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.
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Tile Drainage
New - Tile Drainage in Vermont Factsheets
No. 1 Tile Drainage in Vermont: The Basics (PDF)- No. 2 Tile Drainage in Vermont: Benefits and Risks (PDF)
- No. 3 Tile Drainage in Vermont: Pre-Installation Checklist (PDF)
- No. 4 Tile Drainage in Vermont: Best Management Practices (PDF)
- No. 5 Tile Drainage in Vermont: Annual Inspection (PDF)
- No. 6 Tile Drainage in Vermont: Manure Management (PDF)
- No. 7 Tile Drainage in Vermont: Edge of Field Tile Management (PDF)
Factsheets, Bulletins, and Guides
Cover Crops
- Cover Cropping on Vegetable Farms in Northern New England (PDF)
- Why Cover Crop? (PDF)
- Under Cover: Integrating Cover Crops into Silage Corn Systems Guide (PDF)
- Tips for Interseeding Cover Crops (PDF)
- Interseeding Cover Crops - Innovative Technologies (PDF)
- Cover Cropping Costs and Benefits (PDF)
Reduced Tillage
Tile Drainage Webinar Series - Drainage and Doughnuts
Tile Drainage Webinar Series - Drainage and Doughnuts
View our 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
- 10/24/18, Introduction to Tile Drainage, Joshua Faulkner, UVM
- 10/26/18, Tile Drainage and Management in Wisconsin, Matt Ruark, University of Wisconsin - Madision
- 10/31/18, Tile Drainage and Management in New York and end-of-tile treatment, Eric Young, USDA ARS - Marshfield, WI
- 11/2/18, Tile Drainage and Management in Ohio, Lindsay Pease, University of Minnesota - St.Paul
- 11/8/18, Conservation and Tile Drainage Survey Results, Heather Darby, UVM, and Update on RAPs and tile drain rule amendment, Ryan Patch, VAAFM
Videos and Webinar Recordings
- Roller Crimping Cover Crops (YouTube, Mar. 10, 2019).
- Common Sense Tips to Implement a Successful No-till System (YouTube, Dec. 1, 2017).
- Interseeding: Planting Cover Crops Into a Growing Corn (YouTube, Oct. 7, 2016).
- High Clearance Cover Crop Seeder (YouTube, Nov. 5, 2015).
- VT NRCS and State Programs for Cover Cropping (Webinar recording with Sandra Primard, USDA NRCS. May 25, 2016).
- Equipment Options for Interseeding Cover Crops (Webinar recording with Jeff Sanders. May 18, 2016).
- Cover Crop Variety Selection for Interseeding (Webinar recording with Kirsten Workman. May 11, 2016).
- Cover Crop Termination Strategies: Pros and Cons (Webinar recording with Heather Darby. May 4, 2016.)
- Cover Crops and Your Corn Herbicide Program (Webinar recording with Bill Curran, Penn State University. April 27, 2016.)
- 2009 Cover Crop Seeding Method Study (YouTube video with Heather Darby)
- Improving Water Quality through No-Till and Cover Crop Practices (Across the Fence program with Jeff Sanders and Kirsten Workman. March 13, 2015.)
- The Benefits of Cover Cropping in Vermont (Across the Fence program featuring a field day at Pouliot Dairy Farm, Westford, VT. October 31, 2014.)
