Using cover crops in your garden
Soil health isn’t just for agricultural fields, our home gardens can see improvements while doing our part to benefit our natural resources! Understanding what covers work well with each crop is important so unwanted consequences don’t happen. My first year of using oats in my garden proved to not be wise, my tomatoes were not […]
Babe’s Country – July 2020
Is a clean forest a good forest? Trails to access woodlands to enjoy them, manage, and create fire breaks is a normal and generally low disturbance activity. Clearing away trees, shrubs, and debris allow the trails to be accessible. What about the rest of the forest? Do we look around at it and think it […]
Merch now available!
Want to show others how you talk dirty? Shirts are now available to purchase on our website to talk dirty and get away with it – while providing education about soil health! Head over to our store to check it out. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us!
Eric Stelling: Board Member and Farmer Mentor
Eric Stelling (above) I farm with my father and brother in and around Osakis, MN. We currently operate around 1500 acres consisting of corn, beans, alfalfa, and some small grains. Approximately 160 acres of our operation is certified organic. Three years ago we got out of dairy and now finish feeder cattle. We are in […]
Soil your undies challenge is underway!
The Soil Your Undies Challenge is underway, remember to dig up, take a picture, and post on Facebook of how well you soiled your undies for a chance to win a prize and be the reigning soiled undies champion! For any questions or updates on your undies, contact us on Facebook or by email at […]
Soil Health Stories – July 2020
Things are different than they were a year ago. Meetings and field events have been postponed and cancelled, our methods for sharing and learning have adapted. This is applicable to all things in life; things change and we continue to evolve. Without are ability to adapt, we would be constantly struggling and not using opportunities […]
Backyard Composting
Do you have a garden in need of nutrients? Would you like to reduce the amount of waste in your trash and local landfills? Do you have unwanted leaf and grass clippings? Consider backyard composting! A finished product can be achieved in as little as a few weeks using hot composting or using a low […]
Babe’s Country
The soil determines the species composition of forests and also directly correlates to the quality and vigor and how it should be managed. Soils are the source of nutrient, moisture, and biological activity availability to forest product roots and can have a wide variety of successfully providing for your vegetation. What’s going on below the […]
Moisture Management with Cover Crops
2020 has been a very different year from the last two. Many areas of the state are dry right now with lack of timely rain events. We know cover crops are great at taking up excess moisture in the spring to help us get in the fields earlier, but do they compete with our crops […]
9/17/2020 at 5PM – SW MN Field Day
Nancy and Jerry Ackermann are partnering with the Heron Lake Watershed District and Minnesota Department of Agriculture to host a field day! Data and testing have been collected over a three-year period to help measure and determine the benefits of using cover crop strip-till management versus conventional tillage. The field day will consist of: Various […]