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Re: cover crop help



Allan,

I, too, have been disappointed with broadcast stands.  Don't know how big
your place is.  Most cover crop information is written for moderate scale
mechanized farms or, at the least, row systems on more than 5 acres.
Drilling is recommended, but that doesn't work for semi-permanent intensive
bed systems or small scale farms, because the equipment isn't appropriate
to that system.

A friend with 9 ac uses a seed drill he rents or borrows.  This year, we're
going to run our hand seeder up and down our semi-permanent bed system with
the largest seed plate we have at a depth of 1 1/2".  We too, use a spader
for tillage.  Our mix of choice is Peaceful Valley's Soil Builder.

There is some good cover crop information on the SAREP website at
www.sarep.ucdavis.edu, sare at http://www.sare.org/san/mccp2/  and possibly
at Peaceful Valley Farm Supply's new site at www.groworganic.com.


Maybe other small CSA farms can chime in...



Allan Balliett (igg@igg.com) wrote:

Finally getting around to putting down the winter rye here in the eastern
panhandle of WV. I was wondering if anyone has seen a good webpage that
covers sowing rates and techniques for cover crops for small holdings. (
Or, if you have you have your own tips to share. ) Other years we have
simply broadcast the seed, but I'm often very unhappy with the results.

The beds were spaded yesterday, but it looks like we're going to have rain
for the next three days.





Marcie A. Rosenzweig
Full Circle Organic Farm