weed control. Look into ways to increase surface cover,
soil, although it is generally limited to shallow depths.
although this is a challenge without the use of chemical
On pastures, regular aeration helps reduce this problem.
weed control. Alternatively, consider more traditional
Livestock farms require special attention to nutri-
erosion control practices, such as strip cropping, as they
ent management and making sure that organic nutri-
work well with rotations involving sod and cover crops.
ent sources are optimally used around the farm and no
negative environmental impacts occur. This requires a
Crop-Livestock Farms
comprehensive look at all nutrient flows on the farm,
Diversified crop-and-livestock farms have an inherent
finding ways to most efficiently use them, and prevent-
advantage for improving soil health. Crops can be fed
ing problems with excesses.
to animals and manures returned to the soil, thereby
providing a continuous supply of organic materials. For
Vegetable Farms
many livestock operations, perennial forage crops are an
Soil quality management is especially challenging on
integral part of the cropping system, thereby reducing
vegetable farms. Many vegetable crops are sensitive to
erosion potential and improving soil physical and bio-
soil compaction and often pose greater challenges in
logical properties. Soil health tests conducted on dairy
pest management. Vegetable lands have generally been
farms in New York consistently show good results for
worked hard over many years and have a long way to go
most soil health indicators, although compaction is still
toward improved soil health. Most vegetable farms are
often a concern. Nevertheless, integrated crop-livestock
not integrated with livestock production, and it is dif-
farms have challenges. Silage harvests do not leave
ficult to maintain a continuous supply of fresh organic
much crop residue, which needs to be compensated with
matter. Bringing manure, compost, or other locally
manure application or cover crops. Minimizing tillage is
available sources of organic materials to the farm should
also important and can be done by injecting the manure
be seriously considered. In some cases, vegetable farms
or gently incorporating it with aerators or harrows,
can economically use manure from nearby livestock
rather than plowing it under. Soil pulverization can be
minimized by reducing secondary tillage, using strip or
zone tillage, and establishing the crops with no-tillage
fIndInG creAtIve soLutIons
planters and seeders.
Dairy farmers in Vermont were concerned about soil
Preventing soil compaction is important on many
health on their corn lands. The colder continental
livestock-based farms. Manure spreaders are typically
climate of the state limits the time window for cover
heavy and frequently go over the land at unfavorable
crop establishment before winter dormancy sets
times, doing a lot of compaction damage. Think about
in. Working together with University of Vermont
ways to minimize this. In the spring, allow the fields to
specialists, the farmers experimented with shorter-
dry adequately (do the ball test) before taking spreaders
season corn varieties that mature seven to ten days
out. If there is no manure storage, building a structure to
earlier and increase the time window for cover crop
hold it temporarily allows you to avoid the most damag-
establishment equivalently. They found that their corn
ing soil conditions. Frost manure injection completely
yields were general y unaffected by the shorter grow-
avoids compacting the soil and, despite the generally nar-
ing season, but their ability to establish cover crops
row time window, should be considered in colder regions.
was greatly enhanced.
Compaction can also result from animal grazing on wet
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Building SoilS for Better CropS: SuStainaBle Soil ManageMent