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| http://agrienergy.net/2014/11/growing-love-cover-crops/ |
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My growing love for cover crops
It all started when Eric Johnston came to work at AgriEnergy
Resources as an agronomist nearly a year ago. While visiting customers
in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio, Eric was awakened to a
whole new world.
A world filled with cover crops, which is proving to be one of his favorite parts of farming. And for good reason.
He farms row crops alongside his family near Tiskilwa, Illinois and
is always on the look out on how to best increase yield potential year
after year.
Meet Eric:
“Yes I had read about them in ag magazines, but had never personally
seen cover crops growing in fields or talked with the cutting edge
producers who were implementing them into their farm systems. Heck one
of our customers in Indiana had alternated Austrian winter peas and
radishes in 30 inch rows. This year he was going to use RTK to plant
corn in the middle of these rows. Another of our customers from
Wisconsin planted some fields with cereal rye. He let the cereal rye get
to 3-4 foot tall this spring and then no till planted soybeans into it
(pictured to the right).
Then he used his roller crimper to knock down the rye. Notice the
weed control – this field had no herbicide on it!! And we just got word
that it yielded very well also.
Visiting our customer’s farms, talking with farmers, and of course
reading about cover crop use has me hooked. I fell for them hard and
there’s no looking back.
We drilled in cereal rye following the combine on some of our fields
this fall. We also flew on (by helicopter) some oats and radishes into
standing corn. All of the cover cropped fields are looking great so far
and I cant help but get giddy when I drive by or walk these fields.
I don’t understand why more farmers aren’t trying to implement cover
crops into their farming systems. To have living roots in the soil
throughout the year can only do good things. These roots release root
exudates in the form of carbon and sugar and are what feed the soil
microbes and increase organic matter. They also protect against
wind/water erosion, increase water infiltration, decrease compaction,
increase aeration and scavenge nutrients as to avoid run-off in our
water system. Talk about soil health!
Another big reason I am falling in love with cover crops is I think
they will decrease our herbicide usage on our farms and help us with
weed control. Mother nature wants to cover every acre of bare dirt with
something, so why not have it be a beneficial cover crop instead of a
weed!! I feel that cover crops and biologicals are going to be the future of farming, and I hope to pass my knowledge onto my son, Cullen (pictured with his grandpa).
On our own family farm, we’re already discussing ways we can put
cover crops and biological products from AgriEnergy Resources on more of
our acres next year. We know it takes a little more work and planning,
but the benefits far outweigh the work. As I drive by one of our green
cover cropped fields, and then look at the neighbors bare field right
next to it, my love for cover crops keeps growing. We need to be
thinking about the health of our soil for not only now but for future
generations as well.”
What about you? Do you use cover crops? We’d love to hear about it.
And maybe even share your story in next week’s edition of Farm Favorite
Friday.
Until next time, happy trails!
Tags: Biological Farming, Cover Crops, Family, Healthy Soil, Herbicide
Posted in Farm Favorite Friday |
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| iam pleased to see you , i make all equipments which needed for... |
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| Annual cover crops( e.g. Wheat, Canola) and row crops( e.g. Corn... |
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1 nhận xét:
tuyệt, thank you!
hạt hạnh nhân vietnuts
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