If you are going to use radishes as a cover crop — and you certainly ought to consider them if they fit in your rotation and meet your objectives — you may want to take a special note of one of the side effects of these natural compaction relievers.

They smell when they rot.

Now, this may only occur for several days when they begin to rot and break down, but it might cause quite a stink — or ruckus — in your neighborhood, particularly if you have a lot of rural-lifestyle or urban-dwelling folks.

Finally, many thanks to all the speakers and sponsors that made our 19th annual National No-Tillage Conference a success, as well as the attendees who braved some dicey road conditions at the start of the event. We had a record crowd for our Cincinnati location, and a great week of learning and fun.

 We're already preparing for the 20th anniversary event next January in St. Louis, and we've got a special Early Bird rate of $199 — an $80 savings — through January 31. You can check it out at www.NoTillConference.com.