SARE: Managing Cover Crops Profitably

After going to the Soil and Cover Crops Workshop in Woodstock, CT. I began reading the book published by the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE) called Managing Cover Crops Profitably. We have the printed version of the book which can be purchased online for $19.00, but the entire book is also accessible for free as an HTML file at Managing Cover Crops Profitably.
Since we are trying to farm our vineyard as organically as possible, we do intend to put in some cover crops and this book is a good resource for the types of cover crops that are available in our area. The benefits of using cover crops include the following:

• Cut fertilizer costs by contributing N to cash crops and by scavenging and mining soil nutrients
• Reduce the need for herbicides and other pesticides
• Improve yields by enhancing soil health
• Prevent soil erosion
• Conserve soil moisture
• Protect water quality
• Help safeguard personal health

This book is an excellent resource that explains the importance of soil, how to use cover crops to build healthy soils, and what kinds of cover crops can be used. Stay tuned for more specific information on cover crops.