Agriculture Commons^™

Vermont Organic Silage Corn Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted an organic silage corn variety trial in 2019 to provide unbiased performance comparisons of commercially available varieties. With the expansion of the organic dairy industry in our region there is increased interest in organic corn silage production. To determine varieties that are best suited to this production system and our region’s climate, we evaluated 11 commercially available organic corn silage varieties. It is important to remember that the data presented are from a replicated research trial from only one location in Vermont and represent only one season. Crop performance …

Cool Season Annual Forage Mixtures Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2019, the University of Vermont Extension’s Northwest Crop and Soils Program evaluated the performance of cool season annuals for forage planted in mixtures and in monoculture. In the Northeast, cool season perennial grasses dominate pastures and hay meadows that farmers rely on. Often times during the fall months, the perennial pasture will decline in yield and quality. The addition of cool season annual forages into the grazing system during this time may help improve the quality and quantity of forage and potentially extend the grazing season. Recently, there has been a growing interest in utilizing multiple cool season forage …

Industrial Hemp Fertility Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and reemerging in worldwide importance as manufacturers seek hemp as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. The crop produces a valuable oilseed and oilseed meal. The fiber has high tensile strength and can be used to create cloth, rope, building materials, and even a form of plastic. For twenty years, U.S. manufacturers have been importing hemp from China, Eastern Europe, and Canada. Today, industrial hemp is re-emerging as a locally grown product …

Oilseed Meal Fertility Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Oilseed meal can provide a source of plant-derived nitrogen fertilizers. Agronomic research is needed to help farmers implement these alternative fertility sources. Seed meals are a high-protein byproduct of seed oil extraction from crops such as soybean, canola, sunflower, hemp, and peanut. While a byproduct, seed meals still retain nutrient value after oil extraction, and are high in protein. Hence, seed meals are often utilized as livestock feed. Seeds meals can also be used as organic soil amendments, and can act as organic fertility sources to farmers. In order to examine the efficacy of several seed meals as fertilizers, the …

Spring Wheat Crosses Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The goal of this project is to develop new spring wheat varieties that are suited for organic management in Northeast soils and climatic conditions. Most commercially available varieties are developed in regions with climates, soils, and management techniques that are very different from northern New England. These modern varieties are also genetically homogenous and inbred for uniformity, sometimes resulting in rapid breakdown of genetic resistance to local diseases.

Eight crosses were developed by Dr. Stephen Jones of Washington State University, including crosses of two varieties bred by famed Vermont botanist and wheat breeder, Cyrus Pringle. Of these varieties, a number …

Rye Variety Trial, Heather Darby, John Bruce, Haley Jean, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The interest in growing cereal rye for grain to be sold as cover crop seed, or to other value-added markets (distillers and bakers), has increased considerably across the Northeast region. As a result, farmers and end-users are requesting yield and quality information on cereal rye varieties. In 2019, University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils (NWCS) Program conducted a variety trial to evaluate yield and quality of cereal rye. The varieties were Wren’s Abruzzi, Helltop, Bono, Merced, Dolero, Hazlet, Danko, Brassetto, ND Dylan, Huron, Musketeer, Aroostook, Guardian, Wheeler, and Spooner.

Milkweed Production Trials, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a plant native to North America and has recently become the focus of conservation programs, as Milkweed is the sole food source for declining populations of Monarch butterfly larvae. Milkweed (Image 1) has long been a foe of agricultural operations and as a result, populations have been on the decline throughout the United States. To increase the abundance and scale of conservation plantings of milkweed, the Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS) has developed an incentive program to compensate landowners for establishing perennial monarch habitat including planting milkweed. Landowners in northern Vermont have a …

Cover Crop Planting Date Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Maintaining and improving soil health is critical to crop productivity. Cover cropping is one way to prevent soil erosion, maintain and/or improve soil nutrients, improve soil aggregation, prevent nutrient loss from runoff, and increase water retention. Such soil improvements can promote conditions that add resiliency to a crop, especially in light of extreme weather patterns that may affect yields. It can be challenging to grow a successful cover crop, given other demands from a farm operation and weather limitations. In this trial, our goals were to evaluate the effect of cover crop planting dates and cover crop mixes on biomass …

Interseeding Cover Crops Into Wide-Row Corn Silage, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Luke, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

There has been increased interest in interseeding cover crops into corn. Cover cropping is a way to prevent soil erosion, maintain and/or improve soil nutrients, improve soil aggregation, prevent nutrient loss from runoff, and increase water retention. Such soil improvements can promote conditions that add resiliency to a crop, especially in light of extreme weather patterns that may affect yields. Interseeding can be beneficial by providing year round ground coverage and maximizing a short growing season by interseeding early to allow for full cover crop growth. It can be difficult to grow a successful cover crop, given other demands from …

Annual And Perennial Forage System Impact On Soil Health And Corn Silage Yield, Heather Darby, Lindsey Ruhl, John Bruce, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Producing high quality forage crops is exceedingly challenging in Vermont as climate change progresses with more precipitation, faster rates of precipitation, and higher annual temperatures (Faulkner, 2014). Organic farmers in the NE need reliable strategies for increasing quality forage production and decreasing risks associated with extreme weather events and pest outbreaks. Organic farmers who rely on pasture-based forage systems have reported challenges with meeting the dry matter and nutrient requirements of livestock due to short-term droughts and prolonged periods of soil wetness. Increasing forage crop diversity and integrating annual forage crops into perennial-based systems can help to increase forage reserves …

Integrating Cover Crops And Manure Into Corn Silage Cropping Systems, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Luke, Rory Malone, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With increasing focus on managing environmental impacts from agriculture, farmers are looking for ways to manage nutrients efficiently on their farms without sacrificing crop productivity. Cover cropping and no-till crop production are strategies that have been promoted as methods that help retain nutrients on farms and minimize losses to the environment. However, integrating these practices into the cropping system requires changes to other aspects of the system. For instance, manure management becomes more difficult when using no-till production methods as the timing or method of application may need to be altered to fit appropriately into the new production system. Farmers …

Corn Cropping Systems To Improve Economic And Environmental Health, Heather Darby, Lindsey Ruhl, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2018, UVM Extension’s Northwest Crops & Soils Program continued a multi-year trial at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT to assess the impact of corn cropping systems on overall health and productivity of the crop and soil. Yields are important and they affect the bottom line immediately and obviously. Management choices involving crop rotation, tillage, nutrient management, and cover crops also make differences in the long term. Growing corn with practices that enhance soil quality and crop yields improves farm resiliency to both economics and the environment. This project evaluated yield and soil health effects of five different corn …

Sare Interseeding Cover Crops In Corn Silage Cropping Systems, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With increasing focus on minimizing environmental impacts from agriculture, farmers are looking for strategies that are good for farm and environmental viability. Cover cropping is one strategy that has been promoted to help farms improve soil health and minimize soil and nutrient losses to the environment. However, with a short growing season it is often difficult to get an adequate cover cropping following corn silage harvest. Therefore, farmers are interested in using interseeding techniques to establish cover crops into an actively growing corn crop. Being successful with this practice will likely require changes to other aspects of the cropping system …

Long Season Corn Silage Performance Trials Summary, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Long season corn (96-110 day relative maturity) silage hybrids in Alburgh, VT

Planting Date: 05-13-19

Harvest Date: 10-02-19

Short Season Corn Silage Performance Trials Summary, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Short season corn (85-95 day relative maturity) silage hybrids in Alburgh, VT

Planting Date: 05-22-19

Harvest Date: 09-25-19

Vermont Flint And Dent Corn Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In the northeast there is a strong demand from consumers to have access to a wide range of locally produced food products. This demand creates opportunities for specialty value-added markets and crops to emerge. One market that has been gaining popularity and expanding recently in the northeast is the specialty corn market. Flint corn has very hard starch and can be ground and used in tortillas, tamales, corn meal, grits, and other products. Flint has a high proportion of hard starch in the kernel that produces a coarse meal. This is different than a soft-starch flour corn that, when ground, …

Vermont Non-Gmo Corn Silage Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Luke, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2019, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated yield and quality of 10 non-GMO corn silage varieties at Borderview Research Farm, Alburgh, VT. A non-GMO milk market has prompted some dairy farmers to start growing corn silage that has not been genetically modified. Conventional farmers have countless corn silage varieties available supported by performance data and trait information. To successfully transition to growing non-GMO corn, farmers are looking for more information on non-GMO varieties that are available and perform well in our region. While the information presented can begin to describe the yield and quality …

New York And Vermont Corn Silage Hybrid Evaluation Program, Joseph Lawrence, Allison Kerwin, Thomas Overton, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2019, the corn silage hybrid evaluation program received 75 entries from 14 seed brands. Hybrid evaluation at multiple environments helps in decision making and expands the reach of this type of data to more farmers. With this in mind Cornell, UVM, and seed companies collaborate to provide this robust evaluation. Hybrids were either entered into the 80-95 day relative maturity (RM) group (Early-Mid) and were tested at two locations in NY (n = 26; Hu-Lane Farm in Albion and the Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro) and one location in VT (n = 26; Borderview Farm in Alburgh) …

Syngenta Silage Corn Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted a variety trial of silage corn from Syngenta AG (Greensboro, NC) to provide unbiased performance comparison of eight commercially available varieties, and to determine varieties best suited to this production system and local climate. It is important to remember that the data presented are from a replicated research trial from only one location in Vermont and represent only one season. Crop performance data from additional tests in different locations and over several years should be compared before making varietal selections.

Legume Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2017, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team initiated a trial investigating forage yield and quality of varieties of different legume species seeded in monocultures. The species selected were alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, red clover, and white clover. These legumes were chosen as they have been shown in previous research to have adequate survivability and forage production in this region. Organic and grass-based dairy systems rely on legumes to help provide balanced nutrition to their animals while also reducing the crop’s need for additional nitrogen compared to a pure grass stand. This information therefore, may help enhance …

Colored Wheat Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

There is an interest amongst bakers and the grain industry in the development of colored wheat crosses as a specialty grain that can be marketed outside of commodity markets. Specialty grains can support local farm viability, and well as the viability of small-scale bakers and millers, and can be bred for adaptation to the local climate. Additionally, there is interest in evaluating the antioxidant capacity of colored wheats as they may have potential health benefits due to their antioxidant properties, which could further increase their value as a specialty grain. In 2019, the University of Vermont Extension’s Northwest Crops and …

Summer Annual Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Warm season grasses, such as Sudangrass, and millet can provide quality forage in the hot summer months, when the cool season grasses enter dormancy and decline in productivity. The addition of summer annuals into a rotation can provide a harvest of high-quality forage for stored feed or grazing during this critical time. Generally, summer annuals germinate quickly, grow rapidly, are drought resistant, and have high productivity and flexibility in utilization. The UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted this variety trial to evaluate the yield and quality of warm season annual grasses.

The Efficacy Of Spraying Fungicides To Control Fusarium Head Blight Infection In Spring Malting Barley, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The “localvore” movement and public interest in sourcing local foods has extended into beverages, and the demand for local brewing and distilling ingredients sourced in the Northeast remains high. One market that has generated interest from both farmers and end-users is malted barley. The Northeast is home to over 180 microbreweries and 37 craft distillers. Until recently, local malt was not readily available to brewers or distillers. The expanding malting industry provides farmers with new markets for grain crops. Regional maltsters continue to find it challenging to source enough local grain to match demand for their product. The local barley …

The Efficacy Of Spraying Organic Fungicides To Control Fusarium Head Blight Infection In Spring Wheat, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Locally grown grains, such as wheat and barley, are in high demand in the Northeast for both livestock feed and human consumption. Many bakeries feature loaves baked with locally grown wheat. Hard red spring wheat is most commonly used for bread flour. One major challenge that grain growers encounter is infection by disease-causing fungi, such as the fungus Fusarium graminearum, whose spores can infect plants from flowering until grain fill. Fusarium head blight (FHB) can shrivel grain, decrease seed germination, decrease yields, and contaminate grains with mycotoxins. The primary mycotoxin associated with FHB is deoxynivalenol (DON), a vomitoxin. If …

Heirloom Dry Bean Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), a high-protein pulse crop, have been grown in the Northeast since the 1800’s. As the local food movement continues to diversify and expand, consumers are asking stores to carry more locally-produced foods, and dry beans are no exception. Currently, the demand for heirloom dry beans has far exceeded the supply. In an effort to support and expend the local bean market throughout the northeast, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program established a fifth year of trials in 2019 to evaluate heirloom dry bean varieties to see which ones thrive in …

Impact Of Cover Crops On No-Till Spring Grain Production, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Soil health is fundamentally important to crop productivity. Cover cropping is one method of improving soil health, by preventing soil erosion and nutrient runoff, improving soil aggregation and nutrients, as well as providing other benefits to soils and crop productivity. Cover crops have also been noted for their ability to suppress weeds. Some cover crops have been noted for their allelopathic characteristics, which can decrease the germination of weeds. No-till and reduced tillage practices can also increase water infiltration and reduce soil degradation while keeping carbon in the soil. Different types of cover crops, such as grasses, legumes, and brassicas, …

Heirloom Hulless Spring Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

There is an interest amongst bakers and the grain industry in the development of local grain varieties. Specialty grains, such as hulless barley (naked barley), can support local farm viability outside of commodity markets, and provide small-scale bakers and millers with a value-added opportunity as well. Hulless barley has an outer hull loosely attached to the kernel, which generally falls off during harvest, allowing the bran and germ to be retained. Due to this loose hull, hulless barley is a whole grain that requires minimal processing in comparison to barley that has hulls tightly adhered to the seed. In 2019, …

Oat Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Oats (Avena sativa L.) have a long history of production in the Northeast. Although most oats are planted for a cover crop or forage, grain oats are a potential revenue source for farmers. According to the 2017 census, about 80 acres of land in Vermont is cultivated for oat grain production, with an average yield of 1956 lbs ac^-1. With the exception of hull-less varieties, oats need to be de-hulled before they can be used for human consumption and even further processing is required to make oatmeal, steel cut oats, or oat flour. Since 2009, the University …

Organic Spring Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the locavore movement, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in sourcing local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics such as low protein content and high germination. Depending on the variety, barley can be planted in either the spring or fall, and both two- and six-row barley can be used for malting. In 2019, UVM Extension in collaboration with the Eastern Spring Malting Barley Nursery (ESBN) testing network, conducted a spring malting barley trial to evaluate yield and quality of …

Organic Spring Wheat Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Rory Malone, Hillary Emick, Haley Jean, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2019, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated thirty-five hard red spring wheat varieties to determine which would thrive in the Northeast. The trial was established at the Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont. Varieties that did not perform well in previous years were eliminated from the 2019 trial and new varieties were added.