By Hannah Kerkhof

Indiana farmers are no stranger to soil conservation practices. In fact, the 2022 USDA census of agriculture found that Indiana ranks third in the nation for total acres of cover crops. Large-scale farmers reap the benefits of soil conservation every year in their fields, but small-scale farmers and gardeners can use these methods to boost production in their own backyards.

Kevin Allison was working for the Daviess County Soil and Water Conservation District when he attended a workshop for farmers to learn about soil conservation methods.

“I went to all of the [National Resources Conservation Service] trainings with folks from big ag on soil heath and learned all of the concepts, which are perfectly applicable to small-scale ag,” Allison says.

Cover crops a start

Specifically, Allison learned about the use of cover crops and their benefits to soil health. He quickly adopted some of these soil health practices in his own garden at home.

When Allison transitioned to his position as urban soil heath specialist with the Marion County SWCD in 2015, he started a garden on a few plots at the Mayor’s Garden in Indianapolis.

At the garden, Allison began implementing soil health practices, most notably using cover crops in the off seasons and rotating crops. Allison uses the garden as a test garden to try new things.

WEED CONTROL: Straw fills in the rows between plants at the demonstration garden to suppress weeds, thus eliminating the need for herbicides. (Kevin Allison)

“I think that just consolidating the practices that work best is wise,” Allison says. “I try things that I know might not work.”

He demonstrates what he has learned with the public at workshops in the spring and fall. He also shares his findings with community members throughout the year.

Reviving a garden

Kathy Tierney is the consultant dietitian nutritionist for Damar Services, an organization in Indianapolis that offers help to children and adults with developmental issues. She oversees a 1,000-square-foot garden on the property where the clients grow their own vegetables.

The garden is thriving now, but that hasn’t always been the case. After a few years of having a standard garden, Tierney started to notice problems with yield.

“I literally killed the soil,” Tierney recalls. “It was dead.”

Tierney reached out to the Marion County SWCD for help, and Allison came back with a solution. He helped Damar Services incorporate cover crops he tested on his own. Specifically, Allison found that hairy vetch and different types of rye work best for his garden.

They worked well, and the cover crops came with a bonus: The Damar Services patients no longer had to till the garden.

“It reduces labor, and it increases the yield,” Tierney says. She adds that the garden increased yield exponentially after just the first year.

Damar Services implemented these practices years ago, but Tierney still goes to as many of the SWCD workshops as she can.

“I keep going back,” Tierney says. “Every time I go out there, I learn something new.”

The demonstration garden keeps growing, and earlier this year, it hosted a training for state agronomists and soil health specialists from across the country. Allison says there will be more trainings coming this fall at the garden.

NEW LIFE: Bringing conservation practices to the Damar Garden helped Kathy Tierney and her patients bring new life to the garden. One practice they implement is harvesting hairy vetch to use as mulch. (Kathy Tierney)

“It’s an open invitation,” Allison says. “I try to have as many trainings as possible, and it’s always free.” Workshops at the demonstration garden are always open for anyone to attend.

For additional reports and recommendations to keep your garden soil healthy, head to marionswcd.org.

More than an experiment

Allison’s demonstration garden is primarily used as a living lab to benefit the community. Workshop attendees can get hands-on experience with the soil management practices and find ways to incorporate those practices in their own home gardens. For example, attendees can see and feel the organic matter in the soil, examine the composting systems and even plant or harvest crops.

The Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District website is full of data collected from the garden over the years. Data spans across all things cover crops, nutrient management, tarping and more.

The garden’s impact is more than just the website and the workshops. The Mayor’s Garden at Eagle Creek has several plots for any member of the community to rent for a growing season. The SWCD rents two of these plots.

Other growers in the Mayor’s Garden at Eagle Creek often stop by to chat with Allison about gardening practices. Each year, the garden is tilled, but with the help of the Marion County SWCD, some growers marked their plots to be a no-till zone. Some members of the community who stop by the demonstration garden might even leave with fresh produce!