SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE NETWORK THE NATIONAL OUTREACH ARM OF USDA-SARE HANDBOOK SERIES BOOK 3 Managing Cover Crops Profitably SECOND EDITION A publication of the Sustainable Agriculture Network with funding by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program of CSREES, U.S. Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Network National Agricultural Library Beltsville, MD 20705-2351 Copyright © 1998 by the Sustainable Agriculture Network, Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data with funding from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program of the Cooperative State Research Managing cover crops profitably.—2nd ed. Education and Extension Service (CSREES),U.S.Department of p. cm.–(Sustainable Agriculture Network handbook series Agriculture. Reprinted in 2000. bk. 3) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. SAN, the national outreach partner of the USDA SARE pro- ISBN 1-888626-04-6 (pbk) gram, is a consortium of individuals, universities and govern- 1. Cover crops—United States—Handbooks, manuals, etc. ment, business and nonprofit organizations dedicated to the I. Sustainable Agriculture Network. II. Series. exchange of information on sustainable agricultural systems. SB284.3.U6M36 1998 631.5’82—dc2l 98-9887 For more information about the Sustainable Agriculture CIP Network, or about other SAN publications, contact: 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 Andy Clark SAN Coordinator Printed in the United States of America on recycled paper. c/o AFSIC, Room 304 National Agricultural Library The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrim- 10301 Baltimore Avenue ination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351 color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political PH: 301-504-6425 beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all FAX: 301-504-6409 prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabili- [email protected] ties who require alternative means for communication of www.sare.org program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice SARE is a competitive grants program. It provides funding for and TDD). research and education projects that promote agricultural systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, enhance the viability of rural communities nationwide. Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W,Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW,Washington,DC 20250-9410 or call For more information about the SARE program and SARE (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD).USDA is an equal opportunity grants, contact: provider and employer. Office of Sustainable Agriculture Programs U.S. Department of Agriculture Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and 1400 Independence Ave., S.W.,Stop 2223 as accurate as possible and to educate the reader.This text is Washington, D.C. 20250-2223 only a guide,however,and should be used in conjunction with other information sources on crop, weed and farm manage- Material for this book and its covers was researched written, ment. No single cover crop strategy will be appropriate and illustrated,edited and produced for the Sustainable Agriculture effective for all conditions. The editor/authors and publisher Network.The book concept, format, and selection of featured disclaim any liability,loss,or risk,personal or otherwise,which farmers and content reviewers were developed under the is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use auspices of the Sustainable Agriculture Network. and application of any of the contents of this book. To order copies of this book, send a check or purchase order Mention, visual representation or inferred reference of a prod- for $19 plus $3.95 shipping and handling to: uct, service, manufacturer or organization in this publication Sustainable Agriculture Publications does not imply endorsement by the USDA, the SARE program Hills Building, Room 10 or the authors.Exclusion does not imply a negative evaluation. University of Vermont Burlington,VT 05405-0082 Graphic design, interior layout and cover design: Diane Buric. Interior illustrations by: 1. Marianne Sarrantonio (reprinted Call 802-656-0484 to order by credit card. For first book sent with permission from the Northeast Cover Crop Handbook. outside of N. America, please add $6. Add $2.50 for each 1994. Rodale Institute. Emmaus, PA); and 2. Elayne Sears. additional book. Please include your mailing address and Copy Editing:Valerie Berton and Andy Clark. Indexing: Nancy telephone number. Hopkins. Printing: Jarboe Printing, Washington, D.C.. Cover photos by Tom Gettings;orchard photo by Chuck Ingels, Univ. The Sustainable Agriculture Network Handbook Series previ- of Calif. Extension. ous titles include Book 1: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (1st Edition), edited by the staff of the Rodale Institute; and This book was written by Greg Bowman, Christopher Book 2: Steel in the Field: A Farmer’s Guide to Weed Shirley and Craig Cramer, of CMR Editorial Services, for Management Tools,1997, edited by Greg Bowman. the Sustainable Agriculture Network. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS his book represents a true cooperative and Jim Stute, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, effort. Most writing and research was by East Troy, Wis.; Richard Dick, Oregon State TChristopher Shirley, Greg Bowman and University; Jim Sims, Emeritus Professor, Montana Craig Cramer, formerly writers/editors for the State University; Chuck Ingels, University New Farm Magazine. Their experience writing of California Extension Service. Andy Clark, for the agricultural community shows in their Coordinator of the Sustainable Agriculture ability to incorporate a vast amount of research Network, oversaw the project and coordinated data and farmer experiences into this publication. the efforts of the writers, the designer and the Contributors Marianne Sarrantonio, University of editorial board. Maine, Orono, ME, Sharad Phatak, University of The complete manuscript was reviewed at least Georgia, and Andy Clark, Coordinator of the twice by each member of the editorial board. It was Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) each also reviewed by Mark Davis, Delaware State wrote sections of the book. Robert Myers, University;John Luna,Oregon State University; Wayne Reeves, Seth Dabney and Steve Diver, Appropriate Technology Chuck Ingels contributed to Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), Appendix B, Up-and-Coming Fayetteville, Ark.; John and Cover Crops. Lorraine Merrill, Stuart Farm, Farmers played a major Stratham,N.H.;John Teasdale, role in developing the USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Md.; book, detailing their Phil Bauer, USDA-ARS, cropping systems and Florence, S.C.; Morris the management of Decker,Professor Emeritus, cover crops on their University of Maryland; farms. Some were con- Noah Ranells, North tacted repeatedly for Carolina State University; further clarification, and and Valerie Berton, SARE many also reviewed sec- communications specialist. tions of the manuscript. Individual chapters of The value of the contribu- Managing Cover Crops tions by farmers using cover Profitably, 2nd Edition were crops in the field cannot be under- reviewed by cover crop experts estimated. They generously gave of from the farm and research their time to provide true ground-testing and communities.These farmers and scientists are reality-checking to strenthen this publication. too numerous to mention here, but their contri- A volunteer editorial board consisted of faculty butions were invaluable to this effort. and researchers from around the country: Rob In preparation for the second edition, the first Myers, Jefferson Institute,Columbia, Mo., formerly edition was critically reviewed by Morris Decker, director of SARE; Fred Magdoff, Northeast Region Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland; Zane SARE, University of Vermont; Seth Dabney, USDA- Helsel, Rutgers University; and Andy Clark, SAN. ARS Soil Sedimentation Lab;Wayne Reeves, USDA- Fred Magdoff, who was the driving force behind ARS National Soil Dynamics Lab; Marianne the first edition, participated in planning and Sarrantonio, University of Maine; Walter Goldstein reviewing throughout the process. BERSEEM CLOVER, an annual legume, produces abundant vegetation with multiple cuttings. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 3 The first edition, written in 1991 by Mike support of the Sustainable Agriculture Network Brusko at Rodale Institute, was used liberally in (SAN). SAN is the communications and outreach the development and writing of this second arm of the SARE program. Other SARE support edition. came in the form of extensive planning, design, Mary Gold and Abiola Adeyemi, from the writing and editing by SARE communications Alternative Farming Systems Information Center specialist Valerie Berton, College Park, Md. SAN at the National Agricultural Library,provided com- publications committee chair Beth Holtzman, prehensive literature searching and facilitated the Burlington,Vt., contributed publication oversight, duplication and lending of cover crop literature contract management and overall good sense to the writers. Abiola Adeyemi also compiled about publishing sustainable agriculture infor- parts of the Appendices and provid- mation. Other members of the SAN ed clerical support,particularly dur- Management Committee commented on ing the reviews of the book. early plans for the book, helped develop Consulted repeatedly for budgets, and were consulted on other guidance