Indiana Farmers Simplify Cover Crop Routine with Reliable Species

Carter Morgan and Jon Reese, two Indiana farmers, have refined their cover crop routine after testing various species and mixes. Their approach is simple: they select a few reliable options that meet their goals.

Morgan seeds Elbon cereal rye on most of his acres, following corn harvest. He appreciates its flexibility, as it can be planted late into the fall if harvest is delayed. Reese also relies on cereal rye and camelina mix, which works well with his routine since he doesn't want to seed covers in summer heat prior to harvest.

The farmers agree that cereal rye is an ideal choice for weed suppression and erosion control. However, they emphasize the importance of matching cover crops to specific goals. For example, if the objective is to bust soil compaction, deep-rooted covers like rapeseed are more suitable.