Sustainable Crop Production On Small Acreages Dr. Carol Miles, Vegetable Extension Specialist WSU Mount Vernon NWREC

Climate Variety Selection Water Soil Cover Crops Tillage Pest Management Season Extension Harvest Market Labeling High Value Crops Sustainable Crop Production

Summer growing season Winter growing season Climate Western Region Climate Center

Variety Selection Early maturing varieties Disease resistant varieties Rotation Seed catalogs

Irrigation - required for summer crop production - do you have a water right? Crop requirements - 1 inch per week during dry months Water

Sprinkler - hand line - solid set

Soaker Hose

Drip Tape

Moisture - balance winter rains with summer drought - improve drainage with raised beds Tilth – soil quality and health - organic matter Soil test every year – nutrients and pH - list of laboratories Soil

Soil fertility (green manure) - captures & traps nutrients - mines nutrients Soil tilth - organic matter - deep rooting - improves drainage Pest management - insect and disease control - out compete weeds - habitat for beneficials Erosion control Cover Crops

Legumes clovers medic hairy vetch winter peas Small grains barley annual rye winter wheat sorghum-Sudan grass Broadleaf buckwheat mustard Cover Crops Local seed sources cost weed seed free

Information Resources Managing cover crops profitably SAN Handbook Series Book 3, second edition Building soils for better crops SAN Handbook Series Book 4, second edition Methodologies for screening soil improving legumes Marianne Sarrantonio, Rodale Institute WSU Small Farms Team website Cover Crops

Rye with Austrian Winter Peas White MustardWinter Wheat White Clover

Incorporate crop residues Weed control Create fine seed bed Disease and insect management Soil aeration Break up soil pan Tillage

Plowing – initial ground breaking roll over soil, brings bottom to top, requires most HP

Discing – cuts surface, no hard top layer

Harrowing – creates fine, smooth, level surface

Rototiller – pulverizes soil, very fine seed bed, use cultivator first

Steve Groff, Cedar Meadow Farm - permanent cover cropping system - www. cedarmeadowfarm.com Minimum Tillage

Strip-till organic vegetables John Luna, Oregon State University

Pesticides - WSDA pesticide applicators license Organic pesticides - WSDA Organic Food Program materials list Biological control - viable product - application techniques Crop Rotation Cultivation Pest Management

Weed control Crops that are easily cultivated - sweet corn - beans - garlic Crops not easily cultivated - carrots - onions - beets Cultivation

Information Resources Steel in the field: a farmer’s guide to weed management tools SAN Handbook Series Book 2 Steel in the field: a farmer’s guide to weed management tools SARE video Weed ‘em and reap: tools for non-chemical weed management in vegetable cropping systems Oregon State University Weed Control

Crop selection Row covers Cloche / low tunnels Hoophouse / high tunnels Cold frames Season Extension

Field crops Kale Cabbage Brussels Sprouts Broccoli Hoophouse crops Lettuce Asian greens Winter Crops Seed catalogs Spinach Pea Garlic Leeks Chinese Cabbage Celery

Row Cover

Low tunnel

High Tunnel Hoop House No added heat or light

Field hoophouse

High Tunnel

Peak maturity Labor Sorting - quality control Field cooling – hydrocooling and fan Storage - The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks, USDA ARS Ag Handbook No. 66 Harvest

Local Direct Food from the field Customer information Market Labeling

High-Value Vegetable Crops New, alternative crops Not commonly available

Edamame

Icebox Watermelon

Pea Shoots

Niche Market Dry Beans

Molasses Face Trout/Jacobs Cattle Calypso Rockwell Orca

Dry Bean Threshing and Cleaning

Wasabi

Baby Butternut Squash Honey Nut