Frequently Asked Questions
What are Cover Crops?
Cover crops are plants or a diverse mixture of plants that are grown to help suppress weeds, manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, disease, wildlife and biodiversity.
How do cover crops Benefit soil?
It’s different for every farmer, but in general, cover crop benefits include: enhanced soil biology, improved soil structure, increased infiltration, reduced erosion, weed suppression, nutrient cycling and wildlife propagation.
How do Cover Crops benefit livestock?
Well-planned annual cover crop mixes can provide highly nutritious avaliable forage when perennial grass pastures are either unproductive, poor in quality, or in need of rest. This delivers tremendous benefit to animal health and production.
What is ‘no-till’ farming?
No-till farming is a way of growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil by tilling.
How do no-till methods Benefit soil?
Tillage is very destructive to soil biology and soil structure. Through no-till methods we have seen big improvements in soil structure, function and fertility. This technique also increases the amount of water that infiltrates the soil and increases the organic matter retention and cycling of nutrients in the soil.
Can cover crops bring year-round profit?
Used as a rotation in cropping or pasture system, cover crops can provide huge amounts of bio-mass that can be grazed with very little inputs.When correct techniques are used, cover crops can create opportunities to make the most of 'out-of-season' rain and convert into live weight gains whilst improving soil health.
Thought and care needs to be taken in managing soil moisture for following crops in low rainfall environments.