"No-Till" Organic Cropping Systems Research funded through the USDA Conservation Innovation Grant

In collaboration with UC Davis & Dr. Jeff Mitchell, and five collaborating farms, we are investigating low disturbance methods for organic vegetable cropping systems. We will be working to refine relevant reduced disturbance practices that work in real-world settings. The CSUC Organic Vegetable Project will serve as one of three research sites for the study, with the goal of transition to a no-till system that will support improvements in soil structure and fertility. 

In addition to the research stations, each collaborating farm will identify practices they wish to try to bring them closer to a low disturbance system. This network of farmers and experiment stations is designed to share information, create a more robust set of baseline data, and support the ongoing monitoring of key soil health properties at all sites under various degrees of tillage.  As data comes available, we will host on-farm field days to support data dissemination. 

The following video provides an update on the activities on the farms of CIG grant participants Phil Foster in Hollister, CA and Tom Willey in Madera, CA.