New Video Series: Purposeful Cover Crops
- Mary Sketch
- Aug 31, 2022
- 2 min read
Sustainable Chesapeake and Virginia Soil Health Coalition Partners are pleased to announce the release of four videos focused on how cover crops (a high priority conservation practice for Chesapeake Bay restoration) can save farmers money by improving yields, reducing input costs, improving drought resilience, and preventing weeds. The videos feature Paul Davis (Davis Produce), Jamie Shenk (Beauregard Farms), and Clay Lowe (Cedar Point Farms).
“When it comes to a drought, you want as much cover as you can get on the soil. And you know what you don’t see? A lot of weeds, because there is no room for them.” (Clay Lowe, Cedar Point Farms)
“Our yields have gone up in corn probably 5 or 6 bushels a year, and to get that we have been cutting back on our fertilizer.” (Paul Davis, Davis Produce)
“Being able to reduce our sidedress nitrogen rates by 100 pounds this year is going to make huge economic benefits for our farm.” (Jamie Shenk, Beauregard Farms).
Funded by the sale of “Friend of the Bay” license plates, the videos are available on YouTube and embedded below.
Cover crops are an integral approach for improved soil health and water quality. Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Key concepts of soil health include protecting soil habitat; managing more by disturbing less; keeping soil covered, diversifying food and carbon sources for soil microorganisms; diversifying plant and animal communities; and growing living roots throughout the year. In addition, cover crops can trap and fix nitrogen (if using legumes) and they prevent soil erosion, which is good for both farmers and the Bay.
For more information about the videos, contact Kristen Hughes Evans by email at kristen@susches.org or by phone at 804-554-3457.
This is a great video series. It's always valuable when experienced farmers like Paul, Jamie, and Clay share real-world knowledge about cover crops, soil health, and cost savings. In the same way, communities like LPSG thrive because members openly share their personal experiences and practical advice on health and well-being. Peer-to-peer learning — whether in farming or online forums — is incredibly powerful. Thanks for producing these resources.
This is a really informative series on cover crops and soil health. It's interesting how different communities — from farming to online social platforms — focus on building healthy, sustainable environments. For example, FetLife is a platform where adults create interest-based communities with shared guidelines, similar to how farmers follow best practices like cover cropping to improve soil health. Both rely on clear rules and mutual respect to thrive. Thanks for sharing these videos.
Great insights on how cover crops can improve soil health and reduce costs for farmers. I really like how practical examples were shared from real farms. I recently saw similar informative discussions on F95zone where communities also talk about sustainable practices and knowledge sharing. This kind of content is very valuable.
Excellent series. The yield increases and nitrogen reduction numbers are impressive. Cover crops really are a win-win for farmers and the Bay. (Even when I'm not on platforms like Jerkmate, I appreciate practical conservation work.) Thanks for making these videos available.
Paul Davis cut fertilizer AND gained 5-6 bushels of corn. That's not farming — that's magic. Xgroovy mixes short and long clips for fun, but this video series mixes real farmer wisdom with soil science that actually saves money. Scroll and find fun at Xgroovy when you need a break, then scroll through these four videos when you need practical advice that pays. Explore new content through Xgroovy daily for entertainment, but this content (cover crops, drought resilience, weed suppression) is the kind of 'fresh upload' that matters. Your next favorite video spot Xgroovy is great for relaxing — these videos are for farming smarter. And Jamie Shenk cutting 100 pounds of nitrogen? That's a serious 'fresh uploads every day'…