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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Soil, Pasture, and Dairy Cow Health Pasture Walk
Triple Creek Farm 890 Fairfield Rd, Candor, New YorkJoin NOFA-NY, Organic Valley and Triple Creek Farm for a discussion on pasture soil nutrients, soil health and dairy cow health. We will discuss nutrient transport off our grass-fed dairy […]
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Free Mental Health First Aid Training
Genesee County Community Mental Health Services 5130 East Main Street Road Suite 2, Batavia, NY, United StatesJust as CPR prepares you to help someone having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge […]
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Western New York Mushroom Farmer Gathering
Flat 12 Mushrooms 612 Northland Ave., Buffalo, NY, United StatesCalling all mushroom farmers, CCE, and technical service providers! Join us for an afternoon of lightning talks, small group discussions, and networking. Topics include mushroom research, regulation, and advocacy updates, […]
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Air Pruned Raised Beds for Tree Seedling Production: Part2
CCE Tompkins Education Center 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY, United StatesCornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County, in conjunction with the Cornell Small Farms Program, is offering a hands-on workshop on Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs). APRBs offer an innovative, scalable approach […]
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Native Landscapes: Management and Planting Strategies at NYS Parks
CCE Tompkins Education Center 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY, United StatesNew York State Parks is increasing the use of native plants in our shared public spaces, following a native plant policy that encourages using beneficial species in all landscaping and […]
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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 […]
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.
