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So what do you use it for?
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Groundcover, mulch, and compost. I mow it (so to speak; I use
a weedeater or a hedge trimmer) just before I plant. I spread it
around on the rows on top of any winter mulch (layers of leaves,
grass clippings, etc) and turn it all under. I let the rows themselves
stay bare in early summer to warm up the soil around seedlings.
When the weather warms up enough to have warmed the soil,
I mulch the rows with the mowed alfalfa and clover.
If I have extra, I mix it into a compost pile, mix it with compost to
make compost tea, etc. I have even cut some up in a (fairly powerful)
blender, mixed it with water, and made a fresh alfalfa-clover mash
to water young plants with that look like they could use a little more
nitrogen than they are getting from whatever fertilizer I used at
plant out.
edit:
It also acts as a permanent groundcover, too, resisting soil erosion
and soil compaction by rain and foot traffic in the paths between
rows. Given how deep the root systems get, the decaying top growth
is probably quite nutritious for plants. But the shading issue makes
those exact choices of permanent cover crop in the paths kind of
high maintenance. I could try labrador violets (distinctly deep-rooted
from what I have seen when weeding them and very tough), but
I am reluctant to give up the triacontanol
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triacontanol ) that the alfalfa supplies.
edit: I guess if you are running stock, too, "having to mow the alfalfa and
clover too often" would not really be a disadvantage. Just toss it into
the feed bins.