COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS & HOW TO TRACK THE BENEFITS OF COVER CROPPING

Transcription

1 COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS & HOW TO TRACK THE BENEFITS OF COVER CROPPING THE NASHVILLE FOOD PROJECT What is this user s guide? This guide can be used by trainers wh want t assist pre-literate and/r English- as a secnd language-speaking farmers with including cver crps in vegetable prductin and ther crp rtatin schedules. It leads farmers thrugh the prcess f srting thrugh the characteristics f specific cver crps t select the best ne r mix f cver crps t meet their gals. It intrduces farmers t a series f questins that they can answer thrughut the grwing seasn t evaluate the perfrmance f the cver crps they have planted. Wrksheets are prvided s that trainers can assist farmers with this evaluatin and with recrding the results. Sme data is specific t the Sutheast regin f the United States, but links t resurces where data apprpriate t ther regins can be accessed are prvided. This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RM17RMEPP522C029.

2 Wh made this guide? ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: This teaching resurce was develped by Lauren Bailey f The Nashville Fd Prject in Nashville, TN in partnership with the Institute fr Scial and Ecnmic Develpment (ISED Slutins). This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RM17RMEPP522C029. WHY IS THIS TRAINING NEEDED? While there are many resurces available n cver crps, the breadth f infrmatin is ften t cmprehensive t teach in ne sessin fr farmers with limited-english and/r literacy. In ur bservatins, farmers may have basic, experiential knwledge f cver crps and hw they are gd fr the sil. This sessin builds n that experiential knwledge, filling in infrmatin which may be new t sme farmers abut the benefits f cver crps and the variety f cver crp species which are available. This mdule assumes that farmers have the ability t take sme beds ut f prductin fr Summer cver crpping. HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR STAFF/TRAINERS: Managing Cver Crps fr Prfitability by SARE. Yu can dwnlad this resurce fr free at: TEACHING TIP: Thrughut this guide, bxes (like this ne) cntain teaching tips t help yu better facilitate farmer learning. Mst cme frm ther prgrams wh have tested and reflected n using this lessn. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS/ PAGE 2 OF 17

3 Objectives and Skills REVIEW VOCABULARY: Cver Crp Grass Bean r Legume Mustard r Brassica Sil ersin Beneficial insect Pest pressure Cash crp Nitrgen OBJECTIVES: By the end f this sessin, farmers will be able t: Incrprate cver crpping int Summer crp plans. Assess field perfrmance and benefits achieved by planting cver crps. PROOF OF LEARNING: I will knw that farmers have achieved learning bjectives because: They incrprate cver crpping int their Summer crp plans. They evaluate the perfrmance f the cver crps they plant. Nte: Mdule 2 can fllw Mdule 1 r be adapted t stand alne. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 3 OF 17

4 Table f Cntents 5 IS THIS GUIDE RIGHT FOR YOU Audience Resurces needed 7 ACTIVITY 1 / 50 MINUTES This activity is a review r tpics cvered in the previus Users Guide: Which Cver Crp Will Yu Use? : Summer cver crps, their benefits, and what yu have t d t get each benefit. 12 ACTIVITY 2 / 50 MINUTES Participants practice chsing summer cver crps. 15 ACTIVITY 3 / 20 MINUTES This activity intrduces farmers t the list f questins that they will be asked at different checkpints during the seasn. 17 ACTIVITY 4 / 20 MINUTES Track cver crp benefits with farmers thrugh the Summer grwing seasn. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 4 OF 17

5 Audience PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED/USEFUL: Useful if farmers have previusly been intrduced t the definitin f cver crp. EXPLICIT SKILLS which may need t be pre-taught, r integrated int the lessn: Reading a grid LITERACY LEVELS: LANGUAGE LEVELS: Apprpriate fr all levels f literacy. Graphics allw nn-literate students t participate. If using an interpreter, shuld be apprpriate fr mst Englishspeaking levels. FARMING EXPERIENCE: This mdule is prbably mst apprpriate fr farmers wh have had ne seasn f experience, but the tpic culd be intrduced t first year farmers. REGION / CLIMATE: This mdule is adaptable t all regins and climates. Data which is specific t the Sutheastern US is clearly labeled and links t resurces fr accessing equivalent data fr ther regins are prvided. PROGRAM STRUCTURE: Any: CSA structure r whlesale aggregatin r n aggregatin. SEASON: Ideally, this is taught during the ff-seasn if trying t encurage farmers t plant cver crps fr the Summer seasn. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 5 OF 17

6 Resurces needed TIME: STAFF: INTERPRETER: LOCATION: One 2-hur sessin. Sme activities culd be left ut, if yu need t cut dwn n time. An instructr plus language interpreter(s). Yes, if participants are nt prficient in English. Written fr classrm, but can be adapted fr presentatin in the field. RESOURCES AND MATERIALS NEEDED TO CONDUCT THE SESSIONS: Each farmer shuld receive: Cver Crp Planning Steps Handut Summer Cver Crp Benefits Handut Additinal materials and resurces include: Enugh pictures f cver crps fr each farmer t have ne Flip chart & Markers Pictures f Cver Crp Benefits Pictures f Csts f Cver Crps Pictures f Cver Crp Planning Steps Cver Crps Planning Steps handut Slide Shw: Summer Cver Crps & Tracking Benefits Painters Tape (t tape materials t wall, if needed) Managing Cver Crps fr Prfitability: SARE Cver Crp Image Library: COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 6 OF 17

7 Activity 1 1 TIME: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW: This activity is a review f tpics cvered in the previus Users Guide: Which Cver Crp Will Yu Use? : Summer cver crps, their benefits, and what yu have t d t get each benefit. MATERIALS NEEDED: Slide shw: Summer Cver Crps & Tracking Benefits Summer Cver Crp Benefits pster material (with phts f yur reginal cver crp ptins) Flipchart, pster bard, r white bard Pens and markers Painters tape Yur reginal summer cver crp chart-fr facilitatr Cver Crp phts frm Mdule 1 Managing Cver Crps fr Prfitability: Managing-Cver-Crps-Prfitably-3rd-Editin SARE Cver Crp Image Library: OBJECTIVES / LEARNING: By the end f this activity participants will be able t: Understand the benefits f cver crps Understand the actins needed t get each benefit Name crps that can be grwn fr Summer cver crpping in their regin COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 7 OF 17

8 LESSON STEPS: Review: If Mdule 1 has already been taught, take time t review the benefits f cver crps with farmers. Ask farmers if they can remember what benefits can be gained frm planting cver crps. As facilitatr, review the benefits that were nt mentined by farmers. General Benefits Sil Builder: Reduce sil cmpactin, increase rganic matter Ersin Fighter: Reduce and prevent sil ersin Weed Fighter: Suppresses weeds Pest Fighter: sme cver crps release txins which can prevent r reduce sme pests Nitrgen Scavenger: scavenge nitrgen left ver frm a previus crp Nitrgen surce: Fix atmspheric nitrgen fr use in subsequent crps Attract beneficial insects Keep misture in the sil Ask Farmers what is needed t achieve the desired benefit. What d yu need t d in rder t get the benefit? In rder t get the ptimal benefit frm yur cver crp, yu generally want t wait until the crp has flwered (see Slide shw pictures). If yu think abut the life cycle f a plant, nce the plant has set flwers it is mving twards the end f its life. S, if yu wait until after the plant is flwering and chp it dwn befre the seeds disperse, yu will get the ptimal benefit frm the cver crp. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 8 OF 17

9 LESSON STEPS, CONT.: Discuss summer cver crp ptins If yu are in a different regin, use Managing Cver Crps fr Prfitability by SARE t generate infrmatin n summer cver crps fr yur regin: Editin). Befre the lessn, create a large visual grid that farmers can use t demnstrate which summer cver crps fall int which benefit categry. Yu can use flipchart paper, pster bard, r a whitebard. Print the pictures frm the slides f benefits and cver crps as manipulatives fr this large visual. If the cver crps fr yur regin are different, the SARE Cver Crp Image Library website is a helpful resurce. Yur visual shuld lk smething like the chart belw. Yu can add pictures with tape r Velcr, s that yu can build the visual tgether with the participants. Yu will need mre than ne picture f each cver crp. Fr the example belw, yu need 4 Srghum Sudan pictures, 3 Cwpea pictures and 2 Buckwheat pictures. Blded names are excellent at getting the benefit desired, while un-blded names are very gd at getting the benefit. Fill-in the large visual grid as a grup. Yu can d this by inviting individual farmers t tell yu what they see in the Benefits pictures Fr example, yu ask Lal t identify the Ersin Fighter picture by giving him the pht and asking him t describe what he sees in the picture. He may say smething like, I see ne part f the land where it lks like water has created a path and I see anther part f land that desn t have that. Yu can then validate what he sees and ask him t think back t what benefit f cver crps he thinks this picture represents. Help him t place the picture with the wrds that match. If yu are wrking with a grup f farmers wh share cultural r linguistic understanding, it can benefit yu as a facilitatr t use shared language. Even if we ve identified this benefit as Ersin Fighter, farmers might find a better way t phrase this fr their wn understanding. It might be that as a grup yu decide this benefit might be better named Sil Keeper r N Fld. If this is smething that wrks fr yur grup, just wrk t make sure that yu use this shared term cnsistently thrughut the lessn. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 9 OF 17

10 LESSON STEPS, CONT.: T intrduce each specific cver crp, ask fr a vlunteer t identify which cver crp grup they think this crp belngs t (i.e., this is part f the beans grup). It may help t have anther visual with the cver crp grups and pictures f cver crps in that grup smewhere in the rm t give farmers anther visual cue. Yu can use pictures that yu printed frm Mdule 1 and pst them in grups in the rm. Mustards (Brassicas) Examples: mustard greens, daikn radish Beans (Legumes) Examples: clvers, vetch, cw peas, snap peas Others (Nn-Legumes) Examples: winter rye, barley, ats, wheat, srghum Sudan, buckwheat COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 10 OF 17

11 LESSON STEPS, CONT.: After having a vlunteer identify what grup the crp belngs t, intrduce the name f the crp t everyne. This crp is in the Bean Grup and in English, we call this a Cwpea. After intrducing, cntinue t build ut yur large visual by placing this picture under the apprpriate benefit. Yu might add a star t yur visual if the cver crp is excellent at getting the benefit desired. Once yu have built ut yur visual tgether, discuss the specifics f each cver crp as utlined belw. While ging thrugh these specifics, give the farmers time t teach back infrmatin. Once yu review all cver crps, yu might ask farmers: Which cver crp will take the lngest time t grw? Which ne will take the shrtest time? Which cver crp shuld yu mw dwn when it is 3-4ft tall? Which cver crp is gd fr regins that are ht and dry? SOUTHEAST REGION Buckwheat Length f time: ~40 days; kill 7-10 days after flwering Special ntes: plant matter breaks dwn easily; attracts beneficial insects Srghum Sudan Grass Length f time: ~ 70 days Special ntes: creates lts ptential fr rganic matter; can plant abut 2 weeks after prime crn planting (sil needs t be warm and mist); mw when grass is 3-4 feet tall- keep at least six inches; incrprate it int the sil if planning t plant in fall Cwpeas Length f time: ~60 days Special ntes: can grw in regins that are ht and dry; attracts beneficial insects; incrprate int sil befre pds set t avid stink bug invasin COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 11 OF 17

12 Activity 2 2 TIME: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW: Participants practice chsing summer cver crps. MATERIALS NEEDED: Slide shw: Summer Cver Crps & Tracking Benefits Summer Cver Crp Benefits pster materials flipchart, pens, blue painters tape r white bard, markers yur reginal summer cver crp chart (fr facilitatr) OBJECTIVES / LEARNING: By the end f this activity participants will be able t: Identify factrs t cnsider in selecting a cver crp fr Summer prductin Select the best cver crp fr their Summer crp plan LESSON STEPS Example 1: Review Planning fr Cver Crp steps (Slides 19-23). Explain an example r tw befre having farmers try n their wn. Slide 24 Prmpt farmers t tell yu what vegetables they see in the picture. What veggies d yu see in the picture? Then, walk thrugh Example 1. Dim planted radishes, turnips and bk chy fr her Spring Crp in her first tw beds. She s wants t build her sil in these tw beds and thinks that she culd take bth beds ut f prductin fr the summer. What else d we need t knw in rder t help Dim find ut the best ptin? What cash crp will fllw this cver crp? Hw much time is there between the preceding and fllwing cash crps? What are Dim s best ptins fr grwing a summer cver crp that will build her sil? COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 12 OF 17

13 LESSON STEPS, CONT.: Slide 25 Dim knws that she wants t plant green beans in Bed 1 and will need t d s by the first week in June, s she wn t be able t leave this bed ut f prductin fr very lng. She wants t grw lettuce in Bed 2 and she plans t transplant it in late August, s she will have a little bit lnger t leave the bed ut f prductin. Slides 26-28: Share with farmers yur thinking prcess as yu cnsider each cver crp ptin. S, it lks like buckwheat will take nly 40 days. If Dim were t pick buckwheat as her summer cver crp fr bth f her beds, her beds wuld be ut f prductin fr abut 50 days, since she ll need t wait 7 t 10 days fr the buckwheat t decmpse befre she plants int it. We knw that buckwheat is a fast grwer and sil builder, attracts beneficial insects, and is an excellent weed fighter. Srghum Sudan Grass takes 70 days, which is a little ver tw mnths. We knw that we can t plant srghum Sudan until abut tw weeks after it s warm enugh t plant crn. S, in ur regin that means that we prbably wn t be able t plant until June. If we planted in June, and it takes 70 days t grw, we d need t leave it in until mid-august. We als knw that we d need t cut it when it reaches 3 feet, s that we can benefit frm mre rganic matter. We d have t wait 7-10 days until we culd plant int it and we d need t use the mwer t chp it dwn and the tiller t incrprate it. S, at best, we culd plant int it in late August/ early September. We knw that srghum Sudan is an excellent sil builder because it prduces a lt f rganic matter. It is als an excellent nitrgen scavenger and ersin fighter. If we planted srghum Sudan, the beds wuld be ut f prductin fr abut 80 days and we wuldn t plant until June. Cwpeas take 60 days, and we knw that we need t make sure we till them int the sil befre the pea pds set s that we avid a stink bug pest prblem. We als knw that cwpeas are gd at grwing in ht and dry regins, s they may be a gd chice depending n the type f summer we are having. It sunds like ur beds wuld be ut f prductin fr abut 70 days, r a little ver tw mnths, if we planted cwpeas. We knw that they are an excellent weed fighter and ersin fighter, and that they are als very gd at building the sil. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 13 OF 17

14 Which crp wuld yu chse? Wuld yu chse the same crp fr bth beds 1 & 2? Ask fr vlunteers t share their thughts abut which cver crps wuld wrk. Encurage participants t speak by explaining that that there is n wrng answer, and it may depend n timing, envirnment and willingness t try a new crp. Give farmers minutes t think abut their plts and prductin plan. Place an example picture f each summer cver crp in different lcatins arund the rm (yu can remve these frm the pster that yu built in the previus activity r print anther cpy). Ask farmers t walk t the cver crp that they d like t try incrprating int their plt. Ask fr ne r tw vlunteers t share their plan. Prmpt them by asking: Will yu plant any vegetables in the Spring befre yur summer cver crp? If s, what will yu plant? Will yu plant any vegetables in the Fall after yur summer cver crp? If s, what will yu plant? What cver crp did yu chse? Why did yu chse it? COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 14 OF 17

15 Activity 3 3 TIME: 20 Minutes OVERVIEW: This activity intrduces farmers t the list f questins that they will be asked at different checkpints during the seasn. MATERIALS NEEDED: Slide shw: Summer Cver Crps & Tracking Benefits, Slides Checklist f questins LESSON STEPS: Intrduce the purpse f these questins. Nw that yu knw hw t chse a cver crp fr the summer, I hpe that many f yu will try t grw ne this summer. We want t help yu in capturing yur bservatins abut hw this cver crp is impacting yur plt, s we ve gt a list f questins that we ll plan t ask yu after yu plant the crp, after yu kill the crp and then a few questins that we ll ask at the end f the seasn. If yu have tw staff available t rle play asking these questins, that culd be ne way t intrduce the farmers t these questins. Otherwise, intrduce farmers t the questins using the slide shw and using answers frm yur example in Activity 2. TEACHING TIP: Fr us there has been a lt f trial and errr with cver crps. Even thugh farmers seem t understand a lt f these cncepts, it hasn t translated int cver crps actually being successfully planted. Bradcast seeding has nt wrked well fr us and sme type f seeder shuld ideally be used. -Katie COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 15 OF 17

16 COVER CROP CHECKLIST QUESTIONS: Mid-seasn Questins: t be asked shrtly after crp was planted What cver crp did yu chse? What mnth/ seasn did yu plant it? Was there anything planted in the plt befre yu planted cver crps? What was the weather like when yu planted? Hw did yu seed yur cver crp? Did yu brad cast, use a seeder r till it in? Mid-seasn Questins: t be asked shrtly after cver crp was killed When did yu kill the cver crp? Hw did yu kill the cver crp? What did yu plant next? Hw lng after yu killed the cver crp? End f seasn Questins What bservatins did yu make fllwing killing the cver crp? Related t: retaining sil misture, weed pressure, pest pressure, presence f beneficial bugs, crp health Wuld yu plant this cver crp again? COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 16 OF 17

17 Activity 4 4 TIME: 20 Minutes OVERVIEW: Track cver crp benefits with farmers thrugh the Summer grwing seasn. MATERIALS NEEDED: Cver Crps Checklist Questins Cver Crps Benefits Tracker (Staff Tl) LESSON STEPS: Set aside time mid-seasn, after farmers have planted cver crps t ask them the mid-seasn questins related t the planting. After farmers have killed r terminated their cver crps, set aside time t review the checklist questins related t that. Finally, at the end f the seasn check with farmers fr any bservatins they may have abut their use f cver crps r reflectins they may have n changes they might make fr next time. Variatin: Sil imprvement may nt be apparent during the first seasn f cver crpping. Sil tests in the secnd and/r subsequent seasns culd prvide a clear, measurable demnstratin f imprved sil fertility. Befre-and-after cmparisns ver tw r mre seasns can als help farmers see the effects cver crps n sil texture, sil water retentin, and/r pest prblems. COVER CROPS 2: HOW TO SELECT COVER CROPS AND TRACK BENEFITS / PAGE 17 OF 17