Cover Crop Education Project
Ann D. Mayse and David Chaney
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, University
of California, Davis CA 95616
There is a substantial body of literature and other information concerning the use of cover crops in California agriculture. However, these sources can be difficult to find and the time investment to collect appropriate materials is often significant. Informal surveys and conversations with Cooperative Extension (CE) advisors, and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel, and agricultural consultants indicate that a comprehensive collection of materials and related curriculum on the use of cover crops could be a useful tool in furthering information dissemination and the use of cover crops by California farmers.
To address this problem the Cover Crop Education Project (CCEP)
was undertaken in June 1995 to collect, develop and test innovative
educational methods and materials that focus on cover crops. The
project is funded jointly by the California Energy Commission
and the Western Region USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research &
Education Program. Ann Mayse, David Chaney and Chuck Ingels, all
with UC SAREP, comprise the project team. They receive assistance
from other UC personnel, as well as from members of the wider
agricultural community.
Project Goals and Methods
The goal of the CCEP is to provide a convenient and comprehensive
educational package that can be used by CE advisors, NRCS personnel,
agricultural consultants and others in their educational work
with farmers and ranchers around California. There are four stages
to this project:
- Identify, review and catalog existing information sources related to cover crop education (e.g. print publications, slides, videos, electronic media).
- Work with CE, NRCS and others to test and evaluate the curriculum, and identify additional materials that should be added to the package.
- Revise and adapt the package or its components for use at other venues and with other audiences around the State.
- Market and distribute the package statewide, and continue to evaluate and update the package as needed.
Educational resources and materials by themselves will not ensure that information has been conveyed accurately. It is also essential that the educational process be well-conceived and appropriate for the intended audience. In order to develop a sense of that educational process related to cover cropping, we began this project by interviewing key participants from the Biologically Integrated Orchard System (BIOS) projects sponsored by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers Foundation. These projects have used a diversity of educational methods and materials about cover crop use in almonds and walnuts. Open-ended telephone interviews were conducted in the fall of 1995 with ten BIOS management team members regarding their experiences working with participating farmers. In general, management team members reported that field demonstrations and farm tours were an integral part of the educational process. They noted that farmers often prefer this "hands-on" type of learning, and that there was no substitute for demonstrating cover crop growth and management techniques in the field at key points during the growing season. Those interviewed also noted supplementary slide presentations, printed materials, one-on-one consultations, and group presentations and discussions would further enhance the educational program. The on-going, seasonal nature of the educational process has been captured in a comprehensive curriculum outline. This outline has been reviewed by selected CE advisors, researchers, and specialists, as well as farmers, NRCS personnel and others. Information received from these sources were incorporated and will be used to guide future work.
To date, the project team has identified, reviewed and cataloged an extensive list of printed materials and videos related to cover cropping. In addition, two slide sets (one for annual farming systems, one for perennial) are being assembled that can be used to introduce cover cropping benefits, problems and techniques to various audiences. Cover crop information that is available electronically (gopher, world wide web, etc.) is also being identified. Lastly, a Directory of Cover Crops Expertise is being produced that will identify key resource people available for consultation or presentations on cover cropping.
The preliminary cover crop package is being evaluated at a series
of educational meetings during the spring of 1996 (including the
1996 Cover Crops Workgroup and Sustainable Agriculture Farming
Systems workshop). After this review has been completed the package
will be finalized and made available through the UC DANR's Sustainable
Agriculture Research & Education Program. In the future, the
project will continue to work with CE and NRCS and others to evaluate
the educational package and identify and assess additional materials
that could be integrated into it.
For more information contact: David Chaney, UC Sustainable Agriculture
Research & Education Program, University of California, Davis,
CA 95616. Tel. (916) 754-8551. dechaney@ucdavis.edu
Cover Crop Research and Education Summaries