www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms how-expert-organic-farmers-manage-crop-rotations key-responsibilities-and-related-tasks-in-the-chart Key Responsibilities and Related Tasks in the Chart This section discusses each of the key responsibilities in the “Managing a Crop Rotation System” chart and illustrates some of the important, difficult, or less obvious tasks, with examples from the operations of expert farmers (see sidebar 2.7). Responsibility A: Identify Rotation Goals Rotations are a means to meet overall farm goals. Expert farmers manage […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms how-expert-organic-farmers-manage-crop-rotations the-neon-managing-a-crop-rotation-system-chart The NEON "Managing a Crop Rotation System" Chart Our panel of expert organic farmers participated in a structured, facilitated process that was designed to elicit an outline of step-by-step decisions and actions related to their own management of crop rotation (sidebar 2.6). This is summarized in the chart “Managing a Crop Rotation System." The content and wording of the chart are those of […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms how-expert-organic-farmers-manage-crop-rotations crop-rotation-and-farm-management Crop Rotation and Farm Management Crop rotations require multidimensional thinking. Rotation management requires understanding both the whole farm and each individual field and balancing field and farm-scale decisions (figure 2.1). On successful farms, rotation planning is a rolling, responsive process. Expert farmers are continually balancing annual and multiyear (short- and long-term) decisions. Business decisions must be optimized for annual returns […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms how-expert-organic-farmers-manage-crop-rotations basics-of-crop-rotation Basics of Crop Rotation Rotations are one dimension of the art and science of farm management. The biological principles of crop rotation intersect with many other aspects of the farm operation and farm business. Crop rotation is both a principle of production and a tool of management (see sidebar 2.3). Expert farmers balance market options and field biology. Labor, […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms how-expert-organic-farmers-manage-crop-rotations why-rotate-crops Why Rotate Crops? Effective crop rotations are a foundation of organic cropping systems. Organic farmers recognize that crop rotation is necessary to maintain field productivity. Expert farmers design their rotations to (1) earn income and (2) increase soil quality or build “soil capital” (sidebar 2.1). Crop rotation and a crop rotation plan and records are required for organic […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms how-expert-organic-farmers-manage-crop-rotations How Expert Organic Farmers Manage Crop Rotations By Sue Ellen Johnson and Eric Toensmeier Crop rotation is central to the success of organic farms. So how do successful farmers plan and execute crop rotations? We asked twelve expert organic farmers this question when they gathered at a farmhouse in upstate New York for three snowy days in 2002. Between homemade organic meals, […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms introduction-3 how-to-use-this-manual How to Use This Manual This manual can be used in several ways. First, it can be used simply as a reference. For example, one can check for possible pest or soil problems that may occur in a cropping sequence, or determine how long to leave a field out of a particular crop to avoid pest problems. Second, the manual […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms introduction-3 how-this-manual-was-constructed How This Manual Was Constructed To ensure that this rotation planning manual reflects the realities of crop production on actual farms, the New England Small Farm Institute, on behalf of the Northeast Organic Network (NEON), assembled a panel of 12 expert organic farmers. The panel met for three days and worked through a formal facilitated process that produced a detailed […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms introduction-3 Introduction By Charles L. Mohler Crop rotation is a critical feature of all organic cropping systems because it provides the principal mechanism for building healthy soils, a major way to control pests, and a variety of other benefits. Crop rotation means changing the type of crop grown on a particular piece of land from year to […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms about-the-authors-2 About the Authors (Listed in alphabetical order) Jody Bolluyt, producer, Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook, New York Sue Ellen Johnson, research leader, New England Small Farm Institute, Belchertown, Massachusetts; currently assistant professor and forage specialist, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University Peter Lowy, intern, Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook, New York Margaret Tuttle McGrath, associate professor, Department of Plant Pathology, […]