October 2025 Issue

$6.00

 Acres U.S.A., The Voice of Eco-Agriculture, October 2025 | Issue #652, Copyright 2025, 67 pages. 

Become an Acres U.S.A. Eco-Farmer Member here!

Contents

October 2025 • Issue #652

Photo: Perennial Crops (Courtesy of Sam Knowlton) — Reintroducing ground cover in perennial crops — like this coffee plantation — creates a self-reinforcing cycle: enhanced water infiltration reduces erosion, active microbial communities improve soil structure and disease suppression, and increased organic matter sustains long-term nutrient and water availability. Read more on page 34.

On the cover: (Courtesy of Steve Diver) — A living mulch of clover covers the aisles between garlic growing through plastic mulch at the University of Kentucky research farm. Read about this and other innovative cover crop systems in this issue of Acres U.S.A.

FEATURES

Clover Living Mulch: Crazier than Bare, Eroding Fields?
Early lessons demonstrate the potential of an unconventional concept: a multi-year cover of Dutch white clover
BY LINCOLN FISHMAN

Past and Present Practices
Cover crops are the cornerstone of regenerative cropping systems
BY STEVE DIVER

Coffee Cover
Permanent ground cover provides a plethora of benefits on coffee farms
BY SAM KNOWLTON

Crimp & Cover
High-residue cover crops improve soil health and vegetable yields in coastal California
BY ARIANNA BOZZOLO AND JACOB PECENKA

Widen the On-Ramp
As a mother, in order to provide healthier food to our families, I believe we need to meet farmers where they’re at
BY MOLLIE ENGELHART

Endogenous Fertility
Winter rye and clover, managed rightly, strengthen the bottom line while building ecological capital
BY MARK SHEPARD

DEPARTMENTS

VIEW FROM THE COUNTRY
Monthly musings from Acres U.S.A.’s editor

OPINION
Untouchable No More?
Only the market carries a sufficient supply of carrots and sticks to drive and sustain change of the magnitude needed
BY CHARLES BENBROOK

ECO-UPDATE
News in brief on developments in agronomic science

REGEN AGRONOMY
Run for Cover Crops
An evolving understanding of cover crops with a regenerative perspective
BY PEDRO RIOSECO ESCUDERO

INTERVIEW
Taking the “No” Out of the No-Tiller

Rick Clark demonstrates open mindedness, flexibility and commitment to regenerative principles — by rejecting the shibboleth and putting steel in the ground

REVIEWS

MARKETPLACE

CLASSIFIEDS

ECO-MEETINGS

ECO-GRAPHIC

Become an Acres U.S.A. Eco-Farmer Member here!

Free Podcast

My Farmer, My Customer

New! Learn from Marty Travis's experiences converting the Spence Farm into one of the most successful farming co-ops in the United States today.