Field Notes: Hops, May 2026
The first in a series of episodes on hops production with Randy Urness of Fine Bine Farms, a 5 acre hop yard near Rosholt, Wisconsin. Resources Fine Bine Farms
Vegetables
▶ Soil Health: What is it, and how do you impact it on your farm?
This video covers simple in‑field observations to assess soil structure, compaction, water movement, and soil life, along with practical management practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, mulches, and soil cover to improve soil function over time.
▶ Machinery in Diversified Vegetable Systems
This article walks through the different parts of and considerations around calibrating and using a backpack sprayer in diversified vegetable systems.
Living Aisles Case Study #1: Sawyer Farm, Worthington, MA & Momentum Ag
Most farmers are familiar with the benefits of cover crops: they reduce erosion, improve soil health, and help suppress weeds. Cover crops are often incorporated into fields as part of crop rotations, but they can also be planted in the aisles between cash crop beds, providing cover during a time of year when the soil is typically bare. These “living aisles” add additional advantages, such as reducing mud during rainy periods, allowing farmers to access beds when the ground is wet, and keeping harvest bins cleaner. Depending on the species used, living aisles may also be allowed to grow into beds after harvest to provide winter cover.
Living Aisles Case Study #2: Gorman Farm, Fitchburg, WI
Most farmers are familiar with the benefits of cover crops: they reduce erosion, improve soil health, and help suppress weeds. Cover crops are often incorporated into fields as part of crop rotations, but they can also be planted in the aisles between cash crop beds, providing cover during a time of year when the soil is typically bare. These “living aisles” add additional advantages, such as reducing mud during rainy periods, allowing farmers to access beds when the ground is wet, and keeping harvest bins cleaner. Depending on the species used, living aisles may also be allowed to grow into beds after harvest to provide winter cover.
Living Aisles Case Study #3: Red Door Family Farm, Athens, WI
Most farmers are familiar with the benefits of cover crops: they reduce erosion, improve soil health, and help suppress weeds. Cover crops are often incorporated into fields as part of crop rotations, but they can also be planted in the aisles between cash crop beds, providing cover during a time of year when the soil is typically bare. These “living aisles” add additional advantages, such as reducing mud during rainy periods, allowing farmers to access beds when the ground is wet, and keeping harvest bins cleaner. Depending on the species used, living aisles may also be allowed to grow into beds after harvest to provide winter cover.
Living Aisles Case Study #4: Circadian Organics, Ferryville, WI
Most farmers are familiar with the benefits of cover crops: they reduce erosion, improve soil health, and help suppress weeds. Cover crops are often incorporated into fields as part of crop rotations, but they can also be planted in the aisles between cash crop beds, providing cover during a time of year when the soil is typically bare. These “living aisles” add additional advantages, such as reducing mud during rainy periods, allowing farmers to access beds when the ground is wet, and keeping harvest bins cleaner. Depending on the species used, living aisles may also be allowed to grow into beds after harvest to provide winter cover.
▶ Backpack Sprayers in Diversified Vegetable Systems
This article walks through the different parts of and considerations around calibrating and using a backpack sprayer in diversified vegetable systems.
▶ Cover Crops in Diversified Vegetable Systems
This article walks through the timing, tools, and methods for seeding cover crops in diversified vegetable crop systems.
Potato Integrated Pest Management Back to Basics
This self-paced training aid includes videos and additional linked resources aimed at walking new participants to the industry through basic production and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) options for potatoes grown in Wisconsin.
▶ Managing Nitrogen in Potato and Vegetable Crops
Dan Marzu, UW–Madison Extension Nutrient and Pest Management Outreach Specialist, and Guolong Liang, UW–Madison Extension Agriculture Water Quality Outreach Specialist, discuss managing nitrogen in potato and vegetable crops.
▶ Robotics and Automation for Weed Management
This video showcases cutting-edge technologies such as laser weeders, spot cultivators, and AI-driven imaging systems, with a focus on real-world research using laser weeders in onion production.