News

Disappointing cover crop

A south-central Minnesota farmer says the last cover crop cycle was disappointing.

Rochelle Krusemark of Trimont tells Brownfield conditions were too dry in the fall.

“It didn’t germinate (and) didn’t germinate this spring, so it’s the worst cover crop emergence that we’ve had since we started growing cover crops several years ago.”

She says that has ripple effects across her family’s crop and livestock operation.

“We didn’t have any cover that we could chop and use for forage for the cows, we didn’t have any that we could leave and harvest for seed to grow this fall so we’re going to have to go buy some.”

Krusemark says the lack of a cover crop also resulted in having to replant some soybeans because there wasn’t as much organic matter on the soil surface to handle several heavy spring rains.

Krusemark made these comments during Brownfield affiliate KNUJ’s Women in Ag Forum Wednesday.