Authors: Shannon Cappellazzi, Abigail Tomasek, Nik Wiman
This project will collect and communicate information that will help producers incorporate cover crops into hazelnut production. We will conduct a survey to identify the major barriers for grower adoption and aggregate data on the methods and practices local producers are using to make cover crops work. We will conduct follow up interviews to create a partial budget analysis comparing net farm profitability after a change to new practices. We will perform in-field soil health assessments, and collect soil and tissue samples from interested growers’ fields. This analysis will provide data to demonstrate impacts on harvesting operations, orchard access, water infiltration, pest pressure, nutrient availability, and water availability to the trees. We will provide farm-scale data from this project through an extension publication, field-day workshops, and online resources in collaboration with the OR Hazelnut Commission.