Working with Continuum this summer, I have learned a lot about regen ag through some of the incredible people I’ve met at field days and farm visits. I learned about the Haney Test and how it can help farmers save money on application costs and help you see what is available in your field. Another thing that I learned about is how cover cropping can help take regen ag on the farm to the next level. I documented much of what I learned while I was with Continuum in a document that I call the Agronomy Learning Tool. I would meet with Mitchell every other week to get his answers to my questions. The Agronomy Learning Tool is a guide to answer some questions that growers might have about regenerative ag practices and could help them implement the methods on the farm. You can find the tool here: (tool coming soon).
I first started learning about the Haney Test on my second day when I went on a sampling trip up to Ames with Tucker. I asked him what it was, and he explained it to me and how we could use it to save farmers money by showing them what is readily available in their soil. Once the Haney Test results came back, I would sit in on some of the meetings with Carolyn and write down the commonly asked questions I was hearing. I then also put those questions into the Agronomy Learning Tool to better understand the Haney Test and to provide others with more information as well.
I didn’t know much about cover crops or implementing them on the farm before starting at Continuum Ag. I learned many of the benefits of cover crops and the positive impact that they can have on a farming operation, including increased water infiltration, building soil health, erosion control, and resilience to weed pressure. I was able to be more educated on the different ways to apply cover crops and the pros and cons of each type of application.
Regen Ag is the future of agriculture. If we want our children to be able to farm the same type of ground that we do, we can’t just conserve it. We need to regenerate it, making it more viable for crop growth. My internship with Continuum Ag this summer was great, and I am thankful for the opportunity they gave me to learn more about regenerative agriculture and further my education.
