Halloween is the holiday fondly known as “fright night,” there’s no denying that we are living in some pretty scary times. A global pandemic, political uncertainty, civil unrest, and constant messages about the changing climate would send anyone in search of comfort however they can find it.
We can certainly take comfort in the fact that American farmers are working hard every day to battle climate change by protecting Earth’s resources and creating sustainable ways to feed us all today and into the future. In the spring and summer, millions of acres of crops help pull carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. When fall harvest rolls around, farmers’ minds turn toward how best to care for the soil to keep it healthy for future generations.
Preventing soil erosion and nutrient loss, as well as maintaining water quality, are just a few of the considerations that farmers think about when deciding how to care for the soil in their fields over the winter. There are several options, and each farm owner must decide what is best for each field. Many farm owners choose no-till practices (meaning they don’t work, or turn the soil after harvesting their crops). They may also choose to plant cover crops. Cover crops, such as rye grass or clover, are crops that are planted after the main crops (usually corn or soybeans) are harvested. These special crops help prevent soil erosion thanks to their root structures, with the added bonus of pulling even more carbon from the air over the winter months! Want to see the way that cover crops work in action? Try out this fun Soil Erosion Science Experiment from The Farmwife Crafts!
While farmers continue to quell fears with responsible care for the Earth through sustainable farming practices, at home most of us turn to delicious comfort food to help keep the ghosts and ghouls away. Here are a few of our favorite Classic Comfort Food recipes…it’s like having a warm hug in a bowl or on a plate!
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup from The Farmwife Cooks
Easy Apple Pie Filling and Topping from The Farmwife Feeds
Pulled Pork Quesadillas from Plowing Through Life
Funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars.
This communication is funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars. The Glass Barn Website contains links to third-party websites.
