Land Stewardship Project

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Cover Crops

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Cover crops play a key role in building soil health. They shield soil from erosion during heavy downpours, rebuild soil structure, improve water infiltration and aeration, and scavenge excess nutrients. They also feed the soil’s biological life and suppress disease and weeds.

With all of these benefits comes a host of questions to consider when choosing and managing cover crops. For instance, what do you want the cover crop to accomplish? Which covers are best for scavenging nitrogen or for fixing “problem” spots in the field? What is the best way to terminate them in the spring? And how and when can cover crops be successfully established? Farmers are working through these critical questions and have provided the resources on this page to help guide other farmers. Check out the resources below to learn more about cover crops and how to best implement them on the farm.

 

Got Cover Crop Questions?

Do you want to know how to get started cover cropping, or need to tweak your current cover cropping system? Give LSP a call at 507-523-3366.

Got an Idea?

If you have an idea you’d like to have featured in a video, blog, podcast, or field day, contact us.

Field Days & Workshops

See our web calendar for LSP field days, workshops  & pasture walks

Cover Cropping Videos

Check out LSP’s series of videos featuring farmers and other experts talking about the role cover cropping and other regenerative practices can play in building healthy, profitable soil.

Cover Crops Fact Sheets

• Cover Crop Considerations
• Frost Seeding Cover Crops
• Managed Grazing of Cover Crops for Farmers Without Livestock
• Farming with Well-Managed Grazing & Continuous Living Cover Enhances Soil Health & Addresses Climate Change

Soil Health Podcast Series

Check out LSP’s ongoing Ear Dirt podcast series for conversations on cover cropping, no-till, managed rotational grazing, fungi, and just about anything else that builds soil health.

Related Posts

  • Ear to the Ground 268: Rolling Down the CC River

    A farmer, a soil conservationist, and a crops specialist talk about how the roller crimper system can help extend the benefits of a cover crop.
    More…

    Ear to the Ground 268: Rolling Down the CC River
  • Ear to the Ground 274: From Dirt to Diversity

    How Scott and Amanda Holthaus are transforming corn-soybean ground into perennial pasture utilizing soil biology and the rotational grazing of diverse cover crops.
    More Information:
    • LSP…

    Ear to the Ground 274: From Dirt to Diversity
  • Ear to the Ground 269: Soil’s Stairway to Heaven

    Mike Seifert is using cover cropping and no-till to make up for the soil damage caused by years of heavy metal tillage. One rainy night…

    Ear to the Ground 269: Soil’s Stairway to Heaven

Soil Health Team

  • Alex Kaminski, 320-269-2105, e-mail
  • Robin Moore, 612-767-9480, e-mail
  • Shea-Lynn Ramthun, e-mail
  • Alex Romano, 612-767-9880, e-mail
  • Sarah Wescott, 612-767-9881, e-mail
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Upcoming Events

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July 2025

Tuesday July 15

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
Tuesday July 15
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
1805 Dudley Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55113, USA

Join U of M researchers and Extension for updates on organic fruit and vegetable research and tour the Student Organic Farm and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in Saint Paul. Topics include: organic insect management, integrating livestock into vegetable farms, new crops for Minnesota, irrigation strategies, and more. Free to the public.
 
For details and to register, click here.

Wednesday July 16

9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Cottonwood County
Wednesday July 16
9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Cottonwood County
27092 Co Rd 8, Comfrey, MN 56019, USA

Details here.

Thursday July 17

9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Pipestone County
Thursday July 17
9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Pipestone County
518 30th Ave, Jasper, MN 56182

Details are here.

Friday July 18

9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Lac qui Parle County
Friday July 18
9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Lac qui Parle County
1174 295th Ave, Dawson, MN 56232

Details are here.

Tuesday July 22

9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Sartell
Tuesday July 22
9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Sartell
2611 17th St N, Sartell, MN 56377, USA

Details are here.

View Full Calendar

Recent Posts

  • Land Line: Tax Bill’s Ag Impact, Farmer Privacy, CAFO Water Demand, Honeybees, Nitrates, Solar’s Bright Spot, Farm Bankruptcies July 15, 2025
  • ‘Bringing Small Grains Back to Minnesota’ Meeting Aug. 2 in Madison  July 14, 2025
  • Get Your Farm Photographed & Receive Free Images! July 10, 2025
  • ‘Fishing, Farming & Food: Rush Creek’s Fish Kill Anniversary & Why it Matters’ Event July 12 Near Lewiston July 8, 2025
  • Contributing to the Cause July 8, 2025

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111 North First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

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Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

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821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

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