Cover crops becoming popular in area fields - 4/25/2024

Area farmers are starting to plant cover crops in their fields. The cover crops are usually some form of rye and is planted in the fall after harvest. The benefits of the cover crop is that it reduces the growth of weeds, adds fertility to the soil and prevents soil erosion. It also benefits the environment as the cover crop absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and stores it in the ground. Roots and shoots of cover crops feed bacteria, fungi, earthworms and other soil organisms, which increases soil carbon levels over time. In the spring the cover crop is killed with a herbicide about 2 weeks before planting beans or corn. The above field is 2 miles west of Minonk.

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