2017 Cover Crop Story

Chris & Ryan Lee

Fairfax, MN

Why do we invest into cover crops? • Improve our soil.

– Organic Matter, Soil Aggregation, Nutrient Cycling, Water Infiltration

• Keep our soil. – Armor our soil from wind & rain to reduce erosion.

• Add life to our soil – Enhance soil biology: microbes, fungi, and worms

• Long term sustainability of the land – Maintain or enhance soil productivity while attempting to reduce

environmental impacts of farming.

• Enhance yield stability for our cash crops – Long term results will enhance profitability for our farm.

Why do we invest into cover crops?

Our farming practices have weathered the soils we depend on for productivity, stability, water holding capacity and fertility.

Clear line in soil health where our farming practices have diminished soil organic matter.

Contrast the soil quality where we reclaimed an old building site versus the field around it.

We need to improve our soil.

2017 Cover Crop Experience • Second full year of cover crop integration on

our farm

• Tried several new things:

– Green Planting Soybeans into Cereal Rye

– Inter-seeding Cover Crops into Soybeans

– 100% of our Farm had cover crops seeded

– Utilized our inter-seeding equipment

• Are seeing soil improvements already

2017 Cover Crop Timeline Our goal is to maximize amount of growing season to have

growing plants to stabilize the soil.

Fall 2016 2017

Accumulated GDUs: 146 487 1077 1779 2295 2758 2936

May 1 June 1 July 1 Aug 1 Sept 1 Oct 1 Nov 1

Cereal Rye Inter-Seeding : Corn Soy Cereal Rye

32° F

Seeding Cereal Rye

Seeding Activity

8 months Growing Plants

Planting date effects plant and root development. Inter-seeding captures more growing season for cover crop

development. Root growth is often more impressive than vegetation

Cover Crop Species Corn Inter-seeding: (Shade Tolerant)

Annual Rye, Barsica Rape, Crimson Clover, Balansa Clover

Soybean Inter-seeding: Annual Rye, Barsica Rape, Crimson Clover, Balansa Clover

Following Corn for Planting Green: Cereal Rye

Planting Green - Soybeans • We committed 40 acres to try

green planting soybeans. • 56 lbs/acre cereal rye was

seeded fall of 2016 on corn ground with vertical tillage completed.

• Rye germinated fall 2016 with

growth developing late March 2017.

• Rye stands were good with growth reaching 12-18 inches at soybean planting.

• Cereal Rye was terminated

following planting. We sprayed Roundup & Dual for pre-emergence weed control

Planting Green - Soybeans No Pre-Emergence Herbicide necessary when you green plant at this stage. Terminated rye will suppress weeds.

What Did We Learn?

• Visual differences were observed in the first half of the growing season.

• These difference were detected right from emergence with the tilled soils emerging more quickly.

• Yield differences were not observed

in 2017.

Barsica Rape

Annual Rye

Balsana Clover

Crimson Clover

Species Identified

Shade Tolerant

Barsica Rape

Annual Rye

Balsana Clover

Crimson Clover

Species Identified

Shade Tolerant

Inter-seeding Corn - June

Seeding • Waited a week after post emergence

treatment. About V6 Corn • Inter-seeded with 28% N application • Broadcast application • Interseeder Plus @ 15 lbs/Acre

Herbicide Program • Pre - Dual with spring fertilizer (2016 Pre –SureStart) • Post - 2.5 oz Callisto with Roundup or - 4 oz Status with Roundup

Inter-seeding Soybeans - August

Seeding • R5 Soybean Stage – Pod Fill • Inter-seeded with 28% N applicator • Broadcast application • Interseeder Plus @ 15 lbs/Acre

Herbicide Program • Pre - Dual/Roundup Burndown • Post – 22 oz Xtendimax & Roundup

What Did We Learn? Planting Green • Visual differences were observed in

the first half of the growing season. • These difference were detected right

from emergence with the tilled soils emerging more quickly.

• Yield differences were not observed in 2017.

• Protected soil from early season rain.

What Did We Learn? Inter-seeding Soybeans • August 1 was ideal timing for seeding

in 2017. Early enough to establish well, beat the wind storm that lodged the soybeans.

• Harvest was later and worried about cover crop growth interfering with harvest. “We gave the cover crops a haircut.” No harvest problems at all.

What Did We Learn? Inter-seeding Corn • Mid June seeding worked okay this year. In a

drier environment after seeding we learned it only took a few tenths rain to get the broadleaf species germinated. Grass didn’t establish until more significant rain arrived.

• Will diversify mix with additional species next year.

• Cover crops adsorb sun and reduce soil heating and evaporation levels.

• Cover crops displaced weeds in open areas of the field.

Weather Influences Cover Crop Success!

2017 Cover Crop Experience Chris and Ryan Lee

• 2016 Excellent season long moisture enhanced stand establishment of corn

inter-seeded cover crops.

Fall temperatures were above average which enhanced growth on cover crops all the way till mid November!

• 2017 - Dry June and July reduced stand establishment and reduced growth.

- A cool August and a cool fall season limited growth and establishment on later inter-seeding attempts. Aug 1 was ideal for soybeans inter-seeding in 2017 vs the mid/late August (leaf drop on soybeans).

Early September cover crop direct seeding worked well on sweetcorn/silage ground even with the cooler fall.

Below ground Results Soil structure shows improvements already…. Cover crops and reduced tillage enhance soil health attributes.

Note soil aggregation rather than blocky structure.

Below ground Results Soil structure shows improvements already…. Cover crops and reduced tillage enhance soil health attributes.

Note soil aggregation rather than blocky structure.

Root growth helps drive soil aggregation