Project Lead: Anu Rangarajan
Tillage can be a valuable management tool on a vegetable farm but intensive and repeated tillage is hard on soils. We support small to mid-scale vegetable farmers, many using organic practices, in adopting reduced tillage practices on their farm. These practices can take many different forms. Our goal is to integrate reduced tillage with other soil building practices, to foster the growth and viability of vegetable farming in New York and the Northeast.
We work across different tools and practices, fit to the the scale and resources of the farm, and are learning from many innovative farmers leading the way. We conduct applied research to trial new and emerging practices to understand the science behind them while sharing practical lessons learned to support farmers in fitting them into their own operations. We partner with farmers in experimenting on their farm and offer workshops and other training opportunities for farmers to share their methods and ideas with one another. Explore this website to learn more about our research, events, and resources.
Reduced Tillage Resources
Join our email list to hear about new resources as they’re added.
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Farm Stories
By engaging with experienced farmers, we continue to learn how reduced tillage systems are taking shape on…
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Reduced Tillage Webinars
The Cornell Small Farms RT Project has collaborated on a variety of webinars to share results from…
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Strip Tillage
Strip Tillage Home » Projects » Reduced Tillage in Vegetables » Strip Tillage Strip, or zone, tillage…
About Reduced Tillage in Vegetables
Reduced tillage practices minimize soil disturbance with targeted and appropriate tillage based on farm goals. Reduced tillage means less intensity, shallower depth, and less area disturbed, either in the bed, field or across the farm. It can mean less frequent tillage and lead to successful adoption of no-till practices.
Practices take many forms. They may be system-wide, applied across the whole farm, or only fit in a part of the rotation for specific crops. They often maintain the benefits of some tillage for managing weeds, making a better seed bed for crop establishment, or incorporating residues. How they take shape on a farm can depend on farm size and soil characteristics, access to equipment or materials, farm skill sets, and labor availability.
Events
Events
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Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference
The Inn at Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA, United StatesThe 2nd Gather to Grow multi-day Forest Farming conference will be held in Blacksburg, Virginia on October 23-25, 2026 and feature learning and networking with the community at the heartwood of forest farming in Appalachia and beyond. The conference will be held at the Inn at Virginia Tech & Skelton Conference Center on campus and […]
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So You Think You Want to be a Market Gardener
Centurion Farm, LLC 287 Creek Road, Locke, NYThe Cornell Small Farms Program is pleased to offer an in-person workshop exploring the ins and outs of market gardening. This event is perfect for aspiring and beginning farmers who want to grow and sell vegetables produced intensively on small acreage. Whether you are already growing vegetables for yourself and your family or planning for […]
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Northern Nut Growers and Chestnut Growers of America Joint Conference
UMass Amherst Amherst, MA, United StatesMark your calendars and plan to attend the 117th Annual NNGA Conference, held jointly with the Chestnut Growers of America on the University of Massachusetts–Amherst campus. The planning committee has developed an exciting and informative program that will appeal to researchers, commercial growers, hobbyists, and nut enthusiasts alike. Program details, presenters, and lodging and registration […]
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Soil Health 101: Why Soil Care Matters
Groundswell 100 Rachel Carson Way, Ithaca, United StatesJoin Groundswell Center for a hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop exploring the fundamentals of soil health and its role in productive farming and resilient ecosystems. As part of our Intro to Farming Workshop Series, and in partnership with NY Soil Health, this session introduces practical strategies for building and caring for healthy soil in organic and small-scale farming […]
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Pest Management for Small-Scale Growers
Food Link Community Farm 607 Lexington Ave., Rochester, NY, United StatesJoin us for a hands-on field day exploring integrated pest management tools for small‑scale growing spaces and the opportunity to build community with local growers! This event will focus on best practices for using row covers, biocontrols, trapping, and more. We will highlight a CCE demonstration trial using insect exclusion netting and entomopathogenic nematodes to […]
News and Updates
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Eco-Friendly Ag Practices May Be Easier Than Farmers Think
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New research shows that labor is thought to be a bigger barrier for farmers to adopt climate resilient practices than it actually is. Rotating crops, using compost, adding cover crops and flower strips, and reducing tillage are practices that can make farms resilient to climate change and bring environmental benefits, but Cornell researchers have found…
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Successful Field Day for Latino/a/x Farmers in Hudson Valley
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The Latino/a/x farming community gathered for the Second Annual Hudson Valley Area Latinx Farmers’ Field Day on July 15, 2024. The Spanish-language event was hosted at Three Sisters Farm in Kerhonkson, NY, where co-owner José Rodríguez and his family welcomed more than 30 participants. Rodriguez shared his family’s experience of building a farm business, immersing…
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Tarps, Mulch, and Timing: No-Till Tools to Rob the Weed Seedbank
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Research shows how the legacy of tarping and mulching can lead to fewer weeds in no–till vegetables. By Stephen Stresow and Ryan Maher The Woes of Weeding One of the persistent challenges for organic vegetable farmers is managing weeds. These floral foes emerge each season from the weed seedbank–a collection of all the weed seeds…
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Reduced Tillage Project Sharing Research at Soil Health Field Days
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Hear the latest Cornell Small Farms Program research on reduced and no-till practices for vegetables at Soil Health and Climate Resiliency Field Days this July. We’ll be sharing our research along with the NY Soil Health team and partners in a statewide event series running this summer. On July 25, we’ll be at Cornell’s Thompson…
Project Partners
We collaborate with other researchers at Cornell, extension educators within Cornell Cooperative Extension, and other organizations and universities across the Northeast.
About Anu Rangarajan
Anu was appointed director the Cornell Small Farms Program in 2004. At the same time, she opened a U-pick strawberry farm in Freeville, NY. The experience of operating a small farm changed her entire approach to research and extension, and deepened her commitment to NY farms and local food systems.
Read Articles by Anu Rangarajan
Subscribe for Updates and Opportunities
Subscribe to get the latest updates and information on strategies to reduce tillage on your farm. You’ll be first to hear about webinars, field days, and online courses that will connect you with other growers and our research results as we look to find ways to be successful in building soils on your farm.
