This library includes resources developed in partnership with the Indiana USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Indiana’s Urban Soil Health Program.
The Indiana USDA-NRCS Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) is a library of resources that NRCS and Indiana partners use to conservation plan and contains practices in addition to those captured in the Soil Health Guide.
Urban Agriculture & Farming Background
- Urban Agriculture Toolkit USDA 2016 (pdf)
- Urban Agriculture USDA National Agricultural Library (website)
- Urban Agriculture USDA (website)
- EPA Urban Agriculture US EPA 2022 (website)
- Urban Growers USDA (website)
- Urban Farming USDA NRCS 2017 (video)
- Best Practices for the Sustainable Urban Farm SARE 2023 (pdf)
- Demographics of Indiana’s Urban Agriculturalists Purdue Extension 2021 (pdf)
- Opportunities and Challenges for Urban Agriculturalists in Indiana Purdue Extension 2021 (pdf)
- Defining Success: Urban Agriculturalists’ Perspectives Purdue Extension 2021 (pdf)
- Urban Soils USDA NRCS (website)
- Urban Soil Primer USDA NRCS 2005 (pdf)
- Urban Soil Management for Climate Resilience Tree People 2023 (pdf)
- NEW! Top 10 Small Farm Conservation Practices Urban Soil Health 2024 (pdf)
- NRCS Resources for Urban and Small Scale Farms USDA NRCS (pdf)
- Basics of Urban Soil Health NRCS National Soil Health Division 2024 (pdf)
- Conservation Practices for Soil Health in Urban and Small Scale Agriculture NRCS National Soil Health Division 2024 (pdf)
- 4 Principles of Soil Health No-Till Growers and SARE 2022 (videos)
- ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture (link) – Information on various topics, written by sustainable agriculture specialists
- Soil health background USDA-NRCS (website)
- Soil Health Purdue Extension (website)
Site Visits & Site Evaluation
- Site Evaluation for Urban Soil Health NRCS National Soil Health Division 2024 (pdf)
- Web Soil Survey USDA 2019 (website)
- Soil Health Assessment NRCS (website)
- Cropland In-Field Soil Health Assessment USDA-NRCS 2019 (pdf)
- Soil Quality Indicator Sheets USDA-NRCS 2015 (pdf)
- Urban Soil Health Evaluation
- Video series Purdue Extension 2020 (videos)
- Evaluation worksheet Warrick County (Indiana) Soil and Water Conservation District 2020 (pdf)
- IUPUI Center for Urban Health – Resource for Soil Testing Lead
- Gardening On Lead Contaminated Soils K-State Research and Extension 2017 (pdf)
- Interpreting Your Soil and Dust Test Results IUPUI Center for Urban Health (website)
- Soil Contaminants and Best Practices for Healthy Gardens Cornell Waste Management Institute 2009 (pdf)
- Reusing Potentially Contaminated Landscapes: Growing Gardens in Urban Soils U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2011 (pdf)
- Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities: Science-based information about soil contaminants and healthy gardening practices Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (website)
Crop Production
- Gardening Bulletins Purdue Extension
- Weed Management Strategies for Vegetable Farms Purdue Extension 2024 (article)
- Midwest Vegetable Production Guide 2024 (website/pdf/print)
- Indiana Fruit and Vegetable Harvest Calendar ISDA and Purdue University (pdf)
- Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide The Ohio State University (book)
- Fruit & Nuts Michigan State University Extension (website)
- Fruit and vegetable farming University of Minnesota Extension (website)
- Vegetable Crops Hotline Purdue Extension (newsletter)
- Diversified Farming and Food Systems Purdue Extension (newsletter)
- Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab Purdue Extension (website)
- Indiana Organic Network Purdue Extension (website)
- Indiana Fruit and Vegetable Harvest Calendar ISDA and Purdue University (pdf)
- Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide The Ohio State University (book)
- Fruit & Nuts Michigan State University Extension (website)
- Fruit and vegetable farming University of Minnesota Extension (website)
- Fruit Crops Purdue Extension (website)
- Fancy Fruit Purdue Extension (newsletter)
- Diversified Farming and Food Systems Purdue Extension (newsletter)
- Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab Purdue Extension (website)
- Indiana Organic Network Purdue Extension (website)
Conservation Practices
- Managing Cover Crops Profitably SARE 2007 (pdf/book)
- USDA-NRCS Indiana Cover Crop Overview for Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS and Marion Co SWCD 2024 (pdf)
- Cover Crop Table for Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS and Marion Co SWCD 2024 (pdf)
- Cover Crop Seeding Methods for Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS and Marion Co SWCD 2024 (pdf)
- Using Manually Operated Seeders for Precision Cover Crop Plantings on the Small Farm Virginia Association for Biological Farming 2006 (pdf)
- Cover Crop Termination for Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS and Marion Co SWCD 2024 (pdf)
- Cover Crop Seeding Windows from Indiana Cover Crop Tool Marion Co SWCD 2024 (pdf)
- Terminating Cover Crops in a No-Till Garden Marion Co SWCD 2022 (video)
- Indiana Cover Crop Tool for Small Farms and Gardens Marion Co SWCD 2024
Assists with designing cover crop seed mixes for small-scale areas and determine seeding rates. - Favorite Cover Crop Mixes Marion Co SWCD 2023 (pdf)
- Oats and Field Peas for Early and Mid Spring Crops Marion Co SWCD (pdf)
- Oats and Legumes for Kale and Spring Brassicas Marion Co SWCD (pdf)
- Oats Marion Co SWCD 2021 (pdf)
- Crimson Clover Marion Co SWCD 2021 (pdf)
- Cover Crop Presentation Marion Co SWCD (pdf)
- Cover Crop: Selector Tools Midwest Cover Crops Council (MCCC) (website)
- List of Cover Crop Seed Providers Marion Co SWCD (pdf)
- Crop Rotation on Organic Farms SARE 2009 (pdf/book)
- Crop Rotation in Organic Systems: Oregon Implementation Guide Oregon Tilth 2023 (pdf)
- Crop Planning Example Template Frith Farm, Daniel Mays (Google Sheet)
- Marion County SWCD Demonstration Garden Crop Rotation Template Marion Co SWCD (Google Sheet)
- Crop Sequence Examples – 3 Indiana Farms Urban Soil Health 2022 (Google Drive)
- High Tunnel System USDA-NRCS 2024 (pdf)
- Low Tunnel System USDA-NRCS 2024 (pdf)
- High Tunnels and Other Season Extension Techniques SARE 2016 (pdf)
- Indiana High Tunnel Handbook (HO-296) Purdue University 2018 (pdf)
- Scheduling Fall and Winter Vegetable Production (HO-330) Purdue Extension 2022 (pdf)
- Managing Environment in High Tunnels for Cool Season Vegetable Production (HO-297) Purdue Extension 2019 (pdf)
- Soil health and nutrient management in high tunnels University of Minnesota Extension (website)
- Minnesota high tunnel production manual for commercial growers University of Minnesota Extension 2012 (pdf)
- High Tunnel Supplier List Marion Co SWCD (pdf)
- Indiana Irrigation Water Management Plan for Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS 2023 (pdf)
- Water Recommendations for Vegetables Utah State University 2023 (website/pdf)
- Irrigating Vegetable Crops UMass Extension Vegetable Program 2013 (website)
- Vegetable Seed Germination and Emergence Bayer Agronomic Spotlight 2022 (website/pdf)
- Microirrigation Pros and Cons USDA-NRCS 2022 (pdf)
- Microirrigation Components USDA-NRCS 2022 (pdf)
- Mulching for Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS 2024 (pdf)
- Indiana Mulching Tool – Small Farms and Gardens USDA-NRCS and Marion Co SWCD 2024
- Google Sheets Version
- Microsoft Excel Version (NRCS-IN Field Office Tech Guide)
- Training Video – Indiana Mulching Tool, August 2024 (Youtube)
- Backyard Conservation – Mulching Guide USDA-NRCS 2021 (pdf)
- Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios in Cropping Systems USDA-NRCS 2011 (pdf)
- Mulches for the Home Garden Missouri Botanical Garden (pdf)
- Native Plantings for Beneficial Insects and Pollinators Marion County SWCD (pdf)
- Insect-Management Marion County SWCD (website)
- Wildflowers for Beneficial Insects Marion County SWCD (pdf)
- Beneficial Insects for Fruit and Vegetable Growers Marion County SWCD (pdf)
- Pollinator Partnership: Indiana Specialty Crops & Pollinators – infographics
- Pollinator Gardens Design Guide USDA-NRCS 2017 (pdf)
- Protecting Pollinators: Recommended Indiana-native Plants for Attracting Pollinators Purdue Extension 2017 (pdf)
- Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) (website)
- Where to Buy Native Plants Indiana Native Plant Society (website)
- Farming with Native Beneficial Insects Xerces Society 2014 (book)
- Pollinator Plants Midwest Region Xerces Society 2017 (pdf)
- Checklist of Actions to Promote Pollinators in Yards, Gardens, and Parks Xerces Society (pdf)
- Plants database USDA-NRCS (website)
- Plant calculator: Determine spacing for a plug planting Midwest Groundcovers, LLC (website)
- Indiana Nutrient Management Tool Marion Co SWCD
- Nutrient Management Plan for Organic Systems National Center for Appropriate Technology, Oregon Tilth, USDA-NRCS 2014 (pdf)
- Nutrient Recommendations for Vegetable Crops in Michigan Michigan State University 2004 (pdf)
- Fertilizer Recommendation Program Michigan State University (website)
- No Till Growers 2023 (website)
- Common Tools – Small Farms / Gardens USDA-NRCS 2023 (pdf)
- Rotational no-till and mulching systems for organic vegetable farms Jan-Hendrik Cropp 2015 (video)
- Tarping Cornell University (website)
- Silage Tarps for Small Farm Weed Management Purdue Extension 2024 (article)
- Tarping in the Northeast: A Guide for Small Farms, Bulletin #1075, University of Maine, New Hampshire, and Cornell 2022 (pdf)
- List of Tarp Sources Marian Co SWCD (pdf)
- Savanna Institute (website)
- NACD Permaculture Report Design templates for urban lots Marion County SWCD & Williams Creek Consulting (pdf)
- University of Missouri – Center for Agroforestry (website)
- USDA National Agroforestry Center (website)
Editable Templates
Are you a SWCD interested in ordering your own cover crops seeds for giveaways? Our seeds all come from Byron Seeds in Rockville, IN.
Would you like to use our templates? Below are the templates created on Canva for you to use and personalize to fit your needs!
- Soil Health Wheel (jpg)
- Soil Health for Everyone (jpg)
- Minimize Disturbance (jpg)
- Maximize Biodiversity (jpg)
- Maximize Soil Cover (jpg)
- Maximize Continuous Living Roots (jpg)
Working Groups
- Organization and MOU (pdf)
- Financials Overview (pdf)
- Financials Process (pdf)
- ACH Authorization (pdf)
Professional Development
Videos Library
Check out our YouTube channel for recorded presentations and technical resources. Get started with this video from Daniel Mays on transitioning your farm to an integrated soil health system.