Cover crops are helping to increase yields in Iowa corn fields. My friend Sarah Carlson from Practical Farmers of Iowa sent me the following testimonial from Eric Franzenburg from east central Iowa (about 1.5 hours east of Ames). Thanks to Sarah and Eric for making this testimonial public. I know that there are many other […]
Cover Crops Increase Iowa Corn Yields Read More »
I took a new management position in May of 2012 with Wisconsin based Legacy Seeds, Inc. While my main responsibility lies in working with alfalfa and forages I also was pleased to find out that there were several folks in Wisconsin that were using cover crops! Well, you would figure that I’d get involved more
Cover Crops in Wisconsin – Full Speed Ahead! Read More »
All of what is reported below was accomplished after only one year of cover crops. This work was inspired by a conversation Don and I had last winter with Dr. Eileen Kladivko from Purdue University. As I say in cover crop meetings, Don’t expect a miracle the first year – but look for one. Over
Cover Crops Provide Improved Corn Yields in On-Farm Trial Read More »
Several farmers have asked me why they need to spend an “extra” 4-6 cents per pound to inoculate the legume seed they are planting for producing nitrogen with their cover crops. I get asked this especially about Austrian Winter Peas and Cowpea. However, if you are planting Crimson Clover, Berseem Clover, Kura Clover, Alsike, Hairy
Inoculating Cover Crop Legumes Pays Off Read More »
My brother, Don Robison, from Robison Farms in central Indiana, has been doing a significant amount of research in our fields where we had our cover crop test plot in 2011-12. One part of the research that Don conducted was comparing compaction ratings in each different plot area and also in a check area. In
On-Farm Research Reveals Cover Crops Reduce Compaction Read More »
Cover Crops for Grazing Drought ’12 is causing many cattle producers to consider cover crops for fall and winter grazing. Hay is very expensive and in short supply, and corn silage will be short in many areas. A lack of feed is leaving a number of dairy and beef producers looking to liquidate their herds.
Cover Crops for Fall and Winter Grazing Read More »
Need Feed? Harvesting cover crops for emergency fall forage may be able to play a major role in lessening the impact of the 2012 drought disaster for livestock producers. As I traveled from Indiana to eastern Iowa and through Wisconsin I saw dry ponds, cracked soil, nearly dead alfalfa, completely brown pastures, and an exceptionally
Harvesting Cover Crops for Emergency Fall Forage Read More »
During the first week of April I was in several root pits in northwest Indiana and boy did we find plenty of interesting factoids! I was assisted by Eileen Kladivko from Purdue University on one day and Barry Fisher, Indiana NRCS State Agronomist, on another day. What We Found in the Cover Crop Root Pits
Cover Crop Root Pits Reveal Plenty Read More »