What is Soil Health?

By Hunter Slifka

Soil health is a growing word and practice in the farming industry, especially in southeast Minnesota. What is soil health? Soil health may mean a lot of different things to each grower, from reduced tillage, to increased organic matter, to planting green, to improved water infiltration. All are right answers, and honestly, there are no wrong answers. Soil health is a very broad, but important topic in the farming community. 

Here in Fillmore County, growers have a leg up on many others on their adoption of soil health practices, cover crops more specifically. Farmers have been using cover crops for decades, however, just recently have they become more popular. Cover crops can offer multiple benefits to your operation and improve your soil’s health over time. There most definitely is not a one stop fix-all method, but multiple years of small impacts can make a large difference. 

Seeding a cover crop timely in the fall is crucial to see the great benefits. Typically, seeding a winter hardy species like winter rye or winter wheat in middle September to early October will lead to optimum success. This will keep your soil covered through the winter months while you do not have a cash crop growing. Over time this cover crop will improve your soil’s health which will improve your water infiltration and holding capacity, improve your soil’s biota or living organisms, and begin to mend your soil’s “glues” to keep its structure strong. Non-winter hardy species such as oats, radishes, turnips or rapeseed are viable options as well, however, aim for an early seeding date to achieve success as that plant will kill off with freezing temperatures.

Getting cover crops seeded has changed and evolved greatly over the last few years. Your typical methods such as drilling or broadcasting are great options, however are hindered by crop harvest. Aerial application is becoming more popular as it takes one more responsibility off that grower’s plate. Airplanes are great options for larger field sizes and can cover many acres in a short period of time. 

Drones are the new hot topic. Drones have become more readily available and are able to cover both small and large fields in a timely manner. There is more labor required to operate these pieces of equipment, but they are a very available option in southeast Minnesota. 

Many of these soil health practices are available for cost-share. The Fillmore SWCD has two main opportunities for cost-share. Along with the SWCD funding opportunities there are many private options that can be explored; please seek out those avenues if you’re interested. 

All in all, cover crops are a great soil health practice and can provide some wonderful benefits to your operation. If you are interested in getting started with cover crops or looking for financial assistance with this practice, please reach out to the Fillmore SWCD.