What can cover crops do for you when you can’t get your primary cash crop planted?
While in southern Minnesota in early September 2013, I was asked when a farmer should plow his cover crop field this fall because he needs the fields to be “black” this winter in preparation for next spring. I shuddered. There I was in a beautiful field of cover crops that were jump-starting some biology on […]
Fall Cover Crop Management Read More »
A Huge Problem – Prevented Planting Acres Recently I was in Minnesota with Brad Hagen, T.J. Kartes, and Andrew Heath looking at Brad’s 1,000+ acres of cover crops. Brad did not intend to plant any of these acres to cover crops in July 2013; he intended to plant them in August or early September. But
Cover Crops to the Rescue! Read More »
I recorded this video a few weeks ago for the seed company I work for. After receiving numerous calls and e-mails asking for help on what to plant, I decided to put this presentation together. Many of the options I mentioned as being viable to plant in mid-June can still be planted in July. Please
Prevented Planting Seeding Options Read More »
In late June I was on a farm in west central Wisconsin with two farmers that had over 3,000 of their nearly 6,000 acres that were too wet to plant in 2013. This is an example of what I have seen and heard and read on personal farm calls, numerous phone calls, and multiple e-mails
Cover Crops and Prevented Plant Information Guidance Read More »
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
Cover Crops and Prevented Planting Guidelines Read More »
The following was originally posted on May 27, 2011 when the Eastern Corn Belt was suffering with severe flooding and wet conditions. In 2013 the Upper Midwest – especially Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin – is flooded and wet. Many farmers are considering taking the crop insurance for prevented planting. Even if it would stop raining
Prevented Planting Row Crop Acres – Which Cover Crops Can Help? Read More »
With an abundance of prevented planting acres in Wisconsin and Minnesota in 2013, there is a need for cover crops to help build soil during the soil’s “idle” time. In this post I’ll mainly focus on summer annual grasses that work well in the Midwest. These recommendations will focus on whether feed is needed or
Summer Annual Grasses for Cover Crops for Prevented Planting Acres Read More »
Here is a listing of links from USDA’s Risk Management Agency that pertain to prevented planting. I hope most of you folks never need these; but I know many of you might need them this year! Thanks to Desiree King from RMA for passing these along (and for all of here help in this matter).
Prevented planting and cover crops- Risk Management Agency rules Read More »