ALL THINGS COVER: Cover crops have been the watch word this year – producers are trying or seeking more information about them. The Leopold Center has long invested in cover crops research, with five current projects seeking to fill in the knowledge gaps. Sometimes trying new things requires a little boost, as Director Mark Rasmussen admits, and Distinguished Fellow Fred Kirschenmann asks whether optimization is the answer or a flawed reaction to our current challenges.

OTHER FEATURES: Meet our 2014 Spencer Award winners – two people who are leaders in their community, take in the many activities of our local food team, learn how a Leopold Center project helped Iowa prepare for Emerald Ash Borer, and what really shaped Aldo Leopold and the land ethic.