Kura Clover is an interesting option for cover cropping no-till corn producers. Why? Because Kura Clover forms a “living mulch.” I have been working with Dr. Ken Albrecht from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Kura Clover since the summer of 2000. During that summer as I traveled through eastern Iowa and NW Illinois I envisioned […]
Kura Clover – The Perennial Cover Crop Read More »
I know that there are lots of cover crop field days that I do not list on this site. However, I usually try to get cover crop field days listed on the Midwest Cover Crops Council website when I hear about them. However, I have four field days that I believe will be attractive
Four Cover Crop Field Days in NW Indiana and Down-State Illinois Read More »
Over the past few years farmers and ground applicators have been looking for new and innovative ways to apply cover crops. One of the more successful ways has been with a high-boy or Hagie sprayer/spreader. My friend Craig Simon from NE Indiana had a mixture of Oats and Rye and Turnips applied this way by
Applying Cover Crops with a High-Boy 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 »
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 »
In early December, 2011 I visited two farms in Kosciusko County Indiana (NE IN) where producers had intentionally planted cover crops after their wheat was harvested for the purpose of grazing cattle and improving soil. One of the producers planted a mixture that was featured in this blog. His Oats/Cereal Rye/Turnip mixture looked beautiful and
Grazing Cover Crops Read More »
I’ve had the privilege of meeting a gentleman from Kansas named Paul Conway. Paul is an avid “cover cropper” and he has been for nearly 20 years! Paul reminds me of my father, who was an early pioneer of no-till (over 40 years of no-tilling on our farms). I have asked Paul to give a
Cover Crops in the Great Plains – a view from a long time cover crop user- Part 1 Read More »
Over the past 9 years I have worked with Ed Ballard from the University of Illinois on grazing cattle over the winter. During the first 4-5 years I was much more concerned about the “above ground” aspect of the cover crop and weight gain by the animals. However, these past 4-5 years have shown me the
Grazing Cover Crops in the Winter Read More »