Under The Covers
Under the Covers is a farmer-led agriculture podcast hosted by Bill Frederick and James Holz, Iowa farmers and founders of Iowa Cover Crop.
Each episode is recorded during a game of cribbage. When the game ends, the episode ends.
We’re working Midwest farmers who built an independent seed business rooted in practical farming and sustainable agriculture. The unfiltered conversations we’ve had for years, in the seed shed, at the farm gate, and over a few pond beers, are now on the record.
This show is about modern agriculture, the real decisions, tradeoffs, and debates shaping farming today.
We talk about:
Midwest farming and row crop agriculture
Regenerative agriculture and soil health
Cover crops
Water quality and land stewardship
Small grains, forages, alfalfa, turf, and native seeding
Cattle, grazing systems, and pasture management
Farm profitability and business strategy
Rural economics and agricultural policy
Some episodes are light.
Some will tackle harder issues.
All of them are grounded in the reality of actual working Iowa farms.
We don’t script it.
We won’t always agree.
We sort it out as we go.
It’s honest farm talk, all our cards on the table.
Follow us on social media @iowacovercrop
Under The Covers
Latest Episodes
Aerial Cover Crop Seeding
In this episode of Under the Covers, Bill and James talk aerial cover crop seeding: how it works, why timing matters, and why airplanes have become such an important tool for getting cover crops planted ahead of harvest.The guys walk thr...
County Fair Memories & Life Lessons
In this episode of Under the Covers, Bill and James celebrate county fair week with a look back at their 4-H days: livestock projects, static exhibits, fair memories, and the lessons that stuck around long after the ribbons were handed out....
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 i...
First Year with Cows: James Asks, Bill Answers
In this episode of Under the Covers, Bill and James talk cows…or more accurately, Bill explains cows while James asks the questions.James recently went all in on the cow business with two semi-loads of black cows. This episode turns into...
Warm Season Grazing: Our Plans for This Year
In this episode of Under the Covers, Bill and James sit down at the cribbage board to talk cattle, grazing, and why more farmers may be looking at livestock differently in the years ahead.The guys break down how they each manage cattle i...