Assessment of crop rotation and soil fertility building schemes in some organic farms in England

Abstract

Crop rotation and soil fertility building schemes were assessed on some organic farms in England between August, 2007 and June, 2008. A total of 20 farmers in
Cambridgeshire, Coventry, Leicestershire, Lancashire, Herefordshire, Somerset and Warwickshire were consulted and interviewed on crop rotation and soil
fertility building in organic systems. Crops with different rooting depths were grown in rotation scheme. Major crops on rotation by the organic farmers in the
study areas were potato, cabbage, parsnips, leeks, salads, cauliflower, broccol sweet corn, wheat, barley, cucurbits, French beans, beets, chards, carrots, onion,
spinach and broad beans. The most common novel legume often planted as soil fertility building was red clover; others include sweet clover, subterranean clover, yellow trefoil, crimson clover, lucerne and persian clover. Perennial rye rass was the only grass commonly grown with the novel legumes during the
soil fertility period which varies from one to two years. Crop rotation varied widely between farms and was market driven. Farmers with livestock had much
longer grass clover leys since the animals that grazed on them provided additional source of income. The medium (6 to 7 years) and long term (12 years)
crop rotation schemes were the common practices.