P
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100’
100’
48’ 4’ 48’
Suggested Yearly Crop Rotation (Organic or Non-Organic)
A-Diverse Cover Crop (grasses, legumes, brassicas, broadleaves) cool and warm season
B-Forage or Small Grains (Harvested for green manure or mulch for weed suppression in plot D)
C-Legume mix (Harvestable crop and nitrogen fixation)
D-Vegetable Crops (Harvestable crop for profit)
Pollinators (Habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects)
Grasses
Forage sorghum, Millet, Rye, Barley, Oats, Triticale, Wheat
Legumes
Cowpeas, Mungbean, Guar, Clovers, Austrian Winter Peas, Black Medic
Brassicas
Radish, Turnip
Broadleaves
Sunflower, Buckwheat
Questions?-Contact New Mexico NRCS Agronomist at [email protected]
Are you getting the most out of your small acreage?
POLLINATORS
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
A B C D
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
C D A B
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
B C D A
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
D A B C
48’
4’
48’
“The USDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Provider, and Lender.”
New Mexico NRCS
Small Farmer Crop Rotation Plan Guide
4 Principles of Soil Health Management
Manage More by Disturbing Soil Less
Diversify Soil Biota with Plant Diversity
Keep a Living Root Growing Throughout the Year
Keep the Soil Covered as Much as Possible
Dynamic soil quality is how soil changes depending on how it is managed. Management
choices affect the amount of soil organic matter, soil structure, soil depth, and water and
nutrient holding capacity.
NRCS Practices
(320) Field Border
(325) High Tunnel System
(327) Conservation Cover
(328) Conservation Crop Rotation
(329 & 345) Residue and Tillage Management
(340) Cover Crop
(422) Hedgerow Planting
(441) Microirrigation (Drip)
(484) Mulching
(590)Nutrient Management
(595)Pest Management
NRCS Assistance and Programs
Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)
NRCS employees can help you implement management changes or develop designs for
infrastructure without requiring any program involvement or financial assistance.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address
natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and
air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or
improved or created wildlife habitat.
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
The Conservation Stewardship Program helps agricultural producers maintain and improve
their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address
priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation
performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment.
More information can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/nm/home/