Robert and Mark are fourth- and fifth-generation farmers on the Spiers Farm, which covers 1,800 acres of cropland and about 300 acres of woodland straddling Dinwiddie and Sussex counties. Located in the Chowan River Basin, the Spiers’ farm was nominated as a result of their noteworthy conservation practices.

When it comes to crop production, averages don’t work as a guide for fertilizing and controlling weeds or pests. If a grower collects data and then uses averages as a guide, the field will be over-fertilized in some places and under-fertilized in others.

To help young people understand the roots of agriculture, Trevor Zantow hosted Leola ag students to his farm where he explained the importance of soil health in his operation.

The advent of cover crops provides a potentially important habitat for birds returning to the Midwest from areas as far south as Argentina.

Incorporating cover crops into strip-till has delivered both benefits and challenges during the 8 years Nickerson, Neb., farmer Brent Willnerd has used them on both seed corn and commercial crops. He discusses the transition from aerial seeding to drilling in varieties included cereal rye, radishes and rye.

This week we're joined by Nickerson, Neb., farmers Kirk Brand and Brent Willnerd, who discuss the hard learned lessons they've experienced following their adoption of strip-till on their combined operation four years ago.

Many cover crop species have been found to be non-hosts for SCN; however, we cannot say that all cover crops are non-hosts as some species can support SCN reproduction, including crimson clover, field pennycress and more.