Cover crops have gained growing interest among farmers and researchers—for good reason. They offer a wide range of benefits: soil cover, improved soil health, nitrogen fixation, weed suppression, erosion control, and support for beneficial insects.
There’s a long list of species used—brassicas, summer grasses, clovers, winter pea, vetch, rye, and more. Each has its unique properties and acts as a tool in the regenerative agriculture toolbox.
But here’s something often overlooked: within each cover crop species, there are significant varietal differences—just like with any crop. Traits such as early vigor, biomass production, weed suppression, flowering time, and ground cover can vary widely, and they matter.
Cover cropping is a long-term investment, and for many farms, it’s seen as an additional cost. As a result, private investment in cover crop breeding has historically been low. Farmers often purchase VNS (Variety Not Stated) seed, which limits progress and transparency.
As a former breeder, I remember working on summer grasses and clovers for a large seed company—only to have those efforts dropped due to low margins. That’s part of what led me to start SeedLinked to make it easier to trial, breed, and share data on cover crops and other specialty crops at low cost.
Today, thanks to incredible partners like:
- Dr. Solveig Hanson (Cornell University, Cover Crop Breeding Network)
- Dr. Etienne Sutton (Herrick), Ph.D. (National Cover Crop Variety Development Project, MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture)
- Megan Williams (Virginia Cooperative Extension) … and many others, we’re seeing major improvements in how cover crops are trialed and characterized on SeedLinked.
This fall, we’re launching nearly a dozen cover crop trials across the U.S.—with seeds being shipped to hundreds of farmers. Two of these are Winter Pea trials, and we’re still accepting participants!
Winter Pea Cover Crop Trials – Now Open
Why Winter Pea? As a fall-planted legume, winter pea helps:
- Fix atmospheric nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers
- Suppress winter weeds
- Reduce erosion
- Improve soil structure with deep roots
- Add organic matter when incorporated as green manure
- Support early-season pollinators with its flowers And yes—some varieties are edible!
About the Trials:
- Led by Virginia Cooperative Extension (Zones 5-8)
- Led by Solveig Hanson at Cornell (Zone 5 and below)
- 3 varieties per participant (100 seeds each): including commercial and experimental lines
- Traits evaluated: emergence, vigor, winter survival, biomass, and flavor
Participation Details: • Planting: Fall 2025 (around 16 row feet per variety) • Observations: Submit photos & ratings three times—Fall, Spring, and Termination • Equipment: Hand-plant or use a push seeder
If you—or your farmer network—are interested in participating, DM us or comment below. Let’s grow better cover crops together.