We often talk about the hard data that drives modern agriculture, but what about the everyday observations of a farmer in the field? Pairing those together could prevent $150 an acre from washing away in the spring thaw.
Steve Hoffman is the president of InDepth Agronomy. As an independent crop consultant, he works with several farmer-led watershed groups to set up on-farm research plots and demonstration field days. Mid-West Farm Report caught up with Steve at a watershed event, who presented on his own kitchen experiment that led to new findings for farmers utilizing cover crops.
“Whatever’s in that living green plant is going to stay in that living green plant,” Hoffman says. “But on the other hand, if we don’t have a cover crop… any water from snow melt that sits on the surface is going to pick up nutrients.”
While cover crops are widely praised for reducing erosion and improving soil health, the condition of those crops during the winter is something to note. Many popular covers are “winter-killed,” meaning they die during the first hard freeze and lay flat on the soil. When the March sun begins to melt the snow, these dead plants release readily available nutrients into the water. This runoff eventually finds its way into creeks and lakes.
The impact isn’t just environmental. It’s also a significant financial leak. Preliminary data suggests that in a worst-case scenario, the loss of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can be devastating to a farm’s budget.
“When you start to look at the potential that we could lose in a worst case scenario, it can be something like $150 an acre,” Hoffman says.
To combat this, the recommendation for growers is a continuous green cover. Use hardy species that can survive a Wisconsin winter and remain active through the thaw. Hoffman suggest prioritizing winter cereals like wheat and rye, or early-planted legumes such as red and crimson clover.
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