Resource Guide to Organic & Sustainable Vegetable Production

Table of Contents

• 1.0 About This Resource Guide
  • 1.1 Who Should Use This Guide
  • 1.2 How to Use This Guide
  • 1.3 About the Use of Web Resources
  • 1.4 What is Sustainable Vegetable Production
  • 1.5 What is Organic Vegetable Production

• 2.0 The Farmer's Bookshelf
  • 2.1 Publications on Sustainable Vegetable Production, Market Gardening, and Commercial Vegetable Production
  • 2.2 Specialty, Ethnic and Minor Vegetable Crops
  • 2.3 Literature on Organic Agriculture
  • 2.4 Modern Literature on Organic Farming
  • 2.5 Literature on Sustainable Agriculture
  • 2.6 Literature on Alternative Farming Systems

• 3.0 Soil Management
  • 3.11 Books & Bulletins on Soil Fertility
  • 3.12 Soil Fertility Web Links
  • 3.21 Print & Video Resources on Cover Crops
  • 3.22 Cover Crop Web Links
  • 3.23 UC-SAREP Cover Crop Resources
  • 3.31 Books & Bulletins on Composts and Manures
  • 3.32 Web Links on Composts and Manures
  • 3.41 Books & Bulletins on Soil Organic Matter
  • 3.42 Soil Organic Matter Web Links
  • 3.51 Books & Bulletins on Earthworms, Microbes, and Soil Biology
  • 3.52 Soil Biology Web Links

• 4.0 IPM for Vegetables
  • 4.1 Print & Video Resources on IPM
  • 4.2 IPM Web Links
  • 4.3 Print & Video Resources on Weed Control for Vegetables and Row Crops
  • 4.4 Weed Control Web Links
  • 4.5 Weather, Agriculture and IPM
  • 4.6 IPM Certification and Labeling
  • 4.7 IPM Databases & Search Engines
  • 4.8 ATTRA Publications Relating to Pest Management
    
    
• 5.0 Vegetable Industry Resources
  
  
• 6.0 Selected Vegetable Production Materials on the Web
  
  
• 7.0 Magazines & Newsletters on Vegetable Production and Marketing
  
  
• 8.0 Databases & Directory Links to Vegetable Crops and Associated Production Practices on the Web
  
  
• 9.0 Organic Farming Primer
  
  
• 10.0 Organic Certification and Marketing
  
  
• 11.0 Economics of Organic Vegetable Production
  
  
• 12.0 Magazines & Newsletters on Organic Farming and Sustainable Agriculture
  
  
• 13.0 Publishers & Book Distributors

1.0 About This Resource Guide

In 1994, ATTRA published a 47-page information package titled Sustainable Vegetable Production. At the time it was a leading information source on organic and sustainable vegetable production. However, in 1999 Dr. Vernon Grubinger, vegetable specialist at the University of Vermont, came out with a comprehensive book on this subject, Sustainable Vegetable Production From Start-Up to Market. With the advent of Grubinger's book—published by the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES) in Ithaca, New York—we've discontinued the ATTRA information package. We think the NRAES book does an excellent job of providing a comprehensive and farmer-friendly overview of sustainable vegetable production.

In keeping with the ATTRA tradition to carve out a niche where no agricultural specialist has gone before, we elected to produce a resource guide of educational materials that supports the needs of organic and sustainable vegetable farmers. Thus, we offer this title—Resource Guide to Organic and Sustainable Vegetable Production.

Farmers making a transition to sustainable farming need information on a wide variety of topics – e.g., legumes as a source of nitrogen, cover crops, compost, non-chemical weed control, biointensive IPM, etc. This Guide provides a summary of some of the best in-print and online sources around.

Moreover, ATTRA specialists will continue to address organic and sustainable production of specific vegetable crops—tomatoes, sweet corn, onions, melons, asparagus—as well as com plementary production technologies such as compost teas, baking soda as an alternative fungicide, disease-suppressive potting mixes, use of refractometers to measure sugar content, foliar feeding, living mulches, flame weeding, etc.

Here it should be noted that farmers raising herbs or field-grown cut flowers face nearly identical production requirements. Thus, when we talk about cover crops or weed control or soil management for vegetables, the same approach will work for field-grown cut flowers and herbs.

Back to top

1.1 Who Should Use This Guide

Farmers and others who work in commercial agriculture—e.g., Extension specialists, NRCS, crop advisors, teachers, and researchers. The focus is heavily oriented to practical approaches to organic and sustainable farming.

Back to top

1.2 How to Use This Guide

Printed literature like books and bulletins are listed first; these are followed by a selection of online resources. In some instances, a web version corresponds with the book and these have been noted.

Publishers and distributors that sell the books reviewed here are listed in a special section at the end of this resource guide. For details on sales price, shipping expenses, and ordering information, contact the publishers.

Back to top

1.3 About the Use of Web Resources

The Internet has revolutionized the way information is distributed and obtained.

Whereas it used to take several weeks or months to wait for a publication to arrive in the mail, with a few mouse clicks many of these items now instantly appear on your computer screen. Better yet, all these articles and bulletins are free. In addition, some items—including many Extension Service fact sheets—are available only in electronic form. Thus, some portions of this resource list are more heavily oriented to Web resources than others.

If you have received this resource list but you don't have a computer at home, please see your local librarian for assistance. Most rural libraries now have computer access.

How To Read Web Documents:

.HTML Hyper Text Markup Language; click and read online. Most common format.
.PDF Portable Document Format; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to download.

Back to top

1.4 What is Sustainable Vegetable Production

For the purpose of an introduction, sustainable agriculture can be characterized as follows:

• Sustainable agriculture is a goal rather than a specific set of farming practices. Progress or movement toward the goal may be viewed as a continuum.
  
  
• A sustainable farming system strives to be productive and profitable, while at the same time preserving environmental quality and making efficient use of nonrenewable resources.
  
  
• Sustainable agriculture is concerned about the well-being of rural communities and the quality of life for families and farmworkers.
  
  
• Though biological practices and products are favored over chemical inputs, pesticides and fertilizers may be used within an IPM framework.

One of the quickest ways to grasp production practices associated with sustainable vegetable production is to examine the guidelines and standards for integrated farming systems, such as:

• Integrated Pest Management
• Integrated Crop Management
• Integrated Farm Management

In some instances, point systems are employed to certify the adoption of recommended best management practices. For example, a grower can earn points toward "certified IPM" status for sweet corn through the use of cover crops, crop rotations, nitrogen fertilizer applied in split application, etc.

To guide decisions on ways to approach sustainable farming, it is helpful to become knowledgeable about the principles of agroecology and sustainability. Ultimately, each farmer adopts their own approach.

Back to top

1.5 What is Organic Vegetable Production

In a nutshell, organic farming is based on the following approaches and production inputs:

• Strict avoidance of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides
• Crop rotations, crop residues, mulches
• Animal manures and composts
• Cover crops and green manures
• Organic fertilizers and soil amendments
• Biostimulants, humates, and seaweeds
• Compost teas and herbal teas
• Marine, animal, and plant by-products
• Biorational, microbial, and botanical pesticides, and other natural pest control products

In 1980, organic farming was defined by the USDA as a system that excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators. Organic certification emerged as a grassroots production and marketing tool during the 1970s and 1980s to ensure that foods labeled "organic" met specified standards of production. The Organic Foods Production Act, a section of the 1990 Farm Bill, enabled the USDA to develop a national program of universal standards, certification accreditation, and food labeling.

In April 2001, the USDA released the Final Rule of the National Organic Program. This federal law stipulates, in considerable detail, exactly what a grower can and cannot do to produce and market a product as organic. Application for certification must be made, paperwork completed, fees paid, and annual inspections undergone. To learn more about the details of the certification process, see ATTRA's Organic Farm Certification & the National Organic Program.

A companion ATTRA publication—Organic Crop Production Overview—is recommended to gain a better understanding of the history, philosophy, and practices of organic farming.

Back to top

2.0 The Farmer's Bookshelf

Here is a selection of some of the best resources for the farmer's bookshelf. For-sale books are available from the sources listed in the Publishers & Distributors section. Out-of-print literature and reference titles (mainly in the historical section) are available through Inter-Library Loan.

2.1 Publications on Sustainable Vegetable Production, Market Gardening, and Commercial Vegetable Production

Sustainable Vegetable Production From Start-Up to Market. 1999. By Vernon P. Grubinger. NRAES-104. Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, Ithaca, NY. 268 p.

Vernon Grubinger is an Extension Vegetable Specialist in Vermont. This book resulted from a vegetable production course he taught on sabbatical at the University of Maine in 1996. Sustainable Vegetable Production From Start-Up to Market is without a doubt the most comprehensive and modern textbook on sustainable vegetable production. Chapters address concepts and terminology associated with sustainable and organic production philosophies, production practices (soil fertility management, on-farm composting, crop rotations, cover crops and green manures, tillage and field preparation, seeds and transplants, weed control, etc.) as well as business planning and marketing. Special features include farmer profiles and lots and lots of useful tables and sidebars. Farmer-friendly; highly recommended.

Sustainable Practices for Vegetable Production in the South. 1996. By Mary Peet. Focus Publishing, R. Pullins Co., Newburyport, MA. 174 p.

Sustainable Practices for Vegetable Production in the South by Mary Peet is the result of a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant to North Carolina State University. This was the first attempt by a land-grant university to collate and synthesize information relevant to sustainable vegetable production. Chapters provide overviews on production practices (soil management, cover crops, conservation tillage, and insect, disease, nematode, and weed management) followed by crop profiles on individual vegetable crops. The crop profiles provide a nice summary of standard production practices (botany, plant characteristics, planting, spacing, harvesting).

The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 2nd Edition. 1995. By Eliot Coleman. Chelsea Green Publishing Co., White River Junction, VT. 340 p.

Eliot Coleman's book The New Organic Grower has probably had more impact on the organic market gardening movement in the United States than any other single publication. Coleman advocates the use of walking tractors, wheel hoes, multi-row dibble sticks, soil block transplants, and other tools and techniques that help make market gardening much more efficient. The techniques he describes were honed from years of experience as a farmer, combined with traditional market gardening techniques from Europe. Yet he also injects the insights and wisdom of a pioneer in organics to help the reader acquire new ways of thinking; e.g., plant positive production philosophy. This is a complete how-to-get-started manual on conceptualizing and practicing commercial organic vegetable production. Highly recommended.

How to Grow More Vegetables, 5th Edition. 1995. By John Jeavons. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. 201 p.

John Jeavons's book How to Grow More Vegetables is the classic text on the biointensive method of production. This is the production system that emphasizes double digging, intensive spacing, companion planting, organic soil preparation, and high yields in minimal space. Jeavons's book is filled with useful information and charts. The Ecology Action Institute founded by Jeavons publishes numerous booklets and research results on topics relating to biointensive production methods, organic fertilizers, cover crops, composts, small-scale production data, etc. Whereas the scale of production advocated by Jeavons is too small for many growers, the principles are universally applicable.

For a list of Ecology Action titles, descriptions, and ordering information, see: www.growbiointensive.org/publications_main.html

Backyard Market Gardening: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Selling What You Grow. 1993. By Andrew W. Lee. Good Earth Publications, Columbus, NC. 351 p.

Andy Lee has over 20 years of market gardening experience and is executive director of the Good Earth Farm School in Virginia. Lee's book has a nice section on farm equipment with black-and-white photos. Most of the book is geared to the marketing and business side of market gardening.

The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers. 1997. By Lynn Byczynski. Chelsea Green Publishing Co., White River Junction, VT. 207 p.

The Flower Farmer is an important contribution to the organic market gardening literature because field-grown flowers are a common part of a crop mix for local sales. As editor of the Growing for Market newsletter, Lynn Bycznski has a knack for writing about market gardening ideas and practices. The farm profiles of cut flower growers around the U.S. are a nice feature of her book.

Producing Vegetable Crops, 4th Edition. 1992. By John M. Swiader, George W. Ware, and J.P. McCollum. Interstate Publishers, Inc., Danville, IL. 626 p.

Producing Vegetable Crops is one of the standard textbooks on commercial vegetable production. It draws heavily on data and recommendations published by the Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Stations. These textbooks serve as a good reference for any commercial vegetable grower, whether organic or conventional.

Vegetable Growing Handbook: Organic and Traditional Methods, 4th Edition. 1990. By Walter E. Splittstoesser. An AVI Book, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 362 p.

Vegetable Growing Handbook is a second vegetable textbook worth noting. Though its coverage of organic farming methods is brief, the vegetable production summaries are well done and it contains a section on specialty vegetables.

Back to top

2.2 Specialty, Ethnic, and Minor Vegetable Crops

Specialty vegetables, baby vegetables, heirlooms, colored varieties, ethnic vegetables... market farmers like to raise these minor crops and sell them at farmers markets and other niche markets.

World Vegetables: Principles, Production and Nutritive Values, 2nd Edition. 1997. By Vincent E. Rubatzky and Mas Yamaguchi. International Thompson Science (Chapman & Hall), New York, NY. 853 p.

World Vegetables is a textbook on vegetables produced around the world, with comprehensive coverage of specialty and minor vegetable crops.

Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook, 2nd Edition. 1998. Small Farm Center. University of California, Publication 3346. 184 p.

This is a beautiful publication from University of California that provides brief fact sheets for about 63 minor vegetables. Each crop is summarized with a color photo, market information, cultural information, seed sources, and bibliography.

Manual of Minor Vegetables. 1988. By James M. Stephens. University of Florida. Florida Cooperative Extension, Bulletin SP-40. 123 p.

The Manual of Minor Vegetables from University of Florida was one of the first attempts by land-grant universities to offer informational materials on minor vegetable crops. It is mainly listed here as a reference source for southeastern U.S. farmers.

Oriental Vegetables: The Complete Guide for Garden and Kitchen. 1991. By Joy Larkcom. Kodansha International, New York. 232 p.

Oriental vegetables are popular in towns with Asian ethnic markets, and Joy Larkcom's book is one of the best popular-press books on this topic. It contains detailed entries on over 100 varieties of Oriental vegetables categorized into three sections: vegetables that require temperate climates; those requiring subtropical climates; and herbs and water plants.

Let Nature Do The Growing. 1986. By Gajin Tokuno. Japan Publications, Inc./Kodansha International, Ltd., New York, NY. 279 p.

Let Nature Do The Growing is a lesser-known text on organic vegetable production in Japan. It provides detailed information on 78 Oriental crops (including many greens like mizuna, aburana, komatsura, edible chrysanthemums, yellow mustard); each entry includes steps of production from sowing and germination through thinning, weeding, and harvest.

Cornucopia II: A Source Book of Edible Plants, 2nd Edition. 1998. By Stephen Facciola. Kampong Publications, Vista, CA. 713 p.

Cornucopia is a superb compendium, as well as sourcebook, of edible plants. It contains descriptions and seed or nursery sources for approximately 3,000 species, with detailed cultivar listings for over 110 major crops representing the most popular fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, grains, and mushrooms. It also contains a comprehensive bibliography and appendices that organize plants according to 60 different food use categories or edible plant parts. Truly a masterpiece!

New Crops. Proceedings of National Symposia, Vols I-IV. Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Purdue University.

The New Crops symposiums held in 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1999 were published in a series of hard-bound proceedings that contain a wealth of information on new, specialty, and ethnic crops. All volumes are available for sale in print; however, the first three volumes are also on-line.

Advances in New Crops (1990)

New Crops (1993)

Progress in New Crops (1996)

Vegetables and Fruits: A Guide to Heirloom Varieties and Community-Based Stewardship. AFSIC

A wealth of resources from the National Agricultural Library containing bibliographical material, resource organizations and seed sources, and historical documentation.

Back to top

2.3 Literature on Organic Agriculture

Organic agriculture has a rich history of farmers, researchers, and philosophers writing about holistic agriculture practices. As an introduction, five classic titles that provide historical perspective are listed below.

In addition, three resources are provided as access points for further reading: (1) Tracing the Evolution of Organic-Sustainable Agriculture, a bibliography from the National Agricultural Library, (2) the Soil and Health web library, an on-line collection of classic texts, and (3) Future Horizons, a literature review from University of Nebraska.

An Agricultural Testament. 1943. By Sir Albert Howard. Oxford University Press, New York and London. 253 p.

The Living Soil. 1949. By Lady Eve Balfour. Faber and Faber, LTD., London, England. 270 p.

Soils and Men: Yearbook of Agriculture 1938. 1938. USDA. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 1232 p.

Pay Dirt: Farming and Gardening with Composts. 1945. By J.I. Rodale. Devin-Adair Co., New York. 242 p.

Fertility Pastures: Herbal Leys as the Basis of Soil Fertility and Animal Husbandry. 1955. By Newman Turner. Faber and Faber, London.204 p.

Tracing the Evolution of Organic/Sustainable Agriculture: A Selected and Annotated Bibliography. 1988. By Jane Potter Gates. National Agricultural Library, Bibliographies and Literature of Agriculture (BLA) No. 72.

The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center at the National Agricultural Library compiled this bibliography in 1988, yet it is still one of the best collections of literature to draw from on the history of organic/sustainable agriculture.

The Holistic Agriculture Library

The Soil And Health Library, a web library compiled by Steve Solomon in Tasmania, features full-text on-line versions of out-of-print organic agriculture classics.

Plowman's Folly (1943). By Edward Faulkner.

Chemicals, Humus and the Soil (1948). By Donald P. Hopkins.

Farming and Gardening For Health or Disease [later editions titled Soil and Health] (1945). By Sir Albert Howard.

An Agricultural Testament (1943). By Sir Albert Howard.

The Waste Products of Agriculture: Their Utilization as Humus (1931). By Sir Albert Howard and Yeshwant D. Wad.

Soil Microorganisms and Higher Plants (1958).
By N.A. Krasil'nikov, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow.

Fertility Farming (1951). By Newman Turner.

Future Horizons: Recent Literature in Sustainable Agriculture. 1997. Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture, Volume 6. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems. 222 p.

The Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems at the University of Nebraska compiled this resource guide as part of a USDA-SARE grant. It reviews more than 90 books on sustainable agriculture.

The Core Historical Literature of Agriculture

Electronic collection of full-text agricultural books published between the early nineteenth century and the middle to late twentieth century. Dozens of classic titles!

Back to top

2.4 Modern Literature on Organic Farming

1980 marked a new era in organic farming literature, since that was the year USDA published its landmark Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming. While alternative press books written by farmers and farm advisors are abundant, the advent of scientific, university, and agricultural-society-sponsored conference proceedings and textbooks have enhanced the literature of organic agriculture.

Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming. 1980. USDA Study Team. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. 94p.

This is the landmark report that helped usher in a new era of scientific and policy support for organic agriculture at the USDA and associated agencies (land-grant universities, Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Experiment Stations, and scientific agriculture societies). Five years later, the 1985 Farm Bill enacted legislation that resulted in the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, or SARE.

Organic Farming. 1990. By Nicolas Lampkin. Farming Press, Ipswich, United Kingdom. 701 p.

Nicolas Lampkin is on the faculty at the Welsh Institute of Rural Studies associated with The University of Wales. Organic Farming is the most prominent effort by a university professor to address organic agriculture. In addition, the European ecological and organic farming literature—which Lampkin heavily draws upon—is a rich source of information.

Organic Crop Production Overview. By George Kuepper, NCAT

George Kuepper's ATTRA publication is one of the best factsheet-type primers on organic production, providing principles, practices, and concepts that put it all together.

The Organic Method Primer Update. 1993. By Bargyla and Gylver Rateaver. The Rateavers, San Diego, CA. 596 p.

Organic Farming: Current Technology and Its Role in a Sustainable Agriculture. 1984. By D.F. Bezdicek (ed.) Agronomy Society of America Special Publication No. 46. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI. 192 p.

Global Perspectives on Agroecology and Sustainable Agricultural Systems. Vol. I and II. 1988. By Patricia Allen and Debra Van Dusen. Proceedings of the Sixth International Scientific Conference of IFOAM. Agroecology Program, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA. 730 p.

Environmentally Sound Agriculture. 1983. By William Lockeretz (ed.) Selected Proceedings from the Fourth International Conference of IFOAM held in Cambridge, MA. Praeger Publishers, New York. 426 p.

Crop Protection in Organic and Low-Input Agriculture. 1990. By Roger Unwin (ed.) Proceedings of a symposium organized by the British Crop Protection Council held in Cambridge, UK. Monograph No. 45. BCPC, Farnham, Surrey, England. 254 p.

The Economics of Organic Farming: An International Perspective. 1994. By Nicholas Lampkin and S. Padel (eds.) CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. 468 p.

Organic Agriculture: Economic and Ecological Comparisons with Conventional Methods. 1978. By Robert C. Oelhaf. Allanheld, Osmun, & Co., Montclair, N.J. 271 p.

Biological Husbandry: A Scientific Approach to Organic Farming. 1981. By B. Stonehouse (ed.) Butterworths, London. 352 p.

Towards a Holistic Agriculture: A Scientific Approach. 1987. By R.W. Widdowson. Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK. 187 p.

Agricultural Production and Nutrition. 1997. By William Lockeretz (ed.) Proceedings of a conference held in Boston, Massachusetts. Tufts University, School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Medford, MA. 213 p.

The Importance of Biological Agriculture in a World of Diminishing Resources. 1986. By Vogtmann Hartmut, et al. (eds.) Proceedings of the 5th International Scientific Conference of IFOAM held at the University of Kassel (Germany). Verlagsgruppe Witzenhausen, Witzenhausen. 448 p.

Back to top

2.5 Literature on Sustainable Agriculture

By the mid-1980s, sustainable agriculture was a term gaining wider usage. The 1985 Farm Bill—known as the conservation farm bill—spearheaded the creation of the USDA-SARE program and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). ATTRA, the national sustainable farming information center that created this guide and related titles, was another product of the 1985 Farm Bill.

In 1980, a person could put all of the important books relating to sustainable agriculture on one shelf. Today, there are so many academic books and symposium proceedings on sustainable agriculture that it would be difficult for even a university library to keep current.

Alternative Agriculture. 1989. National Research Council. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 448 p.

Sustainable Agriculture in Temperate Zones. 1990. By Charles A. Francis, Cornelia Butler Flora, and Larry D. King. A Wiley-Interscience Publication, Wiley & Sons, New York, NY. 487 p.

Agroecology: The Science of Sustainable Agriculture, 2nd Edition. 1995. By Miguel Altieri. Westview Press, Boulder, CO. 433 p.

Agroecology: Ecological Processes in Sustainable Agriculture. 1998. By Stephen R. Gliessman. Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI. 357 p.

Sustainable Agricultural Systems. 1990. By C.A. Edwards, R. Lal, P. Madden, R.H. Miller and G. House (eds.) Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, IA. 696 p.

Sustainable Agriculture Systems. 1994. By J. L. Hatfield and D. L. Karlen (eds.) Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. 316 p.

Ecology and Integrated Farming Systems. 1995. By D. M. Glen, M.P. Greaves, and H.M. Anderson (eds.) John Wiley & Sons, New York. 329 p.

Sustainable Food Systems. 1983. By Dietrich Knorr (ed.) AVI Pub. Co., Westport, Conn. 416 p.

Farming in Nature's Image: An Ecological Approach to Agriculture. 1992. By Judith D. Soule and Jon K. Piper. Island Press, Washington, DC. 286 p.

Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agro-ecosystems. 1994. By Miguel Altieri. Haworth Press, Binghampton, NY. 185 p.

Toward a More Sustainable Agriculture. 1986. By Raymond P. Poincelot. AVI Pub. Co., Westport, Conn. 241 p.

Sustainable Agriculture & Integrated Farming Systems. 1985. By Thomas C. Edens, Cynthia Fridgen, and Susan L. Battenfield (eds.) Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI. 344 p.

The Role of Microorganisms in a Sustainable Agriculture. 1986. By J.M. Lopez-Real and R.D. Hodges (eds.) A.B. Academic, Berkhamsted. 246 p.

Environmentally Sound Agriculture. 1994. By Kenneth L. Campbell, et al. (eds.) Proceedings of the Second Conference held in Orlando, Florida. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI. 578 p.

Sustainable Agriculture in Print Series. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Agricultural Library.

The Sustainable Agriculture in Print Series, consisting of three bibliographies compiled by the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, provides bibliographic coverage of sustainable agriculture literature from 1580 to 1999.

Back to top

2.6 Literature on Alternative Farming Systems

Ecological farming systems—Organic Farming, Biodynamic Farming, Permaculture, Eco-Farming, Nature Farming—evolved as an alternative to chemically intensive agriculture. Each offers its own brand of philosophy and practical farming methodologies. Here are some noteworthy titles. See the publishers' catalogs and website listings at the end of this guide for a comprehensive look at what's available.

Organic Farming

The New Organic Manifesto. 1986. By Lee Fryer. Earth Foods Associates, Wheatland, MD. 180 p.

Step by Step Organic Vegetable Gardening. 1992. By Shepherd Ogden. HarperCollins, New York. 299 p.

Profitable Organic Farming. 1995. By John Newton. Blackwell Science Ltd., Osney Mead, Oxford, UK. 142 p.

Organic Farming and Growing. 1994. By Francis Blake. Crowood Press, Gypsy Lane, Swindon, Wiltshire. 221 p.

Eco-Farming

Eco-Farm: An Acres U.S.A. Primer. 1991. By Charles Walters and C.J. Fenzau. Acres USA, Kansas City, MO. 450 p.

Science in Agriculture. 1992. By Arden Andersen. Acres USA, Kansas City, MO. 370 p.

Non-Toxic Farming Handbook. 1998. By Philip Wheeler. Acres, USA, Metarie, LA. 238 p.

The Biological Farmer. 2000. By Gary Zimmer. Acres USA, Austin, TX. 352 p.

Permaculture

Introduction to Permaculture. 1991. By Bill Mollison with Reny Mia Slay. Tagari Publications, Tyalgum Australia. 198 p.

Earth User's Guide to Permaculture. 1994. By Rosemary Morrow and Rob Allsop. Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, NSW Australia. 152 p.

Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and Resources Steve Diver, NCAT

Biodynamic Farming

Biodynamic Farming Practice. 1992. By Fritz Sattler and Eckard von Wistinghausen. Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association, Stourbridge, West Midlands, England. 336 p.

Grasp the Nettle: Making Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Work. 1997. By Peter Proctor. Random House, Auckland, N.Z. 176 p.

Biodynamic Farming & Compost Preparation. By Steve Diver, NCAT

Natural Farming

The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming. 1978. By Masanobu Fukuoka. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA. 181 p.

The Natural Way of Farming: The Theory and Practice of Green Philosophy. 1987. By Masanobu Fukuoka. Japan Publications, Kodansha International-USA through Harper & Row, New York. 284 p.

The Road Back to Nature: Regaining the Paradise Lost. 1987. By Masanobu Fukuoka. Japan Publications, Kodansha International-USA through Harper & Row, New York, NY. 377 p.

Nature Farming

Beneficial and Effective Microorganisms for a Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. Dr. Teruo Higa and Dr. James F. Parr.

Nature Farming and Microbial Applications. 2000. Xu, Hui-lian, James F. Parr, and Hiroshi Umemura (eds.) Food Products Press, The Haworth Press, Binghamton, NY. 402 p.

Nature Farming and Effective Microorganisms. By Steve Diver, ATTRA

Alternative Farming Systems Primers

Towards a Sustainable Agriculture. 1996. Steve Diver. New Renaissance, Vol. 6, No. 2.

Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms. Mary Gold, AFSIC, National Agricultural Library

Back to top

3.0 Soil Management

Soil management—with its attention to cover crops, crop rotations, composts, soil biology, soil testing, mineral fertilizers—is fundamental to agriculture. Prior to the 1970s and '80s, farmers getting into organics relied primarily on old books and bulletins for information. Now, it would take a donkey cart to haul away the goldmine of useful print and Web resources that awaits the beginner.

3.11 Books & Bulletins on Soil Fertility

Building Soils for Better Crops, 2nd Edition. 2000. By Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es. Sustainable Agriculture Network, Handbook Series No. 4. Sustainable Agriculture Publications, University of Vermont. 240 p.

Building Soils for Better Crops, 2nd Edition (2000) by Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es, soil scientists at University of Vermont and Cornell University respectively, is a highly practical 230-page guide to ecological soil management. This is the best all-around manual from the land-grant agricultural colleges on building and maintaining a healthy, productive soil. Topics addressed: organic matter, soil biology, physical properties of soil, animal manures, cover crops, crop rotations, making and using composts, reducing compaction, appropriate tillage systems, nutrient management, soil tests, and fertilizers. It also features profiles of farmers implementing ecological soil management practices, and is accompanied by plenty of helpful illustrations and tables. The SAN series of handbooks are well done and farmer-friendly. Highly recommended.

The Soul of Soil: A Guide to Ecological Soil Management, 3rd Edition. 1995. By Grace Gershuny and Joseph Smillie. agAccess, Davis, CA. 174 p.

The Soul of Soil is the classic primer on ecological soil management, first published in 1983 as Grace Gershuny's Master's Thesis at the University of Vermont. The 1986 edition co-authored with Joseph Smillie is the one that became a primary information source for organic farmers in the 1980s and 90s. It is jam-packed with useful concepts, tables, data, and knowledge about soils, humus, compost, crop rotations, cover crops, green manures, and mineral fertilizers. It belongs on the bookshelf of every organic farm.

Start with the Soil. 1993. By Grace Gershuny. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA. 274 p.

Gershuny's Start with the Soil is a nice complement to the primer noted above, Soul of the Soil. Though written for an organic gardening audience (Rodale Press), the information, tables, and data build on her previous book.

Fertile Soil: A Grower's Guide to Organic & Inorganic Fertilizers. 1990. By Robert Parnes. agAccess, Davis, CA. 190 p.

Robert Parnes was an advisor for several years in the well-known Woods End Agricultural Institute laboratory. Fertile Soil—first published as Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers in 1986—is the other classic soils manual from the 1980s that provides solid information to organic farmers. The tables on nutrient value and estimated fertilizer requirement for organic fertilizers in Parnes's book are the best alternative to standard N-P-K fertilizer guidelines.

Edaphos: Dynamics of a Natural Soil System. 1993. By Paul D. Sachs. The Edaphic Press, Newbury, VT. 197 p.

Paul Sachs is the founder of North Country Organics in Bradford, VT, and Edaphos is an outgrowth of Sachs's seminars and consulting work. Edaphos does an excellent job of explaining soil science and soil management practices in simple terms, accompanied by useful tables and diagrams.

Organic Soil Amendments and Fertilizers. 1992. By David E. Chaney and Laurie E. Drinkwater. DNAR Publication No. 21505. UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 36 p.

UC-SAREP—The University of California's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program—produced this bulletin in 1992, yet it is still the best Extension Service publication on this topic. It uses tables, data, and diagrams to explain soil organic matter and the wide range of organic amendments and fertilizers that are used in organic farming.

Western Fertilizer Handbook-Horticulture Edition. 1990. By Albert E. Ludwick. Interstate Publishers Inc., Danville, IL. 279 p.

Farmers need access to all kinds of information, including standard fertility data. This is one of those handy guides used as an occasional reference source.

The Soil Management Series (PC-7398). University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension

The University of Minnesota recently put out a new series of Extension bulletins:
1. Soil Management (BU-7399)
2. Compaction (BU-7400)
3. Manure Management (BU-7401)
4. Organic Matter Management (BU-7402)
5. Soil Biology and Soil Management (BU-7403)

Each publication is organized according to the following sections:

The Soil Manager - explains management options for improving your soil.
The Soil Scientist - reviews the soil science principles that are important to production agriculture.
Your Farm - helps you apply what you are reading to your own farm.
What's Next? - wraps up the chapter by helping you assess your operation and soil.
Further Resources - lists people and publications to consult for more information.

The Nature and Properties of Soils, 12th Edition. 1999. By Nyle C. Brady and Ray R. Weil. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 881 p.

The Nature and Properties of Soils is probably the most authoritative and well-known university textbook on soils. Dr. Ray Weil, a soil scientist at the University of Maryland, updated this classic with modern photographs and illustrations as well as additional notes and information that addresses soil management from a sustainable viewpoint. It is an excellent, comprehensive resource; a good reference book for the farmer's bookshelf.

The Fertile Triangle: The Interrelationship of Air, Water, and Nutrients in Maximizing Soil Productivity. 1991. By Benjamin Wolf. Food Products Press, New York. 463 p.

Fertilizers and Their Use: A Pocket Guide for Extension Officers, (PDF / 1.8M) 4th edition Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, Biodynamic Pioneer

Bio-Dynamic Gardening and Farming. [collected articles, ca. 1940 - 1961] Volume 1. 1983. By Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. Mercury Press, Spring Valley, New York. 126 p.

Bio-Dynamic Gardening and Farming. [collected articles, ca. 1940 - 1961] Volume 2. 1983. By Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. Mercury Press, Spring Valley, New York. 142 p.

Bio-Dynamic Gardening and Farming. [collected articles, ca. 1940 - 1961]. Volume 3. 1984. By Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. Mercury Press, Spring Valley, New York. 132 p.

Soil Fertility: Renewal and Preservation. 1983. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. Lanthorn, East Grinstead, Sussex, England. 200 p.

Eco-Farming Classics

Agriculture in Transition. 2000. By Donald L. Schriefer. Acres USA, Austin, TX. 238 p.

From the Soil Up. 2000. By Donald L. Schriefer. Acres USA, Austin, TX. 274 p.

The Biological Farmer. 2000. By Gary Zimmer. Acres USA, Austin, TX. 352 p.

Crop Roots – The Hidden Half. Circa 1990s. By Harold Willis. Midwestern Bio-Ag, Blue Mound, WI. 106 p.

Non-Toxic Farming Handbook. 1998. By Philip Wheeler and Ronald Ward. Acres USA, Metairie, LA. 238 p.

Nourishment Home Grown. 1992. By A.F. Beddoe. Agro-Bio Systems, Grass Valley, CA. 299 p.

Hands-On Agronomy. 1993. By Neal Kinsey and Charles Walters. Acres USA, Kansas, MO. 352 p.

The Enlivened Rock Powders. 1994. By Harvey Lisle. Acres USA, Kansas, MO. 194 p.

Back to top

3.12 Soil Fertility Web Links

These first items are the primary web locations for sources of organic fertilizers and approved materials that can be used in certified organic production.

Sources for Organic Fertilizers and Amendments, NCAT

The ATTRA resource list on organic fertilizers is an extensive listing of dealers and suppliers carrying bulk organic fertilizers. It is organized by category of fertilizer material:

OMRI's Products List
Organic Materials Review Institute

OMRI is the Organic Materials Review Institute. It provides a technical review of organic crop production materials (fertilizers and pest controls) supplied by manufacturers. Products that receive an Allowed or Regulated status can state that the product is "OMRI Listed" and may use the OMRI seal on packaging and literature.

The Brand Name Products List on OMRI's Web site includes crop production materials organized alphabetically by Generic Material, Supplier, and Product.

The following Web sites provide valuable information to farmers and Extension specialists who need information and data on soil management, organic fertilizers, and related sustainable fertility topics.

Commercial Organic Nutrient Recommendations
University of Maine Soil Testing Lab

In these handy tables from University of Maine you can quickly see how many pounds of organic fertilizer per acre are needed to meet desired pounds of nutrient element per acre; e.g., 670 pounds fish meal equals 60 pounds N per acre, 890 pounds fish meal equals 80 pounds N per acre, and 1100 pounds fish meal equals 100 pounds N per acre. Examples are provided for 10 different organic fertilizers relative to Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

Organic Crop Production — Fertility
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food FARMFACTS

Nutrient Content of Fertilizer and Organic Materials. (PDF / 876K).
NC State University Soil Science

Convenient tables with nutrient content of standard commercial fertilizers as well as organic fertilizers and manures.

ATTRA's Sustainable Soil Management publication is the most succinct and informative publication of its kind on the web. The concepts and practices embedded in this publication provide the fundamental building blocks for a deeper and more complete understanding of soils from a sustainable farming perspective.

Alternative Soil Testing Laboratories
NCAT

ATTRA's Alternative Soil Testing Laboratories resource list organizes soil labs into two broad categories: (1) those that focus on biological assays including organic matter, humus content, and microbial analysis, and (2) those that focus on mineral analysis and organic fertilizer recommendations. The resource section provides suppliers, books, and web links that address alternative fertility concepts, soil quality, and on-farm methods of soil and foliar analysis.

Organic Soil Amendments for Sustainable Agriculture
CTAHR, Univ. of Hawaii

Soil Fertility Management for Organic Crops. (PDF / 124K).
University of California, Publication 7249

Soil Management and Soil Quality for Organic Crops. (PDF / 112K).
University of California, Publication 7248

5-Part Series on Soil Basics
UMass Extenion, University of Massachusetts

• Hairy Vetch as a Cover Crop
• Soil Basics I: Physical Properties of Soil
• Soil Basics II: Chemical Properties of Soil
• Soil Basics III: Organic Matter, Key to Management
• Soil Basics IV: Putting It All Together
• Soil Basics V: Top Dressing and Side Dressing Nitrogen

Soil Fertility Note 12: Fertilizing with Organic Nutrients (PDF / 50K).
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Guidelines for Organic Fertilization
University Of Vermont Extension System, Agricultural and Environmental Testing Lab

Organic Crop Production
Patrick Moore, The Evergreen State College Pages 19-32, In: Organic Resource Manual. (PDF / 528K). Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Nitrogen Management in Field Vegetables – A Guide to Efficient Fertilisation.

Manual on Integrated Soil Management and Conservation Practices. (PDF / 9506K).
FAO Land and Water Bulletin 8

Microbial and Organic Fertilizers in Asia
Michinori Nishio Food and Fertilizer Technology Center Taipei City, Taiwan R.O.C

Microbial Inoculants in Asian Agriculture
Food and Fertilizer Technology Center Taipei City, Taiwan R.O.C

Managing Soil Fertility for Vegetable Production
Food and Fertilizer Technology Center Taipei City, Taiwan R.O.C

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

NRCS is the USDA agency formerly known as Soil Conservation Service, or SCS. The NRCS Soil Quality Institute gets an A+ for the high-quality, farmer-friendly educational materials they've published in recent years.

NRCS Agronomy Technical Notes Series
Soil Quality Institute

The Soil Quality Institute website, sponsored by NRCS, features on-line technical notes on soil management topics:

Cover Crops; Conservation Crop Rotation; Effects on Soil Quality; Effects of Residue Management, No-Till on Soil Quality; Effects of Soil Quality on Nutrient Efficiency; Herbicides; Legumes and Soil Quality; Effects of Soil Erosion on Soil Productivity.

NRCS Soil Quality Information Sheets
Soil Quality Institute

The Soil Quality Institute website, sponsored by NRCS, features on-line information sheets on soil quality topics:

Erosion; Sediment Deposition on Cropland; Compaction; Salinization; Soil Biodiversity; Available Water Capacity; Pesticides; Indicators for Soil Quality Evaluation; Organic Matter; Soil Crusts; Aggregate Stability; Infiltration; Soil pH.

Soil Biology Primer

The highly regarded Soil Biology Primer is reviewed in the section on soil biology.

Soil Quality Test Kit Guide

An 82-page booklet describing procedures for 12 on-farm tests, an interpretive section for each test, data recording sheets, and a section on how to build the kit.

Back to top

3.21 Print & Video Resources on Cover Crops

Cover crops are like the backbone, the linchpin, the cornerstone… of any annual cropping system that seeks to be sustainable or organic.

Organic farmers rely on cover crops to perform multiple roles and functions on the farm, including soil protection, soil improvement, and insectary habitat. From a fertility angle, the cover crop seed can be viewed as a fertilizer expense.

When sustainable agriculture became a priority topic for USDA, land-grant universities, and non-profit institutions in the 1980s, cover crops were one of the first items to receive significant attention. Lots of time and energy have gone into cover crop research, on-farm trials, and information dissemination.

Some of the key players that helped generate this new material on cover crops include the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), the University of California, and the Rodale Institute.

Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 2nd Edition. 1998. By the Sustainable Agriculture Network. Sustainable Agriculture Publications, University of Vermont. 212 p.

Managing Cover Crops Profitably is a comprehensive resource on cover crops - an essential desk reference! The introductory section includes articles on uses and benefits of cover crops, followed by chapters on 18 different cover crop species. Charts rate factors for each species including drought tolerance, nitrogen yield, and seeding rates. The top six high-performing cover crops for each region are discussed. Topics include: selection of the best species for your location, planning profitable crop rotations, crop yield benefits following cover crops, and fertilizer reduction realized from cover crops.

Cover Crops for California Agriculture. 1989. By P.R. Miller, et al. University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Leaflet 21471. 24 p.

This University of California leaflet—supported by the Jesse Smith Noyes Foundation, the UC Davis Student Experimental Farm, and the UC SAREP program—was the first Extension Service bulletin to address the benefits of cover crops in the context of modern sustainable farming systems.

The following two booklets from Pennsylvania and Oregon are a compilation of fact sheets on individual cover crop species. Since the selection and use of cover crops is heavily influenced by growing season, climate, cropping systems, and related geographical peculiarities, these two booklets provide a nice balance for growing conditions in the Northeastern and Northwestern United States.

Northeast Cover Crop Handbook. 1994. By Marianne Sarrantonio. Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA. 118 p.

The Rodale Institute was a leader in cover crop research and on-farm trials in the 1980s and 90s. The Northeast Cover Crop Handbook is the culmination of their extension information delivery from that era. Topics covered are: how to choose a cover crop right for your operation; building a rotation around cover crops; choosing the best species for the whole farm; estimating the nitrogen contribution from a green manure; looking at soil improvements from cover crops; and lowering the cost of cover cropping. The book is well written and easy to read with lots of drawings and charts. The appendix contains detailed management practices for 20 cover crop species, cover crop seed sources, and other information sources.

Cover Crops in Oregon (EM 8704) Oregon State University

Oregon State University Extension Service published a 50-page booklet on cover crops in 1998 titled Using Cover Crops in Oregon. Topics include the pros and cons of cover cropping; how to choose a cover crop; cover crops in annual and perennial systems; how to estimate nitrogen contributions to a subsequent crop; and economic considerations of cover cropping. The booklet provides detailed information on specific cover crops, including annual ryegrass, barley, oats, triticale, wheat, buckwheat, cereal rye, common vetch, crimson clover, fava bean, field pea, hairy vetch, rapeseed, red clover, subterranean clovers, Sudangrass, and sorghum-Sudangrass hybrids. In addition, there is a fact sheet on cover crop weed suppression in annual rotations. (List price, $5.50 from Oregon State University Publications).

The complete series of 18 individual facts sheets can also be found on the web in HTML and PDF formats:

Cover Crop Fact Sheets, Oregon State University

Cover Crops for Vegetable Production in the Northeast. 1999. By Lee Stivers. Cornell University Extension Service (142IB244). 12 p.

A Cornell University publication on cover crops for vegetables that addresses: addition of organic matter to soils; improvement of soil tilth and remediation of compaction; protection of soil from wind and water erosion; recycling plant nutrients; increasing the biological activity of soil; retention of soil moisture; and suppression of weeds, insects, pathogens, and nematodes.

Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures. 2000. By Preston Sullivan and Steve Diver. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, Fayetteville, AR. 12 p.

This ATTRA publication provides a summary of the principal uses and benefits of cover crops and green manures, followed by a listing of key resources.

Sustainable Production of Fresh-Market Tomatoes with Organic Mulches. 1997. By Aref Abdul-Baki and John R. Teasdale. USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 2279. 23 p.

This USDA Farmers' Bulletin features the no-till vegetable cropping system developed by scientists at the USDA-ARS Vegetable Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. This system relies on hairy vetch established in the fall, followed by a mow-down treatment the following spring to prepare a no-till bed to transplant tomatoes and other vegetable crops into.

Print copies may be ordered from: USDA/ARS Vegetable Lab Rm. 213, B-10A BARC-West Beltsville, MD 20705 mcgahan@ars.usda.gov

On-line in PDF format at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/SustainableTomato.pdf. (PDF / 5.2MB).

Feed the Soil. 1982. By Edwin McLeod. Organic Agriculture Research Institute, Graton, CA. 209 p.

The classic tale of Hylas the Hare who goes to work as a seasonal farmer, only to bump into Mr. Earthworm who teaches Hylas all about green manures and soil biology and the importance of "feeding the soil." It is still one of the best little primers on grasses and legumes in print.

Creative Cover Cropping in Annual Farming Systems-Video. 1993. Produced by the University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A 24-minute video that shows a selection of cover crops used in various annual cropping systems for the purpose of soil fertility and pest management. (List price, $20; available through University of California)

No-till Vegetables-Video. 1997. By Steve Groff. Cedar Meadow Farm, Holtwood, PA.

Steve Groff, a no-till vegetable farmer in Pennslyvania, makes extensive use of cover crops in combination with no-till vegetable production to raise high-quality tomatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, snap beans, and sweet corn. He uses specialized equipment like a rolling stalk chopper to knock down and crimp the cover crops, thus allowing him to plant vegetables into a killed cover crop mulch. This cropping system requires post-emergent herbicides, but at greatly reduced rates compared to conventional production systems. After several years of no-till production the soils are very mellow and easy to plant into. (Video price, $21.95 + $3.00 shipping from Cedar Meadow Farm).

Using Cover Crops in Conservation Production Systems-Video. 1997. By Seth Dabney, USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Lab in Oxford, MS.

An 11-minute video on cover cropping systems in the Deep South featuring clover species and no-till production methods. (Costs about $10 through Shepherd Publications in Memphis, TN).

Back to top

3.22 Cover Crop Web Links

Green Manures

The Basics of Green Manuring
P. Warman EAP Publication 51, Ecological Agriculture Projects

Cover Crops - General

Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 2nd Edition
Sustainable Agriculture Network

Cover Crop Fact Sheets
Oregon State University

Michigan Cover Crops
Michigan State University & Kellogg Biological Station

An impressive and valuable collection of information sheets and research reports on cover crops used in association with vegetables and row crops.

Cover Crops
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

• Adaptation and Use of Cover Crops
• Choosing a Cover Crop
• Cover Crop Types

Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures.
NCAT

Cover Crops - Vegetables

Commercial Vegetable Production: Cover Crops for Vegetable Growers
Kansas State University, MF2343

A 28-page fact sheet from K-State, published in 1998. One of the better Extension publications on cover crops for vegetables geared to a specific region.

Multiple Impacts Cover Crops
John Luna, Oregon State University

In addition to the Cover Crop Fact Sheets published by Oregon State University, John Luna and associates have a special topics web page on use of cover crops in sustainable vegetable production; especially note the research results on strip tillage.

Cover Crops for Sustainable Vegetable Production
Debbie Roos

Cover Crops For Weed Control In Lettuce
New Alchemy Quarterly, No. 40 Mark Schonbeck, Judy Browne, and Ralph DeGregorio

Cropping Systems for Intensive Desert Vegetable Production. (PDF / 483K).
University of California, Riverside

Cover Crops for Soil Improvement in Horticultural Crops. (PDF / 104K).
Alan Ware, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Summer Cover Crops for Tomato Production in South Florida

Cover Cropping in Potato Production
EAP Publication 71, Ecological Agriculture Projects

Interseeding Cover Crops

Observations on Interseeding Cover Crops
Vernon Grubinger, University of Vermont

Interseedings in Vegetable Production
Chantal Foulds, REAP Canada

Relay Intercropping Brassicas into Chile and Sweet Corn (PDF / 26K).
New Mexico State University, Guide A-609

Legumes and Crop Rotations

Soil Improvement with Legumes including Legumes in Crop Rotations
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Organic Rotations Practiced
Ohio State University, Special Circular 174-00

Legume Green Manuring
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

An Organic Vegetable Crop Rotation Aimed at Self-Sufficiency in Nitrogen (PDF / 116K).
K. Thorup-Kristensen, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences

Back to top

3.23 UC-SAREP Cover Crop Resources

UC SAREP Cover Crop Resource Page

This is the database of all databases when it comes to cover crops. Includes over 5,000 items gleaned from more than 600 separate sources, including journal articles, conference proceedings, standard textbooks, unpublished data, and personal communications from researchers and farmers. The information in the database concerns the management and effects of more than 32 species of plants usable as cover crops. More than 400 different cover crop images are also available for online viewing.

One limitation—the database is regionally geared to the Mediterranean climate of California. Ideally, each region of the U.S. should enjoy such site-specific information.

Cover Cropping in Row and Field Crop Systems
UC-SAREP

An online educational slide series that provides visual images and text describing the benefits and uses of cover cropping in annual crops like vegetables; 52 slides.

Cover Crop Biology: A Mini-Review
Robert L. Bugg, UC-SAREP

A 10-page web article that reviews several aspects of cover crop biology: seeds, seedlings, root zone biology, nutrient uptake, the fate of cover-crop-derived nitrogen, community dynamics, and allelopathy.

Selecting the Right Cover Crop Gives Multiple Benefits
UC-SAREP

A 4-page web article that discusses: adding and conserving nitrogen, water use by cover crops, pest management, cover crops in annual cropping systems, self-reseeding cover crops, and potential advantages and disadvantages of cover crops.

Survey of Annual Crop Growers Regarding Cover Crops
UC-SAREP

Samples of UC-SAREP Cover Crop Research and Education Summaries

Release of Nitrogen From a Leguminous Cover Crop and the Subsequent Utilization by Bell Pepper
Richard Smith, Louise Jackson, and Phil Foster Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University of California

Fall Planted Cover Crops May Improve Tomato Yields
Gene Miyao and Paul Robins Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University of California

Cover Crop Use in Vegetable Production in the Southern California Deserts
Chad Hutchinson and Milt McGiffen Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University of California

Non-Leguminous Cover Crops In Cool-Season Vegetable Crop Systems
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University of California

In-Field Insectaries for Vegetable Crops
Bill Chaney Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University of California

Non-Leguminous Cover Crops To Reduce Nitrate Leaching In Vegetable Cropping Systems
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University of California

Back to top

3.31 Books & Bulletins on Composts and Manures

Manures For Organic Crop Production. 2000. By George Kuepper. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. 12 p.

A Horticulture Technical Note from ATTRA on the use of raw and composted animal manures in vegetable crop production. Topics: produce quality concerns; contamination; fertility imbalances; laboratory analysis; weed problems; pollution; use as fertilizer and soil improver; and field application.

On-Farm Composting Handbook (NRAES-54). 1998. By Robert Rynk (ed.) Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, Ithaca, NY. 186 p.

This award-winning handbook presents a thorough overview of farm-scale composting and explains how to produce, use, and market compost. Topics: benefits and drawbacks of composting; the composting process; raw materials; composting methods; operations; management; site and environmental considerations; using and marketing compost. Included are 55 figures, 32 tables, calculations, references, and a glossary.

Field Guide to On-Farm Composting (NRAES-114). 1999. By Mark Dougherty (ed.) Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, Ithaca, NY. 128 p.

This is a spiral-bound, laminated field guide intended as a companion to the aforementioned On-Farm Composting Handbook . Topics covered: operations and equipment; raw materials and recipe making; composting process control and evaluation; site considerations, environmental management, and safety; composting livestock and poultry mortalities; and compost utilization on the farm. Highlights of the guide include an equipment identification table, diagrams showing windrow formation and shapes, examples and equations for recipe making and compost use estimation, a troubleshooting guide, and 24 full-color photos.

Fletcher Sims' Compost. 1993. Acres, USA. Kansas City, MO. 247 p.

Fletcher Sims, a compost pioneer on the High Plains of Texas, shares insights on large-scale composting and the benefits of compost based on several decades of experience. Of special interest are Sims's notes on composting and the role of humus in eco-farming based on correspondence and publications from William Albrecht, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, Sir Albert Howard, and Vaclav Petrik.

Composting for Manure Management. 1998. By the staff of BioCycle. JG Press, Emmaus, PA. 77 p.

Describes methods for processing and marketing composted manure-and how specialized equipment and composting systems are being used to turn a waste disposal problem into a profit center. Major sections: statistics by region and livestock; composting methods for poultry, hog, dairy, and beef manure; water quality impact; overcoming problems-from odors to leachate; and anaerobic digestion technology for managing manures, as well as vermicomposting methods. The appendix contains a directory of composting equipment.

Farm-Scale Composting Resource List. 1998. By Steve Diver. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, Fayetteville, AR. 11 p.

This Agronomy Resource List summarizes the key publications; web pages; associations; software; magazines, newsletters, and journals; email lists and web forums; and bibliographies and current research geared to farm-scale composting.

BioCycle magazine
biocycle@jgpress.com
$69/12 issues a year

Biocycle magazine is the premier compost trade journal. Making and using farm-produced compost is a regular topic. The associated compost publications from JG Press are, likewise, among the best.

Back to top

3.32 Web Links on Composts and Manures

Beneficial Uses of Compost in Florida Vegetable Crops
Southwest Florida Research & Education Center, University of Florida

Using Composts in Commercial Vegetable and Fruit Operations
Texas A&M University

Reducing Risks from E.coli 0157 on the Organic Farm
David G. Patriquin, Dalhousie University, NS Eco-Farm & Garden-Summer 2000

Composts as a Soil Amendment
CTAHR, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Cornell University Composting

Basis for Interpretation of Compost Analyses
Woods End Agricultural Institute

Available for $10.00 at Woods End Laboratories, Inc.

On-Farm Composting: Intensification Effects on Compost Quality
Woods End Agricultural Institute

Available for $25.00 at Woods End Laboratories, Inc.

Living Compost - Living Carbon
Woods End Agricultural Institute

Available for $4.00 at Woods End Laboratories, Inc.

Farm-Scale Composting Resource List
Steve Diver, NCAT

Worms for Composting (Vermicomposting)
Alice Beetz, NCAT

Utilization of Organic Wastes: On-Farm Composting
West Virginia University Extension Service

California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
Publications on Compost & Yard Waste

Compost: On-Farm Systems, QB 97-12
Mary Gold, AFSIC

Carolina Composting Resource Guide: Reference Section

Low-Tech, High-Quality On-Farm Compost
Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont

Composting in the Southeast - Proceedings of the 1998 Conference

Large-Scale Production of Compost and Mulch
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission

EPA Office of Solid Waste: Composting Resources

Field Guide to Compost Use
U.S. Composting Council

Compost Images
David Granatstein, Washington State University

BioCycle, the Journal of Composting & Organics Recycling

Offers a Web site with table of contents and selected on-line articles (text-only ) from back issues. The photos and charts that accompany these articles are very helpful, and certainly worthy of a subscription for anybody getting into on-farm composting.

Lessons Learned from On-Farm Composting BioCycle, January 2000, Page 42

Exploring the Economics of On-Farm Composting, Part I BioCycle, February 2001, Page 61

Certified Organic Farm Relies on Compost BioCycle, December 1999, Page 60

Composters Build Strong Links to California Farms BioCycle, February 1999, Page 55

Composting Reduces Fuel and Labor Costs on Family Farms BioCycle, May 2000, Page 72

Compost Research On Wisconsin Organic Farm BioCycle, September 2000, Page 54

The Applied Thoughts Of A Compost Theorist BioCycle, February 2001, Page 56

Troubleshooting the Compost Pile, Part I BioCycle, November 1999, Page 53

Monitoring Moisture in Composting Systems BioCycle, October 2000, Page 53

Getting Moisture into the Compost Pile BioCycle, June 2001, Page 51

Advances in Windrow Turning BioCycle, July 2001, Page 63

Building a Safe Pesticides Industry with Bioproducts and Biomethods BioCycle, October1999, Page 56

Evaluating Microbiology of Compost BioCycle, May 1999, Page 62

Using Compost To Control Plant Diseases BioCycle, June 1999, Page 61

New Trends in Sustainable Farming Build Compost Use BioCycle, July 2000, Page 30

Understanding Compost Tea BioCycle, October 2000, Page 71

Time for (Compost) Tea in the Northwest BioCycle, October 2000, Page 74

Brewing Up Solutions To Pest Problems BioCycle, March 2001, Page 64

Latest Developments in Mid-to-Large Scale Vermicomposting BioCycle, November 2000, Page 51

Worming the Way to Finished Compost BioCycle, October1999, Page 34

Achieveing Pathogen Stabilization Using Vermicomposting BioCycle, November 1999, Page 62

Manures and Food Residuals Compost are in the Bag BioCycle, June 2001, Page 49

Dutch Farmers Find It Pays To Manage Poultry Manure BioCycle, April 1999, Page 72

Poultry Farm Pioneers Low-Rate Composting BioCycle, August 1999, Page 59

The High Route to Managing Hog Manure BioCycle, October1999, Page 36

BioCycle Equipment and Systems Directory

· Products And Services
· Company Index

Back to top

3.41 Books & Bulletins on Soil Organic Matter

Building Soils for Better Crops, 2nd Edition. 2000. By Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es. Sustainable Agriculture Network, Handbook Series No. 4. Sustainable Agriculture Publications, University of Vermont. 240 p.

Building Soils for Better Crops, 2nd Edition (2000) by Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es, soil scientists at University of Vermont and Cornell University, focuses on building and maintaining soil organic matter through ecological soil management practices like composting, cover crops, crop rotations, mulches, and animal manures.

Humic, Fulvic, and Microbial Balance: Organic Soil Conditioning. 1993. By William R. Jackson. Jackson Research Center, Evergreen, CO. 958 p.

Organic Soil Conditioning is the award-winning book on humic substances by William Jackson. Jackson's book supports the current renaissance of ecological soil management whereby greater attention is being paid to the soil foodweb and deep humus. Available through Acres USA.

This little-known booklet does a fine job of summarizing the importance of humus, outlines the basic principles of ecological agriculture, lists publications and resources, and contains a directory of alternative agricultural consultants and soil fertility labs.

The following titles are key reference books on humus and organic matter, available through Inter-Library Loan.

Soil Organic Matter, 2nd English Edition. 1966. By M.M. Kononova. Pergamon Press, New York, NY. 544 p.

Humus Chemistry: Genesis, Composition, Reactions, 2nd Edition. 1994. By F.J. Stevenson. Wiley & Sons, New York, NY. 496 p.

Soil Organic Matter: Biological and Ecological Effects. 1987. By Robert L. Tate. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 291p.

Humus: Origin, Chemical Composition, and Importance in Nature. 1936. By Selman A. Waksman. The Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, MD. 494 p.

Soil Organic Matter in Temperate Agro-ecosystems: Long-Term Experiments in North America. 1997. By E.A. Paul, E.T. Elliott, K. Paustian, and C.V. Cole (eds.) CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 414 p.

Sustainable Management of Soil Organic Matter. 2001. Edited by R.M. Rees, et al. CABI Publishing Co., New York. 440 p.

The following Soil Science Society publications are noteworthy mainly as reference titles that provide background research and schematic illustrations on agricultural practices that influence soil organic matter.

Humic Substances in Soil Science and Crop Sciences: Selected Readings. 1990. By P. MacCarthy, et al. Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI. 281 p.

Soil Fertility and Organic Matter as Critical Components of Production Systems. 1987. By R.R. Follet, J.W.B. Stewart, and C.V. Cole. SSSA Special Publication No. 19. Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI. 166 p.

Interactions of Soil Minerals with Natural Organics and Microbes. 1986. By P.M. Haung and M. Schnitzer. SSSA Special Publication No. 17. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. 606 p.

3.42 Soil Organic Matter Web Links

Soil Quality Indicators: Organic Matter
NRCS Soil Quality Institute

Changes in Soil Organic Matter, Chapter 5
In: The Health of Our Soils: Toward Sustainable Agriculture in Canada (1995) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Lectures on Soil Organic Matter
University of Wales, Bangor

Building Soil Organic Matter with Organic Amendments (PDF / 372K).
University of Wisconsin-Extension

Organic Matter Management (BU-7402) In: The Soil Management Series
University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension

Soil Humic Substances
Agricultural University of Wroclaw, Poland

Utilization of Composted Organic Wastes in Vegetable Production Systems (PDF / 684K).
Food and Fertilizer Technology Center

Soil Organic Matter
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

Soil Organic Matter Agronomy Notes
Montana State University

Soil Basics III: Organic Matter, Key to Management
In: 5-Part Series on Soil Basics UMass Extenion, University of Massachusetts

Experts Talk Soil at MOFGA Meetings
Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, June - August 2000 issue

Featuring:
· Jerry Brunetti, Agri-Dynamics
· Fred Magdoff, University of Vermont
· Marianne Sarrantonio, University of Maine
· Rick Kersbergen, Maine Cooperative Extension
· Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc.
· Mark Fulford, Agricultural Alternatives

Back to top

3.51 Books & Bulletins on Earthworms, Microbes, and Soil Biology

Farmers enlist the aid of legions of earthworms, bacteria, fungi and other soil-dwelling creatures to decompose crop residues and cycle nutrients to crop plants. Not unlike a crew of carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, and brick layers who combine forces to build a house, each member of the microbial herd has an important task to perform in the soil.

In the past few years, it has become apparent to farmers and scientists alike that a greater understanding of and ability to work with soil creatures and soil food webs can help us achieve a healthy, sustainable agriculture.

These first two bulletins from USDA-NRCS and Michigan State University are wonderful educational resources. They are worthy additions to the farmer's bookshelf.

Soil Biology Primer. 1999. By E.R. Ingham, A.R. Moldenke, and C. Edwards. USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service, Soil Quality Institute. 52 p.

The Soil Biology Primer is a much-heralded USDA-NRCS publication that went out of print faster than crap runs through a goose! This is a highly educational and graphically interesting and colorful booklet that sums up our collective knowledge about soil creatures, soil foodwebs, and soil biological functions. It is a landmark publication in the history of USDA. Chapters: The Soil Food Web; The Food Web & Soil Health; Soil Bacteria; Soil Fungi; Soil Protozoa; Soil Nematodes; Soil Arthropods; Earthworms.

To order a print copy (now back in print, 2nd Edition) or to see the online web version, go to: http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html

Michigan Field Crop Ecology: Managing Biological Processes for Productivity and Environmental Quality. 1998. By M.A. Cavigelli, S.R. Deming, L.K. Probyn, and R.R. Harwood (eds.) Michigan State University Extension, Bulletin E-2646. 87 p.

Michigan Field Crop Ecology is another landmark bulletin from the Extension Service. Its stated intent is to address the biological basis of sustainability. Chapters address field crop ecosystems; soil ecology; carbon; nitrogen; covercrops; pest ecology and management; the insect community; and nematodes. Practical examples and colorful graphics enhance the educational quality of this farmer-friendly manual.

Soil Microorganisms and Higher Plants. 1961. By N.A. Krasil'nikov. National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA. 474 p. Publication No. TT-60-21126.

Soil Microorganisms and Higher Plants is the classic Russian text on soil microbiology. As part of the Soil and Health Library, it can be viewed online at:

The Holistic Agriculture Library

Textbooks and Library References

Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology. 1998. By D.M. Sylvia, J.J. Fuhrman, P.G. Hartel, and D. Zuberer. Prentice Hall, NJ. 550 p.

Fundamentals of Soil Ecology. 1995. By David C. Coleman and D.A. Crossley, Jr. Academic Press, New York. 205 p.

Soil Biology Guide. 1990. By Daniel L. Dindal. A Wiley-Interscience Publication, John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1349 p.

The Biodiversity of Microorganisms and Invertebrates: Its Role in Sustainable Agriculture. 1991. By D.L. Hawkswort (ed.) CASAFA Report Series No. 4, CAB International, Wallingford, Oxford, UK. 302 p.

Soil Biota, Nutrient Cycling, and Farming Systems. 1993. By M.G. Paoletti, W. Foissner, and D. Coleman (eds.) Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. 314 p.

3.52 Soil Biology Web Links

Soil Biology

Soil Biological Communities
Bureau of Land Management

Microbe Zoo
Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State Univ.

Lecture Notes on Soil Microorganisms, The Rhizosphere, Mycorrhiza, and Microbial Ecology
By Davey Jones at University of Wales, Bangor

Soil Biology and Soil Management (BU-7403) In: The Soil Management Series
University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension

Using Soil Fauna to Improve Soil Health
By Bonnie Witt

The Soil Foodweb: Its Importance in Ecosystem Health
By Dr. Elaine Ingham

Soil Ecology, The Pedosphere and Its Dynamics
University of Alberta

Soil Biodiversity. (PDF / 58K).
NRCS Soil Quality Information Sheet

Mycorrhiza = Plant + Fungus Symbiosis

Mycorrhiza Information Exchange

Overview of Mycorrhizal Symbiosis
David Sylvia

Glomalin-Soil's Superglue
USDA ARS News

Mycorrhiza.com

Earthworms

Earthworms and Crop Management
Purdue University. Agronomy Guide AY-279

Building Your Soil: The Role of Earthworms in Healthy Soils

Frequently Asked Questions About Earthworms
Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The EarthWorm Digest

Earthworm Information at UC-SAREP

4.0 IPM for Vegetables

Pests of vegetables—insects, diseases, and weeds—are part of every vegetable field in the world. It is part of their nature to eat, inhabit, and reproduce, using the vegetables as hosts to complete their life cycle. Pest management strategies such as IPM, or Integrated Pest Management, are therefore critical.

Integrated pest management is the basic framework used in vegetable production to decide when and how pests are controlled. The primary goal of IPM is to provide clear pest management guidelines to growers in order to optimize pest control in an economically and ecologically sound manner.

IPM integrates habitat modification and cultural, physical, biological, and chemical practices to minimize crop losses. Monitoring, recordkeeping, and life-cycle information on pests and their natural enemies are used t