southern sawg systems design for organic market farms
TRANSCRIPT
For SSAWG
This presentation of 76 slides took between 1 hr and 5 minutes to 1 hr and 15 minutes with a few questions asked during the presentation.
Elements of Organic Farming
George KuepperKerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Systems Design For
Organic Market Farms
Organic Production Is:
A Production System that… respond(s) to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. NOP Definition
per §205.2
Conventional Systems
Fertilization
Weed Control
Insect Control
Disease
Control
HEALTHY SOIL
HEALTHY FOOD
HEALTHY PEOPLE
HEALTHY SOCIETY
Essential Plant Elements
From Air & Water: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O)
Macronutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K)
Secondary Nutrients: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S)
Micronutrients: Iron (Fe), Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Molybdenum (Mo), Chlorine (Cl)
Also important to biological systems: Selenium (Se), Vanadium (V), Cobalt (Co), Silicon (Si), Iodine (I), Sodium (Na), others…
Feed the Soil* *Not the Plant
— An Old Saying among Organic Farmers
Organic Soil Management
2005 National Center for Appropriate Technology
The Soil Food Web
2005 National Center for Appropriate Technology
What the Food Web Needs
Air Water
NutrientElements
OrganicMatter
Sunlight
Organic Soil Management
Feeding the Soil Food Web means providing organic matter as food. In organic farming, this has been called the Law of Return— returning mineral- rich rich organic material to the soil.
11
2005 National Center for Appropriate Technology
Plant Roots
Soluble Minerals
Antibiotics, Chelates
Other “phytamins”
Glomalin, Bact. slime
Plant Nutrition Under Natural Conditions
ParentRock
Material
Digestiveprocesses and
nutrient recyclingin the
Rhizosphere: The Soil Food Web
Organic
Matter
Source of plant nutrition:- plant residues- animal remains- animal wastes
12
2005 National Center for Appropriate Technology
Plant Roots
Soluble MineralsParentRock
Material
Conventional ManagementS
olub
le Minerals
Pest
icid
es a
nd s
ome
synt
hetic
fert
ilize
rs
are
toxi
c an
d wea
ken
the
soil
food
web
Organic Matter
as CropResidues
Digestiveprocesses and
nutrient recyclingin the
Rhizosphere: The Soil Food Web
ConventionalSoluble
Fertilizersζ
ζ
ζ
Antibiotics, Chelates
Other “phytamins”
Glomalin, Bact. slime
13
2005 National Center for Appropriate Technology
Plant Roots
Soluble MineralsParentRock
Material
Solu
ble M
ine rals
Digestiveprocesses and nutrient
recyclingin the
Rhizosphere: The Soil Food Web
Organic Management
Organic
Matter
Organic Materials
and Methods:Composts
Crop ResiduesGreen Manures
Livestock ManuresNatural Fertilizers
Biological InoculantsRotations w/ sod crops
Antibiotics, Chelates
Other “phytamins”
Glomalin, Bact. slime
The Many Benefits of Healthy Soil
HEALTHY BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE
SOILSelf-Generated Fertility•Fixes nitrogen•Makes nutrients available•Water conservation•Air/water balance
Suppresses Disease•Natural antibiotics•Nematode predation•Aeration/Drainage•Induced resistance in crops
Weed Suppression•Less weed stimulation•Weed seed predation•Easier cultivation
Pest Insects Reduced•More predators & parasites•Natural insect disease agents•Induced resistance in crops
One Reason Why Organic Crops Tend to Resist Pests
Mycorrhizal “infection” is a beneficial symbiotic relationship where plants trade carbohydrates for help in absorbing water and nutrients.
Aids in stress reduction.
Root from sorghum with vesicles ("little sacs") of the mycorrhizal fungus called Gigaspora rosea.
http://microbezoo.commtechlab.msu.edu/zoo/zdrm0194.html
Organic Farmers claim:
Organic Crops Resist Pests
Do organically-grown plants develop induced resistance to diseases and insect pests?
Organic Crops Resist Pests
•Predisposition theory
•Due to general stress reduction?
•Due to phytochemical agents?
Mycorrhizae:What did we know? When did we know it?
GK’s College Soil Texts Soil Fertility and Fertilizers. Tisdale &
Nelson. 1966. One passing mention on p. 506.
The Nature and Properties of Soils. Brady. 1974. Two- page discussion.
Soils: An Introduction to Soils and Plant Growth. Donahue, Miller, & Shickluna. 1977. Three pages.
The Soil and Health: A Study of Organic Agriculture. Albert Howard. 1947. Thirty pages.
Organic Mgt. begins w/ Healthy Soil
HEALTHY BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE
SOIL
WELL-DESIGNED ORGANIC SYSTEM
The Most Common Approach…
…to building biologically active soil is COMPOST; also the planned use of raw manures and other organic materials .
Biologically-Active Soil can also be derived
through a Bioextensive Rotation**A long-term planned crop rotation in which a significant percentage of the land is planted to season-long cover crops each year.
CANNONHORTICULTURE
PROJECT
Key Organic System Elements
1.Crop Rotation 2.The inclusion of cover
crops within a crop rotation
Crop Rotation
Put simply, crop rotation is the sequencing of crops on a field over time.
A-1
Example of a 4- crop
rotationover 5
seasons
A-2
A-3
A-4
A-2
A-3A-4
A-1
2008 *Tomatoes*2009 Okra2010 Cowpeas2011 Corn2012 *Tomatoes*
2008 Corn2009 *Tomatoes*2010 Okra2011 Cowpeas2012 Corn
2008 Cowpeas2009 Corn2010 *Tomatoes*2011 Okra2012 Cowpeas
2008 Okra2009 Cowpeas2010 Corn2011 *Tomatoes*2012 Okra
Cover Crops
Cover crops are plants you grow or allow to grow, not for harvest, but for purposes such as preventing erosion, improving the soil, and weed control.
Can be categorized by season—winter & summer.
A-1Example of a 4- crop
rotationover 5
seasons,with wintercover crops
A-2
A-3
A-4
A-2
A-3A-4
A-1
2008 Tomatoes w/winter cover crop2009 Okra “ “ “ “2010 Cowpeas “ “ “ “ 2011 Corn “ “ “ “2012 Tomatoes “ “ “ “
2008 Corn w/winter cover crop2009 Tomatoes “ “ “ “2010 Okra “ “ “ “2011 Cowpeas “ “ “ “2012 Corn “ “ “ “
2008 Cowpeas w/winter cover crop2009 Corn “ “ “ “2010 Tomatoes “ “ “ “2011 Okra “ “ “ “2012 Cowpeas “ “ “ “
2008 Okra w/winter cover crop2009 Cowpeas “ “ “ “2010 Corn “ “ “ “2011 Tomatoes “ “ “ “2012 Okra “ “ “ “
Winter Cover Crops
Small Grains like rye, wheat, or triticale
Annual winter legumes like vetch, crimson clover, arrowleaf clover, or Austrian winter peas
Brassicas like turnips, mustards, rape, or tillage radish
Kerr Center’s
Cannon Rotation Plots
2011: Early Vegetables w/ winter CC2012: Green Fallow “ “ “2013: Late Vegetables “ “ “2014: Green Fallow “ “ “
2011: Green Fallow w/ winter CC2012: Early Vegetables “ “ “2013: Green Fallow “ “ “2014: Late vegetables “ “ “
2011: Late Vegetables w/ winter CC2012: Green Fallow “ “ “2013: Early Vegetables “ “ “2014: Green Fallow “ “ “
2011: Green Fallow w/ winter CC2012: Late Vegetables “ “ “2013: Green Fallow “ “ “2014: Early vegetables “ “ “
A-1
Early Vegetables: those planted in spring prior to July 1st • Tomatoes• Peppers• Okra• Sweet Potatoes
A-2
A-3
A-4
Kerr Center’s
Cannon Rotation Plots
2011: Early Vegetables w/ winter CC2012: Green Fallow “ “ “2013: Late Vegetables “ “ “2014: Green Fallow “ “ “
2011: Green Fallow w/ winter CC2012: Early Vegetables “ “ “2013: Green Fallow “ “ “2014: Late vegetables “ “ “
2011: Late Vegetables w/ winter CC2012: Green Fallow “ “ “2013: Early Vegetables “ “ “2014: Green Fallow “ “ “
2011: Green Fallow w/ winter CC2012: Late Vegetables “ “ “2013: Green Fallow “ “ “2014: Early vegetables “ “ “
A-1
Late Vegetables: those planted in summer or fall after July 1st • Summer squash• Winter squash• Pumpkins• Flour & meal corn
A-2
A-3
A-4
Kerr Center’s
Cannon Rotation Plots
2011: Early Vegetables w/ winter CC2012: Green Fallow “ “ “2013: Late Vegetables “ “ “2014: Green Fallow “ “ “
2011: Green Fallow w/ winter CC2012: Early Vegetables “ “ “2013: Green Fallow “ “ “2014: Late vegetables “ “ “
2011: Late Vegetables w/ winter CC2012: Green Fallow “ “ “2013: Early Vegetables “ “ “2014: Green Fallow “ “ “
2011: Green Fallow w/ winter CC2012: Late Vegetables “ “ “2013: Green Fallow “ “ “2014: Early vegetables “ “ “
A-1
Green Fallow: growing summer cover crops throughout the whole growing season
Green fallow cover crops are typically annual forage sorghums (e.g. sudan-grass), millets, cowpeas, buckwheat, lab lab,—individually or in some combination
A-2
A-3
A-4
Why must you rotate crops?
“Because we said so!” —NOP
§ 205.205 Crop rotation practice standard. The producer must implement a crop rotation including but not limited to sod, cover crops, green manure crops, and catch crops…
#1 Reason for Rotating Vegetables
DISEASE CONTROL
Clubroot, fusarium yellows, blackleg, & black rot in cole crops
Black rot in pumpkins White rot in onions and
garlic Root rots in beans &
peas Gummy stem blight in
cucurbits Early blight in
solanaceous crops like tomatoes and potatoes
Photo: Gummy Stem Blight
General Strategy: Rotate Families
Brassicas: cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts
Cucurbits: melons, squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, gourds
Legumes: English peas, southern peas, peanuts, beans, faba beans, soybeans
Alliums: onions, garlic, chives
Solanaceous: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillo
Umbels: carrots, dill, fennel, parsley, celery,
Composites: sunflower, lettuce, artichoke, jerusalem artichoke
Grasses: popcorn, sweetcorn, sorghum
Winter Cover Crop
2013Tomato
es
Winter cover Crop
2012 Tomato
es
This is NOT what we mean by rotation!
Another Reason to Rotate Vegetables
WEED CONTROL
Changes in timing and manner of seedbed prep, cultivation, & harvest
“Cleaning crops”
November 1, 2007
Bermudagrass
BermudagrassStrengths
Perennial
Summer season
Drought tolerant
Encouraged by
mowing
Many means for
propagation and
spreading
Weaknesses Winter tillage
Shade
Sorghum-
Sudangrass
Seth Stallings Student Intern
2010
Green Fallow in Rotation as a “Smother Crop”
For a Smother Crop to Work:
It has to grow during the same season as the target weed(s). A winter cover crop is not going to smother a summer weed.
It must have a competitive advantage or advantages over the target weed(s), e.g. shade provided by height and canopy; earlier emergence; greater drought tolerance; etc.
It must demonstrate those advantages for the entire growing season of the weed(s), or long enough, to do the job. For example, if it drops its leaves early, weeds will have a chance to emerge and reproduce before the end of the season.
Smother CropsCover crops grown for the purpose of out-
competing and controlling weeds.
← Crotalaria
Pearl Millet→
← Buckwheat
Southern Peas→
Systems-thinking means:
1. That you work to accomplish multiple objectives with each action.
Disease suppression Weed control
2. That you recognize every action has multiple effects.
Another Reason to Rotate & Cover Crop …
…and include cover crops:
SOIL HEALTH & FERTILITYGreen Fallow crops are “Green Manures” that contribute organic matter
Sorghum-Sudangrass
Estimated biomass
Yield of 7 tons/acre
Systems-thinking means:
That you work to accomplish multiple objectives with each action.
Disease suppression Weed control Organic matter for the Soil Food
Web
Another Reason to Rotate & Cover Crop…
…and include cover crops:
SOIL HEALTH & FERTILITYLegume cover crops fix nitrogen for themselves and subsequent crops
Kerr Center’s Cannon Horticulture
Plots
A-1
Winter Season:When we
grow most of our nitrogen.
A-2
A-3
A-4
2008 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2009 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2010 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2011 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2012 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch
2008 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2009 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2010 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2011 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2012 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch
2008 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2009 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2010 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2011 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2012 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch
2008 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2009 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2010 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch2011 Rye w/peas, clover or vetch
After a Season in Green Fallow…
ANN. SORGHUM GREEN FALLOW
1. A winter cover crop of rye plus winter vetch is planted in fall
2. Both rye and vetch emerge in early-mid fall
3. By spring, vetch will dominate the cover crop stand, with very little rye in evidence
COWPEAS AS GREEN FALLOW
1. A winter cover crop of rye plus winter vetch is planted in fall
2. Both rye and vetch emerge in early-mid fall
3. By spring, rye will dominate the cover crop stand, with modest evidence of vetch
Strategies to Grow More N
Using legumes as summer cover crops. This works fine where weed control objectives have been reached. Examples: Cowpeas (Iron & Clay), Sesbania, Crotalaria.
Interplanting legumes with annual sorghums. Examples: Lablab, Cowpeas.
More legumes as vegetable crops. : English peas, southern peas, peanuts, snap beans, dried beans, lima beans, faba beans, edamame soybeans, etc.
Systems-thinking means:
That you work to accomplish multiple objectives with each action.
Disease suppression Weed control Organic matter for the Soil Food
Web Nitrogen fixation
Beneficial Insect Habitat
Buckwheat and southern peas are exceptionally good for beneficial insect habitats.
Beneficials include pollinators, predatory and parasitic insects, predatory mites and spiders.
Systems-thinking means:
That you work to accomplish multiple objectives with each action.
Disease suppression Weed control Organic matter for the Soil Food Web Nitrogen fixation Beneficial habitat for pollination &
pest mgt.
Mulching w/Organic Materials
Generally works well to smother
emerging annual weeds, conserves
moisture, moderates soil
temperatures, and adds organic matter
& nutrients.
Creating in situ Mulch With a Sicklebar Mower
Heirloom & Grafted Tomato Trials, 2010
Crimper/Roller
Crimper/Roller: adapted to a BCS Tractor
Crimper/Roller:Cowpeas
Kerr Center’s Cannon Horticulture
PlotsGreen Fallow
Early Vegetables
Green Fallow
Late Vegetables
A-1
Supplementary Mulch Transfers
A-2
A-3
A-4
FieldBorders
FieldBorders
Advantages:•Conserves nutrients•Reduces weed introductions•No herbicide contamination•Saves $$
Systems-thinking means:
That you work to accomplish multiple objectives with each action.
Disease suppression Weed control Organic matter for the Soil Food Web Nitrogen fixation Beneficial habitat for pollination & pest
mgt. Supplying mulch
A Good Organic System:
Provides for soil fertility, especially nitrogen
Suppresses many crop diseases Thwarts many insect pests Reduces weed pressure Creates a biologically healthy soil
which in turn: Self-generates soil fertility Suppresses Disease Reduces insect pests Suppresses weeds
A Positive Feedback System
HEALTHY BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE
SOIL
WELL-DESIGNED ORGANIC SYSTEM
All Farms and Farmers are Unique
Learn from model systems; don’t assume you have to adopt them wholesale.
A Bioextensive System:
…trades land for: labor required for annual weed control much of the organic matter normally imported as manure, compost, other high-carbon amendments
most or all of the nitrogen usually brought in as expensive organic fertilizer
many of the purchased pest control products needed in more intensive systems
Green Fallow
Late Vegetabl
es
Green Fallow
Early Vegetabl
es
Kerr’s 4-Year Bio-extensive Rotation
Typically a warm season smother crop of sudangrass
Winter cover cropsof grain rye withwinter annualLegumes—allplots.
Green Fallow
Vegetables
Vegetables
Vegetables
Alternate Bioextensive Designs
Green Fallow
Vegetables
Green Fallow
Vegetables
Vegetables
Green Fallow
Vegetables
Vegetables
Green Fallow
Vegetables
Vegetables
Green Fallow
Vegetables
Vegetables
Input Substitution
CONVENTIONAL ORGANICFertilization
Weed Control
Insect Pest Control
Disease Control
Putting it together?…maybe:Input Substitution
Bio log i ca l l y Hea l thy So i l
A Sound Organ ic Sys temRotat ions—Cover C rops
Compost , ManureOrgan ic Cu l tu ra l P rac t i ces
Off -Farm InputsFer t i l i ze rs—Pest i c ides
GoodOrgan ic
Crop
Emphasis in
this area
Lack of attention
In these areas.
Often un-sustainable
agronomically
and financially.
Summary PointsOrganic growing requires a
systems approach in which our “tools” are used to accomplish multiple objectives.
Organic Systems center on building healthy soil.
Sound strategies typically include effective crop rotation, cover crops, and/or compost.
Most systems still benefit from off-farm inputs, but are not designed to rely on them.
Resources on Crop Rotation
Crop Rotation and Cover Cropping on the Organic Farm by Seth Kroeck. NOFA Organic Principles and Practices Handbook Series. 95 p.
Gaining Ground by Canadian Organic Growers, Inc. 2005. COG, 323 Chapel St., Ottawa, ON KIN 7Z2. 311 p.
Organic Crop Production Overview by G. Kuepper & L. Gegner. 2004.http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organiccrop.html
Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual (NRAES-177) by C. L. Mohler & S. E. Johnson. 2009. NRAES/Cornell Cooperative Extension , Ithaca, NY. 156 p.
Cover Crops on the Intensive Market Farm by John Hendrickson. 2003.CIAS, University of Wisconsin–Madison. 20 p.
This publication outlines the origins of organic agriculture. It highlights the concepts, ideas, and milestones that define it as a distinct and sustainable approach to farming that involves more than simply precluding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. 23 pages.
Copies can be downloaded free-of-charge at:http://www.kerrcenter.com/publications/organic-philosophy-report.pdf
Print copies can be requested from:
The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
P.O. Box 588Poteau, OK 74953Tel: 918-647-9123
Copies can be downloaded free-of-
charge at:http://
www.kerrcenter.com/publications/
summer-cover-crops.pdf
Print copies can be requested from:
The Kerr Center for Sustainable AgricultureP.O. Box 588
Poteau, OK 74953Tel: 918-647-9123
Anne & Eric Nordell, Beech Grove Farm, Trout Run, PA.Look for their column: The Bioextensive Market GardenIn The Small Farmers Journal
Small Farmer’s Journal
the international agrarian quarterly
Physical address192 west Barclay DriveSisters, Oregon97759
Phone numbers800-876-2893541-549-2064541-549-4403 fax
Mailing addressPO Box 1627Sisters, Oregon97759
Keep Smiling!
Contact Information:George KuepperKerr CenterP.O. Box 588Poteau, OK 74953Tel: 918-647-9123Fax: [email protected]