Crop Production Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Crop Management

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Managing Crops  Water  Climate  Soil  Pests  Rotations and cover crops  Tillage  Harvest/Post Harvest  Equipment

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Water  Capacity – quantity available Check regulations – water rights  Crop requirements – specific to crop  Irrigation methods Drip, sprinkler, furrow

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Climate  First and last frost dates (growing season)  Average low temperatures (Hardiness zones)  Growing degree days (no. of days accumulated above a certain temperature) Fruit ripening Monitoring insects

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Working around the Climate  Appropriate varieties/cultivars  Cultural practices Raised beds Transplants instead of direct seeding  Season extension tools Greenhouses Tunnels Cold frames Row covers Plastic mulches

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Season Extension Tools ToolAdvantagesDisadvantages Heated double poly greenhouse Long season; environmental control High initial costs; high utility costs to maintain Single poly high tunnel, unheated Lower cost; extends season Minimal frost protection Cold framesHardening off transplants Limited volume restricts uses

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Season Extension Tools (cont.) ToolAdvantagesDisadvantages Solid row coversEnhance early growth Can overheat; require hoops Floating row covers Enhance growth in field; exclude insect pests Must be removed for pollination; May tear in wind Plastic mulchesEnhance early yield; easy to use Annual removal and disposal cost

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Crop Rotations  Increase biological diversity  Break disease and pest cycles  Nutrients from soil at different depths  Diversify the economics of your operation  Spread out labor needs (through season)

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Cover Crops and Green manures  Keep it covered: Prevent erosion Shade out weeds Prevent freezing and thawing of soils Hosts for beneficial insects  Incorporate it: Add nitrogen Increase organic matter

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Use of Cover Crops/Green Manures  Identify your problem N source, fight weeds, soil builder, erosion  Identify when you could fit them into your rotations late summer, winter, spring ?  Identify the right type of cover crop Depending on use, what does well

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Types of Cover Crops  Clovers (sweet)  Hairy Vetch  Rye  Barley  Medic  Winter peas  Sorghum-sudan grass hybrid

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Use of Cover Crops N Source Soil Builder Erosion fighter Loosen subsoil Weed fighte r Pest fighter Winter peas Hairy Vetch Medic Rye Clover Barley Rye Barley Sorghum cross Clover Rye Wheat Barley Rye Sorghum

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Soil Cultivation: Purpose  Promote good soil structure  Break up soil pans  Aerate the soil  Incorporate mineral and organic materials  Control weeds  Create particulate seed beds  Mange some pathogens or insects

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Soil Cultivation Methods  Deep tillage, shallow tillage, surface cultivation  Timing and type of tillage depends on: Soil moisture and texture Climate and season of year Cropping system Soil condition

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Impacts of Excessive Tillage  Decrease soil organic matter  Reduction in soil biological activity  Destruction of soil aggregates  Reduction of nutrient & water holding capacity  Loss of soil pore space and decreased gas exchange

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Conservation Tillage  Initially may require more to incorporate cover crops, organic mater  Improved soils may not need as much  Incorporate more shallow (surface only)  Subsurface tillage equipment - sub-soiler or chisels  Disadvantages: More herbicides, reduced mineralization of O.M., therefore lower nutrient availability in cold climates

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Minimum Tillage of Vegetables?  Check out Steve Groff’s web site: Cedar Meadow Farm Permanent Cover Cropping System

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Harvest, Handling and Storage  Timing is everything  Don’t forget needs for increased labor  Proper equipment and process shading, washing, cooling  Sorting and packing  Temperatures for storage

Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Equipment  What you need vs. what you want  Consider cost/benefit advantages  What you can afford  The right piece for the job  Save for equipment – don’t go in debt