American Agriculture

American Agriculture History Minute: Early Colonists Learned the Hard Way About Soil Stewardship

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Environment, Soil, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early colonists had to learn the hard way about soil stewardship. The practices associated with keeping livestock also contributed to deterioration of the land. Colonists would cut down trees, allow their cattle and livestock to graze freely in the forest areas, but never plant more trees. The animals trampled and tore …

initiative

Initiative Offers Year-Round Soil Solutions Nationwide

Dan Environment, Soil, Soil

The Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota aims to address one of agriculture’s biggest challenges: keeping soil covered and healthy throughout the year. While the program began with a focus on the Upper Midwest’s shorter growing seasons, co-director Mitch Hunter says its methods can help farmers in other regions as well. “We want to not just find partners …

Christmas tree

Give Your Christmas Tree Life After the Holidays

Dan Conservation, Environment, Soil

When finished with that Christmas tree, quite a few are sent to landfills. But according to a story from Clint Thompson, there are alternatives to recycle and repurpose those trees. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

Healthy Soils Week

Healthy Soils Week Highlights Benefits of Regenerative Farming Practices

Dan Environment, Soil, Soil

This week, the American Farmland Trust (AFT) is promoting the importance of soil health through Healthy Soils Week, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about sustainable farming practices. Paul Lum, a Senior Agricultural Specialist for AFT, discussed the organization’s efforts and the critical role of healthy soils in agriculture. Founded in 1980, AFT initially focused on protecting farmland through conservation …

American Agriculture History

American Agriculture History Minute: Becoming Stewards of the Soil

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Conservation, Environment, Soil, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. We like to think that early American farmers and ranchers were good stewards of the soil, like farmers and ranchers are today, but history shows they were not. From the 1770s to the 1830s, pioneers moved into new lands that stretched from Kentucky to Alabama to Texas. Most were farmers who …

American

American Agriculture History Minute: Learning Soil Preservation by Crop Rotation

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Environment, Soil, Soil, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early settlers, unfortunately, tended to be careless with the use and care of their soil. This was the case across the country, as Americans were used to thinking that there would always be more land for new farms. And by the 1880s, they saw this would not be the case much …

topsoil

Latest Topsoil Moisture Condition Report

Dan Environment, Soil, Soil, USDA

USDA’s latest topsoil moisture condition report reflects a dramatic increase in very-short to short ratings from the previous week, as well as levels not reached in two years. Rod Bain has more. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

composting

Benefits of Composting for Farms

Dan Environment, Fertilizer, Greenhouse Gas, Soil, This Land of Ours

Learning the importance of composting. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours Seventeen-year-old Summer Davies of Florida is earning her Girl Scouts Gold Award – the highest award in the Girl Scouts – by reporting on the positive effects of composting for small farmers. Here is her report. Listen to Summer Davies’ This Land Of Ours program here. For …

Healthy Soils Week

USDA Soil Science Proposals are Due July 8

Dan Environment, Soil, Soil, USDA-NRCS

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will be investing $3 million in partnerships to promote and fund research that informs and improves soil surveys. So, the NRCS encourages institutions of higher education in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network to submit proposals by July 8, 2024.  NRCS Chief Terry Cosby said, “Congress recognized that states and other partners need soil …