Reduced Tillage in Vegetables

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

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Tarps on Permanent Beds

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

Today

  • Bright orange and yellow chicken of the woods mushrooms grow on a fallen log in a forest, surrounded by green moss and blurred trees in the background.

    Foraging Walk

    Join us on a foraging walk to see what along our trails is edible! This walk will focus on mushrooms but discuss plants as well. The trail will be moderately […]

  • A wide green field under a blue sky with scattered clouds, trees lining the horizon. The words CENTRAL NY appear in large white text on an orange banner at the bottom.

    Soil Health in Organic Field Crops

    Gianforte Farm 5882 E. Lake Rd, Cazenovia, NY

    Join us at Gianforte Farms for a NY Soil Health Field Day focused on soil health in organic field crop systems. BBQ lunch included! Free to attend, registration required. Featuring: Featured […]

  • Harvest & Post-Harvest 101: Safe Handling and Produce Care

    Groundswell 100 Rachel Carson Way, Ithaca, United States

    Join us for a hands-on introductory workshop focused on safe harvesting, produce handling, washing, storage, and post-harvest care for small-scale and organic farming systems. Participants will learn practical techniques to […]

  • Green plants grow densely alongside tall grass and a patch of straw on the ground. Some plants have broad, reddish leaves, while others have thin, long leaves, creating a lush, diverse garden scene.

    Syntropic Agroforestry Introduction Webinar

    Virtual

    In this presentation we will cover the essential features of syntropic agroforestry. What does syntropy mean, and how can we achieve it? We will discuss what is meant by the […]

  • A person wearing a green cap, pink tank top, and ripped jeans kneels in a garden, tending to young plants growing through holes in black plastic sheets.

    Opportunity Costs of Conservation-Minded Farming

    Virtual

    Join us as we present the first-year results of exploring the above-business-as-usual maintenance costs of farming in a conservation-minded way. This first foray quantifies the differences in production expenses and profitability of the PES pilot farms compared to producers of a similar scale & type that utilize conventional farming practices across New York State. By […]

  • A group of black cows stands in a field, with a piglet, a chicken, and a turkey in front. Logos from farming and cooperative organizations appear at the top of the image.

    Livestock Production Field Day

    Troll Bridge Farm 467 Geer Rd, Chaffee, NY, United States

    Are you interested in raising and selling beef, chicken, turkey, or pork? Join us for this Field Day and visit two successful farms in Western New York, followed by a farm-fresh dinner. Troll Bridge Farm 467 Geer Rd, Chaffee, NY 14030 Horizon Ridge Farm 12367 Bullis Rd, East Aurora, NY 14052 Learn firsthand how small-scale […]

  • Rochester Soil Health Day

    Food Link Community Farm 607 Lexington Ave., Rochester, NY, United States

    Rochester Soil Health Day will have lovely partner tables focusing on soil health, yummy snacks, and the opportunity to have your garden soil screened for lead by the New York Soil Health Team. You must make a reservation for soil lead screening Walk ins for soil lead screening will not be accommodated. No registration needed to […]

  • A person ladles tomato sauce from a large pot into glass jars using a blue funnel, with sealed jars of sauce and canning tools arranged on a kitchen counter.

    Food Preservation: Water Bath Canning Tomatoes

    CCE Tompkins Education Center 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY, United States

    September is a month full of bounty! If you’ve found yourself with too many tomatoes for fresh eating, or if you’re just curious about food preservation, join us for a workshop on how to preserve tomatoes and other seasonal foods at their peak flavor. Participants will learn about the safety, equipment, and benefits of preserving […]

  • Close-up of mushrooms with text: Outdoor Mushroom Workshop, 9 a.m., Saturday, September 12, 2026. Includes Cornell Cooperative Extension and Small Farms Program logos.

    Outdoor Mushroom Workshop

    CNY Organic Farms 519 County Rte 4, Central Square, NY, United States

    Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County will host an outdoor mushroom workshop that will identify specialty mushrooms that make sense to grow on small acreage in an outdoor forest setting. Joshua […]

  • Renewable Energy Tour

    Lawrence Doody & Sons Farm 1626 Barker Road, Tully, NY, United States

    Join us for a free educational field day to explore distributed wind energy as a viable resource to diversify your property’s power production. Distributed wind systems usually provide power directly to the end-user — in this case, the Doody Farm, who have been using wind and solar to help power their operations since 2013. You […]

  • Northeast Growing Together Conference

    Rodale Institute 611 Siegfriedale Rd, Kutztown, PA, United States

    This event, hosted by the Northeast TOPP program, supports current and aspiring organic farmers through hands-on workshops, practical technical assistance, and meaningful opportunities to connect with peers across the food and farming community. Whether you’re just beginning your organic journey or looking to deepen your expertise, you’ll gain real-world insights you can apply right away. Enjoy […]

News and Updates

  • Reduced Tillage on Permanent Beds

    by

    Ryan Maher

    |

    Permanent bed systems can help small farms improve soils and reduce tillage for a diversity of crops. Learn how farmers are adopting these systems and hear research results on how tillage, mulching and tarping practices can impact your weed control, labor use, and crop productivity. Ryan Maher and Brian Caldwell – Cornell University, Mark Hutton – University…

    Read More

  • Small Scale No-Till Vegetables at Seeds of Solidarity Farm

    by

    Claire Cekander

    |

    by Brian Caldwell and Ryan Maher Mulches and tarps combine to build active soils and suppress weeds. In 1996, Ricky Baruc and Deb Habib moved to 30 acres of forested land in Orange, MA.  Roughly 5 acres of woods over uneven, rocky soil were logged and cleared in preparation for a house, farm and teaching center. …

    Read More

  • A Vegetable Farm Covered in Green

    by

    Claire Cekander

    |

    by Brian Caldwell Blue Heron Farm uses grass strips and cover crops to improve soils, increase productivity The arrangement of vegetable fields into a bed layout with permanent growing areas and separate wheeltracks (alleys) has several advantages.  In contrast to systems in which beds are re-formed every year, compaction from tractor tires is confined to…

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  • No Till, Permanent Beds for Organic Vegetables

    by

    Tara Hammonds

    |

    by Brian Caldwell & Ryan Maher Four Winds Farm mulches with compost to suppress weeds and improve their soil. Jay and Polly Armour bought a rundown farm in 1988, with the idea of growing organic vegetables for sale.  Their first production garden was an old horse paddock, which had been trodden down for many years. …

    Read More

See the full archive from Reduced Tillage

Project Partners

We collaborate with other researchers at Cornell, extension educators within Cornell Cooperative Extension, and other organizations and universities across the Northeast.

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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

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