BLOG

What to Do with Inherited Farmland

With one–third of the US’s farmers over the age of 65, a lot of farmland will likely be changing hands throughout the next decade. In many cases, this farmland will be passed on to another member (or members) of the farmer’s family. Farmland is generally a very valuable asset. Not only is the land itself worth money, but it’s capable of generating on-going revenue should you continue to farm

Read More »

Moths: The Underappreciated Pollinators

When people talk about pollinators, most of the attention goes to bees, butterflies, and birds. We actively see these daytime dwellers at work, flying from flower to flower as they help plant life thrive. But with the serious population declines that honeybees, bumblebees, and monarch butterflies have all seen in recent decades, there’s a need for greater pollinator diversity.  This is where nighttime pollinators like moths can help.  While

Read More »

The Relationship Between Hunters and Conservation

Hunting and conservationism are often shown to be at odds with one another. Stories of trophy hunters traveling around the world to hunt endangered species are regularly shared on news and social platforms.   However, trophy hunters are not a proper representation of the North American hunting community. The large majority of hunters are licensed and law-abiding people who target local wildlife that have healthy populations. They hunt for food, general sport, and in cases, land/livestock protection.   These hunters tend

Read More »

The Impact of the Conservation Reserve Program

Since launching with the 1985 Farm Bill, the Conservation Reserve Program has set out to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and restore wildlife habitat. It does so by paying farmers and landowners to take marginal farmland out of active production.  In place of traditional farm crops, which can deplete soil health and fertility overtime, farmers establish

Read More »

What Do I Need to Plant CRP?

Looking to enroll or just recently enrolled land in CRP? If you’re new to the program, it’s natural to have a few questions. The Conservation Reserve Program has a number of specific requirements that contract holders must follow, including what seed is used, how it’s planted, and how it’s maintained.  Before you get too far along in

Read More »

The Effects of Tilling on Soil

Farmers have long employed various methods to disrupt soil, using sticks, hoes, ards, rakes, and plows to turn the ground and prepare farmland. This is process is known as tillage.   Tillage serves a number of purposes including seed bed preparation, burying crop residue, leveling soil, spreading nutrients, mixing in fertilizer, and activating pesticides. It’s also very helpful with

Read More »