Inland Northwest FLOURISH

05/22/2026

Why does it matter what cover crop mixes are being used?

Farmers across the Inland Pacific Northwest are using cover crops to:
• reduce erosion
• build organic matter
• capture leftover nutrients
• improve water infiltration
• support pollinators and beneficial insects

Different goals = different mixes—but diversity is key.

05/19/2026

Join us to learn about the FLOURISH project!

Join us for a Soil Health Tour on Wednesday, June 17th from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm! Learn practical strategies for improving soil health in dryland rotations, integrating cattle with cover crops, and reducing synthetic inputs with biostimulants.

Tour stops near St. John, Rock Lake, and Pine City, WA. Free lunch and refreshments provided.

Registration is required by June 10th. Learn more and register here: tinyurl.com/3yje376k

05/19/2026

Cover crops for grazing

When livestock are part of the cropping system, cover crop mixes are more diverse with 2 to 19 species (average of 7).

Common species include:
radish, turnip, sunflower, peas, clover, sorghum, barley, oats, and triticale

These mixes tend to be:
• Grass-heavy (34%)
• With brassicas (26%)
• Legumes (26%)
• Forbs (11%)

Typical mix:
• Grasses (sorghum, oats, barley, triticale)
• Legumes (peas, clover)
• Brassicas (radish, turnip)
• Forbs (sunflower)

This work is supported by USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants.

05/15/2026

What are farmers planting in cover crop mixes?

For the past three years, the FLOURISH project has partnered with farmers across the Inland Pacific Northwest to bring more cover crops into working lands—and we’ve been tracking what’s going into the ground.

Here’s what we’re seeing:
Cover crops for soil building (seeding cover crops during a fallow period or in place of a spring crop)

Farmers are planting diverse mixes of 2–9 species (average of 6).

Most common species include:
radish, turnip, sunflower, phacelia, sudangrass, clover, and peas

Across all sites:
• Brassicas (28%)
• Legumes (29%)
• Grasses (22%)
• Forbs (17%)

Typical mix:
• Brassicas (radish, turnip)
• Broadleafs like sunflower & phacelia
• Legumes (peas, clover)
• Grasses (sorghum, sudangrass, triticale)

This work is supported by USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants.

04/22/2026

On-farm trial in action!

One of the FLOURISH producers was out seeding his spring wheat and testing two approaches side by side, using a neighbor’s compost extract alongside a commercial product. Towards the end of the growing season, he will monitor any associated differences in fertility and soil health.
Compost extract is a liquid fertilizer created by washing or soaking finished compost in water, designed to deliver concentrated microbes and nutrients to the soil.

This is a great example of the innovation of the producers involved in the FLOURISH project.

04/14/2026

🌱 From the field: Boosting soil life from day one

One of our FLOURISH farmers is taking seed treatment to the next level—using vermicast (worm compost), Johnson-Su compost extract, and kelp to jumpstart soil biology right at planting.

💡 What’s the goal?
It’s all about activating the rhizosphere—the tiny but powerful zone around plant roots where soil microbes and plants work together.
By applying these biological inputs, they’re aiming to:
✔ stimulate soil microbial activity
✔ support stronger root development
✔ encourage natural nutrient cycling
✔ build a healthier soil system without synthetic fertilizers

🌿 What’s in the mix?
• Vermicast + compost extract → packed with beneficial microbes
• Kelp → acts as a food source to help those microbes thrive
• Molasses & humics → added in-furrow to further feed soil life

🚜 How it’s applied:
Seeds are coated before planting, and additional liquid extract is applied directly in the furrow using a disc drill system.

👀 What they’re seeing so far:
• Earlier plant emergence
• Stronger, healthier roots
• Increased root exudates (natural compounds that “feed” soil microbes)
This is a great example of farmers experimenting with ways to work with biology, not against it.

This work is supported by the Conservation Innovation Grants program at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

04/07/2026

Healthy soils are full of life — including billions of microbes.

Soil respiration measures how active those microbes are by tracking the carbon dioxide they release as they break down organic material.

Active microbial communities help:
• decompose organic matter
• cycle nutrients for plants
• improve soil structure

Many FLOURISH farmers are planting diverse cover crop mixes with 3–10 species. Different plants release different compounds through their roots, which helps feed a wider range of soil microbes.

More plant diversity above ground can support more life below ground.

This work is supported by the Conservation Innovation Grants program at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

03/24/2026

Episode 8 of the FLOURISH Podcast featuring David Dobbins is now live! You can find it on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or inwflourish.org/podcast/episode-8.

This work is supported by the Conservation Innovation Grants program at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

03/20/2026

Exciting news!

We're excited to share that the Inland Northwest FLOURISH project is being featured on an upcoming episode of Washington Grown! The episode will premiere on YouTube this Saturday at 1:00 pm. Following the online premiere, it will broadcast at the times below:
• KWSU (Pullman): Friday at 6:00 pm
• KSPS (Spokane): Monday at 7:00 pm & Saturday at 4:30 pm
• KLEW (Lewiston): Saturday at 5:00 pm

Photo courtesy of Washington Grown

03/18/2026

Total Organic Carbon

Organic carbon is a key building block of soil organic matter.
Plants capture carbon from the air through photosynthesis. When plant roots grow and plant material breaks down, some of that carbon is stored in the soil.

More soil carbon can lead to:
• better soil structure
• improved water holding capacity
• stronger nutrient cycling

Practices like cover crops and reduced tillage help keep that carbon in the soil, where it supports healthy soils and productive farms.

Living plants capture carbon from the air and return it to the soil through roots and plant residue.

This work is supported by the Conservation Innovation Grants program at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.