Tag Archives: nitrogen scavenging cover crop

Farmer Success Stories with Annual Ryegrass

Posted on January 27, 2019 by Tim Buckley

Over the past 20 years, tens of thousands of farms across the Midwest have quit tillage practices because they harm the soil. Instead, they’ve gone to no-till and cover crops. To review reasons to switch to cover crops, click here … Continue reading →

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Cover Crops Bolster the Health of Mycorrhizal Networks – and Why That’s a Good Thing!

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Tim Buckley

The term mycorrhizae refers to fungi present in the soil and the positive influence it has on the root system of host plants nearby, aiding both to the health of soil biology and soil chemistry. These fungi enhance the uptake … Continue reading →

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Recalling a Man Who Put Annual Ryegrass on the Cover Crop Map

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Tim Buckley

  Mike Plumer was a guy who made sure he knew what he was talking about before he’d open his mouth. He didn’t tout his academic degrees or his professional experience as much as giving you the benefit of his … Continue reading →

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Understanding the Nitrogen Advantage of Annual Ryegrass

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Tim Buckley

Let’s review the facts about nitrogen, in the context of growing corn in the Midwest, and the connection to ryegrass as a cover crop. One, corn needs a lot of nitrogen, and if corn is planted year after year in … Continue reading →

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Earth Fix Boosts Production and Profit

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Tim Buckley

More than a decade ago, it was becoming clear that runoff from farm acreage was choking fresh water flowing south from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. Satellite images, water testing and production declines in fisheries pointed to … Continue reading →

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Ryegrass and other Cover Crops – Benefits the Purse and the Earth

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Tim Buckley

You have undoubtedly read, or experienced, the following effects by stopping cultivation, adopting no-till agriculture practices and then planting cover crops, such as annual ryegrass. Saving on fuel costs by reducing the trips over the field Reducing or eliminating soil … Continue reading →

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Annual Ryegrass Plugging Through another Winter

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Tim Buckley

While the temperatures plunge and the snow whirls, annual ryegrass top growth has been dormant for months. But under the freeze, the annual ryegrass roots continue to flourish, adding depth, girth and mass to a system that builds healthy soil … Continue reading →

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Cover Crops – Production Boost is Only the Start

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Tim Buckley

The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) has been a champion of cover crops for many years, and the Oregon Ryegrass Growers Commission takes a  wee bit of credit for that being the case. Since the early 1990s, Oregon’s annual ryegrass … Continue reading →

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Carbon Sequestration and Annual Ryegrass Cover Crop Acreage

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Tim Buckley

Conservation tillage, in the best sense, includes cover crops. In addition to enriching the soil, cover crops literally inhale carbon dioxide from the air and use it for plant growth. What isn’t used for growth is eventually released back into … Continue reading →

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Would Mother Jones be Rolling in Her Grave? Probably not.

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Tim Buckley

Mother Jones (Mary Harris Jones) was loathed by many during her 90 plus years as a tireless advocate for middle class workers. In 1902, already 65 years old, she was named “the most dangerous woman in America” because of her … Continue reading →

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