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126 Results Found
December 17, 2020
4 Soil Health Lessons We Learned in 2020
There is no doubt about it: 2020 has been an interesting year. While we don’t need to rehash everything that made the last 12 months unique and, in many ways, challenging, we can say with confidence that 2020 has been a year of learning, growth, and reminders about what is most important. As we look […]
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December 10, 2020
Collaboration is Key to Maximizing Soil Health Impact
In 2017, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) recognized the importance of healthy soil when it awarded a $10 million grant over three years to the Soil Health Institute (SHI), the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) and The Nature Conservancy to advance soil health science, research and education. Matched by foundations, leading companies, a […]
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December 3, 2020
Farmer Experiences Highlight the Intersection of Nutrient Management and Soil Health
When getting started with new conservation and sustainability practices, it can be challenging to know where to start. Should I look at tillage or cover crops first? Does it make the most sense to adapt my nutrient management approach or change how I soil test? When you find yourself asking these questions, one of the […]
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November 19, 2020
What Human Health Can Teach Us About Soil
It’s been said many times before and it’ll be said many times again: we live in an instant gratification world. From fast food to fast information to fast delivery – when we want something, we want it now…and we usually get it. Many of us have the same wishes for soil health. What is the exact […]
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November 12, 2020
Livestock Manure’s Role in Soil Health
Livestock manure is known to provide valuable nutrients to the soil. And, if managed correctly, it can also provide additional benefits by improving the soil’s biological, chemical and physical properties. How livestock manure affects soil health Manure is composed of four main components: carbon, nutrients, microbial life, and water. Livestock manure is mainly composed of […]
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November 5, 2020
Cover Crop Lessons from an Iowa Farmer: Take Your Time
When Roger Zylstra and his son Wesley started experimenting with cover crops on their central Iowa farm in 2014, they weren’t exactly sure what to expect. They had a goal to improve stewardship of their land and resources but, at the time, didn’t really know where that would take them. Their experiment – cereal rye […]
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October 29, 2020
Get to Know What Lives in Your Soil
Healthy soil is the foundation for productive crops and a resilient farming system. When it comes to building soil health, we often talk about the physical and chemical properties of soil – things like soil texture, aggregate stability and soil organic matter. There is a third component of soil health, though, that is highlighted less […]
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October 22, 2020
Why No Change in Yield Can be a Good Thing
The success of a growing season is typically measured by yield, bushels per acre, actual production history (APH) and farm average. It’s commonplace to hear comparisons of these measurements in conversations at the local coffee shop this time of year. The higher the increase in a season, we tell ourselves, the more successful we were. […]
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October 15, 2020
Fall vs. Spring Strip-Till
Strip-till can be done either in the spring, just ahead of planting, or in the fall following harvest. However, equipment, management style and weather conditions can affect which makes the most sense for growers. The season you create the strip, also known as a berm, determines the type of strip you want to achieve. Key […]
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October 12, 2020
Cover Crops & Nutrient Management
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) recently released a business case featuring SHP farmers Roger and Wesley Zylstra, whose on-farm research is evaluating incorporation of cover crops into their nutrient management strategy. The business case details how they adapted their management system to meet soil health, yield and economic goals. “We are working to continue to […]
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