Ecological Weed Management at the Johnson Farms

Charlie Johnson shares how he and his family control weeds on 1,600 acres of organic corn and soybeans in Madison S.D using ecological strategies to control weeds without herbicides. Johnson explains how late planting, patience, diversity and a six year crop rotation all play a role in managing weeds on his farm. “There is no such thing as a weed-free organic field, and there’s no such thing as a weed-free farm,” says Johnson. But using alfalfa as a smother crop has largely eliminated Canada thistle, and planting later in the season has allowed him to control early flushes of weeds and to encourage quick emergence that helps corn and beans outcompete weeds.