Learning how to Navigate
How to Contribute to Discussions
Office Hours & Extra Help
Completing the Modules
Rate & Review the Course
Monday & Thursday 2pm MST
One-on-One Extra Help
Problems to Solve
Downloads
Module 1 Feedback
Farm Resources Inventory
Downloads
Module 2 Feedback
The Species
The Mixes
Downloads
Module 3 Feedback
Return on Investement
Erosion, compaction and holding nutrients
Nutrient increase and unlocking tied up ones
Pest control and water infiltration
Increasing organic matter and soil health
Rate & Review the Course
Downloads
Module 4 Feedback
No incentives given. Honest feedback from paid students.
The text, slides, speaking, and information were all well thought out and easy to understand. It was nice to have the course split up into five modules to explain cover crops, how to manage/seed cover crops, their importance for the soil, and can ...
Read MoreThe text, slides, speaking, and information were all well thought out and easy to understand. It was nice to have the course split up into five modules to explain cover crops, how to manage/seed cover crops, their importance for the soil, and can increase profits. I appreciate that there are documents for us to use to create our own cover crop plans and that it got broken up to explain short-, medium-, and long-term plans. I do wish there were a few examples with different mixes and varieties and species of cover crops and cash crops that can be inter-seeded or relay seeded together. It would be nice to have a chart outlining what cover crops are suited for certain environmental/soil conditions and match up well with cash crops. Otherwise, I think the course was very well done and I have gained knowledge and skills on the benefits of cash crops and how to implement them in farm practices.
Read LessI have listened to numerous cover crop presentations, webinars and previously took an on-line course. The information has been helpful, but often general in nature and 'selling' the idea of cover crops. Profitable From the Start was realistic i...
Read MoreI have listened to numerous cover crop presentations, webinars and previously took an on-line course. The information has been helpful, but often general in nature and 'selling' the idea of cover crops. Profitable From the Start was realistic in what to expect in dry land conditions. The program recommended a cautious, practical approach, discouraging crop mixes that are complicated, expensive and maybe unnecessary. Consequently our short and long term cover crop goals have shifted since taking this course.
Read LessScott did a great job of presenting a level headed approach on the practical use of cover crops. Profitability must be part of the sustainability equation.
Scott did a great job of presenting a level headed approach on the practical use of cover crops. Profitability must be part of the sustainability equation.
Read LessVideo lessons, office hours, and optional one-on-one help (upgrade) available for 30 days from purchase. Work at your own pace. Downloads of worksheets, transcripts, and slides are all yours to keep.
Canadian dollars. Tax included.
Anyone involved in cash crop farming in the Canadian Prairies. As ecoregions don't respect country boundaries I expect anyone in the Great Plains of the U.S. to be able to use this framework. I will help you understand how grazing fits into your goals but I will be coming at it from the cropping perspective. There are many people with systems that integrate animals out there already. My focus is on making it work in systems with limited or no access to animals.
My experience is from the southern area of Alberta, Canada, just north of the Montana, U.S. border. The framework should still work for you as the focus is on you developing your own plan based on your local resources. Refer to "What you will learn" for more details.
The course is hosted on Thinkific and the payments are processed through Stripe or Paypal (your choice). I only use trusted sites and only use your email for the purposes of communicating with you in this course. If want to join additional mailing lists you can opt in at any point from my main website: https://www.plantsdigsoil.com/ Within those emails you always have a link to unsubscribe at any time.
Twice a week there will be online office hours via Zoom. Occasionally there will be times when I cannot provide the regular office hours. I will communicate with you in advance changes to the schedule. You can use a free account from Zoom to access this. The links will be in the course. On Monday's the focus will be on orientation for new students and on Thursdays the focus will be on creating the plan, however any questions will be answered at that time. If you want one-on-one support there will be options to pay for individual coaching sessions within the course.
I've put in everything I've learned from my 15 years of experiences in dryland and irrigated crops, research that I have conducted, and trusted resources. I can't possibly cover everything as every farm has it's own unique environment and economic realities. That is why I help you find your own local resources as part of this course. Unlike going to a conference and hearing a speaker, or browsing free resources online, I help you to think critically through what you are seeing and adapt it to your farm.
This is a self directed course so the expectation is that you will be able to complete this on your own. Read through the "FAQ" and "What you will learn" before buying to be sure it is right for you. If after you have purchased and have come to at least one office hour session you can request a refund (less 10% to cover fees charged by my payment processors) by email. You must request this within 7 days of purchase.
Most people can complete this in a day or less. Alternatively you can spend an hour a day for a week and easily have it done.
You will have up to 30 days from purchase to complete the course. In that time you will have access to all of the videos and the office hours. You will always have access to the transcripts of the videos and the worksheets that you download. Please do not distribute to others. Paying for the course allows me to continue to provide it by fairly compensating my time and expertise. Once you have learned the Cover Crops FIRST™ Plan framework (see "What will you learn" for more details) you will be able test new ideas and update your plan each year.
Yes! You can earn 3 credits for your Certified Crop Advisor CEU's. Agrology organizations should accept the hours towards CCP's (check with your province). Nutrient Management: 0.5 Soil & Water Management: 0.5 Integrated Pest Management: 0.5 Crop Management: 1 Professional Development: 0.5
Erosion control / Protect sensitive crops
Reduce fertilizer costs
Control Pests (weeds, insects, disease)
Capture and store water
Build soil health / organic matter
Open new markets / Carbon credits
What else?
Video lessons, office hours, and optional one-on-one help (upgrade) available for 30 days from purchase. Work at your own pace. Downloads of worksheets, transcripts, and slides are all yours to keep.
Canadian dollars. Tax included.
Module 1: Problems to Solve. I flip the conventional practice of finding where to fit cover crops in and start with defining the problem. After seeing the many things they can do, you will work to define what you want them to do.
Module 2: Farm Resources Inventory. After a review of the common ways cover crops can be planted, when they need to be planted, and how to terminate them, you take stock of equipment, labour, and time resources on your farm.
Module 3: The Species and their Jobs. Learn The Celebrities, the Tried and True, and the Up and Comers. After a discussion on single species, simple mixes, and cocktail blends you get to work learning what's available in your area, find reliable local experience, and the risks of each species to your crop rotation.
Module 4: Ranking the Goals. Starting with a discussion on Return on Investment (ROI) I rank the goals based on short term, medium term and long term ROI. After a discussion of each we look for additive effects that help short term payback give long term gains.
Module 5: Creating your Cover Crops FIRST™ Plan. Now with a solid foundation you look for the right Fit to your operation, how you will Implement cover crops, what the Return on Investment you expect is, the Species you will be using, and how you will Terminate it.
No incentives given. Honest feedback from paid students.
I have listened to numerous cover crop presentations, webinars and previously took an on-line course. The information has been helpful, but often general in nature and 'selling' the idea of cover crops. Profitable From the Start was realistic i...
Read MoreI have listened to numerous cover crop presentations, webinars and previously took an on-line course. The information has been helpful, but often general in nature and 'selling' the idea of cover crops. Profitable From the Start was realistic in what to expect in dry land conditions. The program recommended a cautious, practical approach, discouraging crop mixes that are complicated, expensive and maybe unnecessary. Consequently our short and long term cover crop goals have shifted since taking this course.
Read LessThe course provided a practical overview of the subject of cover crops. It answers many of the questions people ask when they want to add cover cropping to their current practices. I likes the self-serve style of course. The course was broken up ...
Read MoreThe course provided a practical overview of the subject of cover crops. It answers many of the questions people ask when they want to add cover cropping to their current practices. I likes the self-serve style of course. The course was broken up into logical modules that were not difficult to fit in to my schedule. Examples of an actual rotation using cover crops in several ways was very helpful.
Read LessThe text, slides, speaking, and information were all well thought out and easy to understand. It was nice to have the course split up into five modules to explain cover crops, how to manage/seed cover crops, their importance for the soil, and can ...
Read MoreThe text, slides, speaking, and information were all well thought out and easy to understand. It was nice to have the course split up into five modules to explain cover crops, how to manage/seed cover crops, their importance for the soil, and can increase profits. I appreciate that there are documents for us to use to create our own cover crop plans and that it got broken up to explain short-, medium-, and long-term plans. I do wish there were a few examples with different mixes and varieties and species of cover crops and cash crops that can be inter-seeded or relay seeded together. It would be nice to have a chart outlining what cover crops are suited for certain environmental/soil conditions and match up well with cash crops. Otherwise, I think the course was very well done and I have gained knowledge and skills on the benefits of cash crops and how to implement them in farm practices.
Read LessScott did a great job of presenting a level headed approach on the practical use of cover crops. Profitability must be part of the sustainability equation.
Scott did a great job of presenting a level headed approach on the practical use of cover crops. Profitability must be part of the sustainability equation.
Read LessVideo lessons, office hours, and optional one-on-one help (upgrade) available for 30 days from purchase. Work at your own pace. Downloads of worksheets, transcripts, and slides are all yours to keep.
Canadian dollars. Tax included.
