Crop variety and the road to a healthy soil
Daniel Arens
From droughts to downpours, weather can bring a lot of different conditions that impact agricultural production. But, outside the weather, there are lots of actions producers can take to preserve and improve the health of their soils.
This was the major point of a field tour put together by the Mercer County Soil Conservation District Monday. The event was held at the Wayne Windhorst farm east of Leland Olds Station by Stanton, as Windhorst’s own actions to improve his soil conditions were used as an example of how producers can better their own soils.
Douglas Landblom, NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center beef cattle and integrated systems specialist and Hal Weiser, USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service state soil health specialist, discussed the use of cover crops and crop rotation to improve the land’s health, as well as the means by which soil is tested. Roughly two dozen local producers came out to learn the tips they had to share.
