Treating the Farm as an Ecosystem Part 2 with Russell Hedrick

In part 2 of this presentation, we hear from Russell Hedrick of JRH Grain Farms in Catawba county, NC. Russell has gone from being a beginning farmer just 5 years ago, to rapidly expanding his grain production operations. He is an advocate of soil health, no till methods and utilizes a diversity of cover crops extensively as he blazes trails of innovation and inspiration for young and older farmers alike.

[wadepatton]

I now feel better about the future of agriculture and humanity. This must be the way of the future.

Let us reclaim the original soil health of the world for the benefit of all!

[staninjapan]

Another almost random click that turned out to be fascinating and rewarding.
I have never farmed or grown my own food, and it is unlikely that I will ever farm, although I plan to move to a house with some land around it so I can grow some veg. I have seen a good number of videos of this nature here on YT, and this certainly ranks among those I would recommed.
Thank you.

[gregcrowe]

Thank You for helping and your wisdom future generations need more farmers like you.

[ncooty]

This guy is straight content, no fluff. Nice.

[pedrow]

Every farmer that takes a check from the government should be required to watch this series first.

[thechaosgardener]

Great information. Thank you. I have been integrating these strategies into my permaculture backyard. Thanks for sharing the knowledge. It works great in Arizona. 2 weeks at over 110 degrees straight and I am the only one im my neighborhood with a green backyard.

[mildredthill]

“If there’s ground that’s bare, it gets a seed… If the sun shines on your farm, you can grow a cover crop on it.”

[Michael_McMillan]

This is the best channel on Youtube, love these videos.

[admintheparkapp]

Thanks for the great content. I live near the Texas coast and we have far too much chemical runoff and have algae blooms like the dreaded red tide. Your good choices and the idea of greater carbon containment is a key to our future.

[paulbourdon]

Brilliant stuff Russell! Thank you! I got a call from our animal control in the middle of an experiment (molecular biologist) my pigs (sow and 7 feeders) were about a 1/4 mile from my farm in someones backyard. Had to drop everything and get back home.:^)

[brianwood]

I really appreciate Russels steaight forward approach Great video

[reneethomson]

We just bought a property in Hockley, Tx. It’s not a farm property, but the soil here is awful. The builder of this house had to dig a pond because there is so much run off from the surrounding properties. The next owners dug a ditch. The ditch started off narrow but now it’s starting to widen in some areas. We have 1.73 acres. But most of the back area is used for that run off when it rains. I’d like to correct that if possible. The ground is compacted and won’t grow grass. I would have to till to be able to get anything to grow. If I did till, would I just start with a warm season cover crop? I wish I had more land . All of this is fascinating. Thanks so much for all the info.

[kneekho]

It's amazing that this isn't the norm.

[WHACKEManSTACKEM]

Thank you Russell Hedrick!! -if you don't mind, what is you cover crop seed mixture at the "10:46" minute in your video? I am sure you have millions of different options. Is there clovers/chicorys/kale/lower establishing food sources in there or is it all the taller variety seed? 
Also, when was it planted? I am in southern Iowa and looking to plant a large variety in the spring(if the lower establishing sources are able to thrive- run cattle on it for a month in the later winter-before reseeding again.(I already have clover/chicory/alfalfa established in the field) I would plan on inter-seeding everything with a planter, after the cattle are removed.I do not intend to cash crop or harvest any agriculture.
I only want to seed in the spring, not in the fall; with the most variety possible.***For instance, how would the germination work it I used your "25:34" minute mark as a 2 year rotation, instead of a 4 year rotation?(Plant the entire left side, CSG and WSG all in the spring and then plant the entire right hand side the next spring)... Thank you!!!

[LITTLEMUSTANGFILLY]

I love these concepts. I really hope they get put into practice more and more. This is really gonna make the world a better place. He's made me like pigs a little more than I use to. Lol.

[rojilander]

You have made practical a carbonizing methodology that really works and I would share..fertile natural carbon food and aggregate development ..greatest vetch oat jungle feeding the microbes..awesome field you have done the good work ..a really good power of example that works ! And the grazing ideas... 👍

[scipioafricanus]

More farmers need to adopt these practices especially in my county, lol.

[LITTLEMUSTANGFILLY]

"life's hard, its harder if your stupid. " Boy aint that the truth. Lol.

[sonnymery]

ive been watching lots of videos on reg ag, but what i fail to grasp is how am i supposed to sow seeds into a terminated cover crop mix. how do i make the seeds touch the ground if there is a thick layer of "armor" on top of it?

[TheBereangirl]

"When the wind blows, sheep die!" Lol...aw...that's so sad. I remember watching an episode of The Incredible Dr. Pol where Dr. Brenda said that when a sheep gets sick it's a 50/50 chance it'll recover, because it thinks, "Oh no, I'm sick, I'm going to die." Is it any wonder that the Lord compares us to sheep?