no-till

‘No-Till, Cover Crops & Finances’ Workshop Sept. 1 at Dairy & Crop Farms Near Lewiston

Discussion to Focus on how Practices like No-Till, Cover Cropping & Planting Green can Improve Soil Health & Make Financial Sense

LEWISTON, Minn. — Transitioning to no-till, planting green into cover crops, using a triticale cover crop as dairy cattle feed, and using cover crops after corn, soybeans and silage, will be the focus of a Land Stewardship Project (LSP) field day Thursday, Sept. 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., near Lewiston. Farmers Everett Rolfing and…  Read More

LSP Regenerative Farming & Grazing Field Day Aug. 17 in Winona County to Feature Allen Williams 

DAKOTA, Minn. — See, discuss and go in-depth on soil health and grazing with an internationally known regenerative farming expert Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Luke and Holly Bergler’s farm near Dakota (37062 County Rd. 12). Allen Williams, a veteran regenerative producer and consultant, will lead the tour. This event…  Read More

 ‘Farming in Karst Country’ Workshop July 6 at Niagara Cave in Harmony

Discussion to Focus on how Soil Healthy Practices can Improve the Health of Underground Streams

HARMONY, Minn. — The intersection of soil-building farming practices, water movement and karst geology will be the focus of a special Land Stewardship Project (LSP) “Farming in Karst Country” workshop Wednesday, July 6, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Niagara Cave in Harmony (29842 Co. Hwy. 30). The cost to attend is $20 for adults…  Read More

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 Video: What does Healthy Soil Look Like? Water Infiltration Test & Comparison • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s Soil Health & Cover Cropping Web…  Read More

Soil Health: From ‘Light Bulb’ Moment to Daily Practice

How Todd Duncan Learned to be Comfortable with being Uncomfortable

Nearly seven years ago, northeastern Iowa farmer and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) district conversationist, Todd Duncan, along with a group of local producers, started looking for tangible solutions to the erosion problems they were seeing on their farms. These farmers had already been implementing NRCS’s best management practices when it came to conversation, but…  Read More

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, his headlamp illuminated the results. More Information • Event: LSP roller crimping/no-till workshop March 2, 2022, in Austin, Minn. • LSP Cover Crops Web Page • LSP No-till Web Page •…  Read More

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 Information • Video of roller crimper being used on Jovaag farm • OGRAIN fact sheets and videos on roller crimping • Ear to the Ground Podcast Episode 257: The House…  Read More

Billboard Campaign Highlights the Power of Healthy Soil in Southern MN

Warning: ‘Farming Naked’ isn’t a Good Idea When it Comes to Building Resilient Fields

LEWISTON, Minn. — When isn’t farming naked a good idea? A new Land Stewardship Project (LSP) billboard campaign promoting the power of building healthy soil on southern Minnesota farms answers that question and more. The billboards, which made their debut this month near the Minnesota communities of Austin, Spring Valley, Fountain, Preston, Dexter, Grand Meadow and…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 267: Bringing Science Back to the Farm

A 4th grade experiment launched farmer Connor McCormick down a path of researching linkages between ecology, agricultural economics, and healthy soil. More Information • Ear to the Ground 166: A farmer works with a professor and her students at St. Olaf College college to study the impacts of cropping on soil health. • Connor McCormick Blog: Returning…  Read More

No-Till & Roller Crimping Workshop for Conventional & Organic Farmers March 2 in Austin

AUSTIN, Minn. — Ready to roll up your sleeves for roller crimping and no-till on your cropping operation? Get your efforts kick-started at a free workshop on Wednesday, March 2, from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., at Riverland Community College’s West Event Center in Austin (14th Street SW and 8th Avenue SW). All farmers interested…  Read More