Diversity is one of the leading principles of the soil health movement. But can the affects of incorporating diversity into an operation be quantified? Research Microbiologist Dr. Mike Lehman (ARS) set out to find out in this 16 year field experiment… and man, are the numbers impressive!
Teaming Up with Mother Nature
There are many different farming tools and methods, but fundamentally, there are only two ways to farm – with Mother Nature or against her. Unfortunately, conventional agriculture has sided with the latter. Only in recent years has the idea of working alongside Mother Nature picked up momentum. One operation that’s been ahead of the curve…
Unpacking the Benefits of Soil Health w/ Steve Reimer: Grazing Multispecies Cover Crops (2/3)
Cover crops have been on the rise for quite some time now, but the benefits of livestock integration cannot be underestimated. Fortunately, this subject has recently been receiving a lot of attention! Hear Chamberlain, SD farmer and soil health advocate Steve Reimer discuss how these two tools (cover crops and livestock) go hand in hand.. and…
Unpacking the Benefits of Soil Health w/ Steve Reimer (1/3)
A farmer can do everything right and still not get the crops he worked for. If it doesn’t rain enough or if it rains too much, it’ll show up in his bottom line. If it gets too hot or too cold, he’ll feel the affects in his wallet. We can’t control the weather. Nobody knows this…
A Minute w/ Jeff Hemenway: Infiltration Test – Part 2 (5/6)
2:45 WATCH: In our last video, we showed the effects of management on infiltration. In this one, we dig a bit deeper and take a look at why that is plus how management changes the underlying structure of our soils!
A Minute w/ Jeff Hemenway: Infiltration Test – Part 1 (4/6)
Does management affect infiltration? In this video, Soil Health Specialist Jeff Hemenway tests the performance of one soil series under two different management practices!
A Brighter Future with Soil Health
“Sustainable” is a word we often overuse. Sure, it has plenty of appeal – a sustainable farming operation is good for the land, wildlife, and future generations. What often gets lost in the message, however, is the benefits of sustainability for the farmer himself in the here and now! The reality is farming “sustainably” does…
Soil Health Applied – Mindsets for Success (6/6)
If you want any business to be successful over time, you have to be open to change. As life-long learners, this is where Brian and Jamie Johnson excel. As Jamie says, “We wanna make [our operation] the best we can. That’s what we’re after to find the best practices to move this farm into the next…
Soil Health Applied – Soil Health and Economics (5/6)
“The farm economy is hard,” says South Dakota soil health advocate Jamie Johnson. “It’s a hard life to make ends meet and [crop] diversity helps keep things even as far as income and expenses… you’re spreading out your risk, you’re spreading out your wealth, and you end up with a higher return.” Less risk? Additional…
Soil Health Applied – Planting Biostrip Covers (4/6)
“Several years ago we were planting our [cover crops] with the drill and we weren’t terribly happy with the placement. We knew there had to be a better way that would work for our operations.” That better way would turn out to be what the Johnsons call their “biostrip“. What is a biostrip? Watch the…