Fine-tuning any system that involves biology and mother nature is going to take time, especially when all of those changes have to happen while also running a business. Nebraska farmer Ed Lammers has spent over 30 years implementing new practices and business models on his farm. He joins the show to talk about cover crops, incorporating livestock, and embracing technology to build healthier soils. In this episode we talk about cover crops, incorporating livestock into the operation, technology, and Ed’s desire to start raising some rye for seed.

“I’m trying to improve my soil health in any way I can. Being open to changes is crucial, but the economics to allow you to be open to those experimental challenges or changes are crucial also.” - Ed Lammers

Ed has been farming for 35 years and has tried a lot of different practices over that time. In addition to row crops, Ed and his son raise about 200 cow/calf pairs, and market the beef farm-to-table. He said that business has really grown since his son took it over, and they are now able to sell around 40% of their beef through that channel. 

“The animal nutrients all go back into our soils. It's a big part of our input costs and just being a good sustainable farmer..” - Ed Lammers

This Week on Soil Sense:

Thank you to the Soy Checkoff for sponsoring this Farmers for Soil Health series of the Soil Sense podcast. This show is produced by Dr. Abbey Wick, Dr. Olivia Caillouet, and Tim Hammerich, with support from the United Soybean Board, the University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture and the Soil Health Institute.

If you are interested in what soil health looks like in practice and on the farm, please subscribe and follow this show on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a rating and review while you’re there. Check out the Farmers for Soil Health website at FarmersForSoilHealth.com.