Tillage radish cover crop in silage corn

Integrating cover crops into field crop production has gained interest in recent years as we discover the multitude of benefits that cover crops can provide, such as reducing nutrient and soil loss, increasing soil organic matter, suppressing weeds, serving as extra sources of livestock forage, and even as habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects. Our NWCS team has been working with farmers and other partners to conduct research and outreach on cover crops suited to our northern climates, primarily in silage corn acreage but also in other crops like cereal grains, hops, and vegetables.

Solar Corridor Cropping Systems Factsheet (PDF)

Integrated Pest Management Guide: Adopting Brassica Cover Crops on Vegetable Farms in the Northeast (PDF)

A Guide to Implementing No-till Cropping Systems in the Northeast (PDF)

Guide to Interseeding Cover Crops into Corn Systems in the Northeast (PDF)

 

  • Dig into Your Day with Cover Crops & Conservation

    Dig into Your Day…with Cover Crops & Conservation (click to view flyer) - The University of Vermont Extension is offering a FREE Webinar Series!
    This webinar series will discuss current research on cover crops and conservation in various cropping systems, interesting findings, and common obstacles to implementing a successful cover crop and no-till program. Each webinar will be 30 minutes and will end with a 15 minute Q&A session.YouTube videos of completed webinars will be posted when available.

    Dates & Topics Listed Below:
    Monday, 3/23/20 9am to 9:45am - Precision Sustainable Agriculture (YouTube video available) with Steve Mirsky, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
    Thursday, 3/26/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crops in the Corn/Soybean Rotation (YouTube video available) with Peter Tomlinson, Kansas State University, Department of Agronomy
    Monday, 3/30/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crop Profitability with Rob Meyers (YouTube video available), University of Missouri Extension, Agricultural Engineering
    Thursday, 4/2/20 9am to 9:45am - No-Till and Cover Crops in Organic Systems (YouTube video available) with Joel Gruver, Western Illinois University, School of Agriculture
    Monday, 4/6/20 9am to 9:45am - No-Till and Cover Crops in Vegetable Systems (Organic Focus) (YouTube video available) with Natalie Lounsbury, University of New Hampshire, Earth and Environmental Sciences
    Thursday, 4/9/20 9am to 9:45am - Stewarding the Birthplace of No-Till with John Young (YouTube video available), Young Family Farm, Innovative No-Till Farmer from Herndon, Kentucky
    Monday, 4/13/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crop and Soybean Research in Vermont (YouTube video available) with Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension, Northwest Crops and Soils Program
    Thursday, 4/16/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crops and No-Till in Soybeans (YouTube video available) with Cara Peterson, University of Maryland, Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab

    Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) credits are available through online registration or by emailing your CCA number and/or farm name to catherine.davidson@uvm.edu within 2 days of the webinar.
    Pre-register online at: https://digintoyourday.eventbrite.com.

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Factsheets, Bulletins, and Guides

Cover Crops

Reduced Tillage

Tile Drainage Webinar Series - Drainage and Doughnuts

Tile Drainage Webinar Series - Drainage and Doughnuts

View our PDF icon Tile Drainage Webinar Series - Drainage and Doughnuts (pdf). What you will learn -

  • Best management practices to use on tile acreages
  • Increase knowledge on how farmland with subsurface tile drainage may affect water quality
  • Increase knowledge about how Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) affect the use of subsurface tile drainage
  • Learn about end-of-tile treatments

Videos

Videos and Webinar Recordings

Additional Resources

Research Results

Visit our research results page to see reports on cover crop variety trials (including cover crop mixes), planting date and seeding rates, and cover crop termination and reduced tillage studies.

Out Croppings Blog Post

We invite you to receive regular updates on cover crops (plus no-till, soil building, improving crops, and more) by signing up to receive our Out Croppings blog posts.

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