Strip cropping also removes land from production of the row crop, which may be a greater source of income than could be earned by harvesting the crop from the vegetative strips and either feeding it to livestock or selling it. Grassed Waterways and Field Borders. Vegetated waterways and borders can be used to prevent soil from leaving the field and possibly entering streams. A vegetative cover, usually grass, is established in a strip over natural waterways and as a border around the field. Various types of vegetation can be used for field borders because they don't have to withstand the harsh treatment of grassed waterways.
Many producers interplant vegetative covers and food plots for wildlife.
Initial costs for grassed waterways and field borders can be relatively high, but the cost per unit of soil saved is low. Conservation Tillage A variety of practices can be used to conserve soil and water by leaving residue on the surface. In North Carolina, no-till planting is the most widely used method. The critical factor in conservation tillage is that at least 30 percent of the surface must be covered by residue at the time of planting. To determine the amount of ground cover on cropland, stretch a 100-foot string with markings at each foot across part of the field, then count the number of times the residue crosses the markings.