Showing 121-131 of 131 results

Agriculture in U.S. Virgin Islands Challenging, But Prevailing with Sustainable Agriculture Practices
CHRISTIANSTED, St. Croix – For months, a 14,000-gallon water tank has been sitting on its side in the middle of Frederick Miller’s Moringa tree orchard. Winds from Hurricane Maria had rolled the tank down the hillside of his farm, and he still hasn’t figured out yet how he’s going to move it. Yvette and Dale […]

Cover Crops Do Not Deplete Stored Water in the Soil Profile, Clemson Researchers Find
CLEMSON, South Carolina – Among the myriad of benefits cover crops provide to a row crop or vegetable operation, Clemson University researchers have found another one: Cover crops do not deplete water stored in the soil profile, thus preserving the precious resource for the cash crop – an all important function, specifically in times of […]

Cover Crops Have Benefits in High Tunnels
GLENWOOD, Georgia – Barley and hairy vetch growing vigorously in a high tunnel at Lola’s Organic Farm in southeast Georgia were going to seed. It was mid-April. Time to mow and prepare the soil for the summer’s cash crops: ginger and turmeric. Since last year, couple Jennifer Taylor and Ron Gilmore – USDA certified organic […]

It Doesn't Take Long for Soils to Reap the Benefits of Cover Crops
HORSE SHOE, North Carolina – Whitaker Farms, a family vegetable operation nestled on the edge of the Pisgah National Forest, has been managed conventionally for generations. But last year, owner Phillip Whitaker decided to take part in a study to test the benefits of no-till and cover crops on soil health. Despite the short period […]

Prototype Farm Machine Expands Applications in Organic Vegetable Crop Production
LEXINGTON, Kentucky – University of Kentucky researchers have designed, built and tested a low-cost, mechanized system for organic vegetable production to help small-scale growers reduce their labor costs, increase their scale of operations, reduce input costs and increase production compared to conventional organic production practices. In a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) On-Farm […]

Cover Crops Effective in Controlling Bermudagrass in Organic Production
GLENWOOD, Georgia – Bermudagrass may be popular among homeowners in the Southeast, but it is widely loathed by vegetable producers – especially those in organic production. As a turfgrass, bermudagrass is valued for its durability, vigorous growth and tolerance to extreme weather conditions. But those characteristics also make it an obnoxious weed. Spreading rapidly by […]

Survey Shows Expanded Acreage and Yield Boost from Cover Crops
For the third year in a row, a national survey of farmers has shown that cover crops improve corn and soybean yields while providing a host of other benefits. The survey of more than 1,200 farmers revealed that cover crops boosted 2014 corn yields by an average of 3.7 bushels per acre (2.1 percent) and […]

Intensive Crop Rotations with Cover Crops Give a Boost to High-Value Cash Crops in Organic Production
ATHENS, Georgia – University of Georgia researchers developing a model for organic vegetable production in the Southeast have found success incorporating summer cover crops with high-value cool-season crops in a series of rotations that increase yields, control insects and diseases, improve crop quality and build soil biomass. The systems approach, say the researchers, can be […]

Native Warm Season Grasses Diversify Livestock Grazing/Support Biodiversity
MISSISSIPPI STATE, Mississippi – Native warm season grasses excel over more traditional commercial grass varieties when it comes to grazing livestock and promoting wildlife conservation, based on the results of a two-year Mississippi State University agroecology study. The study, funded by a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Graduate Student grant, compared native warm […]

Using Cover Crops for Pest Management on Small Farms
LIVE OAK, Florida – Two small farmers in Live Oak, Florida are partnering with University of Florida Extension to determine how cover crops can be used to manage insect pests. In a newly funded Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant, “Establishing and Evaluating Selected Cover Crops on Small Farms to Increase […]

UGA Researcher Studying Durana White Clover as Living Mulch in Corn Fields
TIFTON, Georgia -- Adding nitrogen to fertilize their crop is a substantial expense corn farmers have to consider when calculating their bottom line. A University of Georgia scientist hopes to help lower that cost by planting clover and corn together. With a $224,000 grant from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, UGA researcher […]