Reflecting on the season

This past season at Milk and Honey Farms we pushed ahead with cover crops even as the Mid-Atlantic faced persistent drought. We rotated blends of oats with peas, buckwheat with cowpeas, and rye with clover between beds of seasonal vegetables. Planting windows were tighter than usual, and germination required careful timing with limited rainfall; when we could, we prioritized early morning and late evening irrigation to help seedlings establish. Even in dry stretches the mixes performed different roles—oats and peas provided quick biomass and nitrogen early on, buckwheat and cowpeas filled mid-season gaps with rapid growth and pollinator habitat, and rye and clover offered winter cover and longer-term organic matter.

Managing cover crops alongside a produce operation meant balancing soil-building goals with the immediate needs of cash crops. We staggered plantings to avoid taking too much ground out of vegetable production at once, and used roller-crimping or shallow incorporation to terminate stands before planting beds for the next crop. Some beds required extra attention—spot-tilling compacted areas, using targeted compost applications where cover crop growth lagged, and adjusting planting densities to conserve moisture. The result was not perfect, but we maintained a steady supply of vegetables while continuing to protect soil from erosion and begin rebuilding structure.

From the season’s challenges we identified refinements that will help in future dry years. We plan to tweak species ratios in each mix to favor drought-tolerant legumes and grasses, shift sowing dates slightly earlier when fall rains are forecast, and increase use of mulch and living mulches in high-value beds to reduce water stress. We also intend to expand soil moisture monitoring across fields to inform irrigation decisions and terminate covers at the optimal moment for both residue and moisture conservation.

Growing cover crops under drought conditions is no easy task, particularly when the primary goal is sustaining and improving soil health while running a commercial produce operation. Still, the benefits—improved soil cover, root channels for water infiltration, seasonal nitrogen fixation, and habitat for beneficial insects—remain clear. With each season we learn small, practical adjustments that add up: smarter timing, more resilient mixes, and closer observation. Those incremental changes make it possible to keep improving soil health without sacrificing the farm’s productivity.

The results are in...

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has been so supportive of this grant and offered to help us collect and test our baseline soil metrics. We met with our department advisor and took soil samples to send off to Cornell laboratory to quantify baseline soil metrics such as organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and carbon percentages. The lab at Cornell also generates a numeric score for soils, indicating soil health metrics. We are pleased to display our benchmark results below. We will be testing each spring and comparing/publishing results for the remainder of the grant study period (3 years).

Field 1 results

Field 2 Results

Field 3 results

I am excited to see how our next few years of cover crop/cash crop rotations effect our soil health metrics. I hypothesize that with our advanced soil management techniques we will be able to effectively increase our soil health metrics, specifically to increase soil organic matter to increase overall soil health. I am enthusiastically hopeful that cover crops will be a useful tool for small farmers with measurable gains in soil health, yields, and farm sustainability.

Baseline Soil tests

Soil testing is a critical component of organic farming, providing essential baseline data to support ongoing soil health research. By carefully sampling the soil, farmers and researchers can assess nutrient levels, microbial activity, and overall soil quality, which informs sustainable management practices. Recently, a meeting was held with team members from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to discuss project goals, share initial findings, and coordinate efforts to advance soil health monitoring. These collaborative efforts aim to enhance organic soil stewardship and promote long-term agricultural productivity.

Milk and Honey Farms uses Cornell University Soil tests to conduct comprehensive testing of our soil nutrient levels, pH, mobile carbon, and organic matter. These critical metrics are being carefully analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of our healthy soil management practices. We aim to gain valuable insights that will help optimize soil health, improve crop productivity, hopefully we can get all our ducks in a row. The purposed plantings are simply a rotation of cash crop into cover crop, with seasonal rotations to keep soil planted at all times. We are even plotting out what it would take to grow raised vegetable beds in plasticulture with a full aisle of cover crop in between each bed. Planted with our seed drill, mowed and managed with our flail mower, and terminated with our roller crimper. We are excited to use these implements in our toolbox, this is a huge upgrade for our little farm and would not be possible without the help of MDA.

Equipment roundup

Since receiving the great news about our grant, we have been scouring equipment manufactures and dealerships all along the eastern seaboard. After much searching, deliberation, and deal making, we have our equipment in hand and are getting acclimated to the new manuals and maintenance procedures.

This is the Great Planes seed drill. It offers a planting solution that “drills” the seed into untilled soil, preserving soil structure and biology.

It plants a line of seeds at a prescribed rate depending on what you are trying to plant. For instance, cereal rye is planted at 100 pounds per acre. The machine must be calibrated and adjusted to keep seed flowing

This funny looking implement is the Roller crimper. Its job is to flatten, crimp, and kill plants with its HEAVY chevron patterned blade. This helps us turn cover crops into mulch that protects the soil surface and increases soil biology.

Our new flail mower chops vegetation into tiny, easily compostable pieces that are digested back into the soil. We use this tool for “green manure” cover crops, that are planted with the sole intention of benefitting the soil.

We got the grant!

After years of applying for the Maryland Healthy Soils fund grant, we received an email notifying us that we were awarded our full grant funding request through the Maryland Department of Agriculture! Our project proposes a 4-year study on our soils with the goals of increasing soil organic matter, capturing carbon, and increasing crop health.

Our grant request involves the purchase of several pieces of equipment to utilize in our mixed produce/cover crop rotation.

1. No till drill. A no-till drill offers significant benefits in organic farming by minimizing soil disturbance, which helps maintain soil structure and promotes microbial activity essential for nutrient cycling. This method reduces erosion and water runoff, preserving topsoil and enhancing water retention. By planting seeds directly into undisturbed soil, the no-till drill also conserves organic matter and reduces weed pressure, minimizing the need for mechanical weeding or chemical intervention. Overall, it supports sustainable farming practices that improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and can lead to higher long-term crop productivity.

2. Roller Crimper. A roller crimper offers significant benefits in cover crop systems within organic farming by providing an effective, chemical-free method to terminate cover crops. This tool flattens and crimps the cover crop stems, creating a mulch layer that suppresses weeds, conserves soil moisture, and enhances soil health without the need for herbicides. The mulch also improves soil structure and nutrient cycling by promoting organic matter decomposition, which supports subsequent cash crops. Additionally, using a roller crimper reduces soil disturbance compared to traditional tillage, helping preserve beneficial soil organisms and reducing erosion, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and resilient organic farming practices.

3. Flail mower. Flail mowers play a crucial role in managing cover crop systems within organic farming by effectively cutting and mulching plant residue without damaging the soil structure. These mowers use a series of small, free-swinging blades attached to a rotating drum, which allows for thorough shredding of cover crops, promoting faster decomposition and nutrient recycling. This process enhances soil organic matter and improves moisture retention, supporting the health of subsequent cash crops. Additionally, flail mowers help control weeds and reduce pest habitats, contributing to a more balanced and sustainable ecosystem on organic farms.