On-Farm Occultation Research Trial Report

OW19-345 (project overview)
Project Type: Professional + Producer
Funds awarded in 2019: $49,994.00
Projected End Date: 05/30/2020
Host Institution Award ID: G220-19-W7502
Grant Recipients: Community Alliance with Family Farmers; UC Davis Russell Ranch Sustainable Ag Research Facility
Region: Western
State: California
Principal Investigator:
Dave Runsten
Email
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Co-Investigators:
Kali Feiereisel
Email
Community Alliance With Family Farmers
Description:
Occultation, or the covering of soil with black tarps for weed control, is a practice gaining traction on small farms in California, yet there has been little research on it. The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) undertook on-farm research on occultation on five small-scale vegetable farms in California. Occultation was assessed for effects on weed suppression, labor inputs, and crop yield and quality. Benefits and tradeoffs of the practice are explored, in addition to recommendations from farmers who collaborated on the project.
Type:
Manual/Guide
File:
Download file (PDF)
Authors:
Kali Feiereisel, CAFF
Sara Tiffany, CAFF
Emily Buerer, CAFF
Target audiences:
Farmers/Ranchers; Educators; Researchers
Ordering info:
Emily Buerer
emily@caff.org
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
36355 Russell Blvd
Davis, CA 95616
https://www.caff.org/climatesmartfarming/
530-576-1298
Publication/product ID: Effects of Occultation on Weed Pressure, Labor Costs, Product Quality, and Yield in Sustainable Vegetable Production in Northern California
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.