The soil microbiome – the invisible part of the soil – relates directly to the health and quality of plants. Dr. Lori Hoagland, Purdue University and Dan Perkins, Perkins Good Earth Farm, discuss their investigations into composts – specifically leaf mould – on soil microbiome communities and performance… and plant performance.
Nurturing the “Invisible Part of the Soil”
Resource Source: CCSI-HAT Soil Health Podcast
No-Till Pumpkins
Amanda and Jacob Baird, beginning pumpkin farmers, join University of Illinois Extension Educator Nathan Johanning and long-term no-till pumpkin farmer Rod Johnson of Hobart, Indiana to learn the tips and tricks of successful u-pick no-till pumpkins – from cover crops to dealing with rodents.
Cover Crops in Smaller Scale Specialty Crop Production
Cover crops aren’t just for large scale commodity crop production. Smaller scale specialty crop farmers can integrate covers throughout their intense and diverse cash crop rotations to manage their lands in a more sustainable/regenerative manner. Join Kevin Allison, Marion County SWCD, and Dan Perkins, Perkins Good Earth Farm, as they talk about big picture strategies […]
Cover Crops and Sweet Corn
Sweet corn farmers Chuck Mohler from Northern Indiana and Tom and Victor Hackman from Southern Indiana agree: cover crops are a benefit on any farm.The Hackmans moved from a wheat cover crop on no-tilled sweet corn to a cereal rye cover crop about 5 years ago. They like the way the rye residue helps to […]
Haven’t Mowed? Wait on That Cover Crop Burn Down!
It’s April and lawns may have greened up, but that doesn’t mean cover crops are actively growing. Understanding effects of night time low temperatures, that different cover crops species may break dormancy at different times, and other considerations are key to successful termination.Walton, Indiana farmer Cameron Mills and Pierceton, Indiana farmer Jamie Scott talk about […]
Good Data Drive Success
Join Rick Clark, American Soybean Association Legacy Stewardship Award Winner at the 2019 Commodity Classic, as he explains his data-driven, low-input, high-return soil health system. Clark farms about 7,000 acres in Indiana and Illinois – 100% no-till, cover crop, non-GMO, and 1/3 of the acreage is in transition to a no-till organic system.It’s intense, and […]
Fall-seeded Cover Crops in Specialty Crop Production
Chuck Mohler, AKA “Sweet Corn Charlie” and Joe Rorick, CCSI Agronomist, talk about the many benefits of diversity in production, including use of a wide mix of cover crops – better tasting produce, disease suppression, and nutrient efficiency, just to name a few.
Cover Crops in Commercial Tomato Production
Just a few years ago, commercial tomato growers might have said, “You can’t use cover crops in tomato production.” Things have certainly changed. James Rice from Wanatah, IN and Curt Utterback, Senior Agriculture Coordinator for Red Gold talk about how they both use cover crops in their various crop rotations along with the management considerations […]
Last Minute Planter Adjustments
No matter how extensively you checked and adjusted your planter over the winter, there are always “game-time” adjustments that will be needed. Barry Fisher, recently retired from NRCS and AJ Adkins, NTM Agriculture, discuss the settings and adjustments they feel are critical to getting a solid stand when no-tilling and/or using cover crops.
Spring Management of Cover Crops in Vegetable Production
Cover crops can be a great management tool for vegetable production. Steven Meyers, Purdue Horticulture Asst. Prof. of Weed Science, and Dan Perkins, Perkins Good Earth Farms discuss best practices for termination, residue management, direct seeding, and transplanting when using covers.