THE BENEFITS OF COVER CROPS
Cover crops are typically a hardy winter small grain crop that is seeded into a standing crop or seeded after harvest to provide vegetative cover over the winter months. Cover crops also uptake and hold excess nitrogen further preventing them from exiting the soil. Cover crops increase soil tilth with their extensive root systems that move throughout the soil, creating pores for water and carbon dioxide to move freely. Common cover crops include oats, wheat, barley, and tillage radishes. Cover crops that aren’t killed by the cold will be planted into and then sprayed in the spring, blanketing the soil and increasing water retention.
“The extra effort of planting cover crops provides our operation with multiple benefits – healthy soils, less labor and less fuel cost”
– Faribault County (MN) farmer
“Cover crops require more planning and management, but we are seeing the evidence of its benefits on our soil”
– Northcentral Iowa farmer
Customer acres must be within the Blue Earth River or Yahara River Watersheds shown below:
Blue Earth River Watershed, Minnesota
Yahara River Watershed, Wisconsin
