Do you remember the heat wave that occurred July 13, 1995? If you do not remember that stifling heat that struck Chicago you can google search “1995 Chicago heat wave.” I remember it well; I was so hot I farmed naked.
“Don’t farm naked” is a new catchphrase to encourage farmers to plant cover crops. There has been a lot of emphasis in recent years for agricultural practices to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Farmers have made major strides in soil conservation since the 1930’s, the decade known for dust bowls and drought.
In agricultural terms, erosion is the process of nature moving soil. Wind can move soil, but the far greater threat is from water. For a farmer, soil is precious and takes a very long time to create naturally. For this reason many farmers have instituted soil conservation practices to help keep soil in the fields. Cover crops not only reduce erosion, they can also help prevent nutrients from leaving the farm that may eventually lead to pollution of our waters.
Since erosion starts with the raindrop dislodging soil particles, known as the splash effect, keeping the soil covered with residue or a growing crop can be very beneficial. Many of the acres that are farmed in Illinois do not have a crop growing on them after harvest and through winter and spring season. For that reason farmers are encouraged to plant cover crops after the summer or fall harvest.
Cover crops are not meant to be harvested. Their main goal is to prevent erosion, build organic matter, suppress weeds, and also create a host environment for mycorrhiza. If you want an interesting topic to read about, I jokingly suggest you read all about mycorrhiza.
I currently have a cover crop mix of oats and Daikon radishes growing on all 3 fields that I harvested wheat from this past July. The goal is for thick and lush vegetation to mulch and blanket the soil and protect it in the event of any heavy downpours. This mix of crops will not overwinter. They usually die after several cold days below 20 degrees. The dead plant matter, the equivalent of mulch, is very beneficial to protect the soil.
Thanks to the lack of any extreme cold weather so far this winter season the cover crops are still green. It is Christmas and the cover crops are still alive. Time will tell if the cold temperatures of Christmas day were finally low enough to have terminated my cover crops. I am planning on the residue to protect my soil when the heavy spring rains arrive next year.
I have no intention of ever farming naked again or for my fields to be naked and bare after wheat harvest. I have found the implementation of cover crops vital for healthy soils and the planet.
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