I have a copy and it's a dandy. It is written well, the information
is organized and practical, and the graphical maps showing region of
adaptation are helpful for a quick glance at what grows where.
It tells you about the benefits and uses of individual cover crops,
and it even lists seed sources for plants like Buckwheat, Woolypod
Vetch ,and Subterranean Clover.
Soil being the foundation of agriculture, and cover crops being like
a nice soft pair of underwear to cover up that soil.....I'd say it's
a pretty darn important topic.
And if you compare prices in a catalog like Victoria's Secrets,
I'm sure you will find that $19 is a small price to pay for something
so comforting to your farm's soil.
Seriously, there's just no substitute for cover crops in managing
soils and the SAN folks who put this together did a smash-up
job organizing the handbook. The easier it is to access good
information on cover crops, the easier it will be to use them.
Steve Diver
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Andy Clark
> 301-504-6425 san@nal.usda.gov
>
>New Book Helps Farmers Reap Cover Crop Benefits
>
> BELTSVILLE, Md. -- To help farmers boost their bottom line while
> enhancing the environment, a new book from USDA's Sustainable
> Agriculture Network (SAN) greatly expands field-ready information on
> cover crop species and practices proven to build soil and provide a host
> of agronomic benefits.
>
> The 212-page Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 2nd Edition features
> information gleaned from the latest cover crop field trials, lab tests
> and on-farm experiences from every region of the U.S. It includes
> management details such as seeding rates and best killing methods, as
> well as broader considerations of how to design rotations to maximize
> benefits. Comprehensive chapters on the 18 most promising cover crop
> species, fact-filled charts and lists of seed suppliers, expert contacts
> and other relevant publications make the fully indexed guide invaluable
> for both newcomers and cover crop veterans.
>
> "If you're like most farmers," says Rich De Wilde, a vegetable grower
> from Viroqua, Wis., "you probably think you're too busy for cover crops.
> My advice: Just do it. Discover how cover crops hold and improve your
> soil and how they suppress weeds and deter pests. Cover crops make a big
> difference on my farm."
>
> Range maps for the 18 cover crops help farmers zero in on which ones are
> best suited for their region. They then can turn to chapters on each
> species that detail the unique role each cover crop can play. Each
> chapter provides specific management information about soil preferences,
> seeding rates, field operations, managing and planting into residue, and
> cover crop mixtures with other species.
>
> The new book also features four comprehensive charts that make it easy to
> compare cover crop species. This section provides recommendations for
> the best cover crops in 14 bioregions and details 55 factors for each
> cover describing its benefits, roles, traits and management.
>
> Chapters focus on easy ways to get started with cover crops, economics,
> nitrogen crediting, soil building and developing cover crop-based
> rotations.
>
> The first edition was published in 1992 during a resurgence of interest
> in cover crops. But it also raised new questions in the minds of farmers
> and researchers. What species are best for arid conditions? What is the
> best way to calculate nitrogen contributions from cover crops? How can
> farmers use cover crops in no-till systems? How can farmers best reap
> multiple benefits from a single cover crop species or mixture?
>
> "The book helps answer these questions and provides practical
> alternatives for farmers looking for more profitable and environmentally
> sound ways to farm," says Jill S. Auburn, national director of the
> Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. "It is a
> comprehensive resource on how cover crops build healthy, fertile soil and
> suppress weeds, insects and disease." SARE, a program of the USDA's
> Cooperative State Research, Education & Extension Service, provided funds
> to SAN to develop this book.
>
> To order Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 2nd Edition, send $19 to
> Sustainable Agriculture Publications, Hills Building, University of
> Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405-0082. Visit the SAN/SARE web site at
> http://www.sare.org or contact Andy Clark for more information about SAN.
>
> Bulk discounts are available for 10 or more copies. Contact Sustainable
> Agriculture Publications for information about bulk discounts ONLY, please:
>
> NE SARE <nesare@zoo.uvm.edu>
> (802) 656-0471
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