Production Blog

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (DTN) -- Mike Starkey got more than he bargained for when he invited local farmers to his Brownsburg, Ind., machine shed to talk about cover crops last week.

An estimated 150 growers -- some enthusiasts and some just curious -- came to listen to a panel of fellow growers and Joe Nester, an Ohio-based crop consultant, discuss the attributes of cover crops and no-till. "This is awesome, but I'm worried we'll run out of sandwiches," Starkey told DTN.

The number of farmers that lined up to quiz the panelists and machinery manufacturers in attendance was proof that the farmers came for more than a free lunch. In fact, the turnout was just one more indication of how popular the topic of cover crops has become.

This year growers were particularly interested in seeking ways to scavenge residual nitrogen and recycle it through plant biomass. Starkey said the annual ryegrass he planted last fall already has impressive root mass. "If we would have had a major rain event without cover crops, we would have had environmental problems this year," Starkey told the crowd.

He noted that the annual ryegrass he planted last fall is soaking up the nitrogen to the point that he's thinking next spring might present some planting challenges. "Eight years ago, when I first tried cover crops, I almost threw in the towel when it came time to plant the following spring," he said. "What I learned is every year is different and cover crops teach you the importance of learning and adapting to the differences."

Starkey now uses Dawn-brand Curvetine closing wheels and Dawn hydraulic GFX series row cleaners to slice into that cover. He also said most growers get too eager to kill their cover crop and spray before the crop is actively growing.

Joel Gruver's cover crop seminars during the University of Illinois' AgMasters Conference were similarly popular in early December. The Western Illinois University agronomist said winter months are the perfect time to plan a cover crop strategy for the coming year. He urged growers to avoid "haphazard cover cropping" -- planting a crop without thought to the next steps involved.

"Growers need to understand that cover crops require a focused approach for them to work well," Gruver said. "They should be part of an overall system."

The most common question growers ask is what variety of cover crop they should plant. For example, radishes have become a cool new way to break through compacted soil, but aren't the only cover crop suitable for what has become known as "bio-drilling."

Gruver suggested that growers utilize the cover crop decision tools available online developed by the Midwest Cover Crop Council. Information for seven states and one province are now available at http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu/…

Pam Smith can be reached at pamela.smith@telventdtn.com

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