Lesson 1: Rotations

Overview

In real estate, experts say, there are three key factors: location, location, location. I like to say there are three key factors in sustainable farming: rotation, rotation, rotation. Rotate your crops, rotate your cover crops and rotate your tillage. Sounds simple enough, but in practice it takes thought, planning, observation and flexibility.

Crop rotations and cover crops are part of the answer to nearly every farm management issue discussed in this course. Most of the organic farmers I've met say they've included more cover crops in their rotations as they've gained experience and realized new things the cover crops could do. A good crop rotation keeps the soil covered with vegetation for as much of the year as possible. Protecting the entire soil surface with growing crops is a big first step in soil improvement.

Effective crop rotations can supply fertility, improve soil quality, help manage weeds and help reduce pests and diseases. They can also help you balance your workload and spread risk.

Scientists have yet to figure out all the reasons why crops grown in rotation can outperform continuous monoculture. A lot of it seems to have to do with filling as many different ecological niches as possible, so your crops and cover crops complement one another.   

Researchers are also studying how diverse cropping systems foster a greater number of other kinds of organisms, from soil microorganisms to beneficial insects to birds and bats. This complex variety of organisms is called biodiversity. Understanding how they interact will take further investigation. But in the end, what matters most about rotations is that they work.

"Soil is meant to be covered."

~Steve Groff
Holtwood, PA