Organic No-Till Cropping System Farm Evaluation 1998-2000

I am an organic grain farmer growing corn, soybeans and small grain. I have traditionally utilized poultry manure as the nitrogen source for corn production and for small grain production. By continuing this practice, my soil phosphorus levels over time will increase to unmanageable levels. I want to do an on-farm trial of the no-till organic grain system that Mark Davis and Dr. Randy Peiffer have developed at Delaware State University. Their system is a three crop/three year rotation utilizing cover crops, no-till planting, no-till cultivation and minimal fall tillage for seeding of fall cover crops and wheat. This system uses a smaller amount of poultry manure once every three years, where before I was using poultry manure two years out of three. Their system is also designed to use crimson clover or hairy vetch as a sole nitrogen source for corn and this cover crop mulch also suppresses weeds.