One Good Idea

Unproductive land can bring value to your farm. IL dairy farmer Lorilee Schultz shares how they turned an unproductive, rocky farm field into a prairie to provide habitat for pollinators. Learn how she acquired, chose, and planted the seed in this video. goodideafarm.org/ideas/turning-…

Feed pads help reduce waste and mud from winter grazing. The practice also helps control erosion and improve local water quality. Kentucky producer Ben Robin describes the benefits and gives his advice on feed pads in this video. goodideafarm.org/ideas/benefits…

Got intermittent streams in your pastures? KY producers Cody and Angela Rakes of Loretto Motherhouse Farm installed stream crossings and fencing to protect their rotationally grazed pastures and soil during heavy rains. Learn how it’s going in this video. goodideafarm.org/ideas/installi…

It used to be easier to talk over the fence. 🤝 Now, farmers like Darren Yanke are turning to @GoodIdeaFarm — an online platform for farmers to share practical conservation strategies with each other that protect soil, water and legacy. 🌱💧 ➡️ Read more: ow.ly/RuIg50XbcV1

Got a question related to starting or managing a conservation practice on your farm? Bring it to Good Idea Shop Talks this Thursday 8/28 for our Pitch Pop-up! Get ideas from fellow farmers. No question is too big or too small! Details & register: goodideafarm.org/shop-talks/

Are cover crops worth it? Join this farmer-to-farmer conversation at Good Idea Shop Talks this Thursday, August 21st at 11:30am CT. Wisconsin farmer Timm Johnson will kick off the conversation. Details and registration: goodideafarm.org/shop-talks/

What features do you like best in a no-till drill? Join us for this farmer-to-farmer conversation at Good Idea Shop Talks on Thursday 8/14 @ 11:30am CT. Get new ideas & new connections to help you improve your soil, land & bottom line. Details & register: goodideafarm.org/shop-talks/

Farmer Sledge Taylor started his cover crop journey with a wheat mix and then ventured into mixes that include vetch, tillage radish, & more. He credits his system for bettering their yields. Watch the video by @MSUExtService. goodideafarm.org/ideas/buckeye-… #MotivationMonday #covercrops

Wisconsin farmer Rick Gehrke likes to get as diverse as possible with his cover crops after wheat to prevent erosion and weed growth. Learn what's in his mixes in this video from the Upper Fox-Wolf Demonstration Farm Network. goodideafarm.org/ideas/consider… #MotivationMonday #covercrops

There's a misconception that cereal rye shouldn't come ahead of corn. But Illinois farmer John Pike says throwing rye into a legume mix, and terminating the rye early, can give you options. Watch the video by @FarmersforSoil. goodideafarm.org/ideas/dig-deep… #MotivationMonday #covercrops

How do you know what to pick for your multi-species cover crop blends? Kansas farmer Tyler Tobald gets this question a lot. He says it boils down to the purpose of your cover crop. Click to watch his video: goodideafarm.org/ideas/how-we-p… #WhatsYourGoodIdea #covercrops #MotivationMonday

Are you curious how cover crops can support your livestock? In this video from Iowa Learning Farms, an Iowa farmer uses 110 acres of rye and wheat for grazing, boosting forage, improving soil health, and building farm resilience. #CoverCrops #reloaded" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">goodideafarm.org/ideas/cover-cr…

How can grazing improve both soil health and profits? This video from the Wallace Center breaks down the benefits of integrating cash crops, cover crops, and livestock. #OneGoodIdea #GrazingCoverCrops #SoilHealth #reloaded" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">goodideafarm.org/ideas/grazing-…

Ravenview Farm interseeds #covercrops into standing corn to boost diversity, improve soil structure, reduce erosion, and capture nutrients. #SoilHealth #NutrientManagement #reloaded" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">goodideafarm.org/ideas/intersee…

In 2021, Highland Spring Farm partnered with WisDOT to graze cattle on public land, showing how managed grazing can control invasive brush and provide quality forage. goodideafarm.org/ideas/highland…

We're so excited to share the videos our Good Idea Mini-grant recipients produced! Teams of farmers and farm advisors installed edge-of-field conservation practices and created videos to empower other farmers to consider these runoff-reducing solutions. goodideafarm.org/mini-grants/fa…

On this Missouri farm, cover crops are doing double duty—protecting soil and supplementing cattle feed. Planting no-till corn into cover crops is helping farmers raise more cattle on less pasture. Learn more in this video from Farmers for Soil Health. goodideafarm.org/ideas/dig-deep…

Cover crops do more than improve soil—they can also create a more efficient, nutritional grazing system. One farmer put it simply: “If I could have cover crops on every acre and graze every acre, I would.” Learn more in this video from the @WallaceCenter. goodideafarm.org/ideas/grazing-…

Cover crops do more than protect soil—they help with weed control too. Planting soybeans green into cereal rye can reduce early-season weeds, improve soil health, and support better weed control all year. @practicalfarmer goodideafarm.org/ideas/planting…

Join us today at 11:30am CT for the last Good Idea Shop Talk of our Pre-Plant season. What mechanical cover crop termination strategies have you found to be successful, and have you noticed a difference between terminating during the day versus at night? goodideafarm.org/shop-talks/