The Fallow Fallacy with Nicole Masters

Join Nicole Masters for this discussion about the fallacy of fallow and how destructive it is to not have plants growing in the soil for an extended period of time. Learn why it is important to have growing plants as often as possible if you want to build and protect your soil. We also have a live Q and A session at the end of the webinar and some very exciting updates on some new projects that Nicole and her team are working on.
Nicole Masters is a globally recognized agroecologist, speaker, and author. Since 1999, she’s been practically involved with farming and food production, and since 2003 she has been an agroecological coach and educator through her company Integrity Soils.
bit.ly/integrity-soils-website
Nicole is formally trained in soil science, organizational learning, pattern thinking, and adult education. She has worked closely with diverse production sectors from; dairy, sheep & beef, viticulture, compost, nurseries, market gardens, racing studs, and lifestyle blocks to large-scale cropping.
Working with such diverse clients has fostered a broad knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing different production systems. During many of her years as an educator, Nicole has been practically involved in food production, as well as self-publishing her first book, “For the Love of Soil” and producing multiple online educational courses on soil health.
Nicole and the Integrity Soils team have put together a coaching program. The CREATE Coaching Program is a 36-week intensive program designed to train and empower consultants and coaches in the theory, principles, and practices behind healthy, agroecological systems.
This year's program will be held in the United Kingdom starting this September. Applications end July 14th. If you are interested in learning more and checking out the curriculum, head over to bit.ly/create-coaching-program
You can also schedule a call with Meagann Lannan of Integrity Soils to see if this is the next step for you! bit.ly/create-call
Read “For The Love of Soil” by Nicole Masters: bit.ly/for-the-love-of-soil-book
Enroll in Online Soil Health Courses: bit.ly/soil-health-courses
Learn More about CREATE Coaching: bit.ly/create-coaching-program
Listen to Nicole’s TED Talk: bit.ly/43tcp3P
Follow Integrity Soils on Social Media: linktr.ee/integrity_soils
The team at Green Cover not only delivers high quality cover crop seed, but also educational content on topics of soil heath and cover crops.
If you love our KZbin content, dive into our other great resources like the Soil Health Resource Guide: greencover.com/freeguides
At Green Cover, we grow, clean, mix, and deliver the highest quality cover crop seed directly to agricultural producers across the United States.
Our faith-based company is built by farmers, family-owned and united in our purpose to help farmers regenerate, steward and share God's creation for future generations.
We'd love to provide you with excellent quality seed, expert cover crop advice, and a custom seed blend designed to meet your goals for your field.
Contact our expert sales team at [phone] or [e-mail]
Or visit us online at greencover.com
Build your own custom mix at smartmix.greencoverseed.com

[@matthewwest1262]

Nicole is awesome, can not recommend her soil health masterclass on integrity soils enough!

[@newedenfarm]

Fantastic presentation! This is motivational. i'm thrilled to finally be able to take over the family farm and begin to repair the decades of damage done.

[@christopherburman3340]

Good one. The mix of presenting paradigms with straightforward concepts suppported by peer reviewed materials works well. Will share with my students in South Africa. Much appreciated

[@regenerativegardeningwithpatti]

Great job Nicole, thank you Keith and crew for covering this topic.

[@lanceklessigregenerativeag7901]

So much solid information. Thanks for hosting this series. Farm on!

[@trumpetingangel]

A wealth of valuable information! Many thanks

[@jedadruled984]

I am frum France and I have no question.

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you very much.

[@marshagiere9894]

another great topic

[@robertreznik9330]

I am in Texas where after November corn harvest the soil is too cold and dry to have plant growth until March. To me the max carbon retention is what makes SOM and grain yield. The best cover here is stubble. A constant growing crop is not that important...microbes numbers will come fast if they have water + the needed nutrients.

[@keithberns910]

Well, not sure what part of TX gets that cold but pretty sure that cereal rye will be winter active the whole season - might not grow a lot but it will stay alive. Also, the most import nutrient that the microbes need is carbon - and the best way for them to get it is from the root exudates of growing plants

[@robertreznik9330]

@@keithberns910 I farm to improve the soil to make more profit. Been farming since high school and getting a Soil Science degree in the 1960's, have never seen that a constant growing plant make more or help corn or grain sorghum grow better from a green cover crop. The only way to get a better tissue test is to have it available. If there is no Zn or P a fade will not get much of it into the plant from an insoluble mineral. I farm on almost the same parallel as southern Illinois but 3,000 feet higher.

[@trenomas1]

We have to start breeding plants to thrive in low fertilizer environments.

[@traviss6500]

Great presentation. Unfortunately the California law sounds counter productive.

[@mitsealb3609]

The fallow fallow-cy.

[@matthewryonadams]

No sound or just me?!

[@keithberns910]

It seems to be working for me

[@sula7858]

'Promo SM' 😊

[@mariomene2051]

26:35 It may have been a worm--if it was a baby.

[@renanruiz8851]

So, stop pulling weeds?

[@stevesavage8784]

I'm not going to listen to this whole story, but a fallow year on well managed pasture allows the plants to seed to contribute to the seed bank in the soil.

[@keithberns910]

Excellent point - however I would not say that is fallow in the traditional sense of the word - when I think of fallow, I think of something NOT growing in the soil - and that is where the harm comes. A year of rest where plants are allowed to grow to full maturity is a great way to rest and reset the system

[@homosepian1234]

Nice ppl - but l using the term "Microbiology" 3 times in a sentence - without enough evidence based charts/data - it doesn't hold water (pun intended).

[@jeffcrist2977]

Who on the web says leaving soil bare is a good thing?

[@keithberns910]

It is the many people who do it in practice that are saying it

[@jeffcrist2977]

@@keithberns910 Never have seen that.

[@awesomeness5464]

@@jeffcrist2977 ​​⁠​⁠​⁠ I really think it depends on the community of producers that you farm with or just hang around with. I can tell you the community of people I know are very much pro industrial model, as in full on usage of tillage, chemicals, fallowing, monocultures, etc. however, their are definitely communities or small pockets of the Midwest that are more soil health conscious.

[@inigomontoya8943]

@@jeffcrist2977 drive/fly around and look lol

[@regenerativegardeningwithpatti]

@@keithberns910 Eastern Montana, is one area that does do it, depending on the weather and if they can get planted early enough in the sprig. They plant both spring and winter wheat. It is hard to make the rotation work. Plus old habits die slowly in our area,