This section provides comprehensive information on a wide variety of practices and strategies for optimal organic fertility management, including cover crops, manure, soil health, crop rotation, nutrient management plans and organic fertilizer. It also includes nutrient management case studies.
Nutrient Management
Building Soils for Better Crops
Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color.Download File (6.76 MB) | Online Text Version
Crop Rotation on Organic Farms
Crop rotation strategies that can be applied under various field conditions for conventional or organic crops to improve soil quality and health, and manage pests, diseases, and weedsDownload File (1.97 MB) | Online Text Version
Developing Successful Organic Horticulture Farms: Practical Training for Ag Professionals
A series of Power Point presentations developed for ag professionals on the principles of organic farming, building soil quality, and managing weeds, pests and diseases.
FARMDATA
FARMDATA is an online system for tracking and reporting crop production data, particularly for organic vegetable growers. The system can be used for keeping records on seeding, transplanting, harvest, cover crops, compost, fertilization, irrigation, pest scouting and spraying activities, packing, distribution and customer invoicing. FARMDATA uses smart forms that help with calculations and remember key data.
Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd Edition
Managing Cover Crops Profitably explores how and why cover crops work and provides all the information needed to build cover crops into any farming operation.Download File (5.56 MB) | Online Text Version
NOFA Handbooks
A series of eight handbooks for new farmers or established producers seeking to transition to organic or improve their current practices. Print only; order from Chelsea Green.
Nutrient Management Plans: California
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in California.Download File (1.31 MB)
Nutrient Management Plans: Idaho
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in Idaho.Download File (1.33 MB)
Nutrient Management Plans: Western Region
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in the Western Region.Download File (4.26 MB)
Organic Broccoli Production Manual
Steps that farmers took to scale up organic broccoli production to meet local wholesale demand. Download File (152.68 kB)
Organic Fertilizer and Cover Crop Calculator
This free online tool compares the nutrient value and cost of cover crops, organic and synthetic fertilizers and compost. Use this Excel Calculator to develop well balanced and cost effective nutrient management programs for your farm.
Organic Grain Production Video Series
A series of videos developed by University of Georgia, North Carolina State University and USDA-ARS on organic grain production.
Organic Horticulture Training for the Southeast
An interactive website to help ag professionals develop successful organic education programs.
Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Systems for Organic Vegetable Production
This information sheet captures research by Virginia Tech and the Virginia Association for Biological Farming to develop cover crop-based, reduced-tillage systems for organic vegetable production.Download File (504.52 kB)
Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems Project
A quarterly newsletter and 24-minute video outlining this long-term systems project researching the transition to organic production.
Tea Time in the Tropics
This book critically evaluates the phenomenon of compost tea and provides a thorough discussion of the composition and process of making compost.Download File (3.62 MB)
Transitioning to Organic Production
Transitioning to Organic Production lays out many promising conversion strategies, covering typical organic farming production practices, innovative marketing ideas and federal standards for certified organic crop production.Download File (1.27 MB) | Online Text Version
Whole-Farm Nutrient Planning for Organic Farms
A 16-page booklet that helps organic farmers understand their soil test results and use these results wisely and compliantly, within the USDA National Organic Program standards. Download File (470.31 kB)
Cover Crops
Building Soils for Better Crops
Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color.Download File (6.76 MB) | Online Text Version
Cover Crops and No-Till Management for Organic Systems
This Rodale Institute fact sheet reviews the use of cover crops and no-till in organic systems, including selection, establishment and mechanical termination of cover crops; crop rotations; and energy and production budgets.Download File (490.21 kB)
Cover Crops in Organic Systems
This document provide an overview of how the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS Cover Crop 340 conservation practice can be implemented on organic operations in the Western Region.Download File (18.32 MB)
Cover Crops in Organic Systems: California
This document provide an overview of how the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS Cover Crop 340 conservation practice can be implemented on organic operations in California.Download File (4.94 MB)
Cover Crops in Organic Systems: Idaho
This document provide an overview of how the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS Cover Crop 340 conservation practice can be implemented on organic operations in Idaho.Download File (4.45 MB)
Cover Crops in Organic Systems: Oregon
This document provide an overview of how the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS Cover Crop 340 conservation practice can be implemented on organic operations in Oregon.Download File (5.46 MB)
Developing Successful Organic Horticulture Farms: Practical Training for Ag Professionals
A series of Power Point presentations developed for ag professionals on the principles of organic farming, building soil quality, and managing weeds, pests and diseases.
Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd Edition
Managing Cover Crops Profitably explores how and why cover crops work and provides all the information needed to build cover crops into any farming operation.Download File (5.56 MB) | Online Text Version
NOFA Handbooks
A series of eight handbooks for new farmers or established producers seeking to transition to organic or improve their current practices. Print only; order from Chelsea Green.
Nutrient Management Plans: California
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in California.Download File (1.31 MB)
Nutrient Management Plans: Idaho
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in Idaho.Download File (1.33 MB)
Nutrient Management Plans: Western Region
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in the Western Region.Download File (4.26 MB)
Organic Fertilizer and Cover Crop Calculator
This free online tool compares the nutrient value and cost of cover crops, organic and synthetic fertilizers and compost. Use this Excel Calculator to develop well balanced and cost effective nutrient management programs for your farm.
Organic Grain Production Video Series
A series of videos developed by University of Georgia, North Carolina State University and USDA-ARS on organic grain production.
Organic Horticulture Training for the Southeast
An interactive website to help ag professionals develop successful organic education programs.
Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Systems for Organic Vegetable Production
This information sheet captures research by Virginia Tech and the Virginia Association for Biological Farming to develop cover crop-based, reduced-tillage systems for organic vegetable production.Download File (504.52 kB)
Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems Project
A quarterly newsletter and 24-minute video outlining this long-term systems project researching the transition to organic production.
Whole-Farm Nutrient Planning for Organic Farms
A 16-page booklet that helps organic farmers understand their soil test results and use these results wisely and compliantly, within the USDA National Organic Program standards. Download File (470.31 kB)
Manure Management
Building Soils for Better Crops
Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color.Download File (6.76 MB) | Online Text Version
Developing Successful Organic Horticulture Farms: Practical Training for Ag Professionals
A series of Power Point presentations developed for ag professionals on the principles of organic farming, building soil quality, and managing weeds, pests and diseases.
Nutrient Management Plans: California
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in California.Download File (1.31 MB)
Nutrient Management Plans: Idaho
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in Idaho.Download File (1.33 MB)
Nutrient Management Plans: Western Region
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan on certified or transitioning organic lands in the Western Region.Download File (4.26 MB)
Organic Horticulture Training for the Southeast
An interactive website to help ag professionals develop successful organic education programs.
Organic Grain Production Video Series
A series of videos developed by University of Georgia, North Carolina State University and USDA-ARS on organic grain production.
Organic Fertilizer and Cover Crop Calculator
This free online tool compares the nutrient value and cost of cover crops, organic and synthetic fertilizers and compost. Use this Excel Calculator to develop well balanced and cost effective nutrient management programs for your farm.