While Greene County farmers are anticipating harvest of what has been predicted to be a record-breaking soybean crop and an excellent corn crop, some are planting as they wait to climb aboard their combines.
According to Bill Frederick, chairman of the Greene County soil and water conservation district, the number of farmers who are planting cover crops has grown significantly over the past three years, but he estimates that still, only about 10 percent farmers use cover crops as a conservation method.
Rye grass is the cover crop commonly planted in Iowa. Seed is applied from the air by the same pilots who do aerial applications, the “crop dusters.” Pictured is a pilot from Stott’s Aerial Spraying planting a cover crop in Greenbrier Township Sunday evening.
The seed drifts down past soybean plants and even corn, and settles on the soil. Frederick said gentle rain like Greene County has received this week is ideal for establishing a cover crop, as it washes the seed off the plants to the soil. He’s predicting an excellent year for cover crops.
Rye grass grows quickly and is three or four inches tall before the combines go into the fields. Chris Henning has used cover crops on her Franklin Township farmland for four years. She likened harvest with a cover crop planted like driving on a residential lawn. This fall she is planting rye grass over 65 acres of soybeans.
Henning is a passionate conservationist. She explains that using a cover crop protects the soil from water and wind erosion between growing seasons. It is hardy, and grows during the warm part and goes dormant during the cold part of typical thaw/freeze cycles. She’ll leave the rye grass in the field until spring rains are finished and she’s ready to plant. At that time, she’ll plow the rye grass under, leaving it to decompose and put nutrients back into the soil.
Not all farmers plow live cover crops under, Frederick said. Some apply a herbicide and then go on with their planting. Even then, the cover crop has served its purpose of securing the soil for another growing season.
Frederick is among only a few farmers who harvest their cover crop for seed. The rye seed Henning is planting this fall was harvested by Frederick last spring. He is pictured helping load seed for the aerial planting Sunday.
Hardin Township farmer David Ausberger, who was recognized with the Conservation Legacy Award by the American Soybean Association last winter, is a longtime user of and advocate for cover crops. Find that story in the GreenecountyNewsOnline archive.
