Fall Seeded Cover (Grain)

 

Connecting Farmers To Soil Health

Hello, Friends.

We hope this email finds you well. Today, we will be discussing an opportunity to further inject plant diversity into the farm while increasing the flexibility of your crop rotation.

General information

Seeding Rate: 65 Ibs/acre
Seeding Date: ~ September 5th
Inoculant: 1/2 rate rhizobium leguminosarum

Fall Rye: Cool Season Grass
Overwinter: Yes

Hairy Vetch: Cool Season Legume
Overwinter: Yes

Red Clover: Cool Season Legume
Overwinter: Yes

Buckwheat: Warm Season Broadleaf
Overwinter: No

Flax: Cool Season Broadleaf
Overwinter: No

Oats: Cool Season Grass
Overwinter: No

Picture: Fall Seeded Cover 2020. Marquette, Manitoba.

Picture: Fall Seeded Cover 2020. Marquette, Manitoba.

The fall seeded cover (Grain)

why does this blend make sense?

  • An opportunity to balance the C:N Ratio of your soil. When you balance your C:N, you create the ideal environment for soil biology to thrive. (Increase water infiltration/water holding capacity)

  • Weed control. Allelopathic effects of Fall Rye and the natural ability of this plant to suppress weeds.

  • Reduced soil erosion in fall and spring - something that is vastly overlooked and warrants a further discussion

  • Your introduction to green seeding. (stay tuned for an upcoming blog on this topic)

  • Take control of your grain marketing. (cover crop market in the states)

  • Covers & Co. sources locally grown seed for each blend. Hairy Vetch, for example, has been sourced from Manitoba and the seed genome has experienced a dormancy period in a Manitoba winter. (Whereas other vetch sources have been sourced from warmer climates with no dormancy period.)

  • Spread out your risk: more management options = greater flexibility

The Fall Seeded Cover (Grain)

The flexibility of the blend

See below for options you have once the seed is in the ground.

Option 1:

Fall/Spring Cover Crop

Gain the benefits of a fall & spring cover crop with the blend. Reduce soil erosion, increase plant diversity & manage moisture in the spring.

If you decide to terminate the crop, consider the following:

1. Excess Moisture in spring: terminate later
2. Limited Moisture in spring: terminate early

We realize every spring is different and different for each farm but taking the Fall Rye as a cash crop and selling into the United States' rapidly growing cover crop market, is a great decision from a farm ROI perspective.

Picture: Clearwater, Manitoba.

Picture: Clearwater, Manitoba.

Option 2:

Introduction to green seeding

Consider this your opportunity/introduction to green seeding! It is undeniable this practice will be considered a "no-brainer" to farmers battling weed resistance, soil erosion, and high input costs.

"One of rye’s strengths as a cover crop is weed suppression. Along with its allelopathic effect, rye’s vigorous growth out-competes weeds while the crop grows and results in plenty of crop residue for a physical barrier against weed growth after the crop dies."

Soybeans are best suited following a Fall Rye cover due to their ability to buffer the allelopathic effects better than most plants.

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Weedcontrol.png

Option 3:

Fall Rye Cash Crop

If legumes do not overwinter, you can take advantage of the growing cover crop market in the US. A lot has changed over the last few years to solidify a stable fall rye market. Farms in the US are being incentivized to grow cover crops. What is the easiest cover to grow and have overwinter? Fall Rye. Where is this fall rye sourced? Northern Climates.

Option 4:

Fall Rye/Hairy Vetch Cash Crop

If legumes overwinter and plant populations in spring are ideal, you will have the opportunity to sell the whole product (rye/vetch) back to Covers & Co.

Contact us for more information.

If you do decide to terminate and sow a crop into a fall rye/hairy vetch stand, consider nitrogen release timing study.

Overall, hairy vetch plants released almost three times as much nitrogen compared to cereal rye plants. More than 70% of the total nitrogen released by hairy vetch occurred within the first two weeks after termination. In contrast, nitrogen release from cereal rye occurred later, with almost no net nitrogen release in the first four weeks after termination.

Taylor Sievers et al, Aboveground and Root Decomposition of Cereal Rye and Hairy Vetch Cover Crops, Soil Science Society of America Journal (2018).

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Option 5:

Grazing/silage

A better way to utilize a cash crop by integrating animals. Valuable feedstuff in fall and spring.

"Recent grazing seasons have been unpredictable in terms of rainfall and production, leaving it difficult to plan out the capacity of perennial or native pastures. Including annual forage crops to your farm's forage portfolio is an option that can increase the total grazing days per year."

Throughout history, farmers have sought to improve the yield and productivity of the land they farm. One method is to double-crop or grow two crops in the same season. In warmer climates, farmers often raise a crop of soybeans and corn or some other combination of crops within one year. In the northern climates like Manitoba, the growing season has been too short to do this. We can, however, grow crops such as cereal rye or winter wheat for forage and then follow with a cash crop.

If all biennials in blend end up overwintering, a quality feed suitable for cattle should be able to be harvested for silage. The legumes (vetch/clover) will increases protein in the silage and make fall rye more palatable for ruminants.

The crop will be harvested mid-June leaving producers the option to sow a warm-season cover.

final notes/summary

Above anything else, introducing a fall-seeded blend on your farm will teach you about some fundamental principles around soil health. (Benefits of a balanced C:N ratio, green seeding, reduced soil erosion, stimulated soil biology, reduced inputs, water management, etc.)

Due to the demand of the blend, we ask you to reach out as soon as possible if interested in sowing this fall.

Thanks again for your support!

To learn more about how we can help incorporate plant diversity into your operation:

With Gratitude,

Covers & Co. Team

Joseph Gardiner, Travis Avery, Mark Fallis, Owen Taylor


 
Covers & Co.