Browse by Topic: Adaptation Practices

A list of the best cover crops by need, including reducing compaction, weed suppression, increasing soil nitrogen, mycorrhizal fungi association, and more.

The Alternative Continuous-Cover Forage system (ACCF)—produces high-quality dairy cattle forage with yields comparable to traditional cropping systems, and is based on soil health management, as opposed to the traditional crop rotation of corn silage for three or more years without the use of cover crops This fact sheet outlines the basic rotations and potential crop choices of the ACCF, describes how to implement the system, and provides a summary of its environmental and economic benefits

A practical guide to ecological soil management that provides background information as well as details of soil-improving practices. This book is meant to give the reader a holistic appreciation of the importance of soil health and to suggest ecologically sound practices that help to develop and maintain healthy soils.

The economic tools, visualizations, and resources on this website were designed with and for small, medium, and beginning farmers and ranchers in New England to help address their unique challenges in adapting to a changing climate. These resources are available for three agricultural practices - silvopasture, irrigation, and tarping - that were identified as areas of particular interest and need among New England farmers.

This page collects research around reduced tillage topics for vegetables, including living mulch under organic acorn squash and Brussel sprouts, tarps to terminate cover crops, sorghum sudan grass residue as mulch for tomatoes, and more....

Farm managers speak about their diversified vegetable operation in Northford, Connecticut, and the changes that Cecarelli Farms has gone through to become both a more sustainable and efficient operation.

Excellent charts on cover crop types divided by cool or warm season, and grass, legume, or broadleaf. Also has a chart on crop sequence effects, as well as one-page fact sheets on characteristics and growing conditions of 65 different cover crops.

Tools to explore cover crops in the Northeast, select species, calculate nitrogen credits, and more. Cover crop selector tool gives recommendations based on your specific site and soil conditions. Website also includes further cover crop resources.

This calculator aids farmers with decision support regarding cover crop residue persistence, as well as the amount and timing of nitrogen availability.

Heavy rains are becoming more frequent across the Northeastern United States and increasing soil erosion and nutrient runoff problems. Wetter weather in the spring and fall is reducing the number of days that fields can be worked. Consider planting cover crops to help adapt to these climate trends.

The purpose of this book is to help growers and farm advisors understand the management of crop rotations; avoid crop rotation problems; and use crop rotation to build better soil, control pests, and develop profitable farms that support satisfied families.

Also known as ‘transferred mulch,’ “cut and carry” refers to the practice of growing, harvesting and moving loads of mulch from one part of the farm (or a neighboring farm) to another, usually as loose greenchop or ensiled material. This practice has been used to reduce tillage in organic vegetable production systems by using thick mulch to suppress weeds. Cut and carry can also be used as a fertility strategy, through the harvest, application, and incorporation of legumes onto cropped acres.

Biochar basics: what it is, how it is produced, how it is applied, benefits for farms and the climate, and federal funding sources.

Farmer-Led Innovations for Reduced Tillage (FLI) cultivates co-learning and innovation among organic vegetable farmers in New England. This site features the trials of a small cohort of innovative farmers trialing reduced tillage practices.

This webinar explores the spectrum of reduced tillage practices at all scales, covering equipment and methods that can improve soil health and save labor. Speakers: Julie Fine, American Farmland Trust; Natalie Lounsbury, University of New Hampshire.

Researchers from MISTRA EviEM reviewed 351 published research studies looking at carbon(C) sequestration in the soil profile under different tillage management systems. They found C stock increases under no-tillage compared to full tillage in the upper soil (0-30 cm) in studies of 10 years or more, while no effect was detected in the full soil profile.

Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You’ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, because their benefits accumulate over the long term. There is a cover crop to fit just about every farming situation.The purpose of this book is to help you find which ones are right for you.

NTT is a web-based, site-specific application that estimates nutrient and sediment losses for crop and pasture at the field and/or watershed scales. Agricultural producers and land managers can define a number of management scenarios for any given field or area of interest (AOI). NTT will estimate nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) losses, sediment losses, and crop yields differences between the scenarios and present results in customizable reports

An article on a small-farm's approach to no-till practices, including tarping, mulching paths and beds, intercropping, use of plastic mulch and weed mats, flail mowing, and more.

This publication explains how increased soil health and organic matter content help retain moisture to aid during droughty periods. It also discusses soil health management strategies to improve organic matter content.

This workshop covers regenerative systems used at Freedom Food Farm: no-till crops, livestock integration, rotational grazing, biodiversity, soil preservation, input reduction, and more! From the 2020 NOFA Summer Conference

Summer cover crops traditionally have not been used in Rhode Island because of the short summer fallow period. However, as the fall season becomes milder, fall cash crops are now being planted as late as the end of September. This creates an increasing gap period between the harvesting of early summer crops and the planting of fall crops. The fall cash crops are also being harvested later, which means that winter cover crops are planted later and are unable to produce as much biomass as in the past. These shifts in planting times are making traditional winter cover cropping less practical and summer cover cropping more worthwhile. This short articles explores teff and Japanese millet to fill this gap.

Transitioning to a production method that is not reliant on synthetic fertilizers can be accomplished strategically over three to five years. The following publications, tipsheets, and videos are a good place to start learning how things like cover crops, green manures, and alternative soil amendments can result in reduced input costs and increased self-reliance.

This article discusses how cover crops have the potential to boost key aspects of the soil microbiome typically associated with healthy soils.