Farmers, Extension Staff, and NRCS agents all gathered at Peebles Organic Farm on May 23rd to learn about cultivating weeds. Shawn Peebles, owner of the largest organic crop farm in Arkansas, walked participants through his crop production system, including fall cover crop establishment and termination, fertility management, planting, and weed control. The highlight of the event was a deep-dive discussion on using cultivation equipment for weed management in organic corn, soybean, edamame, and sweet potato production.
Shawn highlighted 5 different cultivators used on his farm, how they are used, when they are used, maintenance and repair costs, and adjustments to increase effectiveness. Unfortunately, due to a tremendous amount of rainfall the week prior to and the day of the event, in-field demonstrations were not possible. However, post-workshop surveys indicated participants were more open to working with organic producers or willing to adopt organic practices and increased their knowledge of certification.
You can watch a recording of this field day on the CAFF YouTube Channel.