As we step into a new year, it’s time for agricultural pioneers to prioritize the very foundation of their success: soil health. For farmers looking to boost yields sustainably and cultivate a resilient ecosystem, here are five transformative New Year’s resolutions for your operations: 1. Scale-Up Sustainable Practices: Commit to scaling up sustainable practices across your expansive fields. Explore precision agriculture techniques, like variable rate applications, to optimize fertilizer and pesticide usage. Embrace conservation tillage methods to reduce soil erosion and preserve valuable org ..read more

Dude, Where’s My “N”? How much nitrogen from your legume cover crop was made available to your cash crop, and when? Soil detective and scientist, Dr. Shannon Cappellazzi is on a mission to find out!From the Fields Nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon Coastal Range, the Willamette Valley has long been revered for its fertile soil and temperate climate, creating an ideal environment for seed production. However, climate instability over the past few years has been challenging for agriculture in the valley from seed production to vineyards, to graziers. This fall was a nice repri ..read more

Dr. Bronson Strickland of MSU Deer Lab demonstrates why improved clover varieties matter in food plots. He reviews historic Persian clover to GO Seed’s improved eNhance Persian Clover, available fall 2023 ..read more

Every extension agent and agronomist encourages producers to get a soil test done. The traditional analyses are based on soil chemistry and soil physics, and the results can help producers determine if they have nutrient limitations and how much fertilizer they should apply. However, the more we learn about soil, the clearer it becomes that it is the biology living underground that controls the system, including nutrient cycling, water infiltration, water holding, erosion resistance, habitat building, carbon storage, and pest and disease suppression. Soil health is the continued capacity of th ..read more

Soil Tests and Soil Health Assessments Every extension agent and agronomist encourage producers to get a soil test done. The traditional analyses are based on soil chemistry and soil physics, and the results can help producers determine if they have nutrient limitations and how much fertilizer they should apply. However, the more we learn about soil, the clearer it becomes that it is the biology living underground that controls the system, including nutrient cycling, water infiltration, water holding, erosion resistance, habitat building, carbon storage, and pest and disease suppression. Soil ..read more

Dr. Bronson Strickland of MSU Deer Lab demonstrates why improved clover varieties matter in food plots. He reviews historic Persian clover to GO Seed’s improved eNhance Persian Clover, available fall 2023 ..read more

Latest Research Updates Roots Break Barriers A In the fall of 2021, we started a project we refer to as #RootsBreakBarriers. We assessed five cover crop treatments to determine which, if any, can fix either of two major soil challenges, compaction, or a zone of low pH. We created simulated soil profiles within clear sleeves placed into PVC tubes that were sunk in the ground to provide realistic weather conditions and soil insulation. One soil profile simulated a compacted soil with a bulk density layer of 1.6 g/cm3 which is considered root restrictive, another soil setting had layers with v ..read more

Latest Research Updates Roots Break Barriers In the fall of 2021, we started a project we refer to as #RootsBreakBarriers. We assessed five cover crop treatments to determine which, if any, can fix either of two major soil challenges, compaction, or a zone of low pH. We created simulated soil profiles within clear sleeves placed into PVC tubes that were sunk in the ground to provide realistic weather conditions and soil insulation. One soil profile simulated a compacted soil with a bulk density layer of 1.6 g/cm3 which is considered root restrictive, another soil setting had layers with ..read more

According to American humorist Will Rogers, “The farmer has to be an optimist, or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.” Even when you love your work, farming is never an easy task. However, there’s no doubt that current challenges are introducing new sources of frustration. With the problems securing fertilizers and herbicides, interest in cover crops is understandably high. After all, they offer a natural solution to these difficulties. Unfortunately, cover crop seed shortages are likely, so you may want to order early to secure the quality products you desire. Considering Economic Realities Farmi ..read more

The Chesapeake Bay serves as a case study in how cover crops prevent nutrients from entering watersheds while also recycling them for future cash crops. Cover crops are one of the simplest and most effective ways farmers can keep their fertilizer in place.   It’s why states like Maryland and Virginia pay farmers to seed cover crops to help keep nutrients out of the Chesapeake Bay. And as cover crop use has continued to grow in the watershed, the efforts of such incentive programs—and the farmers using them—are paying off.  “It’s a success story,” says Dr. Shannon Cappe ..read more