Soil Health
John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Agriculture Global, Gardening, Regenerative Agriculture,
John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Precision AG , Agriculture US, Cover Crops, Crop Consultant, Agriculture Global, Water, Sustainability, Education,

South Dakota producers reap rewards of cover crops

The longer farmers use cover crops, the more likely they are to see the benefits and to use the conservation practice on a higher percentage of their farmland, according to a survey of eastern South Dakota producers. Cover crops, which are planted after harvesting the cash crop, help prevent erosion and runoff and increase soil organic matter, thereby reducing the need for fertilizer and improving water quality. In addition, cover crops can help suppress weeds, thereby reducing herbicide and pesticide usage, according to assistant professor Tong Wang of South Dakota State University’s Ness School of Management and Economics. She is part of a team of SDSU researchers who conducted the spring 2018 survey to evaluate producers’ perceptions about the benefits of conservation practices aimed at improving soil health, reducing the industry’s carbon footprint and increasing the sustainability of agriculture. Furthermore, Wang reported those who use cover crops for grazing are more likely to view them as increasing their profitability, even during the first few years. “Grazing helps offset the cost of using cover crops by reducing forage costs.” More than 70% of South Dakota producers graze their livestock on crop residue and cover crops, according to a 2016 survey in the Northern Great Plains. An article on South Dakota farmers’ perceptions about profitability and their likelihood of continuing to use cover crops was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The research was funded by the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Tracking cover crop usage In the contiguous United States, the number of acres on which farmers plant cover crops increased from 218,000 in 2012 to 619,000 in 2017, according to the fifth-annual Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education–Conservation Technology Information Center cover-crop survey. Of the 708 South Dakota producers who responded to the SDSU researchers’ su...

Read More

John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Crop Consultant, Agriculture Global, Economics, Sustainability, Fungicides, Research,
Matthew Kroger Matthew Kroger
shared this image 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Beekeeping,

What raw unfiltered honey looks like. On the left we have cold extracted unfiltered honey. I extract at room temperature so the honey contains all of its biological and microbial properties as medicinal honey. Once its heated past 105F it starts to lose its effectiveness and once irradiated its no d...Read More


Matthew Kroger Matthew Kroger
shared this image 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Beekeeping,

Just one hive produced 7 gallons of honey so far this season. I still have to pull two more honey supers later this week. This first round of honey was about as pure Linden honey as I have ever produced. Linden honey is also known as Basswood honey. It some of the most medicinal honey on the planet....Read More


John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Beekeeping, Sustainability, Pollinators, Education,

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is a comprehensive concept. It includes the diversity of all life on earth, from flowers and bees to bacteria and tropical forests. Biodiversity is essential to humankind, for it is the foundation for our food, clean air, soil quality and other ecosystem services. Biodiversity and nature also benefit our well-being: green is good for us. Moreover, biodiversity has intrinsic value: who are we to decide whether a panda or tiger deserves to live?

Read More

John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Sustainability, Crop Diseases, Potatoes, Research, Ag Europe, Agronomy, Plant Breeding,

Wageningen scientists discover how the potato blight pathogen penetrates the plant

In the 19th century, the notorious pathogen Phytophthora infestans caused a large famine in Ireland and other parts of Western Europe. To this day, it continues to pose a major threat to global food production. It has long been a mystery how this microscopically small organism and other members of the Phytophthora genus mechanically gain entry through the protective layer on the leaves of crops. In a unique collaboration, Wageningen University & Research experts in plant pathology, cell biology and physics have now found an answer to this question. Their discovery also provides new leads to making the control of Phytophthora more effective, more efficient and more sustainable on the long term. Their findings are published in Nature Microbiology.

Read More

Nancy Kavazanjian Nancy Kavazanjian
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Livestock/Meat, Regenerative Agriculture, Carbon Farming,
Matthew Kroger Matthew Kroger
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Beekeeping,

This changes EVERYTHING once you realize the ramifications of what this really means. It means we are KILLING our soil too…

Surprise: Bees Need Meat

Microbes in flowers are crucial to bee diets, and microbiome changes could be starving the insects

Read More

Matthew Kroger Matthew Kroger
shared this article 3 years ago
Topics: Soil Health, Beekeeping, Regenerative Agriculture,

Not much to add here. I have been saying this for the past decade, so its noce tp see others say it too…

Farm pesticides killing more bees - study

Commercial formulas containing multiple chemicals should require their own licences, researchers say.

Read More

Advertisement

At Quality Farm Supply, we strive to be “The Go-To Source for the Get-Go Farmer.” Whether you need parts for production agriculture, farm supplies, or tractor parts, our huge selection of over 30,000 SKUs includes all manner of tractor parts, combine parts, cotton harvesting parts, disc harrow blades and parts, planter parts, tillage parts, bearings, hydraulics and much more.