryegrass.

The problem of a wet and chilly 2011 has resurfaced an ugly head to be a wet and COLD spring of 2013. But over the past week or so temperatures have warmed into the 70’s and 80’s with cover crop annual ryegrass and winter cereal rye having grown tall in some areas of the Midwest. Producers need to kill their cover crops as soon as possible to comply with RMA regulations.

What about the surprise cover crops?

In a previous post I wrote about dormant seed in cover crop species on our home farm.

I showed how radishes were present in soybean fields and how annual ryegrass was coming up even after there was residual herbicide and burndown herbicide applied.

Now here we are in the spring and we have a few new surprises.  Fall 2011 planted annual ryegrass and even fall planted winter cereal rye are now growing in the spring of 2013.  These cover crops were fully terminated in the spring and summer of 2012; there was effective weed control.  So dormant seed has germinated and now grown a full 15-18 months after it was seeded.  So yes, cover crops can become weeds.

(But remember, cover crops also suppress weeds.)

So what does this matter?

We have the benefit of a “thin” cover crop and we did not have to pay seed cost or application cost for the second year.  In our farming situation it is not a big deal.  We terminated all of our cover crops and weeds with a “hot” chemical mix.  It is a mix similar to what we used in our no-till fields prior to glyphosate coming on the market.  However, if we were growing wheat or oats or barley for grain and straw it could be a problem.  Thankfully there are now chemicals to use in cereal crops to eliminate annual ryegrass.  I hear reports that Jamie Scott from northern Indiana has seen excellent results with this practice.

We have less winter annual weeds where we have the “volunteer” cover crops and I’m confident our soil health is better where we have the cover crops.

What do we do now?

We enjoy the benefit that we have from the cover crop (even though it is a sparse stand) and we watch to make sure we do not have any cover crops coming back before harvest. The cover crops are now dead and a residual herbicide is applied.  Now we wait to plant the corn and soybeans and scout for any additional dormant seed to germinate and grow.  A clean harvest is important to all producers.  Our goal is to use the information from our own farm to make sure that farmers understand the rewards that cover crops bring and also the risk that comes with the reward.  The risk is not huge and it is manageable, but it is risk none-the-less.

 

This volunteer annual ryegrass was terminated before heading out but it was jointed and would have made a great forage plant.
This volunteer annual ryegrass was terminated before heading out but it was jointed and would have made a great forage crop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Winter Cereal Rye was also growing in the old plot area.  The cover crop was terminated well before the corn will be planted.
Volunteer Winter Cereal Rye was also growing in the old plot area. The cover crop was terminated well before the corn will be planted.

 

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Annual Ryegrass, Cover Crop Challenges, Delayed Spring Planting, Dormant Seed, Killing Annual Ryegrass in the Spring, Risk Management, Weed Suppression, Winter Cereal Rye · Tagged: Annual Ryegrass, cover crops, dormant seed, risk and reward from cover crops, weed suppression, Winter Cereal Rye

May 08 2013

Cover Crops and Crop Insurance – Spring Reminders

UPDATE FROM RMA–Haying and Grazing of a Cover Crop – FINAL – 5-8-13

Cover Crops and Crop Insurance on Collision Course again?

Cover Crops and Crop Insurance issues seem to be heading to a collision course again this spring in much of the Midwest.  In the Corn Belt wet fields have prevented planting with less than 10% of the corn planted by May 5 across the major corn producing states.  In the Upper Midwest and even into Oklahoma and Arkansas 2-19″ of snow fell the first week of May.  Dairy farmers are desperate for forage and up to 75% of the alfalfa in Wisconsin and Minnesota winterkilled.  Many of those dairy farmers planted cover crop Winter Cereal Rye with hopes of harvesting Ryelage this spring to get some emergency feed after the devastating drought of 2012.

The cold, wet spring of 2013 is causing problems

But the cold wet spring (coldest on record in USA since 1975) may have farmers in a pinch with RMA again despite the Special Provisions for cover crops to the common crop insurance policy for the 2013 cropping year.  As of May 8, 2013 the Rye is only around 10″ tall in most of Wisconsin…certainly not ready for harvest by the May 10 RMA cut-off for harvesting and still attaining crop insurance.  Even in Indiana the cover crops are ‘exploding” into head after an exceptionally slow start to spring.  The fact that these fields are not full of winter annuals that are headed out like neighboring fields should be applauded…so should fields with cover crops be penalized?  It appears that farmers in the Upper Midwest have to choose between feed and crop insurance.  In much of the Corn Belt the fields are still plenty wet.  It is interesting that in some states the fields full of weeds qualify for crop insurance…yet fields with cover crops that have seed heads (instead of weeds with seed heads) do not qualify for cover crops.  Go figure.

Please check with your crop insurance agent to see what regulations apply to you.

 

This field of Winter Cereal rye grew tremendously in very late April and early May.  Now it is headed out.  Doed this field qualify for crop insurance?
This field of Winter Cereal rye grew tremendously in very late April and early May. Now it is headed out. Does this field qualify for crop insurance?

Should farmers be penalized in a wet and cold year for growing a cover crop instead of having a field of winter annual weeds?  Common sense says that a cover crop is better for agriculture than weeds.

Should farmers be penalized in a wet and cold year for growing a cover crop instead of having a field of winter annual weeds?  Common sense says that a cover crop is better for agriculture than weeds.

 

 

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Cover Crop Challenges, Crop insurance, Delayed Spring Planting, Risk Management · Tagged: cereal rye, cover crops, Cover Crops for Forage, crop insurance, Dairy Farmers and cover crops, risk management, Rye, Winter Cereal Rye

Feb 03 2012

Planting into “Out of Control” Peas – The Rest of the Story

In September 2011 I posted about an Ohio farmer that planted into “out of control” peas and shared about his story of how the field was looking pre-harvest.  I have recently visited with Dave (the producer) and he shared the information that a number of you asked for…and also surprising yield data. Dave farms with his father-in-law Ron in Mercer County, Ohio near Rockford (NW Ohio).

Sometimes it takes courage to farm with cover crops! Dave and his father-in-law Ron planted with confidence as the ground was "very mellow" compared to other ground without a cover crop.

Here are Dave’s observations and the 2010-2011 field history:

  • Hog Manure applied late summer of 2010 – 5000 gal/ac
  • No other fall fertilizer
  • N-Vest Groundbreaker Mix (Austrian Winter Peas and GroundHog Radish) planted Labor Day weekend 2010

Peas that survived – and other weeds, wheat, clover, etc. – were sprayed (after a wet, wet spring) on June 2, 2011.

________________________________________________

Herbicide/Insecticide Mix: (rates per acre)
20 gal Water
Alliance – .2 gal   (1 gal/100 gal water)
Roundup WeatherMax – 44oz
Weedone 650 – 1pt
PowerLock Surfactant – 6oz
Baythroid (insecticide) – 2oz

Corn was planted on June 3, 2011.

Additional Fertilizer applied (in addition to nutrients from manure and N from peas)

20 gal/ac 10-34-0 starter fertilizer with 1qt/ac zinc

40 gal/ac 28-0-0 side dress with Agrotain N stabilizer

Results

Even though several acres in the area were too wet to plant this field of peas was in great shape as you can see the row closed "perfectly" behind the planter.

Weigh wagon test showed 215 bu dry yield.  Dave guesses the whole field average was between 200-215 dry (he has no scales at home to check weight of entire crop).
Dave also thinks that the yield was 10-15 bu better that most of their other corn (w/o manure and w/o cover crops).

The seed placement of this no-till planting into the peas was "near-perfect".

All things considered…the wettest spring in Eastern Corn Belt History, late planting date, planting into 3+ foot tall peas, < 1″ of rain in the month of July (with 22 days 90 degrees or more), a wet fall that delayed harvest..and the result was over  200 bushels/acre.  I’d take that everyday for that part of Ohio, and so will Dave and his father-in-law Ron.

The roots on the peas were massive by early June. Don't expect this in most years but this certainly did not hinder planting, getting a good stand, or attaining a very high yield!

Other observations from Dave:

Positives:

Better soil structure

Deeper root penetration by corn roots

Great seedbed to plant into

Great soil cover after cover crop was killed

Better water retention thru the dry months

Nutrients saved from hog manure

Negatives:

Too much growth in wet spring

Took a lot of time to plant due to pea growth

 

Thanks Dave for sharing your story!

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Austrian Winter Peas, Cover Crop Challenges, Planting into Tall Austrian Winter Peas, Types of Cover Crops · Tagged: Austrian Winter Peas, corn, Cover Crop Radish, cover crops, Groundhog radish, high yields, manure management, nitrogen production, no-till, nutrient management, soil health, soil structure, Tillage Radish

Sep 06 2011

Farmer Report from Ohio – Planting into “Out of Control” Peas

The cover crop radishes varied in size with the amount of moisture in the field in the fall of 2010.

My good friend David from Mercer County, Ohio is a great cover crop advocate.  Over the past few years he and his father-in-law have begun planting cover crops after their wheat crop is harvested.  The first year he planted oats and cover crop radish and this past year they planted a mixture called N-Vest® Groundbreaker Mix (a mixture of Austrian winter peas and cover crop radishes).  The summer of 2010 set some records for being exceptionally dry.  Neither the peas nor radish grew the way anyone hoped for, but David did find radish roots around 20 inches deep.  The peas were less than spectacular but still acceptable for as dry as it was.

No-tilling corn into this mix of peas and wheat looked like an easy task in early May when this photograph was taken...but the rains kept coming!
This is not what was expected! Early June 2011 was wet and the peas were tall.

As I have reported in several previous posts, the weather in NW Ohio and the Eastern Corn Belt was the wettest in 120 plus years of keeping records.  The Austrian winter peas and volunteer wheat over-wintered.  In early May David was convinced that they would no-till directly into that “mix.”  But the rain came and came often! By early June the peas had grown quite a bit, like up to four feet tall…and that is what they no-tilled into.  Actually, David said it was the “most mellow soil” he planted into all spring.

Just a few days after planting David sent me the photos of a beautiful stand of corn where the peas had been over 4 feet tall.
Three weeks after planting the corn looked great and the cover crop was dead. This photo was taken June 21, 2011.

I joke that David was nearly written out of the family will when he started no-till planting his corn!  The neighbors were all watching but David persevered and kept planting…even though it was not as easy or as early as he hoped it would be.  A few days later David e-mailed me more photos…and then a week later more photos…

Exactly four weeks after planting and the corn looks remarkable.

So now the neighbors are wondering about this David “kid” that married into this operation.  Maybe he is not as foolish as they thought earlier in the spring!  Exactly four weeks after planting the corn was over “knee high by the 4th of July” and now the neighbors are asking what that cover crop was!

In mid-July, six weeks after planting and the weather has been HOT and dry...but according to David, the field "shows less stress" than conventionally tilled field that had no cover crops.

But the dry summer of 2010 was now being duplicated by another dry summer and the summer of 2011 has been much hotter than 2010.  So how has the no-till corn fared during these challenging conditions? Very well, actually.

There was less than 2" of rain in a very hot July and yet the field looks quite good considering the heat and dryness that it has experienced.

So will David plant cover crops again?  Yes!  In fact they are already in the ground and waiting for rain to emerge.  David has been very excited all the way through this process as he has been confident he is doing the right thing for his soil and the future of his farming operation.  Thanks to David for providing the photos and information to encourage all of us that cover crops are an exciting option that we should all consider.

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Austrian Winter Peas, Cover Crop Benefits, Cover Crop Challenges, Delayed Spring Planting, Planting into Tall Austrian Winter Peas, Seed Selection: What to Plant After..., Stand Establishment Following Cover Crops, Types of Cover Crops, Wheat, Winterhardiness · Tagged: Austrian Winter Peas, Cover Crop Benefits, cover crop radishes, cover crops, no-tilling into winter peas

Jun 06 2011

Photo Diary – Soybeans planted into a Cereal Rye cover crop

I am very blessed to know a number of producers that are passionate about cover crops and crop production profitability.  One such producer is a fellow named Dave from NC Indiana.  (Dave is very humble and does not want notoriety so I will not use his last name or exact town.)  However, Dave has agreed to allow me to “follow his crops after cover crops”.  This will be more of a photo diary.  I think you will be excited to see how cover crops work for Dave and how awesome his crops are.  He has been a ‘cover cropper” for six years now.  This year Dave no-tilled approximately 50% of his acres.  Dave is one of the most innovative guys I know…but he’s also “cautious”; he does not want to lose money!  That’s why Dave loves cover crops!  By using cover crops he has improved his profitability.

An April view of cereal rye that was planted into corn stalks in the fall.
Planting soybeans into standing rye in Mid-May.
Cereal Rye seven days after sprayed with a 100% kill rate.
The soybean stand is “perfect” after being planted into standing cereal rye.

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Cover Crop Benefits, Cover Crop Roots, Delayed Spring Planting, Higher Yields, Types of Cover Crops, Winter Cereal Rye · Tagged: cereal rye, cover crops, killing cover crops, soybeans

Jun 06 2011

Photo diary- Corn after a cover crop (after corn)

“Planting this corn field was like planting into a garden” said my friend Dave.   He has been a ‘cover cropper” for six years now.  This year Dave no-tilled approximately 50% of his acres.  Dave is one of the most innovative guys I know…but he’s also “cautious”; he does not want to lose money!  That’s why Dave loves cover crops…using cover crops he has improved his profitability.  In this photo diary we will look at photos from April, May and June where Dave had a cover crop consisting of Oats/GroundHog Cover Crop Radish/AU Robin Crimson Clover.  The previous crop was corn.

An April view of the field with the AU Robin Crimson clover that over wintered. The oats and GroundHog Radishes had died out over the winter as expected.

 

A May photo of Crimson Clover that could not be killed yet because the field (and all other fields in the area) was too wet to spray. Normally by the date the photo was taken the Crimson Clover would have been dead and the corn would have been planted.

 

No-Till Corn on Corn planted into Oats and AU Robin Crimmson Clover

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Chemical Use and Cover Crops, Cover Crop Benefits, Crimson Clover, Delayed Spring Planting, Higher Yields, Improved Varieties, Nitrogen from Cover Crops, Oats, Radishes · Tagged: corn after cover crops, cover crop radishes, cover crops, Crimson Clover, killing cover crops

May 11 2011

Later planted cash crops means later planted cover crops…what should we do to plan ahead?

It’s May 11, 2011 and 4%, that’s right, FOUR PERCENT of the corn is planted in Indiana.  Illinois is at 34%, Michigan at 8%, Ohio is at TWO percent, and Iowa is at 69%.  This compares to approximately 80% of the corn planted in these states in 2010.  The 2006-2010 average for corn planting in those states is ~59%.

This beautiful stand of cover crop Annual Ryegrass did not come up until after late October rains. It certainly looked great coming out of the winter and into spring.

However,  the interest in cover crops is very strong with many producers wanting to use cover crops after corn and soybeans.  So should we give up and wait for a “normal year”? I certainly hope that is not the case.  As we saw in the fall of 2010, late emerging cover crops actually had some pretty good results as we observed the fields in the late winter/early spring 2011.

So what is the answer to our dilemma?  I think we have some very good options:

  • Consider aerial application as an excellent choice this fall.
  • Be patient!  DO NOT plant the cover crops into green corn or soybeans. Cover crops that came up late last year after a pretty severe drought still came up to look beautiful this winter/spring.
  • Consider using more shade tolerant species for cover crops (Annual Ryegrass, Cereal Winter Rye, Crimson Clover, etc.) – IF you need them.
  • Don’t give up hope that you can have very good success. PLAN TO HAVE SUCCESS!

Look at this video for a view of how well a cover crop mixture performed despite very little moisture in the fall of 2010 (video taken late April 2011).

Written by Dave Robison · Categorized: Delayed Spring Planting · Tagged: aerial application, cover crops, delayed spring planting effects on fall cover crop establishment

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