Green Manure: Smells like sustainability

Photo Credit: Angelicaorganicfarm.com

      The word manure brings up many mental images to people. Images such as cattle yards, flies and brown substances that smell. Green farmers are attempting to change the notion of manure by making it green.

      According to about.com Green manure, or cover crops is plants grown for the purpose of adding nutrients to the soil to make it more fertile. In addition, a report by the Colorado master gardener program says that cover crops are beneficial for erosion protection, weed suppression, nitrogen fixation, soil structure creation and insect rests reduction. 

    Using cover crops as an alternative to traditional manure protects the environment by reducing polluted runoff. Science daily published an article saying that cover crops help to reduce the amount of free nutrients in the soil during intercrop periods. 

    The Department of Natural Resources released a feature length video to show why cover crop farming is beneficial to both the environment and the farmer's wallet. The video focuses on a town in North Carolina started using multi-species cover crops in their farming.

    By releasing videos focusing on sustainable agriculture, organizations are attempting to reduce apprehension to switch to no till and green manure.

    For farmers interested in how to incorporate cover crops into their field, be it a small garden or multi-acre farm, there are videos on YouTube with tutorials. One video by About.com shows the process of growing green manure.

   What is your opinion on cover crops? Leave a comment below saying if you would use this method in your farm or garden and why. Got a topic that you want covered? Leave a comment below and I will take your suggestions for future posts.