A farmer on TikTok dropped some valuable advice about a remarkably simple and effective way to keep the soil healthy off-season: using cover crops.
The scoop
Ably assisted by a charming orange cat, TikTok user Noah Young (@Shilohfarm) explains how cover crops work.
@shilohfarm What is a cover crop and why do we plant them? 🍀🌱 Cover crops have many benefits like preventing soil erosion, improving water retention and increasing your organic matter in the soil. On top of all that, it does a great job keeping out weeds and putting valuable nutrients back into your soil for your next crop! Have you planted cover crops yourself? #covercrop #covercrops #covercropping #soilhealth #soil #garden #gardening #clover #plant #plants #planting #regen #regenerativeagriculture #agriculture #homestead #homesteading #farm #farmer #farming #gardener #health #tip #tips #fact #facts #funfact #funfacts #shilohfarm #farmtok #gardentok ♬ Andy Griffith Theme - Shindig Society
He begins with a succinct definition: "A cover crop is something you plant with no intent of harvesting whatsoever." He adds that its only purpose is to "benefit the soil."
With winter approaching, the farmer uses a mix of cereal rye and winter barley for a fibrous root system and "lots of biomass." He explains that clover, hairy vetch, and winter peas will fix nitrogen in the soil and provide flowers for pollinators.
The video ends with the advice to measure success not by how you take out of the soil, but "how you can invest and give back."
How it's helping
Cover crops are a great example of sustainable agricultural practices. Aside from natural weed control and enriching the soil, cover crops also sequester carbon and significantly reduce harmful pollution, per Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. This can also lead to improved crop yields without relying on chemical fertilizers.
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Moreover, growing your own food can help reduce the environmental impact of industrial agriculture. Aside from the harm done to the water and local wildlife by pesticides, there is also pollution from transporting goods over long distances. As NCAT notes, most produce found on supermarket shelves in the United States has traveled an average of 1,500 miles to get there.
Homegrown veggies aren't just a boon for the environment; they're considerably healthier than mass-produced goods and even taste better. If that wasn't enough, the act of gardening itself comes with numerous health benefits.
What everyone's saying
A few comments doffed their caps to the valuable input of the kitty, demonstrating that an important message is often best delivered with a feline companion.
One commenter swooned: "Kitties are the best helpers!"
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Not enough time ⏳ "Thank you & please tell your assistant pspspsss," another said.
One of the few non-cat-related comments simply said: "Cover crops are so important."
Others requested some follow-up information, with one asking: "Will you show us what you do with the cover crop in the spring? My new garden goes in next year and I plan to do this."
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