VANTAGE embarked on a multi-species cover crop project in 2012, funded by Natural Resource Conservation Service – Conservation Innovation Grant.  Here are some photos taken today (click to enlarge).

From left to right – rye, clover, rapeseed/turnip,  radish (long since winter killed); rye alone; & triticale, hairy vetch.

Barley, crimson clover, hairy vetch, and radish (long since winter killed)

Barley was sown next to an area left unplanted.  Below is a photo taken today followed by a photo taken two weeks ago.

NRCS has some great resources on improving soil health, in turn enhancing productivity and conservation.

Click here to “hear directly from some of the nation’s leading  farmers to find out how they’re using soil health management systems to make their farms more profitable, productive and sustainable.”

Presentations from this year’s conferences in Harrisonburg, Chatham, Colonial Heights, and Fredericksburg, have been posted. So hop on over to Past Conference Materials to view and listen to them.  The presentations and articles from previous years are also available there.

Our conferences are next week, so be sure to REGISTER TODAY!

In the mean time, if you missed it, this is a great commercial that was aired during the Super Bowl, celebrating farmers!

Be sure to check out the agendas and speakers for your area.

Registration is now open.  Please CLICK HERE for online registration. Or call the number listed for the event nearest you on our brochure.

We are busy planning our February conferences and have set the date for the Rockingham County meeting to be February 12, 2013. At least three other dates statewide will be set shortly.

David Wolfskill, Berks County, Pennsylvania, will be one of our presenters at this year’s Virginia No-Till Alliance western meetings. He is a dairyman who has been no-tilling since the 80s and will talk about his successes and challenges along the way. Mr. Wolfskill’s ability to produce high yields through no-till was substantiated as 2008 National Corn Grain Champion in Class A non-irrigated no-till with 297 bushels. His fields are not unlike those found here, with high variability and similar soil types. He will discuss the benefits he’s seen from raising soil organic matter through the use of no-till and manure management.