Mulch: Compost
Mulch: Compost
Dig deeper with compost! Many farmers know the value of compost in their fields; this black gold adds so many valuable nutrients to the soil that plants rely on. But compost can be so much more than just a soil amendment; it can also be a mulch! By adding one to four inches of compost and planting directly into it, the compost can act as a weed suppressant while still building up the nutrients in the soil.
The Ultimate No Till Strategy is a YouTube video that introduces the deep composting mulch system and its uses in no-till. The four major principles of using no-till to create a living soil are to keep the ground covered, planted, undisturbed, and diverse. These are all possible through a deep compost system, though it will come with pros and cons.
To learn more about this lesser-known no-till method, Mulch- Pros & Cons of the Deep Compost Mulch System goes over how deep mulching can be a better option for smaller-scale growers, even with its faults. Many pros and cons exist, but ultimately, it is up to your farm and its needs. The best part of the deep compost system is that it can be combined with other mulch methods, allowing you to customize the process!
How to Use Compost As a Mulch or Soil Amendment | SoilNOW is an article by Cornell on using compost as a soil amendment, but also as a mulch! Compost mulch helps moderate temperature in the soil, as well as reducing moisture loss. To get the most benefit, this article recommends mulching when the soil has reached the desired temperature to help regulate temperatures during dramatic heating and cooling.
Step-by-Step of A Deep Mulching Compost System video is a guide created by Practical Farmers of Iowa that goes over the benefits that come from not tilling in your compost. These farmers go step by step in how they put the compost into their beds and their timeline with this method.
In the News: Deep Dive into Compost article was a presentation done at a NOFA Winter Conference by the Reduced Tillage Project and a team at Cornell University to introduce deep composting as a mulch system. This article also includes a quick video by Ryan Maher on using this method to reduce tilling, especially on smaller-scale operations.
NOFA-NH On Farm Composting Guide is a source by NOFA-NH to introduce farmers to various methods of producing and using composting on the farm. Many compost recipes and production methods are here to explore!
Ultimately, every farmer will have a different experience and preference when it comes to the best method of mulch. Trial and error are the best ways to learn and explore the best methods for you. Who knows where the next mulch breakthrough could come from! Dig deep to see if this mulching system will work for your farm, and make sure to check out NOFA-NH's other mulch resources: mulch, woodchips, cardboard, leaf, and grass.
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Mulch: Wood Chips
Mulch: Wood Chips
Organic farmers face a lot of struggles in combating weeds. Without the assistance of traditional herbicides used by conventional farmers, organic farmers have to be creative. Mulch is a great tool for weed suppression, but traditionally used plastic mulch does come with many drawbacks for environmental health. Using locally sourced and easily accessible decomposable material is the cheapest and sometimes most beneficial practice for your farm. Wood chips are one of those underutilized resources that can go a long way!
Using Locally Sourced Woodchips for Effective Weed Management is a resource created by SARE to address the challenges organic farmers face when it comes to weed control. This research was done by a farmer who wanted to see if wood chips could compete with plastic mulch in efficiency with weed suppression. Through this research, they found that weed mass was lowered, and yields improved!
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners has two valuable articles on wood chips, Ramial Chips, and Too Many Wood Chips. These articles are focused on the use of ramial chips, which are made from small chopped branches. These chips can be used as an annual mulch or perennial mulch; however should be used with intention. Perennial crops such as blueberries work well with a woody mulch. Other wood chips not covered in these articles are industrial chips, which are created from industrial waste, or bark chips, which are a byproduct of logging and sawmill operations.
Wood Chips in Vegetable Production notes the wear and tear on the soil through vegetable production over time, decreasing its ability to retain nutrients and moisture. There are many common methods for maintaining and rebuilding the soil; a less common method is adding wood chips. This article uses two studies to ask the question: Can wood chips play a beneficial role in soil health?
Five Uses for the Mighty Wood Chip goes over how to use woodchips for mulch, including benefits and uses from an excerpt of The Woodchip Handbook. Details such as the size of your woodchips can determine how effective and how long they last. Knowing the variety of tree uses in your chips can also affect usage, and can even help to prevent some pests and diseases. Even something as basic as woodchips can be fine-tuned to meet the needs of your crops!
A great first video resource is How to Use Wood Chips in the Garden Dos and Donts is a video by No-Til Growers. This video goes over how to properly apply wood chips to your soil to properly manage nitrogen. Through this video, many creative ways to use woodchips are shown, including using them to capture nutrients and moisture lost through seedling trays, or even inoculating them with mushrooms for another crop in the fields. Another video resource is This is Why You Should Use Wood Chips, which covers five benefits of using arborist wood chips as mulch. The video goes more in-depth with the benefits of using woodchips to raise the nutrient levels in the soil, prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and help maintain soil temperatures and moisture levels.
This is only a chip in the pile of resources that are out there on the usage of wood chips! If you have a resource of wood chips as mulch, please help us build this mutual resource and add sources below. To learn more about other mulch types, check out the other blogs by NOFA-NH on cardboard mulch, compost, leaf, and grass mulch.
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Mulch: Cardboard & Paper
Mulch: Cardboard and Paper
Using cardboard and paper as mulch is a method to turn trash into a useful material for your farm. Instead of wasteful plastic landscape fabric, many are seeking a more ecologically friendly alternative. This low-cost mulching method has been tested by farmers and gardeners alike, and is often used to complement other mulching methods.
To get started learning how to create a no-dig bed, check out No-Dig Gardening for Beginners: Step-By-Step Guide with Cardboard and Compost, This video uses cardboard as a covering material for the weeds in the area used to grow, without the use of tilling. This method uses compost to build a strong foundation for the beds.
Allowed Mulches on Organic Farms and the Future of Biodegradable Mulch is a USDA resource that answers common questions about currently allowed mulches and the potential of using biodegradable mulch in the future. This article gives details of what mulch is acceptable through the USDA National Organic Program.
Using Paper Mulch to Suppress Weeds in the High Tunnel is an article that breaks down how paper mulch has been used in a high tunnel. Through this method, cardboard is used to mulch the pathways, while paper mulch is applied onto the beds. Their method was not as effective in the field, as with more weathering, the quicker the breakdown process became.
Mulch// Is Cardboard a Reasonable Cover Material? is a no-till resource by No-Till Growers that goes over using cardboard on a larger scale, with both the pros and cons. This resource includes videos, a podcast episode, and an article that goes over common assumptions. To learn about paper on a larger scale, Linerboard: A Love-Hate Story is an article about the use of paper mulch, including both the benefits and challenges this method brings.
Truth About Using Cardboard in the Garden is a video that addresses the concerns of using paper and cardboard in the garden, including the inks and chemicals used. By knowing what could be detrimental to your production, you can use paper and cardboard in a safe manner.
In conclusion, cardboard can be both a beneficial and troublesome material to work with, and education on proper use is critical to maintaining healthy soils. To learn more about mulch overall, refer to our blog on mulch. There are more blogs to come that give a better dive into various other mulch types, including wood chips, compost, and leaf and grass clippings.
This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Mulch: Leaves/Grass Clippings
Mulch: Leaves/ Grass Clippings
Farmers and gardeners know that what is considered waste to many can be the true gold of farming and gardening. Leaves and grass clippings are no different. The leftovers from mowing and raking can be key to your production process, with these byproducts being used as a mulch to enhance your plant growth. With so many mulch options to choose from, this blog will target the use of leaves and grass clippings, including the benefits and disadvantages.
To get started with the basics of mulching, Why to Mulch and Best Natural Mulches is a video that goes over the pros and cons of different mulches, why to mulch, and how to mulch. Weed suppression, moisture retention, and using waste products as mulch are just a few of the benefits this video goes over.
To learn more about grass clippings as mulch, these two resources are a great place to start. A Complete Guide to Using Grass Clippings as Mulch: 4 Benefits, Examples Using Other Mulches and More is a video focusing on how to use grass as mulch, and how best to limit weeds. The video does have examples of other mulch varieties and how to incorporate grass into those systems. The second resource, Using Grass Clippings as Vegetable Mulch goes over how to properly apply grass clippings to vegetable beds.
If you are interested in leaf mulch, Don’t Bag It! Leaf Management Plan helps create ideas to properly compost and apply leaf mulch to reduce waste. Leaf Mulch Info - Learn About Mulching With Leaves shows the value leaves can have, including tips for application and composting. Using Leaves as Mulch and Compost (and Why Leaves Change Color and Shed) builds on using the leaf method for mulch. This article is a great introduction to the process leaves go through from changing color to breaking down, as well as answers specific questions on leaf types.
Overall, mulch offers numerous benefits to your crops and soils, from slowing the growth of weeds to retaining moisture in the soil. Using leaves and grass clippings can be an effective and cost-efficient way to gain the benefits of mulch in your production. Check out the other blogs on various mulch materials, including compost, wood chips, and cardboard.
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Mulch
Mulch
Mulch is as old as agriculture itself, long used to improve soil quality and protect plants. Nature builds the best soils by covering bare ground with leaves, dead plant material, and more. By employing this natural method in agriculture, we can experience the same benefits in crop production. Mulch can be made of various materials, each with its own pros and cons.
All About Mulch is a great opening video on the basics of mulch. This comparative video goes over the time mulch types take to decompose, the soil fertility and PH of each mulch, as well as sourcing and pest control for mulch. How to Use Every Mulch: The Ultimate Grower’s Guide covers what type of mulch is best for specific growing situations. The video includes time stamps for each mulch type covered: hay, straw, cover crops, compost, leaves, cardboard, grass clippings, wood chips, plastics, and living mulches. Each topic goes over the pros and cons of each mulch type, and the best timeline to apply each mulch. Mulching Your Vegetable Garden - The Definitive Guide dives into the benefits mulch brings to your crops, including erosion prevention, water retention, and temperature control. Knowing what mulch is doing to your soil, it can assist in problem-solving.
Using Mulches in Organic Vegetable Production is a video on a demonstration plot that shows the benefits and disadvantages of different mulches. Each mulch has its own advantages, but all mulch can help reduce wind and water erosion, as well as act as a weed control. Different mulches can have drawbacks, as elements, including soil temperature, can be impacted based on mulch type. The use of your mulch and what you wish to gain can be deciding factors in what mulch you decide to use in your fields. A similar resource that goes over research on mulch types is Organic Mulching: A Sustainable Technique to Improve Soil Quality - a scientific article on organic mulch as a weed control. Using a plot without any mulch as a control, the researchers studied the effects of organic mulches—wheat straw, wood chips, spray cellulose pulp, compost, and a cover crop mixture on the soil properties. The effects of this research might vary based on the climate and soil conditions of a farm.
Organic Mulching Materials for Weed Management focuses on mulch as a tool for weed suppression. The various mulch materials the article goes over include grain straw, fresh or old hay, fresh-cut forage or cover crops, chipped brush, wood shavings, tree leaves, cotton gin waste, rice or buckwheat hulls, and other crop residues. By exploring these different types of mulch, you will learn the characteristics, the best application methods to use, and the drawbacks these mulches could bring to production.
Knowing what mulches are available, how to mulch, and what mulch does will not only benefit crops but also your whole production. Having healthy soil is key, and mulch is another tool to make that possible. This blog is only a chip in the world of mulch. To learn more, check out our other mulch-related organic production blogs on wood chips, leaf and grass clippings, cardboard, and compost.
To learn more, check out these links below:
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Organic Low/No-Till
Organic Low/ No- Till
Organic Low-Till/No -Till is the practice of growing crops or pasture without any or very little soil disturbance. The benefits of this practice include a lack of erosion, higher organic matter retention, better nutrient cycling, and greater water absorption. This blog includes articles that cover the frameworks of a no-till system and will help those who are interested in cover crops and soil health to understand how this system functions. Read below to learn ways to incorporate this time-tested, restorative practice on your farm!
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, better known as SARE, is a great first place to get started on your low/no till journey. The No Till Search SARE is a collection of all the No Till resources they have on their website. There are over 180 farmer-led resources available from farmers across the country. One of the best resources to learn more about utilizing less tillage is Building Soils for Better Crops, Chapter 6: Minimizing Tillage. This chapter goes over the history of tillage, the benefits and limitations of different tillage systems, and how they compare to help you make a choice for your farm. SARE has also released A Practical Guide to No Till and Cover Crops, which is a great overall resource on the basics of no till, how to transition, and troubleshooting. This resource also goes over cover crops, including seed selection, application, and termination. This is a strong foundation to learn more about transitioning to no-till, to see if it's a practice of interest to you and your farm! The Rodale Institute has done some great research on Organic No-Till. In their article, they go over what tillage is, how it works, and some of the nuances of conventional practices versus organic practices.
Offrange has an article about the realities of making No-Till operate for larger, more conventional farmers. Can No-Till Farming Go Big? asks hard truths about the realities of implementing these systems on a larger scale. It goes over what has and has not worked for farmers across the country, but also the benefits that can come from these adaptations.
Research done by the Kellogg Biological Station reveals long-term data on no-till agriculture can increase crop yields and environmental gains over the long haul. Long-Term No Till illustrates the value of long-term research on no-till and what decades of research have discovered about the practice.
ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture has done a study on whether no till can benefit the bottom line. No Till Case Study - Browns Ranch: Improving Soil Health Improves the Bottom Line breaks down how Brown’s Ranch has been using no-till and cover crops to influence crop production.
Farms that would like to transition to an organic (non-chemical) no-till, whether they are seeking organic certification or not, should research and plan to make the change as smooth as possible. These links are only some of the many informational articles that are available. We hope this starts you on a journey to restorative organic-style no-till practices!
To learn more, check out these links below:
Community Additions:
Episode #121 - Phil Foster: Organic No Till Experiments On California Veg Farm Via Real Organic Project
Episode #122 - Scott Park: Can Organic No-Till Vegetables Be Grown At Scale Via Real Organic Project
Episode #205 - Scott Park: A Normal CA Farm Farmed Abnormally Via Real Organic Project
This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Silvopasture
Silvopasture
In the early nineteenth century, around sixty to eighty percent of New England was deforested for pasture, tillage, orchards, and buildings. Today, the forests have returned, with eighty-one percent of New England under trees. Agroforestry is a system that can adapt to the changing landscape and climate. One such method is Silvopasture, the practice that combines livestock, forage, and trees into a single managed system, opening farming operations to create multiple streams of income. Forests become the pasture, rethinking traditional pastureland from static grass fields to an alive agroforestry ecosystem. In this blog, you will get a taste of what silvopasture is and the methods used in this practice.
To understand what makes silvopasture projects successful and what practices you need to consider, Six Key Principles for a Successful Silvopasture is a great starting point. It discusses the land you have, what animals and trees you should choose, and the best management.
For a video introduction, Silvopasture Series: EP 1 Introduction is part of a video series on silvopasture systems in the Northeast. The first farm covered is Wellspring Forest Farm. Here, they go over how they utilized their resources to adapt their grazing operation. They have created a diversified system that can adapt to changes in climate through the use of various species, opening up their livestock to an expanded palate.
Another great video is Transforming Overgrown Forest into Productive Pasture which breaks down how to utilize a new growth forest best for silvopasture. The video goes over using animals to get ahead with brush clearing, which trees to remove for the best tree genetics, using stumps for production, and using branches to make biochar for compost. This shows a great example of how to mix your land!
The University of New Hampshire’s Silvopasture: A Climate-Friendly Alternative to Conventional Open Pasture Practices is a great resource for local operations. It goes over research that has been done on this system in New Hampshire and the climate impact it has.
Silvopasture by the University of Minnesota Extension covers the two approaches of silvopasture, the benefits and limitations of the system, and design elements. Though this article is mostly specialized towards Midwest growing, many of the elements can be overlapped with the Northeast.
In the USDA Silvopasture page, you can find resource links to research, information sheets, brochures, and photo examples of working silvopasture projects across the country.
This blog is only the beginning of what methods and techniques silvopasture has to offer. Farmers across the world are starting to harness the power of agroforestry to adapt to climate change. With silvopasture, you can start taking the first steps to adaptation!
To learn more, check out these links below:
https://www.silvopasture.org/pdf_content/silvopasture_handbook.pdf
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/stelprdb1167387-silvopasture.pdf
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Beginning Seed Saving
Beginning Seed Saving
Humans have a long history of stewarding seeds. With limitations that come with modern seed patenting practices, many farmers do not have the rights to the seeds they grow. These restrictive intellectual property rights stifle the farmer’s hand in shaping their seeds, as well as diminishing the genetic diversity in our food system. Seeds have been fundamental in what foods we eat, what medicine we take, the fibers we wear, and so many other components of our lives. We are just as shaped by our seeds as much as we shape them. When we lose a seed, we lose thousands of years of stewardship, history, biodiversity, flavor, culture, and connection. Seed saving is a gateway to our past as much as our future.
In order to get started with seed saving, The Seed Savers Exchange is the best first introduction. Their Seed Saving section is the best place to start learning how to save the seeds you grow, with articles and instructional videos for a variety of plants, with a breakdown of steps in the seed-saving process. The Exchange is also a great place to start collecting openly pollinated seeds through an online seed swap for growers across the world.
MOFGA has a great brief introduction to seed saving, which goes over the different steps in the process. To learn more about saving seeds for specific plants, UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County has a breakdown for a variety of vegetable and flower seeds.
Saving Our Seeds has publications based on region, plant, and techniques. Topics include isolation distances, organic seed processing and storage, and bean, brassica, cucurbit, pepper, and tomato seed production. They have a great established collection of resources from seed-saving experts and programs.
If you want to share the seeds you save with your local community, The Seed Library Network is a great place to learn how to build local seed networks. Seed Saving in a Time of Change is a video they published about being part of the solution to limiting the genetic diversity crisis, as well as actionable steps you can take to create local seed networks. They also have a great collection of established seed libraries and other seed-saving resources.
Organic Seed Alliance does education, research, and advocacy to promote the organic seed supply. They have organic seed production courses, as well as resources for education and documentation. For a condensed version of their resources, check out the A Seed Saving Guide for Gardeners and Farmers.
To be a seed saver is to grow climate-resilient, genetically diverse, and culturally significant seeds for the prosperity of your farm and the farmers of the future.
For more reading and information, visit:
For information on seed rights and intellectual property:
https://seedalliance.org/publications/a-guide-to-seed-intellectual-property-rights/
MOFGA’s collection of seed-saving resources:
https://www.mofga.org/trainings/gardening/seed-saving/
Lexicon of Sustainability video on seeds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?source_ve_path=Mjg2NjQsMTY0NTAz&v=edu9lfgMt28&feature=youtu.be
Southern Seed Exchange Blogs:
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program
Cover Crops
Cover Crops for Organic Production
Cover Crops for Organic Production: Building Soil and Boosting Resilience
In organic agriculture, the soil is more than a medium for plant roots—it's a living system that forms the foundation of healthy crop production. One of the most effective tools organic growers can use to enhance that foundation is the cover crop. From fixing nitrogen to improving water infiltration and reducing erosion, cover crops offer a broad range of benefits that align perfectly with organic farming principles.
Cover crops, sometimes referred to as green manures, are plants grown primarily to improve soil health rather than for harvest. Depending on the species, they may fix nitrogen, scavenge nutrients, suppress weeds, break up compacted soil, or increase organic matter. Selecting the right cover crop depends on the farmer's goals, the season and thinking ahead to terminating the crop.
Growers looking to dive deeper into cover crop selection can explore the Cover Crop Type Information Document, which helps match species to farm needs. The Soil Building Cover Crops guide, Building Soils for Better Crops - SARE from SARE Northeast also outlines species performance based on season, region, and function. Cover Crops for Sustainable Crop Rotations to improve soil and farm management from SARE can provide valuable information. The 2017 National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health is available online from SARE.
For new and transitioning organic farmers, cover crops can feel like an investment that doesn’t yield immediate results. However, long-term studies have consistently shown improvements in soil health, yield stability, and resilience to weather extremes. The Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures from ATTRA provides a thorough introduction to how cover crops fit into organic production systems using ATTRA’s five soil principles: reducing disturbance, keeping the soil covered, maintaining living roots year-round, increasing diversity, and incorporating livestock grazing.
One area gaining momentum is the integration of cover crops with livestock through managed grazing. The Miller Farm Case Study demonstrates how strategically grazing cover crops can accelerate soil restoration and improve forage quality. Farmers interested in dual-purpose systems should explore Pasture Cropping: Planting Summer Cover Crops in Cool-Season Perennial Pastures.
Cover crops also play a key role in reducing the need for tillage in organic systems—an ongoing challenge given weed management pressures without herbicides. The ATTRA guide on Reducing Tillage Intensity in Organic Production outlines how cover crops contribute to soil structure and fertility while reducing soil disturbance.
Beyond their physical impacts on the soil, cover crops can influence microbial activity and overall soil biology. In the ATTRA publication Cover Crops, Green Manures, Pre- and Probiotics: Soil Amendments, Fertilizers, or Both?, researchers explore how cover crops support microbial communities that are essential for nutrient cycling and disease suppression.
Farmers interested in the broader impacts of cover cropping can tune into ATTRA’s podcast episode 243, which discusses how these practices affect both soil health and crop productivity.
For more in-depth training and region-specific recommendations, SARE’s Northeast Cover Crop Resources and the ATTRA Cover Crop Topics Page offer research-based tools and practical tips to help farmers design systems that are regenerative, resilient, and rooted in healthy soil.
More reading and information are available at:
Cover Crops | Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Three Legume Cover Crops for Nitrogen, Better Tilth and More - NOFA/Mass
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program.
On-Farm Compost
On-Farm Compost
Composting is a fundamental part of organic systems. This natural process, in which organic material is broken down, is critical to cycling nutrients back into the soil. For farmers, having the ability to craft compost for their lands and crops enables a stronger growing foundation. Each compost is as diverse as every farming operation, and as with any tool, compost is shaped by the hands that create it. On-farm composting simplifies the process of compost procurement, cutting costs and creating a more circular system. This blog brings together resources to start to understand different on-farm compost methods, as well as an introduction to the process compost requires to meet organic certification.
Making and Using Compost for Organic Farming is a great starting point in the introduction to the benefits of creating a compost system. The article goes over the accepted materials in an organic system as well as production methods you can use. You will also learn about the regulations on compost application, including the timeline for manure-based compost application onto crops.
In No-Till Grower’s Composting for Beginners - A Market Gardener's Guide, you are guided through a simple compost recipe. This is a great first video to get started on your composting journey. It breaks down the different tools and materials you will need to start, location selection, and ratios required to get started.
If you are interested in windrows, which is the design of composting in long, narrow rows, On Farm Composting in Pennsylvania: Turned Windrows is a great resource. It explores the practice of composting in windrows with multiple example farms composting with different recipes.
If you want a low-maintenance method, check out static aerated compost. A Simple Composting System for Small Farms explores this system of compost used by a New York farm, which is mainly manure-based. Static Aerated Composting System for Organic Farms is a video explaining the no-turn compost system that fits into the organic regulations.
On Farm Compost - Will it Work On My Farm? answers questions you might be having about the practicality of implementing compost onto your farm. The article also includes other recommended resources on farm organic composting.
These resources are only the start of what you can accomplish with an on-farm composting system. It will take trial and error to decide which method of composting works best for you and your farm. There is much to be gained from having a hand in the compost you grow with.
To learn more, check out the resources below:
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program