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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] strip tillage
  • Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2010 22:52:50 -0400

I think what's usually done is to plant into a strip in a cover crop, not a mixed established sod bed. The cover crop is winterkilled or killed by crimping with the right type of roller at exactly the right growth stage. Some tillage may be required later in the season if herbicides are not used, and is very likely to be required if the crimping technique isn't used or isn't done perfectly -- approach with caution, but I believe that Rodale has gotten this to work in organic situations if it's done right.

You might check Rodale Research Institute for more info.


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale


On Apr 3, 2010, at 8:46 PM, sunnfarm wrote:

Many years ago I rented a 28 acre hillside. Washington silt loam one of the most fertile soils in the world but erodes badly. "Washington washes" we all used to say. So I decided to strip till and seed to pumpkins watermelons and cukes. Rototilled slots for rows let sod grow in middles. Sod took up all the moisture and grew a lot of weeds. The weeds made safe haven for cucumber beetles, leafhoppers and thrips. Not only did I not get a profitable crop but the weedy hillside made me look like a fool. The following year I used burn down herbicides to kill the sod and made a nice crop but never tried it again. Nothing is better for vegetables than a clean plowed field... Bob.
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ.

On Sat, April 3, 2010 2:47 pm, Johnathan Avery Yelenick wrote:
Hi,
Does anyone have experience with strip tilling for small-scale, organic,
diversified vegetable production? What strip till implements do you like?
Is this tactic amenable to small-scale, organic and diversified
production?

Regards,
Johnathan Yelenick
Blacktail Permaculture Farm
South Platte River Watershed










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