No-Till Case Study, Richter Farm: Cover Crop Cocktails in a Forage-Based System

Introduction

A forage-based cropping system routinely removes most plant biomass from the land by baling hay or chopping silage. This results in inadequate plant residue for healthy soil biology function and soil protection. One solution, used by Marlyn and Patrick Richter in North Dakota, is to grow a multispecies cover crop cocktail after an early forage harvest to add needed residue, organic matter, and available soil nutrients for the subsequent cash crop.

Table of Contents

Introduction..............................................1
2007 Cover Crop Cocktail Following Early Forage Harvest...2
2008 Field Corn Crop......................................5
Further Benefits and Beyond...............................7
Reference.................................................7
Further References........................................7

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