A GLOSSARY OF REGENERATIVE FARMING

COVER CROP

Single or multiple species mixes that are planted during gaps in the cropping cycle. These are grown to build fertility in the soil and usually not harvested for themselves, but can be grazed or ploughed back into the soil to build organic matter.

INTERCROPPING

The practice of planting several crops in close proximity. The total combined yield of the crops may be higher than a single crop, but the main motivation is usually to help with weed suppression or to provide nutrients to the other crops.

HERBAL LEY

A mix of grass, legume and herbal species usually grown for grazing. Incorporating a more diverse range of species into the forage boosts the protein and mineral levels, while also building soil fertility and increasing drought resistance.

PERENNIALS

These crops don’t need to be replanted every year. After harvest or grazing, the crop grows back; this reduction in tillage reduces the weed burden, soil erosion and helps sequester carbon in the soil.

MYCORRHIZAE

A symbiotic relationship between the roots of a plant and a fungus that colonises the roots. The fungus is fed sugars and organic compounds that are photosynthesised by the plant; in turn, the fungus provides the plant with nutrients and water from the soil, facilitating healthy and resilient growth.

AGROFORESTRY

The practice of growing trees on farmland, which can help reduce erosion, create a diversity of roots in the soil and provide a habitat for wildlife. These can be grown in or around crops and pasture.