In the fourth year of our Strategies for Transitioning to Organic Grain project (funded by USDA/NIFA), all treatment plots are being planted without tillage into a green living hairy vetch and rye cover crop using equipment commonly owned by Maryland "conventional" no-till farmers. It may look crazy to organic farmers used to "plowing down" green manures and planting into loose-tilled soil, but this system should maintain or enhance soil health and prevent erosion, runoff, and a host of problems that accompany the disturbance of agricultural soils. Proper planter adjustment for cutting through the cover crop stems and placing the seed is essential. This is one of four farms where we and collaborating farmers are trying this method. The newly certified organic corn crop will act as a bioassay of the four management strategies applied during the previous three years of transition.

свернуть