Maryland Farmer Experiments with Cover Crop Plots

Trey Hill shares lessons from managing nitrogen, inputs and slugs on his 10,000-acre no-till operation.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 7:21am

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A highly textured, abstract painting in soft greens, browns, and blues, featuring sweeping geometric shapes, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex interplay of cover crops, nitrogen, and soil health on a no-till farm.A farmer's ongoing experiments with cover crops and nitrogen management aim to unlock the structural secrets of sustainable, large-scale no-till agriculture.Rock Hall Today

Trey Hill, who has farmed around 10,000 acres in Rock Hall, Maryland his entire life, is constantly experimenting with ways to improve his nitrogen management and cover crop program on his family's fourth-generation no-till operation, Harborview Farms. As a perpetual student of farming, Hill is always seeking more conservative and efficient techniques to reduce nitrogen leaching, manage inputs, and battle slugs.

Why it matters

Cover crops are an important tool for improving soil health and reducing nutrient runoff, but implementing them effectively can be challenging, especially on a large scale no-till operation. Hill's insights from his ongoing experiments provide valuable lessons for other farmers looking to optimize their cover crop and nutrient management practices.

The details

Hill has been trying different cover crop mixes and management strategies on test plots across his 10,000 acres to evaluate their impact on nitrogen leaching, input costs, and pest control. Some of his experiments have focused on reducing nitrogen application rates, while others have looked at the benefits of diverse cover crop blends versus monocultures.

  • Hill has been farming the 10,000-acre Harborview Farms his entire life.

The players

Trey Hill

A fourth-generation farmer who operates the 10,000-acre Harborview Farms in Rock Hall, Maryland.

Harborview Farms

A family-run no-till farming operation in Rock Hall, Maryland that has been in business for four generations.

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What they’re saying

“I'm more of a student than a teacher. I'm always trying to tweak my nitrogen management and cover crop program to find more conservative and efficient techniques.”

— Trey Hill, Farmer

The takeaway

By continuously experimenting with cover crop mixes, nitrogen application rates, and other management practices on his large-scale no-till operation, Trey Hill is generating valuable insights that can help other farmers improve soil health, reduce nutrient runoff, and optimize input costs.