You know how here in Illinois folks say things like, “don’t like the weather? Wait ten minutes.” Well, that warning seems to be coming true more frequently these days. 2019 kicked off with turbulent weather—an arctic blast followed by a healthy dump of snow and we were well on our way to an exciting year. […]
soil health
Strip Grazing for Soil Health
by Ted Krauskopf, Hickory Flat Cattle Co. As a producer, I recognize the benefit of rotational grazing versus set stock grazing. In 2008 we expanded the pasture on our farm to include a total of 90 acres of former cropland plus about 20 more acres of a combination of timber area, and some riparian area […]
SWCD Conservation Series
by Erin Bush, Resource Conservationist, CCSWCD A recap of the Conservation Series, hosted by the Champaign County Soil & Water Conservation District, Farm Bureau, and supported by The Land Connection, February 24, March 3, and March 10, 2020, Champaign, Illinois. Earlier this year at a watershed meeting, the Champaign County Soil & Water Conservation District […]
Would you drive a car blindfolded?
Submitted by Jacquelyn Evers on Mon, 12/03/2018 – 4:53pm Have you ever thought about what scary things are lurking in your soil? Me neither… until I started working at The Land Connection. Soil is one of those topics that just keeps surfacing here. It comes up in emails, at meetings, in project conversations. It’s everywhere! […]
Production Risk Management
Managing risk in organic grain farming happens at every level. While it may seem to begin with the production systems that the farmer puts in place, experienced growers will tell you that successful organic systems begin with understanding the farmer, the farmer’s resource base, and how the farmer will develop their organic system plan. This […]
Assessing and Accessing Progress in the Soil
Michelle Wander, soil science professor at the University of Illinois, discusses how farmers can measure their progress and leverage that progress for future growth.
