Cleaning Cover Crop Seed: How to Save on Clover and Radish Seed Costs

As cover crops become a standard part of both organic and traditional rotations, the cost of seed is becoming a major line item on the farm budget. With some high-quality clover or radish mixes costing anywhere from $25 to $50 per acre, the bill adds up fast when you are covering hundreds of acres.

Smart producers are finding a better way: Growing and cleaning their own cover crop seed. By using a Farmstead 150HD or 300HD, you can turn a small "seed plot" on your farm into a massive cost-saving engine.

1. The Math of Saving Your Own Seed
When you buy cover crop seed, you aren't just paying for the seed; you are paying for the commercial cleaning, the bagging, the shipping, and the retail markup.

• Purchased Seed: Often $2.00–$4.00 per lb for specialty legumes or brassicas.
• On-Farm Cleaning: Once you own the machine, your cost drops to essentially the time it takes to run the cleaner.

For many of our customers, the savings on cover crop seed alone can pay for a 150HD in just two seasons.
2. Cleaning Challenges: Clover vs. Radish
Cleaning these smaller seeds requires a bit more "finesse" than standard corn or beans, but your Farmstead cleaner is built for it.

• Clover: Because clover seeds are so small and dense, you need a very fine bottom screen (typically a wire screen) to sift out the dust and tiny weed seeds while keeping the good seed on top.
• Radish: Radish seeds often come out of the field with "pods" or fibrous stems. Your cleaner’s adjustable air flow is the key here—it blows the light pods out the back while the heavy, viable radish seeds drop through the screens.
  

3. Why Purity Matters for Cover Crops
The biggest risk of "bin-run" cover crop seed is accidentally planting a field full of weeds along with your cover. If you don't clean your seed, you might be spreading pigweed or wild mustard across your farm.
By running your seed through a Farmstead cleaner, you ensure that only the most viable, clean seed hits the soil. This leads to better stands, fewer weeds, and higher biomass—which is the whole point of a cover crop.
4. Versatility for Every Specialty Crop
Our 150HD (350 lbs) and 300HD (800 lbs) models are the perfect size for these specialty runs. You don't need a massive industrial plant to get professional results. Because our machines are portable, you can set them up right in the corner of the shop, run your clover for the year in a single afternoon, and move the machine back out of the way.

Ready to Slash Your Seed Bill?
Don't let high seed prices stop you from improving your soil health. Take control of your own seed supply this year.

• Check the Specs: See how the 150HD and 300HD handle small seeds.
  
• Get the Right Screens: Download our Screen Sizing Guide to see the exact hole sizes we recommend for clover, radish, and more.
• Talk to the Family: Not sure if your specific crop will clean well? Call us at (320) 384-0003. We’ve helped farmers clean everything from hemp to heritage wheat, and we’d love to help you.

Happy Farming!
– The Farmstead Products Family