Steve Groff and his family, farm 200 acres of vegetables and crops on hilly land in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He has pioneered the "Permanent Cover Cropping System", which includes no-tillage, cover crops, and effective crop rotations as a way to increase profits, enhance soil and water quality, and reduce pesticides. The cornerstone of this system is a unique emphasis on maintaining a permanent cover of crop residues and cover crops on the soil surface and having something living in the soil at all times. All vegetables and crops are then seeded or transplanted into the organic mulch. This permanent cover aids in weed control, has virtually eliminated soil erosion on the farms 3-17% slopes, and has increased soil and water quality. A passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture soil conservation, soil health, and food quality, Steve started no-tilling in the early '80s. He later began using cover crops as another soil conservation measure and now plants cover crops based on the succeeding crop that will planted the next year. He is an invited speaker at vegetable conferences throughout Pennsylvania and the United States. He is scheduled to speak at the March 25 -27, 2008 New American Farm SARE Conference in Kansas City, MO.