Growing Your Own Nitrogen With Hairy Vetch

In this episode of Under the Covers, Bill and James dig into hairy vetch and the idea of growing your own nitrogen. Hairy vetch is a winter-hardy legume with the potential to provide serious nitrogen ahead of corn, but like most things in farming, it comes with a few “well, it depends” moments. The guys talk through what makes hairy vetch exciting, what makes it tricky, and why variety selection matters more than people might think. They also discuss their own cover crop trials comparing different vetch sources, the risk of winterkill, hard seed concerns, and why seed origin matters when trying to ensure survival through an Iowa winter. SPOILER: Not all hairy vetch is created equal and you're going to learn from our failures. The conversation also covers mustard as a cover crop, its potential for natural fumigation, and planting green into living cover crops. If you’ve ever wondered whether hairy vetch could help reduce nitrogen inputs, or if planting green still makes you a little nervous, this one’s for you. Don't forget to follow the show so you don’t miss the next hand.