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Resilience: the ability to recover quickly...
...from setbacks such as drought
In 2011, the Kerr Center received a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG)...
...from the USDA-Natural Resources
Conservation Service
...to train organic, transitioning, and
sustainable vegetable farmers...
...in production systems design and techniques...
...that will make their farms less dependent on off-farm inputs...
...and, in the case of weed management, reduce labor costs.
The key elements of this organic, bio-extensive production system...
...are winter cover crops...
...green fallow (summer) cover crops...
...and planned crop rotations.
This system trades land (production
area) for the labor, energy, and other
external inputs usually invested in
weed control.
It relies on biology, rather than off-farm inputs, to manage the long-term fertility of
the soil.
Its extended rotations and enhanced soil biology suppress many of the diseases and insect pests that are problematic with more
intensive systems.
The system also controls erosion and
prevents nutrient leaching...
...provides mulch...
...and attracts beneficial insects.
Supporting practices include biochar...
...(including vermicompost)...
...and plant-based foliar fertilizers.
Six farmer cooperators
received intensive training...
...and selected techniques from among these to
implement on their own farms.
Large public field days to demonstrate the bioextensive system...
...were held in 2012...
...and again in 2013.
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