MARTIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

Name: Larry Cowing​

Location: Granada, MN

Crops: Corn, soybeans, sweet corn

Livestock: 3,000 hogs

Acres: 954

Practices: No-till, Cover Crops, Manure

 

WHY: Larry was interested in no-till for many years before he tried it himself. He liked the potential for improved efficiency with no-till, and he thought it could work for his farm. Larry prefers to focus on better soil management to improve yields and cash flow rather than relying on purchased inputs. Larry has variable soils but mostly lighter soils and not a lot of heavy ground. No-till and cover crops help with managing moisture on lighter soils. His early sweet corn also opens up a window of growing season to use diverse cover crop mixes.

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SOCIAL: Larry has found a lot of value in building community with other farmers who are also using soil health practices. He finds it refreshing to talk to others who are open and willing to share in the spirit of learning rather than having a competitive attitude.       

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ECONOMIC: Larry understands that yield does not equal profitability. It’s possible to push yield using a lot of inputs, but the extra yield doesn’t necessarily pay for the high-priced inputs. By using soil health practices and manure, Larry has reduced the amount of dry fertilizer he purchases which helps his cash flow. He says it’s not a silver bullet, and it won’t make you rich, but it has helped make farming economical for him.   

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ENVIRONMENTAL: Keeping the soil covered and keeping living roots in the ground have helped Larry keep his light soil from blowing. He has also noticed reduced sheet erosion from heavy thunderstorms since implementing these principles. By improving his soil health, Larry has been able to improve fertilizer efficiency which reduces the amount of nutrients lost to surface and groundwater.

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