Civil Eats

MAY 1, 2024

When Jeff Broberg and his wife, Erica, moved to their 170-acre bean and grain farm in Winona, Minnesota in 1986, their well water measured at 8.6 Those tiles, which were first installed in the mid-1800s and have now largely been replaced with plastic pipes, ultimately allowed farmers to grow crops on land that was once too wet to farm.

Fertilizer 145

Fertilizer Farming Farming Acre 145

ATTRA

DECEMBER 26, 2023

He would let the cover crop grow and overwinter and then plow down the following spring for green manure. Periodic mowing keeps it under control and adds a green manure mulch to the crops. I revisited this idea again when I was talking with Helen Atthowe at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Conference this past November.

Crop 79

Crop Plowing Manure Farming 79

DTN

JULY 24, 2023

Different agricultural practices emit or sequester different amounts of carbon, so multiple farming practices must be considered when determining a farm’s environmental impact. Two neighbors, Farmer A and Farmer B: both farm 1,000 acres and use the same crop rotation schedule. Consider this scenario.

Farming 98

Farming Farming Crop Rotation Grain 98

Cropaia

DECEMBER 19, 2023

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in regenerative agriculture, a holistic approach to farming that seeks to restore and revitalize the land while improving crop yields and overall farm profitability. Improved soil health : Regenerative practices prioritize soil health, which is the foundation of successful farming.

Agriculture 104

Agriculture Agriculture Farming Farming 104

Civil Eats

FEBRUARY 27, 2024

Yet the bucolic scene belies an environmental problem roiling beneath the surface: The groundwater in this part of Minnesota is so contaminated with nitrates running off farm fields that the U.S. Dialing up Diversity One standard approach to cleaning the water that runs off farms is planting cover crops.

Crop 140

Crop Farming Farming Acre 140

UnderstandingAg

DECEMBER 31, 2024

In the following discussion, I would like to share some thoughts on how to add net profit into a grazing operation, as well as share my own experiences reducing hay inputs with the grass-finished beef herd that roams across our northern Michigan family farm. Each year provides new opportunities to incorporate more regenerative practices.

Pasture 105

Pasture Forage Livestock Manure 105

The Lunatic Farmer

JULY 7, 2021

Allan Savory through Holistic Management began taking pictures of remarkable recoveries when animals at high density for a short period of time (one day) heavily impacted a spot with hooves and manure. In more recent years, however, a "take half, leave half" message has come on strong within the grass farming movement.

Plowing 52

Plowing Pruning Logistics Seeding 52