A primer on when, where and how to plant cover crops for maximum advantage.

Ted Kahler, farming and raising cattle in south central South Dakota, drills two millet varieties into no-till wheat stubble.

Ever wonder what cows are doing when we're not looking? Watch this cow's-eye-view of cows exploring and chowing down on a cover crop. Cover crops are an exceptional farming tool to build soil health, stop erosion and retain soil moisture. As it turns out, cows are very fond of covers, too.

The key is constructing a rotation that fully utilizes available moisture and produces enough residue for the whole no-till system to succeed, says No-Till Notes columnist Mark Watson.

Max Martin is seeing improved forage optimization, healthier cattle and more robust soils on his Texas ranch after shifting to a no-till, cover-crop system.

Trap crops are used to absorb nitrogen from the no-till soil. If the cover crop is not grazed or harvested, the N taken up by the crop remains on-site and is preserved within the residue for use by future crops.