Soil

We thought this soil health minute would be helpful to folks thinking about the role that “wasted forage” plays in protecting and improving soils.  This “Soil Health Minute” is brought to you by the USDA NRCS, Ray Archuleta and Jon Sitka. Enjoy!

Forage radishes are a great cover crop for soybeans and corn where they increase soil nitrogen and improve water retention. They could help pastures too. Here’s what some Vermont dairy farmers found.

How something is tested is just as important as the results. Part of the scientific method is just figuring out if you asked the right questions and tested appropriately. So here we more fully describe what we did, existing conditions, and the farmers’ management.

Keyline plowing seems to promise so much. Its advocates suggest it will build up to 8 inches of topsoil per year, a process that typically takes centuries. Could a simple plow truly speed up the soil-building process?

Since your soil is the foundation you build your pastures on, understanding it in all its layers will help you make better management choices.

CLORPT!! is the key of soil formation: Climate, Organism, Relief, Parent material and Time are all part of the equation.

If you want to know how to create better soil, you’ve got to know what makes soil work for you, and what you’re starting with. This is the first in a series to get you on the dirt road.

The idea is out there that raw milk is a great tool for improving pastures. But what we’ve found is that it’s probably not going to make much of a difference.

We shared some tips on how to take the drudgery out of soil sampling, but maybe you want something even easier. How about smelling your soil? Here Ray Archuleta and Jon Sitka of the Natural Resources Conservation Service describe how you can get some information on your soil’s health just by sniffing in this episode […]

Want all that moisture to stay in your pasture? Make sure you protect the soil by leaving plenty of residue.

With everything else you have to do, soil testing may not be high on your list. Here’s a way to get it done and have a little fun too.

Remember this: most nutrients are being returned to pasture. The key to what you need to do is in the soil test results.