Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] no-till and farming with horses

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: John Chambers <jachambe AT gmail.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] no-till and farming with horses
  • Date: Sat, 15 May 2010 17:23:47 -0500

Bill, do you have any more information on this production system?  We're looking to do pumpkins organically in central Illinois, and the rye/tilled-strip system is intriguing.
 
John 
Ridgeview Farm
Shelbyville, IL 
 
 
 
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 15 May 2010 09:23:56 -0500 (CDT)
From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] no-till and farming with horses
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <20100515092356.CFB55487 AT expms6.cites.uiuc.edu">20100515092356.CFB55487 AT expms6.cites.uiuc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

You need equipment that is really beefed up to handle the residue. Steve Groff in Pennsylvania is who you're referring to I believe. We've been using tilled strips in rye for cover cropped pumpkins. Then you can run a regular transplanter or seeder down the rows, use plastic mulch, etc. It really makes it easier but you still gain a lot from the rye mulch mat, including weed control, moisture retention, clean pumpkins and reduced fruit rot potential. Another big benefit is that PYO customers in the Fall can walk out onto the mulch to pick up fruit, even after a rain. We have a large grower in N Ill who has adopted the system and seems pretty happy with it.

Bill




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page