March 2023 - Organic Farming Research Foundation

Highlights from the Southern Cover Crops Council Conference

Thelma Velez, OFRF Research and Education Director, and Mary Hathaway, OFRF Research and Education Coordinator, recently attended the 2023 Southern Cover Crop Council Conference in Baton Rouge, LA. This blog post, written by Mary, shares some of the highlights from thought-provoking sessions and stimulating conversations happening in the world of cover crops.

February 15-16, 2023 the Southern Cover Crops Council (SCCC) hosted their second bi-annual conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The conference brought together farmers, researchers, industry professionals, and extension services for two days of knowledge-sharing and networking through producer panels, breakout sessions, poster sessions, and field demonstrations. The conference was also a great opportunity for us to share OFRF’s Southern soil health Guidebook and our new, free online course: Soil Health Strategies for the Southern Region.

The breakout sessions included a wide range of topics, such as: Cover Crop Use in Organic and Vegetable Systems; Utilizing Cover Crop Biomass for Forage; Cover Crop Impacts on Pest and Weed Management; Unintended Consequences of Cover Crops; Choosing Cover Crop Varieties, in addition to sessions on farmer adaptations to equipment, and of course, soil health. As with many good conferences, you can find yourself ruminating on which will be the most interesting or informative sessions to attend. As someone who has felt the fear of missing out on a compelling presentation, I was relieved to find that the conference organizers designed the agenda using a flipped model so that attendees had a second opportunity to participate in any of the given sessions they may have otherwise missed.

The specialty crop farmer panel above was especially lively. From Left to Right, Donna Isaacs, executive director for Campti Field of Dreams, John Bitter, farmer and owner of Frog Song Organics in Florida, Arnold Caylor, former director of North Alabama Horticultural Research Center and farmer, and Ed James, citrus grower and owner/operator at J&R Groves in Florida.

While Donna Isaacs is the ED at Campti Field of Dreams, a Louisiana non-profit focused on outreach and education in historically-underserved communities, she also co-owns and operates DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm, a 14-acre diversified farm where they support and teach beginning farmers how to grow using regenerative organic practices and also implement No-Till Organic Market Garden Production statewide as part of a USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant. John Bitter and his partner, Amy Van Scoik, of Frog Song Organics grow over 80 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs in Alachua County, Florida. They also raise chickens and pork on pasture and integrate their livestock and cropping systems with the use of cover crops. Arnold Caylor has been using cover crops in vegetable production systems in Alabama for many years. He has experience using a variety of mixtures for summer and winter cover crop, including growing brassicas for pest control, cereals for biomass and weed control, and legumes for nitrogen. Ed James, grows citrus on 45 acres and now incorporates about a dozen different annual cover crop varieties. He also educates other citrus growers on the benefits of cover crops provides 100 percent of the nitrogen in his grove with cover crops.

The poster sessions showed a lot of great research is happening at universities across the South with respect to nutrient management, building soil health, and utilizing forage for dairy operations. The highlight of the SCCC was the opportunity to visit the Doyle Chambers Central Research Station at LSU’s Ag Center, where researchers had prepared field demonstrations. While the weather had threatened rain, it held off and gave us a windy overcast day perfect for hay rides through the fields. We learned about the use of technology, such as drones and PlantMap 3D cameras, for measuring cover crop biomass, as well as, the small-scale vegetable garden cover crop mixes comparisons before we had to rush to catch our flights home.

While the producer panels, breakout sessions, and field demonstrations were all very enlightening, I think the true magic of the event happened in the conversations in between sessions. Covid-19 led organizers to cancel the 2021 conference, so us passionate advocates and practitioners in the cover cropping world were happy to gather and share the work that had transpired over the past few years. I was so grateful to get a chance to catch up with colleagues, learn more about ongoing cover crop research, and practical cover crop practices that farmers are integrating into their farm. I can’t wait for the next convening in 2025, Puerto Rico, here we come!

Find out more about the Southern Cover Crops Council and the great work they’re doing here: https://southerncovercrops.org/

Thanks to the folks at Southern SARE for providing a scholarship for my colleague Thelma and me to attend this event!

By admin|2024-06-18T18:22:15+00:00March 20th, 2023|News|

Kelsey Grimsley (they/them)

Office and Administrative Manager

office[at]ofrf.org

831-426-6606

Kelsey Grimsley graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Politics. Right out of college Kelsey gained valuable experience working with diverse populations through jobs in grassroots organizing, community engagement projects, and congressional offices. They lived at a Buddhist retreat center, off-the-grid in Santa Cruz County, where they explored how to live a sustainable lifestyle first-hand, while working for the center as Community Relations Coordinator.

Kelsey has always been passionate about environmental stewardship and social justice, which has informed their career path and led them to working here at OFRF. They are excited and proud to be a part of an organization that has a meaningful mission that aligns with their passions.

By admin|2024-01-24T15:51:48+00:00March 12th, 2023|Staff|

Brian Geier (he/him/his)

Communications Contractor

Brian Geier has worked within organic agriculture for over 20 years. While he did not grow up on a farm, his interest was sparked when volunteering with the Landless Peasant Movement in Brazil as a teenager. In college, he studied under Marianne Sarrantonio in the Sustainable Agriculture program at the University of Maine. Following seasonal internships at various crop/livestock farms, he worked under Dr. Michael Bomford on soil-borne disease control in organic vegetable systems at Kentucky State University. He has 8 years experience as a small farm operator and with commercial, organic, value-added processing, and was a co-founder of the Organic Association of Kentucky. In recent years, Brian worked with land-based non-profits with a focus on education programs, including White Oak Farm and Education Center and the Vesper Meadow Education Program. He currently lives on a farm in Indiana near Louisville and is launching a farm-based non-profit focused on land-connected crafts with his partner. When Brian isn’t in the office, you can most likely find him out on the farm or hiking near water, or, just as likely, in the water.

By office|2024-06-18T18:22:31+00:00March 3rd, 2023|Contractors|

Elizabeth Tobey (she/her/hers)

Communications Contractor

Elizabeth Tobey (she/her) is a farmer and freelance communications contractor. She is motivated by a deep desire to connect people to the land on which they live and believes that we all have a responsibility to care for the earth and each other. Elizabeth grew up an unschooled youth, learning alongside her family’s goats, chickens, ducks, vegetable gardens, and fruit trees. Her background includes immersive studies of organic agriculture, permaculture, intentional community development, natural building, dance, yoga, and creative nonfiction writing, and she holds a degree in Sustainable Community Development from Prescott College, with a focus on Mentoring Future Generations. She has extensive experience as an educator in both indoor and outdoor settings, with preschoolers through adults.

In 2022 she and her partner moved to the traditional homelands of the Shawnee in what is now known as Southern Indiana, and launched Bundle Sticks Farm and Education Center, a nonprofit focused on land-connected craft. On the farm and in all life Elizabeth honors the complexities of power and privilege and is committed to ongoing learning around how to be a better ancestor, ally, and activist. When she’s not at work in front of a computer, or out tending to the land, you’ll likely find her cooking delicious food to share with friends.

By office|2024-06-18T18:22:40+00:00March 3rd, 2023|Contractors|

Mark Schonbeck

Research, Education & Policy

Mark Schonbeck has worked for 31 years as a researcher, consultant, and educator in sustainable and organic agriculture. He has participated in on-farm research into mulching, cover crops, minimum tillage, and nutrient management for organic vegetables. For many years, he has written for the Virginia Association for Biological Farming newsletter and served as their policy liaison to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. He has also participated in different research projects to analyze, evaluate and improve federally funded organic and sustainable agriculture programs. In addition, Mark offers individual consulting in soil test interpretation, soil quality and nutrient management, crop rotation, cover cropping, and weed management.

By office|2024-06-18T18:22:47+00:00March 3rd, 2023|Contractors|

Ashley Dulaney (she/her/hers)

Communications Director

ashley[at]ofrf.org

Ashley Dulaney brings a decade of strategic marketing expertise to her role as Communications Director at OFRF. She has extensive experience across various sectors, including higher education and for-profit industries, giving her a strong understanding of effective communication strategies. Her passion lies in creating impactful content and campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. As Communications Director, Ashley is committed to raising awareness of organic farming research, education, and advocacy efforts. She leverages her skills to connect with organic producers, researchers, and partners, amplifying their efforts toward a thriving organic farming future.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Ashley is deeply passionate about environmental sustainability and community engagement. She is an active member of her city’s Climate Task Force, where she contributes her expertise to help achieve New York State Climate Smart Community (CSC) and Clean Energy Community (CEC) goals. Additionally, Ashley serves as a board member of the Lake Champlain chapter of Trout Unlimited, advocating for the conservation and preservation of local ecosystems. Outside of work, Ashley finds joy in gardening, cooking, and believes in the power of food to bring people together. She also enjoys spending time outdoors, especially trail running, hiking, camping, and canoeing through the Adirondack Park.

By office|2024-06-18T18:22:55+00:00March 1st, 2023|Staff|