1. 1. Tom Akin, State Resource Conservationist USDA NRCS, Amherst, MA Thomas.akin@ma.usda.gov
2. 2. 1. Keep the soil covered; 2. Keep a living root in the soil year round; 3. Minimize tillage/disturbance; 4. Increase plant diversity (rotations AND COVER CROPS! )
3. 3. Soil Soil organic matter 1-6% of total soil mass Soil microbial biomass 3-9% of total SOM mass Minerals Stable (humus) 70-90% Readily decomposable 7-21% Fungi 50% Bacteria & actinomycetes 30% Yeast, algea, protozoa, nematodes 10% Animals 10% Building Soils for Better Crops, Magdoff and van Es, 2000
4. 4. Soil Aggregate
5. 5. USDA NRCS NH
6. 6. Prevent soil erosion; Add organic matter; Suppress weeds; (smother/outcompete); Nitrogen (80-120 #/acre) from legumes; Scavenge nitrogen from growing season; Suppress diseases (biofumigants).
7. 7. Spring (as early as possible!) Oats and peas Summer Buckwheat +/- clover Japanese Millet/Red Clover or Sorghum Sudangrass Oats and peas Fall Crimson Clover (Sept 15) Winter Rye (By October 20) Hairy Vetch plus Winter Rye (By October 1) Austrian Winter Peas (By October 1)
8. 8. Cornell University Organic Cropping Systems Project
9. 9. Cornell University Organic Cropping Systems Project
10. 10. Planted Sept 24th Pictured May 08th Hooks, C.R. , et al. 2012. J. App. Entomology. University of Maryland
11. 11. Cornell University Organic Cropping Systems Project
12. 12. Terminated In Late May Terminated In Late April C:N Ratios
13. 13. Cornell University Organic Cropping Systems Project
14. 14. AFTER MATURE RYE AFTER CLOVER Cornell University Organic Cropping Systems Project
15. 15. Feed Them!