During organic transition, farmers must restore soil health and fertility while managing weeds without herbicides. This project compared strategies for the transition period from conventional to organic production in Davis, CA: intensive annual crop production with winter cover crops and composted poultry litter; and a perennial forage crop (alfalfa). Each system was managed with or without winter grazing by sheep. Corn was planted in the third year in all treatments. Researchers monitored soil nutrients, physical properties, microbial communities, weeds, and crop yields, and conducted a comparative economic analysis.