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Organic Weed Management for Diversified Farms | Session 2: Proactive Weed Management: Sanitation and Other Best Practices

April 14 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Free
weed management series event header

Do you have weeds on your farm? Do you struggle with the cost of labor and equipment needed to manage weeds? Good weed management is important for optimizing crop yields, especially in diversified farming systems. In this FREE, five-part series (four webinars and a field day), you will learn how to effectively manage weeds on your farm using organic practices and develop an integrated weed management plan for your operation. By the end of the series, you will be able to:

  • Identify weeds on your farm and the properties that make them challenging to control.
  • Identify appropriate strategies to control the weeds on your farm using organic methods
  • Develop an integrated weed management plan for different cropping systems on your farm (annual crops, perennial crops, pasture)

 

Participants are encouraged to attend all four webinars and the field day, as each session builds on the last. Registration is free but required. Please register for each session you plan to attend individually. Full session descriptions below.

 

Session 1: Understanding Weeds
March 31, 2026 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Virtual
https://bit.ly/cfsa-weed-management-session-one
Knowing your weeds is the first step in developing an effective weed management program. In this webinar, you will learn the skills necessary to identify weeds on your farm and understand how weed growth and reproduction can inform which weed management strategies you choose.

Session 2: Proactive Weed Management: Sanitation and Other Best Practices
April 14, 2026 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Virtual
https://bit.ly/cfsa-weed-management-session-two
Get ahead of weeds before they become a problem on your farm. In this session, you will learn where weeds come from, how they can become established on your farm, and their impacts on farm profitability.  We will discuss strategies to minimize weed pressure on your farm, including sanitation protocols and proactive weed management practices. After this session, you will understand:

  • How weeds compete with crops and other impacts on farm profitability
  • The major contributors to weed pressure on the farm
  • How to identify and implement adequate sanitation protocols and employ proactive practices for weed management
  • The differences and challenges of weeds in different cropping systems (e.g., annual, perennial, raised bed, and orchard)

Session 3: Effective Weed Control Methods
April 28, 2026 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Virtual
https://bit.ly/cfsa-weed-management-session-three
In this webinar, you will be introduced to physical/mechanical, biological, and organic chemical weed control methods. We will discuss how these methods work and the equipment and supplies needed to implement these strategies. After this session, you will be able to:

  • Identify a wide variety of weed control methods and understand how they work
  • Understand basic equipment related to mechanical cultivation, both small and large scale
  • Choose when and how to implement mechanical, biological, and organic chemical weed management strategies 

Session 4: Integrated Weed Management: Developing a Plan for Your Farm
May 12, 2026 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Virtual
https://bit.ly/cfsa-weed-management-session-four
In this webinar, we will discuss how to bring together what was learned in the first three sessions to create a comprehensive weed management plan for your operation. This includes developing strategies to manage weed issues across multiple cropping systems (e.g., annual, perennial, raised beds, pasture, and orchards). After this session, you will understand how to:

  • Develop an integrated weed management plan for your farm
  • Understand how to evaluate and monitor your plan
  • Decide how to prioritize weed management activities

Session 5: Organic Weed Management Field Day
June 2, 2026 | 9am -2:30pm | In-person at NC A&T State University Farm
https://bit.ly/cfsa-weed-management-field-day
Join CFSA and NC A&T at the NC A&T Farm for a dynamic, hands-on field day focused on practical, organic weed management strategies for growers and agricultural professionals. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from real-world demonstrations and expert guidance. During the field day, growers will experience organic weed management in action through a series of interactive stations and demonstrations designed for immediate, on-farm application.

Participants will gain in-depth, hands-on experience with a variety of effective techniques, including stale seedbed methods such as solarization, flame weeding, and mechanical control, as well as the use of plastic mulch for weed suppression and pest management. Additional highlights include row middle weed management strategies, mechanical cultivation with a range of equipment, and a BCS equipment demonstration. Attendees will also take part in a weed identification activity, explore proper hand tool use, ergonomics, and maintenance, and engage with demonstrations featuring silage tarps, cultivation tools, and specialty equipment.

The day begins at 9:00 AM with check-in at the pavilion, followed by welcome remarks and field tours starting at 10:00 AM. Lunch will be provided at 1:00 PM, followed by a meet-and-greet with agents and resource providers. The event will conclude by approximately 2:30 PM.

This event series is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).

Details

Organizer

  • Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
  • Phone 919-542-2402
  • Email info@carolinafarmstewards.org/
  • View Organizer Website