Soil health: Mother Nature’s way of growing healthy crops! ‘Since about 1988 we look back at the soil tests and we’ve just about doubled the organic matter level.’ Special thanks to Practical Farmers of Iowa for contributing footage and Jack Boyer and Fred Abels for lending their fields!
SD Cropcast 04: Agronomist Kurt Dagel
Sustainable Farming in Extreme Conditions (Stiefvater 2/3)
Even if a farmer does everything right, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate. When we farm conventionally, these extreme weather conditions can often lead to a complete crop failure. But when we incorporate soil health principles, we start to conserve available nutrients and water and protect our soils against erosion. All of this leads to a…
The Most Powerful Question in Agriculture
What does Mother Nature want? As farmers, we do a lot to fight her. If the soil is hard, we till it. If our crops have weeds, we spray them. If the land doesn’t have the right amount of nutrients, we inject them. This has been the way to farm for the past 50 years….
Extended Rotations, Cover Crops And A Change In Perspective (Dagel 4/4)
“We’ve sparked a lot of curiosity. People are interested in what we’re doing [and] when I’m working with land owners I just tell them what they’re gaining for their land. It’s going to be in a better condition based on extended rotations and cover crops.” Check out the final video in our four-part series with…
Increasing Organic Matter, Reducing Costs (Dagel 3/4)
Transformation with Cover Crops (Dagel 2/4)
Exploring Cover Crops and Diversity (Dagel 1/4)
3 MIN WATCH: “One of the first opportunities I saw after joining Olsen Custom Farms was to stretch our rotation out,” says agronomist Kurt Dagel “To take that power of diversity and make it work for us because it’s free. I look for many benefits to come out of it.” Check out our interview…
The Power of Diversity (Tighty Whities Results) 3/3
The Power of Diversity (Why is the Tighty Whities Experiment Relevant?) 2/3
If you’ve spent any time around the soil health movement, you’ve probably stumbled onto an odd video or two of farmers out in their fields burying underwear. Created by Canadian researchers, this “Tighty Whities Experiment” is a great visual demonstration of the benefits of regenerative agriculture… But what does it actually demonstrate? What’s the point?…