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  • From: "breck" <bcarden AT breckinridgegroup.com>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] pumpkin trash
  • Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:24:52 -0400

Good question and a good reply. Jamie if you haven’t already read Eliot
Coleman’s book “New Organic Grower” I would recommend it to you. It is full
of info on how to make use of cover crops.

Peace,
Farmer Breck

________________________________________
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Bill
Shoemaker
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 12:23 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] pumpkin trash

Not stupid at all. First, like all cover crops it protects soil against
erosion. It also captures free nitrogen and holds it into the next season.
In the spring, we create tilled zones before the rye gains much size. Then,
before planting the pumpkins, we knock the rye down to create a mulch mat.
At that time the rye is just tillering so it constitues a lot of biomass and
a significant mulch mat. Using a roller which crimps the rye kills it and
helps keep it in place. The pumpkins are then planted in the tilled zone.
Weeds are kept under control in the mulched zones and vines grow out over
the mulch. The pumpkin fruit set and grow on top of the rye. This has a
significant positive impact on disease development, especially fruit rots.
At the end of the season the pumpkins are cleaner and for harvesters,
whether customers or workers, they can move through the fields even after a
rain. We've come to like the system very much for these reasons. Commercial
growers in our area are beginning to implement it on a large scale.
 
Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html
Can I ask a stupid question?

What is the benefit of cover cropping with the rye? Do you cover crop and
then just disc and till under for organic substance? Or do you use the rye
for something? chop and feed to animals? or just to help with the weeds
during the winter season?

Jaime





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