Cover Crop Managment At Cedar Meadow Farm.

Steve Groff will give the opening talk at the topical session:  “Managing Cover Crops in the 21^st Century” sponsored by the Agricultural Experiment Station Management Community of the Land Management Section.  Steve Groff and his family, farm 200 acres of vegetables and crops on hilly land in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He has pioneered the "Permanent Cover Cropping System", which includes no-tillage, cover crops, and effective crop rotations as a way to increase profits, enhance soil and water quality, and reduce pesticides.  The cornerstone of this system is a unique emphasis on maintaining a permanent cover of crop residues and cover crops on the soil surface and having something living in the soil at all times. All vegetables and crops are then seeded or transplanted into the organic mulch. This permanent cover aids in weed control, has virtually eliminated soil erosion on the farms 3-17% slopes, and has increased soil and water quality. A passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture soil conservation, soil health, and food quality, Steve started no-tilling in the early '80s. He later began using cover crops as another soil conservation measure and now plants cover crops based on the succeeding crop that will planted the next year. Some fields have not been touched by any tillage equipment for over 30 years! Steve will give a very practical insight into the use of cover crops in modern agriculture from a farmer’s perspective that will open a dialogue for researchers and Extension personnel.