Oakville Bluegrass Cooperative

About Oakville Bluegrass Cooperative

The Oakville Bluegrass Cooperative helps growers work together to increase the natural capital of their land while also increasing their profits. Growers want to be good stewards of their land, but today it is often too costly and risky to adopt new practices that build healthy farm ecosystems. We equip growers with tools and techniques proven to reduce soil erosion, improve soil health, conserve water, reduce chemical inputs, and increase diversity below and above the ground. We use rigorous methods to quantify the financial and environmental impacts of new practices, and seek outside resources to make new practices profitable for our members. To start delivering on this mission, we have secured exclusive access for members to a novel perennial cover crop (Oakville bluegrass) that lies dormant during the summer. We have also partnered to develop an information service that tracks cost savings and soil carbon gains where the cover crop is installed. The long-term environmental benefits of no-till cover-cropping include soil retention, better soil health, greater water holding capacity, and less nutrient leaching. Financial payback can be achieved in one or two seasons, with returns of 10X-50X over the life of an orchard or vineyard.