United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
New Hampshire Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content

NH Resource Conserving Crops

1.  A perennial grass, legume, or grass/legume grown for use as forage, seed for planting, or green manure: 

Alfalfa
            Yellow Sweet Clover
            Red Clover
            White Clover
            Orchardgrass
            Timothy   
            Perennial Ryegrass
            Kentucky Bluegrass
            Tall Fescue
            Smooth Bromegrass
 

2.  A high residue producing crop:

Oats
Barley
Wheat
Grain Corn
Triticale
Winter Rye 

3.  A cover crop following an annual crop:

Cool season:

Winter Rye
Oats
Triticale
Barley
Winter Wheat
Spring Wheat
Annual Ryegrass
Hairy Vetch
Austrian Winter Pea
Field Pea
Mustard
Canola
Forage Radish
Forage Turnip
Red Clover
White Clover 

    Warm season:

  Subterranean clover
  Sorghum x Sudangrass
  Japanese Millet
  Crimson Clover
  Buckwheat
  Pearl Millet
  Cowpea
  Soybean
 

Resource-Conserving Crop Rotation

Crop rotation that includes at least one resource conserving crop, reduces erosion, increases soil organic matter, improves soil fertility and tilth, interrupts pest cycles, and reduces depletion of soil moisture.  It may also provide protection and habitat for pollinators. 

1.  A minimum of 2 crops if one of the crops is a perennial lasting at least 2 years. 

2.  A minimum of 2 crops, if no perennial, with a cover crop (not harvested) following 1 of the crop years (no silage or crop residue removed from the system), this may include a summer fallow if seeded to a cover crop. 

3.  A minimum of 3 crops, if no perennial, where at least 1/2 the rotation consists of high residue crops

 


< Back to ...