However, with a little cover, most farmers have a variety of crops to pick from. Quick-growing selections, soil conditioners, and hearty roots and greens are some of the best for cooler seasons. Depending on what is chosen, there may be tending to do even as winter draws near. 

It’s important to know which plants work for your farm and region. And if you’re farming in a temperate region of North America, there’s a strong likelihood you have many options. 

Consider Season Extension

If you haven’t implemented season extenders on the farm yet, it’s worth considering them. These allow you to grow beyond terminal frost dates. Their built-in complexity is completely up to you. 

Low tunnels are an easy thing to add to crop rows of plants that are frost-tolerant, but won’t survive a hard freeze. The tunnel is usually covered by frost cloth. The structure promotes heat within the tunnel that protects the soil underneath to a degree. 

Cold frames are also an option, and you can make one of these with repurposed windows. They offer crops a more durable solution for cold protection. Cloches, too, are a way to keep plants warm in the cold, but they typically cover one to two plants at a time.

When you decide to include season extension on the farm, get your plans together earlier in the year, in time for preparations to begin in fall before frost occurs. 

Crops for September

From root veggies to hardy greens, all the way to cover crops, there are plenty of ways to continue growing even as the weather cools and frigid temperatures set in. Take stock of what you need on the farm, and add any applicable crops. 

Cover Crops

There are three types of cover crops to consider planting in September. Winter-killed crops are perfect for growers with cold fall and winter seasons, as the freezing conditions that come on kill off the crops before the season ends. The resulting debris protects and conditions the soil below, depending on which crops are chosen. 

Winter-hardy crops survive through winter, and are terminated manually in spring. Attention should be paid to whether or not conditions exist that allow the crop to survive the colder seasons. Then the crops can be chopped and dropped, or crimped. 

Mixed covers offer multiple benefits, each determined by the type of seeds in the mix. Some are meant to go dormant through cold, and others are killed by frost. 

Beets

Root veggies like beets are an incredibly cold-resilient crop to grow. In areas where the cold comes later, or doesn’t come at all, successions of beets sown a couple of weeks apart offer food and revenue all winter long. Start in September, and continue sowing through March in this case. 

In colder areas, protection in the coldest season is needed. Any will work, as most beets withstand light frosts even without it. In the very cold parts of winter in areas where winter is serious business, cold frames help. 

In areas where cold protection isn’t present, sowing a crop of beets now is just fine. Look for varieties with maturation periods that are shorter, or harvest baby beets before the hard freezes roll in. 

Lettuce

Supple and quick-growing lettuces are an easy win in late summer to early fall. Most varieties have a short number of days to maturity. Iceberg types usually don’t need more than three months for full formation. Baby greens are easy for farmers in every region. 

Because lettuce is always in high demand, there is so much to pick from. Growing through frost is possible, too, as even supple greens have a little cool-weather tolerance. Just ensure the more sensitive greens have a cover when there’s a freeze.  

Hardy Greens

If lettuce leaves are too sensitive for your farm in fall, there are tons of hardier selections. Collards, kale, chard, and even spinach have a greater tolerance for cold. In areas where they won’t withstand the strength of the first frost, baby greens are just fine. 

Asian greens like mizuna, bok choy, and tatsoi have short maturation periods and are usually ready within one to two months. Arugula can handle temperatures down to the low 20s (~-7°C). Planting a mix of greens together gives you options for what you’ll bring to market. 

Giving them protection through late fall’s chill keeps them going, and could help them perennialize in areas where the soil doesn’t freeze over winter. 

Radishes

Just as beets are an option for fall growing, radishes are too. There’s little to stop you from being successful with smaller varieties like French Breakfast or Cherry Belle. These are ready within a month, meaning even farms with cold winter looming can glean another yield. 

In protected areas, or those with milder cold seasons, larger, more specialized varieties are an option. Farmers with a couple of months at their disposal can grow black radishes, which offer a spicier flavor profile and a striking appearance in whatever dish they’re added to. 

Sowing successions of smaller types is a great way to gather a ton before it’s impossible to grow them, whether due to cold or summer’s oncoming heat. 

Grains

For centuries, grains have been a staple of cold-weather growing. For instance, the Whole Grains Council recognizes September as Rice and Wild Rice Month. While these plants are very different, they both are viable crops to sow in September. 

If you want to get more out of your cover crop, oats are a good crop for farms in areas that get a cold (but not too cold) winter. Rye is a resilient crop even in colder areas. Winter wheat is a standby for growers all over and provides cover for fields, protecting the soil when freezes arrive.

Pick a grain that adapts well to your region and matures in time for you to do the work before spring picks up. 

Cool Season Grasses

Ranchland is not exempt from this list. It is possible to have a year-round supply of forage for livestock. Plant ryegrass in September to provide for herds in colder seasons. Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue are other viable options. 

The only thing to note before planting these is whether or not you’re working with NCRS. If you want to maintain a regenerative ranch, always plant cool-season native grasses and avoid those that spread into natural areas, pushing out other plants. 

Garlic

Bulbous garlic is an easy win in home gardens and farms alike. Due to its size, it can be interplanted with beets and greens. Even orchards benefit from garlic plantings. While farms with later frosts should wait to plant, those with a quick onset of frost can plant now. 

It will take roughly nine months for garlic to fully mature, but it’s worth it. Specialty bulbs go for quite a bit in the commercial realm. Having some to enjoy yourself is wonderful too. The great thing about garlic is that it keeps on giving. You’ll have plenty to share, sell, or keep for seed to plant next fall. 

Carrots and Parsnips

In mild cold areas, overwintering carrots and parsnips is easy, especially with the added shelter of a cold frame, cloche, or low tunnel. Farms in northern regions need to pay close attention to days to maturity, ensuring they’ve factored in the first frost date. 

Plant them at the right time, and you’ll have tons of roots to enjoy. Where freezes are few, successions yield pounds and pounds of taproots waiting for the farmers’ market or the specialty produce buyer. These are highly nutritious and desirable veggies. 

In regions with a quick onset of cold, choose varieties that produce smaller roots. 

The post 9 Crops to Sow in September appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Since then, soil preservation via conservation programs has come to the fore. With strategies like planting prairie strips, soil nutrient loss is reduced. This is possible for farms with large acreages, and for smaller market farms too. Prairie strips do not need to be installed all at once, and can be introduced to the farm in stages. 

There are plenty of other reasons for planting prairie strips – soil nutrient loss being one factor. These strips work beyond the soil level, controlling pests, preserving ground water, providing more revenue to the farm, and much more. 

Why Install Prairie Strips?

The practice has roots way back in history, but we can thank soil scientists, conservationists, and various agricultural extensions for its recent promotion and development of standard techniques. The benefits are simple: prairie strips improve water quality, conserve water resources, provide wildlife habitat, and reduce soil erosion. 

By converting 10-25% of your farmland into these strips, you can grow large areas of a single crop without the same risk of nutrient loss that you would have without them. Add to that a regularly rotated and cover- cropped area, and you’ll have increased yields. 

Prairie strips filter water and hold it in the ground where it is needed. Any fertilizer runoff is contained within the strip and stays out of sensitive waterways, where it can cause detrimental effects. This keeps nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil on your farm, rather than running off somewhere else where you can’t access it. 

Prairie strips improve biodiversity on your farm. Increased biodiversity has multiple benefits to crops. These strips attract more wildlife that remains within the strip, rather than your cropland. Furthermore, agricultural pests will be thwarted by beneficial predator insects that rely on prairie plants. 

Aside from water preservation and preventing nutrient loss, prairie strips invite more pollinators to your farm. This means they contribute to better fruit and grain set and higher yields.    

How To Install Prairie Strips

Soil nutrient loss prevention is as easy as putting in the work and spending around $40 per acre. If you’re working with a ton of acreage, there are programs available to assist in cutting the cost. 

Size

To install prairie strips, soil nutrient loss is best controlled with at least 10% of the land outfitted for this purpose. Of course, you can install more than 10%, but just this amount will do plenty of good. Considerably high slope and low soil quality warrant more to have the desired soil and water retention effects.  

Each strip should be 30 feet wide to make your farm eligible for the USDA Conservation Reserve Program. This width also makes it possible to use current commercial farm tools within and outside of the strip.  

Placement

While there are many ways to install these strips, the basic recommendations for where to put them hinge on how your farm is laid out. Look for steep hills, slopes, and areas where water tends to erode the soil. Place strips between crop fields or on the borders of your farm. 

If there are areas where yields tend to be low, plant prairie strips. Soil nutrient loss will then be reduced, and your yields should increase. You’ll begin to notice significant increases as year three comes along. 

Timing

Before you prep and plant your prairie strip, consider the last time you used herbicide in the area (if this is a regular practice on your farm). Consult a label database to determine what the half life of that herbicide is. You want to plant outside of that timespan. 

Before you prep the area for planting, choose which plants you’ll include in the strip. Many native seeds are best sown in fall to overwinter and sprout in spring. Warm-season grasses can be planted in spring, and cover crops have varied timings. Knowing these helps you set a schedule for strip prep and planting. 

The Setup

To begin, farmers should till and remove any perennial weeds that proliferate nestled in the dense foliage of a prairie strip. Some sources recommend tilling twice to reduce perennial weeds. Remember, if any herbicides are used to complete this task, avoid seeding within the half-life of that herbicide. 

Many agricultural extensions recommend pre-planting with soybean, corn, or cover crops. There is debate among conservationists about whether or not this is the best practice for prairie strips that will contain native plants. While pre-planting provides benefits to the soil, eliminating them among native plants can be difficult. They have a tendency to seed out and can be hard to manage.

After terminating the cover crop – if this is the route you’ve chosen – seed at the appropriate time at a rate of at least 40 seeds per square foot. If you have extra seed, it’s ok to overseed, and sometimes it’s beneficial in instances where re-emerging soy, corn, or cover crop is expected. 

Maintenance

If you’re dealing with tons of annual weeds, and they seem to be outcompeting the natives in the first year, mow the strip to six inches three or four times as they reach one foot tall. Follow up with one or two mows in the second year. Once the strip is established, remove top growth. 

If you prefer to utilize fire in your prairie maintenance, wait until the second fall after planting, and don’t burn more than half of the strip at a time. Any cattle safe plants that grow during the year can be harvested as feed. The strip could also double as a hayfield if the plants within work for that.

If you are interested in being a part of the larger effort to regenerate native ecosystems, you can harvest the seeds of the plants. Here is where weed control from the outset is most important. Contact a local native seed dealer to see if you can contribute to their stock. 

The post How to Fight Soil Nutrient Loss with Prairie Strips appeared first on Modern Farmer.

These viruses cause mottled leaves and, eventually, plant death. Necrotic strains damage foliage as well as tubers, which rot from the inside out. Not only is the virus spread via infected tools and plants, but its main vector is aphids. Therefore, farms that haven’t dealt with the virus yet can prevent it by controlling aphids in their potato crops. 

Integrated pest management denotes that one of the best ways to keep pest numbers down is to plant wildflowers. These attract aphid predators and limit their ability to spread viruses in areas where they may be common. 

The primary predators of the potato aphid are lady beetles, carabid beetles, spiders, syrphid flies, green lacewings, and midges. Plants that attract these are great preventatives for potato viruses that aphids spread. Thankfully, many of them double as ecologically restorative.  

Sunflowers

Any type of sunflower attracts lady beetles. Both adults and lady beetle nymphs feed voraciously on aphids. They don’t discriminate between young and mature aphids, either. Farms in proximity to sunflower fields are likely to have fewer problems with pests, as they attract a slew of predators in the insect and animal kingdoms.

If you want to attract the green lacewing, which also feeds heavily on aphids, but mostly in its larval phase, plant Maximillian sunflowers. These North American native plants provide excellent habitat for beneficial predators. They also spread and grow easily, blooming from summer through the milder parts of fall. 

One note on some sunflowers: they take up a lot of space. Plant them where they can spread out, and where they won’t overcrowd other crops or natural areas. Use them as a conservation feature on your farm where there’s plenty of room to grow. 

Yarrow

Of course, it would be a mistake to mention integrated pest management without including yarrow. One of the most vigorous and lovely native plants, yarrow is a beneficial insect powerhouse. It attracts many predators of aphids, and others too.

Plant yarrow among other plants, but provide some space so it doesn’t bully them. It can be grown among other plants (unlike the Maximillian sunflower), but it can be aggressive in optimal environments. However, a strip of yarrow between potato rows is a great idea. 

Intermix yarrow with other native plants, and you have prairie strips that buffer cultivated land, adding to restoration efforts or initiating them.  

Milkweed

Known as the premier host for monarch butterflies, milkweed also attracts lady beetles. But that’s not where the benefits end. Hummingbirds are aphid predators, and they love to sip nectar from milkweed flowers. Bees provide pollination to milkweeds and any crops nearby. 

Like yarrow, it makes sense to plant milkweed alongside your potatoes, keeping them out of the same bed. Milkweed will do well on its own or in a strip of prairie plants. Its stems contain a toxic sap that can irritate skin, so keeping it in an area that receives little human intervention is a good idea. This gives monarchs the space to do their thing. 

Buckwheat

As a cover crop, buckwheat is an excellent choice. It’s a quick-growing living mulch, suppressing weeds as it grows. It can grow in poor soil, requiring little amendment to thrive. Its roots also scavenge for phosphorus. This makes it a good candidate for interplanting with potatoes. 

Its flowers are a huge syrphid fly attractant, too. These guys are another viable predator that keeps aphid numbers down when potatoes are flourishing. With numerous commercial sources for buckwheat, it is one of the more accessible plants listed here. 

For farmers who want to use regenerative practices on their farm, there are numerous native species to pick from. 

Native Grasses

For carabid beetles, the best attractors are native grasses. Ranchers benefit from using natives in their pastures, and even more so if those pastures are rotated in a restorative model. This means it’s possible to have multiple revenue streams on the farm if there’s room for them – from cattle and from food crops.

Regardless of whether or not grazing animals are a part of the farm, including native grasses will reduce aphid numbers when they grow nearby. Plant them in strips or in close proximity to your potatoes. By doing so, you bring in aphid predators, and also host butterflies, skippers, and more. 

Grass seeds are food for birds in winter, and deer appreciate native grasses as well. If having white-tailed deer on your farm for leasing to hunters is something you’ve wanted, here’s your chance. 

Wild Mustard

You’ve probably seen some kind of weedy brassica plant on your farm. What if you learned these are a food source for syrphid flies? Mustards are employed as cover crops, but they’re also one of the primary attractants for hoverflies. This includes some cultivated mustards, too. 

Hoverflies don’t just feed on aphids. They prey on scale insects and thrips too. Flower farmers who have trouble with western flower thrips will get a boost from planting different mustards. Many are beautiful and work as fillers in cut flower bouquets, too. 

Queen Anne’s Lace

A common sight on the flower farm is Queen Anne’s lace, and hoverflies love this one, too. While it’s not advisable to plant this one in areas where it is invasive (which are many), it is a good food source for aphid predators. 

Because it can be vigorous even outside its invasive range, your best bet is to plant it in strips near your potato rows. Give it space, and if you decide to interplant it with another flowering species, opt for one that can handle the intensity of Queen Anne’s lace. 

Penstemon

Beardtongues are similar to foxgloves in their floral shape. They have a similar habit and are often one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Coincidentally, green lacewings love these flowers, and the adults will enjoy the nectar of the plants while their larvae will rid your potatoes of aphids. 

This is another perfect candidate for North American regenerative farms that want to include restorative practices in their food cultivation. There are over 280 native species to choose from, and all commonly bloom from early spring up to summer. 

If you’re planting these, include them in strips that have longer blooming plants in them to keep predators on the farm, rather than searching elsewhere for another food source. 

Saltbush

In the western half of North America, farmers benefit from planting Atriplex canescens, or fourwing saltbrush. This Amaranth family member is a source of food for green lacewings, which flit between it and potatoes to consume nectar and predate. This plant has a long history of use among indigenous peoples as a dye and a fuel source. 

Farmers should plant multiples of this plant to keep it going on the farm. There is a ton of genetic diversity between plants, and there is little consistency between plants with male and female flowers. Therefore, many plantings will ensure survival. 

Include this one on your potato farm to cultivate a piece of native plant history!

Winecups

Another spring to summer bloomer, winecups are a boon for potatoes due to their ability to bring in green lacewings. They tend to do quite well on borders, making them a good choice for farms that have a smaller cultivation space, and lots of wild areas on the edges. 

You’ll bring in a ton of bumble bees with this one, making it possible to produce potato seed (as opposed to tuber seeds) if you want to. Even if that’s not your end goal, lacewings keep the aphid populations under control, preventing viruses that devastate crops.  

The post Fight Potato Viruses with Wildflowers: 9 Flowers to Try appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Composting is a great way to reduce waste on your farm. It limits the amount of waste going to the landfill, thus reducing methane emissions. Due to its nutrient-filled composition, it’s a perfect way to fertilize many crops. It improves soil structure in the process and helps your soil retain water. 

You can throw most organic waste products into your compost pile. Animal manure, silage, plant debris, kitchen scraps, and leftover mulch and soil all apply. For this list of recommendations, it’s best to avoid adding meat or dairy. For all composting systems, keep diseased plant matter and invasive weeds in the garbage. 

Turn Regularly

One of the best and easiest ways to keep your compost pile aerobic, or full of oxygen that speeds the decomposition process, is simply to turn it regularly. Regular turning increases oxygen and the temperature of the pile. Hotter piles break down materials more quickly than colder ones. 

While it is completely possible to have finished compost in a cold pile, it’s not the best way to do it quickly. So consider the size of your pile as you develop a turning schedule. A general rule is that piles should be turned every three to four days. 

Another aspect to consider is the temperature. If the pile temp drops below 104°F (40°C), it’s time to turn. You can use a compost thermometer to assist you here. Or you can speed things along by turning regularly. Grab a broadfork, turn your bin, or simply use a shovel. Bring the center of the pile outward, and the outside of the pile inward. 

Aerate

Turning is an excellent way to keep your pile aerated. But there are other ways to accomplish aeration, which often occur as you set up your pile or bin. One way to do this is to pop a PVC pipe in the center of the pile with holes drilled along the length. This adds oxygen to the pile as it decomposes. 

If you’re building a bay compost system, leave some room between the slats to promote passive aeration. These openings also allow insects in that consume the matter in the pile and provide even more decomposition. The same goes for worms and grubs.

Any bins you use should have holes in them to allow airflow through. Without airflow, you’ll force the pile into an anaerobic state. This leads to bad smells and a much slower rate of decomposition (if any at all). So ensure there is oxygen getting into contained bin systems. 

Water

The proper moisture content helps matter break down more quickly, and is absolutely essential to speed up compost toward a more usable format. As you turn your pile, keep the hose handy. If you notice dry areas, spritz them with water. 

As you add your layers of greens and browns, water. Moisture will speed up decomposition by providing mobility to the detritivores within. These organisms, both insect-sized and even smaller, are responsible for consuming the matter in your pile and ensuring nutrients move around. 

Don’t add too much water, or locate your pile in an area with standing water. Too much of a good thing will slow the process of decomposition. Keep it in an area that drains freely, and water regularly to keep the microbes moving.  

Additives

Have you ever heard that you can speed up compost by adding specific materials to your pile or bin? Grass, leaves, and inoculants are just a few additives that kick-start a semi-dormant compost pile. Kitchen scraps can also induce a more active composition. 

It’s important to maintain the right balance as you add these, though, as balance is key. Just like too much water can mess up the pile, so can too much green matter, or inoculant. As you add greens, remember a three-to-one ratio of browns to greens protects that balance. 

Most likely, if you’re dealing with slow compost, you may not have the right balance to begin with. Adding some greens will get you there. As for inoculants, find one that fits your required nutrient profile, and follow the directions on the bottle. 

Ensure It’s the Right Size

If your compost pile is too small, it won’t break down. If it’s too large, it will be hard to manage. Instead of piling everything in one spot, keep your piles or bins at least (and not much more than) one cubic yard (3x3x3 ft). 

Build bays to 5x5x5 feet, so they’ll fit one cubic yard inside each of them. Multiple bays accommodate multiple piles. Thankfully, most pre-made bins, or even trash cans repurposed for composting are already the right size. Keep your pile the right size, and you’ll speed up compost in no time. 

The post How to Speed Up Your Compost: 5 Recommendations appeared first on Modern Farmer.

If you’re practicing no-till or thinking about reducing your tillage, you may be wondering how to beat weeds in a no-till landscape. How do you manage these unwanted plants when you can’t rely on a disc or tiller to churn them into the ground? Fortunately, you can practice a few strategies to keep weeds at bay while minimizing your tillage.

Before we dive into weed management, it’s important to remember that you should approach tillage with your specific growing context and landscape in mind. Rather than being dogmatic about never tilling or grabbing the rototiller each spring, pay attention to your soil and how certain tillage events (or a lack thereof) impact both soil and plant health.

Know Your Weeds

Any plant that’s out of its intended growing space can be considered a weed—a rye cover crop that accidentally went to seed in your field, the Canadian thistle that’s been on the property for decades, and the fast-growing pigweed that germinates each spring.

While all of these plants are unwanted, they have varied growth habits and characteristics. Therefore, methods that work well to control one type of weed may not effectively control others. That’s why correctly identifying weeds is the first step in controlling them.

Perennial Weeds

Perennial, rhizomatous weeds like bindweed, bermudagrass, johnsongrass, and Canadian thistle are some of the most difficult to control. After you pull the above-ground portion of the plant, the rhizome resprouts and produces more weeds. Tilling chops these rhizomes into tiny pieces and spreads the problematic plants, so reducing tillage puts you a step ahead in terms of weed control.

Pulling as much of the rhizome as possible is a good place to start, but you’re unlikely to remove all of the plant’s deep-rooted rhizome. Covering the ground with an opaque material like a silage tarp smothers the weeds and depletes their access to the sun. Over time, they’ll exhaust their stored energy and die, but this process can take up to a year.

If you know a growing area has high perennial weed pressure, tarping the area for a season before planting can be worthwhile. Although the space will be out of production for an extended period, you won’t have to deal with as many of these challenging weeds.

Annual Weeds

Many common weeds are fast-growing annuals that germinate, grow, and set seed in just a month or two. That means just a single plant that blows in with the wind can quickly turn into thousands of weeds. Removing these plants before they produce seed is a key part of keeping them under control.

One way to beat weeds in a no-till landscape involves limiting the number of weed seeds that are able to germinate. Since you won’t be bringing up weeds that are lying dormant below the soil surface, only weeds in the top inch of soil can germinate. Killing this layer of plants and eliminating tillage means only weed seeds that arrive from outside your field will germinate.

The exact definition of no-till varies depending on who you talk to, but mechanical cultivation is often used to help kill weeds without severely disturbing the soil. A scuffle hoe or wheel hoe works well on a small scale, while basketweeds and fingerweeds are more suitable for larger farms. Killing weeds while they’re small will limit the need for tools that create more soil disturbance.

Implement Cover Crops

Fighting plants with plants? You got that right. Introducing cover crops into your no-till system can help limit weeds in your cash crop.

Fast-growing and dense grasses like rye, wheat, and oats are great for shading out and suppressing weeds. Rye is an especially great choice due to its allelopathic nature. The plants produce chemicals that harm other plants when the rye is growing, and when the residue is on the ground.

Mulch the Soil

Adding organic material to otherwise bare soil helps prevent weed seeds from germinating and limits the growth of weed seedlings. If you’re working on a smaller scale, you can mulch pathways and areas between plants with straw, wood chips, or other types of organic material.

Growing cover crops and utilizing the residue as mulch is effective at larger scales. Timing is extremely important when it comes to terminating cover crops; most crops are easily killed just after the anthesis stage, after the flower is fully open, but before seeds have fully developed.

Rolling and crimping crops is a popular option to keep the mulching material intact. You can also mow the crop, but this will break the material down into smaller pieces and lead to faster decay.

The post How to Beat the Weeds in a No-Till Landscape appeared first on Modern Farmer.

The technique’s success is surprising, as it shows that crops don’t need daily watering and pampering for a good yield. There are several crops that work in a dry system, many more than we can cover here, with many tailored to your region’s conditions. 

Before next summer, consider growing some of the best dry farming crops. When this strategy is employed appropriately, the plants are resilient and still offer delicious produce that is desirable in any market. 

What Is Dry Farming?

The contemporary understanding of dry farming was developed in areas with 20 inches or more annual rainfall. However, the practice has expanded beyond these regions to any region, as farmers grow crops within the constraints of their environment. That includes farms near desert ecosystems.

The origins of the practice in the Americas lie with the Hopi peoples of northern Arizona. By selecting crops that are already adapted to a region with 10 inches or less of rain per year, it’s not only possible to grow nutritious food, but it’s also likely to result in flavorful crops. This is not a novel case, however, as people all over the world have farmed on dry land for centuries.

Some systems rely on early-season precipitation, while others simply don’t have water as an input and rely on a hardy plant that grows deep roots. Paramount to most systems is soil that is deep, arable, and that drains well. It should have good water-holding capacity. This is the foundation of a good system in areas where rainfall is more common.

7 Best Dry Farming Crops

When you’re trying to decide which of these crops will work in your dry system, think about your regional geology and rainfall. If you live in an area where rain is plentiful, it’s likely you’ll have more options. In an area where rain is scarce, choose crops that handle drought with ease. 

Tomatoes

Let’s start with an unlikely dry crop. Tomatoes do not have a reputation for being drought-tolerant. However, in areas that receive sufficient spring rains, they are a great crop for dry farming early in the season. 

At UC Santa Cruz’s dry farms, tomato plants produced ample amounts of smaller fruit. The secret to dry farming in this instance was trapping soil moisture in May by lightly tilling just as the rains rolled in. At transplant, seedlings weren’t watered, which prompted them to develop deep roots. 

These roots penetrate the layers of soil, touching the areas below where moisture is available. Thus, dry farming tomatoes was possible! But it’s more suited to areas with deep, moist soils and substantial spring rains.  

Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Depending on the season, dry farming pumpkins and winter squash is possible. What you need in this case is a mild climate with pre-season rains that ensure the soil is already moist at planting. Till very little at the start of growth, and provide a deep layer of mulch. This is the best way to get most winter cucurbits started. 

However, there are gourds that grow in the desert with very little water. Bottle gourds and luffa (which is a highly heat-tolerant plant) are perfect for dry farming. Soaking seeds ahead of time gives them the moisture they need to get started. Plant them ahead of the driest parts of the year, with enough rich soil to get them going. 

Most of all, give them the space they need to grow, which prevents them from sucking moisture from nearby plants. A wider spacing is recommended for crops that are more supple, planting them as if they are perennials that will spread over time. 

Melons

Farmers at OSU managed to grow a healthy crop of ‘Pike’ melons and watermelons in 2013, in moist soil covered with a hefty layer of mulch. In this case, the rains of the Pacific Northwest and the moisture-trapping mulch were what made dry farming these crops possible. 

By 2018, trials were completed, and farmers found the fruits were sweeter and more flavorful than those grown with regular irrigation. They had uniform size and color. What it took to grow them was good observation skills ahead of the season to ensure conditions were right for planting.

Grapes

When we think of grapes, we often think of regions with sandy or rocky soil and an arid climate. Grapes are some of the best dry farming crops that can really thrive in these conditions, and growing them without irrigation is possible. Not only has this been a practice across the most famous viticulture regions in the world, but there are newspaper articles from 1874 showing that it was practiced in the United States as well. 

The most important part of growing wine grapes is root establishment. Frequent irrigation keeps the roots near the soil line, rather than delving deep into the layers where moisture is present. Today, people use drip irrigation to ensure roots develop in their first season, then they rely on pruning and maintenance to grow a great product in subsequent seasons. 

Olives

Much like grapes, olives typically grow in regions that are dry and rocky. That makes them another entry in the category for best dry farming crops, and a perfect option for drought-prone areas. While the crop will not be as robust as it would in rainier years, olive trees will produce good yields without additional irrigation. 

Much like grapes, olive tree roots reach deep into the earth, accessing groundwater below. They are adapted to hot regions that experience low rainfall year after year. One note on olives is that some species are classed as invasive in the regions where they’re likely to be dry farmed. Ensure you’re planting a non-invasive olive before you plant an entire grove.   

Grains

A number of different grains have been cultivated for ages in drought-prone areas. Sorghum and millet are two that can handle periods without irrigation. Durum wheat and barley are also quite tolerant of drought. 

The dense coverage of grain crops keeps moisture in the soil for longer. Many are adapted to historically hot and dry regions as well. Some of the best dry farming crops are grains.

Tepary Beans 

If you’re growing in an intense, dry region, it’s hard to get a good crop of beans once summer rolls around. Most varieties drop flowers in the heat. But tepary beans, which have been cultivated for ages by people in the American Southwest, are perfect for dry farms. 

They can handle no irrigation, and still set flowers and form pods in heat up to 105°F (41°C). Tepary beans also have deep roots that reach groundwater and don’t require surface irrigation to thrive and produce. This is an excellent choice (and perhaps the most historic on this list) for dry farming. 

The post The 7 Best Crops for Dry Farming appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Regenerative practices on farmland are not new. They have been carried out by people across the world for centuries. One important aspect of maintaining a regenerative agricultural system is nutrient cycling. It’s a closed system that emulates natural cycles inside the bounds of a farm or pasture. 

Most literature about nutrient cycling is related to livestock, where keeping nutrients within the bounds of the pasture is important for maintaining its regenerative potential. However, nutrient cycling is a process that occurs in wild areas and can be fostered on farms without livestock. 

If we view soil organisms as another kind of livestock, we get a better sense of how nutrient cycling practices work – even in home gardens. There are easy ways you can enact a nutrient cycle in growing spaces, as well as those that work in livestock systems. 

What Is Nutrient Cycling?

The basic definition is this: nutrient cycling is how nutrients move through a system via processes of consumption, excretion, and decay. The most common attribution of the term as it relates to farming is with ranchlands. However, any system – even those without livestock – can cycle nutrients. 

Below Ground

In the space within an inch of most plant roots, there are millions upon millions of living organisms that move nutrients around. This is the rhizosphere, where the most essential nutrient exchange takes place. 

This is the foundation of a healthy farm, where bacteria, fungi, archaea, and other micro-organisms work together and feed on one another. It’s a scene present in natural spaces too. In order for elements to break down and be ready for absorption by plants, we need these organisms to convert them into a form suitable for uptake.

Above Ground

And then there is the air and water. In order for plants to grow, feed livestock, or simply develop fruit, they need to be able to transform water and nutrients into usable ones. Once they’ve done this, their tissues can expand and grow above and below ground. 

At the same time, they excrete nutrients back into the earth, where the soil organisms can benefit. Similarly, they exude different compounds into the air and nearby water, which are pulled into the atmosphere via condensation and evapotranspiration. Animals do this in a more visible and obvious way, as their manure fertilizes the earth.

Living in the soil are micro-organisms, but there are also macro-organisms. Earthworms and beetles tunnel through the soil, adding tilth, and feed the soil with their excretions. 

How to Nutrient Cycle: 5 Steps 

It’s not hard to have a more cyclically-nutrient-rich farm. By including various established regenerative practices, you’re able to keep it going without much need for intervention. After you put a few practices in place, there’s an element of passivity that sets in, allowing you to focus your energies on more pressing needs.

Till Less

One way to keep nutrients in the soil is to preserve your topsoil by tilling less often. This not only keeps the soil on your farm, but also keeps the organisms below intact. There are different ways to farm without tilling as often as a conventional farm would from season to season. 

One way to do this is to simply add material to the top layer of the soil. A hefty dose of well-rotted compost or manure topped off with a substantial layer of mulch is great for planting, and offers no disturbance to the. Using hay bales as planters is yet another way to do it. 

There are intermediary means of tilling less – for instance, using no-till planting tools that create a furrow just deep enough to plant seed. Gently broadforking the earth between seasons is another means of low-till cultivation. For larger plots, rotary power harrow or slicer planters work, too. 

All of these protect the most important part of the nutrient cycle: the soil. This reduces erosion, builds rich soil over time, and ensures that water and nitrogen are captured within the bounds of the farm, rather than escaping. 

Feed the Soil, Not the Plants

Conventional practices focus on inputs that pump up crops, making them more desirable for the marketplace. But using hefty doses of synthetic fertilizers can cause problems for soil and the surrounding environment down the line. Eutrophication is an example of nutrient leaching that comes from overfertilization of crops, largely with synthetic inputs. 

Instead of focusing solely on the crops you’re growing, start with a soil test that tells you which nutrients are needed to have healthy soil at the most basic level. Then, consider the additional nutrients needed to bolster your market share. 

When you’re inbetween seasons, give your soil a break and foster nutrients by planting cover crops. Before they flower, chop them and drop them on the soil surface. As they break down, they’ll feed the soil and mulch the surface, preserving the soil’s structure and top layer. They also protect local water quality by absorbing surface water that builds up in heavy rain and snow.

Plant Native

One of the best ways to keep nutrients within the farm or pasture is to plant native. That means wildflower strips in between crop rows or on the borders of the cultivation space. It also means native forage plants that not only bolster the local ecology, but also return to the pasture once they’ve been digested. 

Native plants aren’t maintenance-free, but they don’t require the kinds of inputs or management that non-native plants do. Native forage plants in particular offer more nutrition to livestock than non-native forages and feeds do. 

They also keep the farm’s system closed by inviting in local wildlife. These wildlife offer services to the farm, like pest control, soil maintenance, and even hunting fodder if you’re working on a conservation-intensive rangeland. Native plants are primed to work with local soil organisms in a more efficient manner, as they’ve evolved to do so over millennia. Planting them promotes higher soil fertility. 

Leave the Leaves

One obvious example of a pristine nutrient cycle is the process of growth and decay that occurs in forests. Trees in deciduous woodlands grow supple green leaves that turn in autumn and eventually fall to the earth in winter. 

The leaves insulate the forest floor, and detrivores (organisms that feed on decaying matter) convert fallen leaves into nutrients that can be used by trees and plants. They also offer habitat to overwintering insects and amphibians, who nestle in through the cold to emerge again in spring.

You can mimic this by leaving the leaves along the more forested areas of your land. This keeps the carbon and nitrogen in the farm, rather than escaping into the air via a brushfire or disposal. If they need to be moved, throw them in your compost pile, or shred them and mulch your winter beds with them. 

Leaf mold is an incredible resource for farmers who grow from seed. A small part of a seed starting mix has a better structure with decomposed leaves included. To make your own leaf mold, fill your raised beds with fallen leaves, or throw them in large contractor bags and let them sit over winter. Then add the crumbled nutrient-rich matter to your seed starting mix at no more than ⅙ of the mixture. 

Rotate Pastures

If you’re a rancher, one of the most beneficial practices you can take up is pasture rotation. This conserves all of the nutrients on the ranch and gives the land a bit of a rest as it attempts to recover from a heavier grazing period. Instead of dealing with low-quality livestock, simply get into the rotation. 

To implement this on your range, you’ll need to divide the acreage into evenly sectioned pastures. Fencing and water access are important here. You’ll also need a food source, but if you plant native forages, simply letting the pasture rest and reseeding every other year will suffice.

In rapid-growth seasons, give each pasture at least 20 to 30 days of rest before bringing livestock back to that section. While they’re out, any pasture maintenance that needs doing can be carried out. In slower growth seasons, give your pastures 40 days each to rest.  

Your local Natural Resources Conservation Service can help with implementing a rotational system, and they can advise you on which forage plants are best for your region. Some farms are eligible for financial assistance as well, so don’t forget to ask about that. 

This is a perfect way to keep nutrients inside the farm’s system. By providing your livestock and the soil organisms with what they need to thrive, they provide you with a valuable product. 

The post Nutrient Cycling on the Farm: 5 Practices to Implement Now appeared first on Modern Farmer.

If you want to implement these practices on a larger scale, consider starting a permaculture farm. I’ll introduce some key permaculture design principles and outline a few ways you can apply them when creating a farm.

Know Permaculture Design Principles

Permaculture, as we know it today, was created in 1978 by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. They developed this system as a response to industrialized agriculture and communities, and sought to establish areas that cared for the land and people while avoiding overconsumption and sharing any surpluses with others.

Holmgren later wrote “Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability,” where he laid out 12 permaculture design principles that should guide all projects, including starting a permaculture farm. Here are these principles, as well as a few ways you can apply them on your farm.

• Observe and interact. Watch how the water flows and settles before determining where to build beds and plant species; don’t forget to read the landscape during heavy rain events.
• Catch and store energy. Use ‘waste’ materials like leaves and sticks to fuel compost piles that feed crops.
• Obtain a yield. Plant and care for species in a way that provides the greatest harvests.
• Apply self-regulation and accept feedback. Be willing to adjust your systems as you continue to observe; you may need to relocate ponds to areas where water naturally collects or plant deep-rooted crops in areas susceptible to erosion. 
• Use and value renewable resources and services. Choose organic mulches over plastic, and capture water rather than letting it run off the property.
• Produce no waste. You can use organic debris to create compost and collect would-be runoff for future irrigation. 
• Design from patterns to details. Plant tender seedlings in the area you walk by multiple times a day, and place tall perennials on the west side of heat-sensitive annuals.
• Integrate rather than segregate. Consider what other local farms are producing, and think about how you can work with rather than against them. Maybe you can feed ugly produce to a neighbor’s animals in exchange for nutrient-rich manure.
• Use small and slow solutions. Use the tools and resources you have readily available rather than importing lots of outside materials; use fallen leaves or pine needles as mulch rather than buying woodchips.
• Use and value diversity. Add plants that vary in height, bloom time, moisture needs, and other factors.
• Use edges and value the marginal. The ends of beds, sides of walkways, and other areas that would often be mowed provide space for low-lying groundcovers and perennial plants.
• Creatively use and respond to change. Increasingly dry summers coupled with heavy storms provide an opportunity to implement rainwater catchment systems. 

Think About Zones

Another key component of permaculture design is understanding the different zones. If you start a permaculture farm with varied crops, considering the various zones will help you establish the best places to place each type of plant.

There are five different zones, with one being closest to your home, workspace, or other highly-trafficked area. Zone five is the farthest away from this central point.

Placing daily-harvested crops like annual herbs in zone one makes the most sense since you can walk directly out the door and pick what you need. This zone is also the best option for spaces you visit daily, like the seedling propagation area and compost bin.

Zone two is ideal for perennials you use in the home, like blueberries, fruit trees, and a small asparagus patch. As you enter zone three, you begin looking at commercial production zones. This is where your annual vegetables and fruits are located, as well as orchards and pasture for animals.

Zone four moves into semi-managed woodlands and grasslands. You may have a few nut trees that you visit a few times a year, but you won’t travel to this area multiple times a week. Zone five is an unmanaged area that is left wild.

Consider Your Dream Farm

Once you have the design principles and zones in mind, you can think about your dream farm. What and how much do you want to produce? Do you have a well or pond for water you can rely on to irrigate crops, and do you plan to dry farm portions of your property? What native species exist that you want to protect?

Before you jump into any decisions, consider the permaculture design principles and think about how they affect your decision making. Have you observed your space long enough and chosen renewable materials? Should you plant your crops along the landscape’s contour rather than in straight lines to eliminate runoff?

Don’t let fear of failure prevent you from starting a permaculture farm. You’ll surely make mistakes along the way, but how you respond to these mistakes is more important than avoiding them entirely.

The post How to Start a Permaculture Farm appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Because this plant has been cultivated for thousands of years, there are numerous varieties with affinities for different regions. That means, as long as your warm season lasts at least three months, there’s a vine suited to your climate. Even if you don’t have a season long enough, with the right climate controls, greenhouse cultivation is possible. 

Tracing the history of this beloved plant, it’s pretty easy to see why it has been in cultivation for so long. And learning its benefits to human health will come as no surprise. But that, too, is a worthy endeavor. 

Sweet Potato History

The wild parentage of our contemporary sweet potato originated somewhere between the Yucatan and the Orinoco River in Venezuela. While accounts and genetic analysis show that colonization had much to do with its dispersal into Europe and the East Indies, they also indicate Mesoamericans managed to introduce the plant into Oceania naturally.

Through hybridization (of which kind is up for debate), wild plants slowly evolved to form multiple cultivated species, one being I. batatas. There are other Ipomoea species that purportedly emerged as a result of basic cultivation and hybridization. Today, both edible and ornamental varieties are grown all over the world, standing up to the tests of time and elements.   

Health Benefits

Recently, people have turned to sweet potatoes as a potato replacement in their diet, due to its ability to provide fiber and starch without the same glycemic leap. These tubers also improve the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins and increase healthy liver functioning and iron uptake.

There’s an established history of using the vine’s leaves for medical reasons too, with cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory properties identified in recent studies. Extracts of the whole plant are used to reduce the effects of diabetes, and have potential for antimicrobial effects as well. Overall, sweet potatoes offer a lot of health benefits in a dense calorie package. This makes them a good crop for survival gardens. 

They’re also highly heat-tolerant, as they originate in tropical areas. In regions where summers extend year after year, sweet potatoes are a great crop. They’re also an excellent candidate in areas where groundwater is scarce, and can even be included in dry farming. 

Varieties

In areas where the temperate to warm season is short, opt for a cultivar with a quick maturation period. If the mild season is about three months, it’s possible to grow a crop of Centennial, which has the typical orange flesh and skin of your standard type. Georgia Jet matures in the same timeframe, but has reddish or purple skin accompanying its orange interior.  

Mid-range varieties, like Beauregard, with its purple skin and orangey flesh, are ready in around 110 days. Similarly, Sumor is an interesting one, with tan skin and light yellow interiors. Vardaman is a bush variety that doesn’t require a ton of space, and has the typical interior with golden skin.

For long seasons, Jewel is perfect, with a pretty standard look. This one takes up to 135 days to mature. 

Growing Tips

As mentioned in the previous section, not all cultivars require a huge amount of space to grow a healthy crop. Some types are vining, and some are bush varieties that have limited growth in the season. For both varieties, prepare soil in a three to four foot area per plant. 

Spacing

You can grow both types in containers, but use 20-gallon pots or larger, planting no more than four to five slips per 20-gallon container. Use a similar measurement in the ground. You can trellis vining types to ensure you have the room to cultivate a crop large enough for the market. You’ll get one to two pounds per slip, so calculate your planting based on this metric. 

Plant out your slips when soil temperatures reach 70 to 80°F (21-27°C) and air temperatures are consistently above 50°F (10°C). Get them out as soon as these conditions arise if you have a short season, as these plants are sensitive to cool weather. 

Soil

Soils should be amended with well-rotted compost, but the earth doesn’t have to be rich to produce a hefty crop. You need plenty of good drainage and ample water when the slips are establishing. After that, they can handle some dryness, but regular, consistent watering keeps your crop uniform and prevents cracking. Auto drip irrigation with a rain sensor is a great option.

Harvest

When they’re ready to remove, gently dig them from the ground, using a shovel to pierce the ground around the bed perimeter. This keeps them safe from damage. You need a spot to cure them before they head to market. Give them a one to two week cure in an area at 80°F (27°C) with good air circulation. Then transfer to a root cellar or spot that’s around 50°F (10°C) for long-term storage. 

Protect your crop from pests like flea beetles, cutworms, scurf, and black rot. The first of these is staved off by a good row cover. The other two are best prevented by properly culturing your crop. Be ready to harvest some huge tubers, along with standard sized ones when harvest season comes.

The post The Sweet Superfood You Should Be Growing appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Unfortunately, summer also brings unwelcome diseases. Pruning, trellising, fertilizing, and properly watering your plants decreases the likelihood they’ll become infected, but choosing disease-resistant vegetables is another way to keep them healthy.

These resistant varieties have stronger defenses against common pathogens, so they’re less likely to become severely infected. Not all tomatoes or cucumbers are resistant to the same diseases, so pay attention to plant labels if you’re looking to protect against specific pathogens.

‘Indigo Rose’ Tomato

The ‘Indigo Rose’ tomato produces golf-ball-sized fruits brushed with a deep purple color that results from the plant’s high anthocyanin content. Cutting into the fruits reveals a classic red flesh with a sweet and acidic flavor.

These indeterminate tomatoes are resistant to powdery mildew and late blight, so they’re an excellent option for your second succession of tomatoes. Trellising the plants will keep them off the ground and help with disease prevention.

‘Emerald Delight’ Zucchini

‘Emerald Delight’ has impressive disease resistance, so it’s a good option if you’ve fought diseases in years past. The hybrid is resistant to powdery mildew, zucchini yellow mosaic virus, and watermelon mosaic virus.

This variety also has an open growth habit that makes it easier to spot the elongated green fruits. This shape makes it easy to spot the fruits while they’re still tender and prevents them from developing into zucchini that resemble baseball bats.

‘Mountain Merit’ Tomato

If you like classic red slicing tomatoes, ‘Mountain Merit’ is a time-tested variety with impressive disease resistance. It’s highly resistant to Fusarium wilt, gray leaf spot, tomato spotted wilt virus, and Verticillium wilt, and also moderately resistant to late blight.

The hybrid plants produce medium-sized slicing tomatoes that are perfect for slicing onto burgers or chopping for salads. Since the plants are determinate, they’ll produce all their fruits within a few weeks. Planting two or three successions will allow you to enjoy ripe red tomatoes for multiple months.

‘Spacemaster 80’ Cucumber

A classic slicing cucumber, ‘Spacemaster 80’ produces seven to eight-inch green fruits. The plants’ compact size is what sets this variety apart; the vines grow only a few feet long and are perfect for containers and small gardens.

This disease-resistant vegetable also stands up to common cucumber diseases, including cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and scab.

‘Megatron’ Jalapeno Pepper

Jalapeno peppers are perfect if you want a hint of spice but don’t want to deal with watery eyes and burning lips. The green peppers are mild chile peppers that add depth to salsas, marinades, salads, and more.

‘Megatron’ produces extra-large jalapenos that can reach over four inches long. This variety’s disease resistance also makes it stand out; it’s resistant to bacterial leaf spot and tobamovirus.

‘Bolero’ Carrot

You may not think of carrots as summer vegetables, but planting the seeds in the summer is essential if you want to enjoy sweet fall roots. That’s especially true if you’re planting long-season varieties like ‘Bolero.’

This variety is a reliable storage carrot, allowing you to dig the roots in the fall and store them throughout the winter. Along with excellent storage life, they also sport resistance to bacterial blight, alternaria blight, powdery mildew, and cavity spot.

‘Sun Gold’ Tomato

A fan favorite, ‘Sun Gold’ produces super sweet orange cherry tomatoes. Due to the tomato’s poor shelf life, this variety is rarely found outside gardens and farmers’ markets. The plant’s indeterminate growth form means you can harvest these little gems for months, as long as the plants are healthy.

‘Sun Gold’ plants are resistant to Fusarium wilt and tobacco mosaic virus. Since the vines can grow wild, pruning and trellising will help improve airflow and limit other diseases from taking hold.

‘Jade’ Bush Beans

A classic green bean, ‘Jade’ has a short, bushy habit and slender, tender beans. The beans are stringless, so you can throw them in a sauté pan or even eat them raw.

The plants grow well in a variety of climates since they can tolerate heat and cold better than other varieties. They’re also resistant to bean mosaic virus, curly top virus, NY15 mosaic virus, and rust. 

‘Yellowfin’ Summer Squash

‘Yellowfin’ produces bright yellow zucchinis that stand out from the standard green varieties. The plants have a semi-open habit that makes harvesting easier, especially since the bright fruits stand out from the green leaves.

‘Yellowfin’ is a disease-resistant vegetable that can stand up to cucumber mosaic virus and powdery mildew. Keeping an eye out for squash bugs and squash vine borers will also keep the plants healthy.

The post 9 Disease-Resistant Vegetable Varieties You Should Be Growing appeared first on Modern Farmer.