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Cover Crops

All Cover Crops Content

fresh vegetables including onions, potatoes, lettuce and squash are shown piled on a counter

SDSU Extension to host short educational course on high tunnels

September 29, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension will host a two-day High Tunnel Short Course on Oct. 16-17 at the Outdoor Campus – West in Rapid City.

a metal structure with white tarps wrapped over it, resembling a hoop shape

SDSU Extension to feature Beadle Conservation District at High Tunnel Field Day

September 13, 2023

Perfect for farmers, technical service providers, gardeners and anyone curious about high tunnels, the field day is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. CDT on Sept. 21, 2023, at the Beadle Conservation District site, 1174 Lincoln Ave. SW, Huron, South Dakota. It is free to attend.

Black angus cattle eating from a feed bunk.

Feeding Hybrid Rye Grain to Cattle

Feedlot researchers at SDSU were approached to evaluate the potential for hybrid rye to be used in cattle finishing diets. See what they found in terms of cattle performance and feed efficiency.

a closeup of a row of green plants

SDSU Extension to feature Midland growers at new Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day

August 07, 2023

SDSU Extension is hosting a Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day for fruit and vegetable producers from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT on Aug. 14 at Cedar Creek Gardens near Midland, South Dakota.

aerial view of South Dakota farm and surrounding land

Crops

During the growing season, SDSU Extension provides weekly production recommendations.

Bare field with visible salt buildup on soil surface.

SDSU Extension hosting Every Acre Counts Bus Tour on Aug. 9

July 26, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension will host an Aug. 9 bus tour highlighting award-winning precision agricultural strategies used by farmers to mitigate saline soils while also maximizing productivity and profitability.

Producers inspecting soil in a harvested wheat field.

Managing Cover Crops in Moisture Deficits

Planting cover crops after small grain harvest can be risky in central South Dakota. The decision to incorporate them into an annual cropping system should consider historical precipitation, soil water holding capacity, and soil moisture at time of planting.

Map of the location of the Precision Cover Crop Demonstration day

SDSU Extension to co-host Precision Cover Crop Demonstration Day on July 20

July 14, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service will host a Precision Cover Crop Demonstration Day starting at 9 a.m. on July 20, 2023, near Brookings.

oats

Cover Crops

The benefits of planting cover crops are numerous. 

Kristine Lang and Rhoda Burrows look at some plants with two men inside a high tunnel

The South Dakota State University Southeast Research Farm to host Field Day on July 11

June 30, 2023

The South Dakota State University Southeast Research Farm Field Day will be held on July 11 near Beresford, South Dakota.