Organic Vegetable The Organic Vegetable Production workshop was partially funded Production by the Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is administered by the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service and the USDA Proceedings from a Three-Day Series of Meetings Jordan Hall Auditorium New York State Agricultural Experiment Station Geneva, New York January 14–16, 2003 University of Connecticut • University of Delaware • University of the District of Columbia University of Maine • University of Maryland • University of Massachusetts • University of New Hampshire Rutgers University • Cornell University • The Pennsylvania State University • University of Rhode Island University of Vermont • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University • West Virginia University Acknowledgments About PALS Plant and Life Sciences Publishing (PALS) is a program of the Department of Horticulture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University. PALS assists university facul- ty and their colleagues in publishing, marketing and distributing books for small farmers, garden- Partial Funding ers, land owners, workshops, college courses, and consumers. The University of Maine and West Virginia University are partners. PALS books are practical and comprehensive. They are based on decades of grower experience and university research. Book categories include garden and landscape, small-scale farming, small-fruit production, composting, pasture-based livestock production, rural-land management and personal finance. The gardening, small-scale farming, small-fruit production, rural-land man- About the Workshop and Proceedings agement and pasture-based livestock production books were written for the Northeast, Mid-At- lantic and Great-Lakes states and adjoining Canadian provinces. Most contain knowledge that will be useful to a wider audience. Visit PALS web site for descriptions of books distributed. Plant and Life Sciences Publishing (PALS) 34 Plant Science Ithaca, New York 14853 Phone: (607) 255-7654 • Fax: (607) 254-8770 E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu • Web site: palspublishing.com Marty Sailus, PALS Director Thanks to Speakers Disclaimer Proceedings Production About NPARLASES See the inside back cover for information about PALS, including contact materials. Cooperative Extension NRAES–165 Organic Vegetable Production Proceedings from a Three-Day Series of Meetings Jordan Hall Auditorium New York State Agricultural Experiment Station Geneva, New York January 14–16, 2003 Natural ResoPulracnet, aAngdr Liciufelt Surceie, nacneds EPunbgliinsheienrgin (gP ASLerSv)ice (NRAES) 3C4 oPolapnetr aStciiveen cEex Bteunisldioinng IthacaP,O N Bewo xY o4r5k5 174853 Ithaca, New York 14852-4557 NRAES–165 March 2004 © 2004 by NRAES (Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service). All rights reserved. Inquiries invited. 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Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES) PlanCt oaonpde Lraitfiev Se cEiexntecnessi oPnublishing (PALS) 34 PPlOan Bt Socxi e4n5c5e7 IthaIctah,a Ncae,w N Yewor kY o1r4k8 1543852-4557 PhoPnhe:o (n6e0: 7(6) 0275)5 2-75655-746 54 E-mFaailx:: p (a6l0s7p)u b2l5is4h-8in7g7@0 cornell.edu • Web site: http://palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu/ MarEty-m Saaiill:u Ns,R PAAESL@SC DORirNeEcLtoL.rEDU Web site: WWW.NRAES.ORG ii RReperpirnitnedte Fde bJraunaurya r2y0 122017 Contents About the Speakers ..................................................................................................................vi Soil and Nutrient Management Soil Life .................................................................................................................................... 3 Janice Thies Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Cornell University Interpreting Soil Test Results and Estimating Nutrient Availability......................................... 6 John Howell UMass Extension University of Massachusetts Tillage Practices for Maintaining Soil Quality ....................................................................... 16 Harold van Es Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Cornell University Compost and Cover Crops for Organic Vegetable Growers ................................................... 21 Brian Caldwell Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Upingill Farm................................................... 24 Cliff Hatch Upingill Farm Gill, Massachusetts Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Roxbury Farm .................................................. 34 Jean-Paul Courtens Roxbury Farm Kinderhook, New York Fertility Management at Roxbury Farm ................................................................................. 45 Jean-Paul Courtens Roxbury Farm Kinderhook, New York iii Contents Weed Management Understanding Weed Biology ................................................................................................. 59 Charles L. Mohler Crop and Soil Sciences Cornell University Weed Management on Organic Vegetable Farms ................................................................... 76 Vern Grubinger University of Vermont Extension How to Get 99% Weed Control without Chemicals ............................................................... 83 Brian Caldwell Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York Mulching for Weed Control and Organic Matter.................................................................... 87 Paul Arnold Pleasant Valley Farm Argyle, New York Bio-Extensive Approach to Market Gardening .................................................................... 100 Anne and Eric Nordell Beech Grove Farm Beech Grove, Pennsylvania A Few Long Furrows on Horsedrawn Tillage ...................................................................... 105 Eric and Anne Nordell Beech Grove Farm Beech Grove, Pennsylvania iv Contents Insect and Disease Management Impacts of Soil Quality on Disease and Insect Resistance in Plants .................................... 113 Anusuya Rangarajan Dept. of Horticulture Cornell University Disease Management Strategies: Cultural Practices ............................................................ 120 Helene R. Dillard Department of Plant Pathology New York State Agricultural Experiment Station; Geneva, New York Cornell Cooperative Extension Cultural Practices for Disease Management ......................................................................... 123 Curtis Petzoldt Integrated Pest Management Program New York State Agricultural Experiment Station; Geneva, New York Identifying and Encouraging Beneficial Insects ................................................................... 128 Michael P. Hoffmann NYS IPM Program and Department of Entomology Cornell University Insect Management: Managing Beneficial Habitats, Using Organic Insecticides ................................................. 136 Ruth Hazzard Dept. of Entomology University of Massachusetts Extension Pest Management on Applefield Farm ................................................................................. 142 Steve Mong Applefield Farm Stow, Massachusetts Pest Management from a Farmer’s Perspective ................................................................... 152 David Marchant River Berry Farm Fairfax, Vermont v About the Speakers Paul Arnold and Sandy Arnold have been farming at Pleas- David Marchant and Jane Sorensen operate River Berry ant Valley Farm for 12 years and raise about 8 acres of or- Farm alongside the LaMoille River in the Champlain Basin ganic fruits and vegetables on their 60 acres in Washington of Vermont. They grow approximately 40 acres of certified County, New York, with two children. Their living is made organic vegetables, 4 acres of IPM managed strawberries, by selling all of their produce at 4 area farmers’ markets. and 15 acres of grain. The vegetables are marketed out of state through the Deep Root Organic Cooperative, and lo- Brian Caldwell is the education director for NOFA-NY. cally through stores and farmers markets. He is also an experienced grower of organic vegetables and fruit at Hemlock Grove Farm in West Danby, New York. Chuck Mohler is a senior research associate in the depart- ment of Crop and Soil Sciences. Most of his work has fo- Jean-Paul Courtens, the founding farmer of Roxbury Farm, cused on the effects of tillage, cultivation, and crop residue was born and raised in the Netherlands, where he studied on the population dynamics of annual weeds. He is a co- biodynamic agriculture. Roxbury Farm grows vegetables, author of the book Ecological Management of Agricultural herbs, melons, and strawberries using biodynamic practices Weeds. on 148 acres in Kinderhook, New York for a CSA of 650 families in four communities. Steve Mong, his wife Kirsten, and brother Ray have oper- ated Applefield Farm for 20 years. It is a 25-acre farm with Helene Dillard has conducted basic and applied research 20,000 square feet in greenhouses, which are used for bed- on the biology, ecology, and management of fungal and bac- ding plant, hanging basket, annual, and perennial produc- terial pathogens of vegetables at the New York State Agri- tion. Steve has been an active cooperator in University of cultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York since Massachusetts pest management trials. 1984. She has been the director of Cornell Cooperative Ex- tension, a primary outreach unit of Cornell University, since Anne and Eric Nordell grow vegetables, herbs, and straw- 2002. berries on 6.5 acres in Trout Run, Pennsylvania. They have developed an elegant whole farm approach to nutrient and Vern Grubinger is the director of the Center for Sustain- weed management. Their produce is marketed through gro- able Agriculture at the University of Vermont. He has ex- cery stores, restaurants, and farmers’ markets. tensive experience in many aspects of organic and sustain- able vegetable and small fruit production. He is the author Curt Petzoldt is the Assistant Director and Vegetable Co- of the book Sustainable Vegetable Production from Startup ordinator at the New York State IPM Program. For the past to Market. ten years he has conducted multidisciplinary trials compar- ing the environmental and economic attributes of conven- Cliff Hatch has over 20 years of experience in organic pro- tional, IPM, and organic production systems at the research duction. He grows a variety of vegetables, strawberries, and farm and on growers’ farms. grains at Upingill Farm in Gill, Massachusetts. Anu Rangarajan is an associate professor in the Depart- Ruth Hazzard is team leader for the Vegetable Program ment of Horticulture at Cornell and statewide specialist for and also coordinates the Integrated Crop and Pest Manage- Fresh Market Vegetable Production. Her research program ment Project for vegetables. Her research has focused on focuses on specialty crop variety trials, and developing pro- insect and disease management in brassicas, sweet corn, duction systems that minimize chemical fertilizer and pes- tomato, and peppers. Currently she is involved with studies ticide inputs and maximize crop nutritive value. on biointensive insect management in brassicas, cucurbits, and sweet corn. Janice Thies is an associate professor of soil biology who joined the Cornell faculty in 2000. Janice’s research pro- Mike Hoffmann is the director of the New York State IPM gram focuses on three main areas: soil microbial popula- Program and a professor in the Department of Entomology tion genetics, the influence of management practices on soil in Ithaca. His research and extension program focuses on microbial community structure, and the development of alternative insect management strategies. biofertilisers and biopesticides for use in low-input agricul- ture. John Howell recently retired as Extension Vegetable Spe- cialist at the University of Massachusetts. His areas of spe- Harold van Es joined the Cornell faculty in 1988. His re- cial interest include vegetable production systems, nutrient search, extension, and teaching programs address the man- and soil management, greenhouse tomato production, trickle agement of soil and water resources for sustainable agricul- irrigation and fertigation, and water garden construction and tural production and environmental protection. He is a co- maintenance. author of the book Building Soils for Better Crops. vi