CCSI-HAT Soil Health Podcast

Everyone knows you can't use cover crops in river bottoms, right? WRONG! Ray McCormick, Knox County, Indiana, farms about 1000 acres of river bottom farmland and uses cover crops on every acre. He is joined by CCSI Director Lisa Holscher to talk about the benefits and challenges of this practice.

SW Indiana IT Professional / Soil Health Farmer Pat Bittner exemplifies the studious mindset of many regenerative ag farmers. His thorough research has allowed the remarkably FAST adoption of more advanced practices. Focusing upon what he wants to nurture vs. what he wants to kill, well-thought out plans of practice adoption, solid business planning, and SEEKING OUT MENTORS is making rapid change...

Learning from experience soil heath farmers can help shape applied research to help address challenges from farmers newer to regenerative ag. That same critical thinking can be applied to teaching the next generation of growers and agronomists, Dan Quinn, Purdue Extension Corn Specialist, and Susan Brocksmith, Vincennes University Business Division Dean, share their experiences, observations, and...

Among other things, Purdue Corn Specialist Dan Quinn and Vincennes University Business Division Dean Susan Brocksmith talk about how round table discussions with experience soil health farmers can help tailor applied research and education of ag students.

Cover crops can be a great management tool for vegetable production. Steven Meyers, Purdue Horticulture Asst. Prof. of Weed Science, and Dan Perkins, Perkins Good Earth Farms discuss best practices for termination, residue management, direct seeding, and transplanting when using covers.

No matter how extensively you checked and adjusted your planter over the winter, there are always "game-time" adjustments that will be needed. Barry Fisher, recently retired from NRCS and AJ Adkins, NTM Agriculture, discuss the settings and adjustments they feel are critical to getting a solid stand when no-tilling and/or using cover crops.

From financial to operational to managerial - there are a lot of decisions a farmer has to make before adopting a conservation practice. Understanding that is critical for anyone working with farmers - conservationists, agronomists, and land managers. Indiana farmer Rodney Rulon and Indiana NRCS State Conservationists Jerry Raynor talk about their passions for conservation - and how to help farmer...

Just a few years ago, commercial tomato growers might have said, "You can't use cover crops in tomato production." Things have certainly changed. James Rice from Wanatah, IN and Curt Utterback, Senior Agriculture Coordinator for Red Gold talk about how they both use cover crops in their various crop rotations along with the management considerations they have for managing cover crops and other soi...

Chuck Mohler, AKA "Sweet Corn Charlie" and Joe Rorick, CCSI Agronomist, talk about the many benefits of diversity in production, including use of a wide mix of cover crops - better tasting produce, disease suppression, and nutrient efficiency, just to name a few.

Explaining soil health investments to your ag lender can be challenging for some farmers. Join Indiana farmer Ken Rulon (Rulon Enterprises) and Kansas Farmer Keith Berns (Green Cover Seed) as they dig deeper into the numbers on economic returns. Thanks to the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance for supporting this episode!

Explaining soil health investments to your ag lender can be challenging for some farmers. Join Indiana farmer Ken Rulon (Rulon Enterprises) and Kansas Farmer Keith Berns (Green Cover Seed) as they give advice on talking to loan officers - especially if you're relatively new to a soil health practice. Thanks to the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance for supporting this epis...

The soil microbiome - the invisible part of the soil - relates directly to the health and quality of plants. Dr. Lori Hoagland, Purdue University and Dan Perkins, Perkins Good Earth Farm, discuss their investigations into composts - specifically leaf mould - on soil microbiome communities and performance... and plant performance.

Buckle up. There's a lot to unpack in this conversation with David Brandt's 50 year soil health journey. The listen is worth it... and then some. Brandt's focus on soil health systems and continuing willingness to learn and expand his knowledge has provided the farm with economic stability, the ability to weather global weirding, and allowed the operation to bring younger generations on - even in...

Cover crops aren't just for large scale commodity crop production. Smaller scale specialty crop farmers can integrate covers throughout their intense and diverse cash crop rotations to manage their lands in a more sustainable/regenerative manner. Join Kevin Allison, Marion County SWCD, and Dan Perkins, Perkins Good Earth Farm, as they talk about big picture strategies for cover crop inclusion.

Sweet corn farmers Chuck Mohler from Northern Indiana and Tom and Victor Hackman from Southern Indiana agree: cover crops are a benefit on any farm. The Hackmans moved from a wheat cover crop on no-tilled sweet corn to a cereal rye cover crop about 5 years ago. They like the way the rye residue helps to conserve soil moisture - even without irrigation. The residue also suppresses weeds - often hel...

Beyond grazing, opportunities abound for those with out infrastructure like fencing and watering facilities to use cover crops for forage. Purdue Extension Forage Specialist Keith Johnson and Cisco Seed Forage Agronomist Greg Downing talk haylage, species breeding, timing and more.

Did you know that 70% of pollination in watermelon crops comes from NATIVE bees and other pollinators? It makes economic and environmental sense to focus on Integrated Pest Management as a core strategy to control pests and improve yields. Join Elizabeth Long and Laura Ingwell, Purdue Entomology, and Dennis Nowaskie, Southwest Purdue Ag Center, as they discuss the impacts of neonics and fungicides...

When we talk about pollinator strips, we typically think about bees and butterflies. However, pollinator strips also attract a host of other beneficial insects that bring value to crop production. Listen to Rick Clark, West-central Indiana Farmer, and Christian Krupke, Purdue University Professor of Entomology wax poetic about the positive impacts of planting insect habitat.

Amanda and Jacob Baird, beginning pumpkin farmers join University of Illinois Extension Educator Nathan Johanning and long-term no-till pumpkin farmer Rod Johnson of Hobart, Indiana to learn the tips and tricks of successful u-pick no-till pumpkins - from cover crops to dealing with rodents.

It's April and lawns may have greened up, but that doesn't mean cover crops are actively growing. Understanding effects of night time low temperatures, that different cover crops species may break dormancy at different times, and other considerations are key to successful termination. Walton, Indiana farmer Cameron Mills and Pierceton, Indiana farmer Jamie Scott talk about key considerations in th...

Mike and Susan Brocksmith of Vincennes, Indiana received the American Soybean Association Conservation Legacy Award at the 2020 Commodity Classic. They have always been strong conservationists. With time consuming hog and cow-calf operations, Mike began no-tilling in 1977 as a way to save time. Through the 80's, 90's, and on the Brocksmiths continued to evolve their operation. In addition, Mike an...

Vole damage to crops is dependent on several variables - palatability and density of cover crops, soil types, field borders, and... raptor perches. Abby Prieur and Megan Zagorski recently wrapped their Masters Studies at Purdue University where they focused on practices and field qualities that could impact the probability of vole damage in Indiana cropfields. They discuss their findings and how f...

In 2019, a lot of new clients walked through the doors of USDA Service Centers looking for options on their prevent plant acres - for resources on managing those fields. Many turned to cover crops for the first time. Even though each of the podcast guests was representing a conservation organization - a consistent theme was tapping into a vast network of experienced soil health farmers as a resour...

Decatur County, Indiana farmer Kevin Horstman is a relative rookie to soil health farming, but with the help of neighbors Roger Wenning and son Nick, he hopes to ramp up his farming system in 5 years to levels similar to those achieved by the Wennings in 25 years. These farmers are joined by CCSI Agronomist Joe Rorick and Indiana USDA-NRCS Soil Health Specialist Stephanie McLain to talk about wher...

By strategically planning a cover crop and high-density grazing system, growers can stretch winter feedstocks, improve pasture utilization, and improve the health of their livestock - both above and in the soil. Jason Tower, Southern Indiana Purdue Ag Center Superintendent, and Robert Zupancic, Southeast Indiana USDA-NRCS Grazing Specialist, discuss various considerations in both pasture managemen...