This publication is for entrepreneurs interested in a commercial earthworm enterprise. Information about vermiculture – raising earthworms for bait or feed – is included. Information about using these worms, usually Eisenia fetida, to process waste into vermicompost is also included. Vermicompost is used in nurseries or the landscape industry as an ingredient in potting soil mixes and performs pest and disease control functions as a soil amendment. Production and marketing issues are covered for both types of earthworm businesses. Whether you are raising worms for bait or using them to produce vermicompost, you will need to learn how to raise earthworms. For your worm-based business, you will have to separate earthworms from their growing environment and sell your product—either the worms or the vermicompost.

Many people use earthworms on a much smaller scale for processing their personal garbage as a means to reduce the amount of their garbage going to the landfill. This publication has information that can serve this audience as well.

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Aquaponics is a bio-integrated system that links recirculating aquaculture with hydroponic vegetable, flower, and/or herb production. Recent advances by researchers and growers alike have turned aquaponics into a working model of sustainable food production. This publication provides an introduction to aquaponics with brief profiles of working units around the country. An extensive list of resources point the reader to print and Web-based educational materials for further technical assistance.

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This publication provides information and resources on how to plan for, protect and create habitat for native bees in agricultural settings. Creating and preserving native bee habitat is a good risk management strategy for farmers of specialty crops such as almonds, apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, pears, plums, squash, tomatoes and watermelons. Oil and biofuel crops requiring bee pollination include canola and sunflower. Even meat and dairy industries are dependent on bee pollination for the production of forage seed such as alfalfa and clover. In many cases, these native pollinators are, on a bee-for-bee basis, more efficient than honey bees.

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If you want to certify your livestock operation(s) as organic, you will need to complete an application form. Th is guide was developed to assist you in completing that application by explaining just what information certifiers want and why it is required.

If you raise crops or provide pasture to feed your organic livestock, you will also need to complete a basic farm application. While some certifiers combine crops and livestock into a single application form, most use separate documents. For an example of a completed crop farm application, see
ATTRA's Organic System Plans: Field and Row Crops and Pasture and Range Systems.

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Biochar has the potential to produce farm-based renewable energy in a climate-friendly manner and provide a valuable soil amendment to enhance crop productivity. If carbon offset markets develop, biochar can provide income for farmers and ranchers who use it to sequester carbon in soil. This publication will review the current research and issues surrounding the production and use of this emerging biomass energy technology and explore how biochar can contribute to sustainable agriculture. Biochar is the product of turning biomass into gas or oil with the intention of adding it to crop and forest production systems as a soil amendment.

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Energy consumption can vary significantly between conventional and organic production systems when accounting for direct energy inputs as well as indirect energy involved in manufacturing, shipping and applying pesticides and nitrogen-based fertilizers. Because organic agriculture reduces the amount of indirect energy inputs, it is often assumed that organic agriculture is less energy intensive than conventional agriculture. However, this is not always the case.

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Grazing livestock for other farmers is a way to make a land investment return additional dollars to the land owner. It requires knowledge of livestock, but more importantly, knowledge of how to make money from grass. This publication discusses some of the issues involved with contract grazing, including various classes of livestock, equipment, sample contracts, some of the economics to consider and other resources available on the subject.

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Rising energy costs and environmental concerns are causing dairy farmers to alter their management practices. Dairy farmers are analyzing their energy inputs and investing in cost-effective energy conservation and energy efficiency measures. This publication provides an overview of how dairy farms can implement efficiency improvements and energy-saving technologies that can reduce energy consumption and energy-related costs.

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Biodiesel is a renewable and environmentally friendly fuel. This publication surveys many dimensions of biodiesel production and use. Net energy balance, sustainable bioenergy crops, scale of production, consumer access and the economics of biodiesel are all critical when discussing a sustainable energy future for this country. Above all, increased fuel efficiency and possibly increased diesel engine use in the United States will be needed in order for biodiesel to become a significant part of our energy future.

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Interest in controlled grazing is increasing throughout the United States. Controlled grazing systems are economically feasible and are now more easily managed because of developments in fencing and water technology. This publication covers some of the basics of paddock design and current fencing and water technology. Paddock design needs to be based on landscape, land productivity, water availability and the number and types of animals in the system. Water systems are more complex and expensive than fencing systems. Producers need to understand all the technology available before establishing a grazing system. A good way to explore the technology is to order catalogs from companies that sell fencing or water systems.

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This publication discusses the costs and considerations in custom raising replacement dairy heifers on pasture, and provides a list of additional online resources.

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Aquaculture—the cultivation of fish and aquatic animals and plants—is expanding to meet consumer demand. This publication surveys the important considerations for planning an aquaculture enterprise. It will help you identify the production system, species, and marketing strategy most appropriate to your situation. The wide range of cultured species and production methods makes it impossible to provide a full discussion of aquaculture in a single document of this kind. Determining the best aquaculture enterprise for you will require considerable research, beginning with the list of resources and contacts listed in the Further Resources section and in the four Appendices.

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To serve a growing organic agriculture field, ATTRA offers an annotated listing of the numerous ATTRA titles relating specifically to certified organic agriculture. The list includes publications on organic rules and compliance, farm inputs, soil, and pest management, as well as publications related to specific horticultural and field crops and organic livestock production. The list also includes ATTRA publications on marketing organic products and on the business of organic production. ATTRA also offers several Spanish-language publications on organic agriculture that appear on this list.

Updated in 2009

[Summary] [PDF / 862K]

The resources offered in this publication deal with sustainable livestock production from the ground up. Several publications cover pasture management, feeds and forages, while others address care and management for specific animals and marketing of the products derived from them. If you are an experienced or beginning producer, you can fi nd useful information relating to traditional livestock such as beef and dairy cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry, as well as introductions to alternative livestock options from bees to bison.

[Summary] [PDF / 944K]

If you want to certify your livestock operation(s) as organic, you will need to complete an application form. Th is guide was developed to assist you in completing that application by explaining just what information certifiers want and why it is required.

[PDF/734K] Download Acrobat Reader.

Aquaculture—the cultivation of fish and aquatic animals and plants—is expanding to meet consumer demand. This publication surveys the important considerations for planning an aquaculture enterprise. It will help you identify the production system, species, and marketing strategy most appropriate to your situation. The wide range of cultured species and production methods makes it impossible to provide a full discussion of aquaculture in a single document of this kind. Determining the best aquaculture enterprise for you will require considerable research, beginning with the list of resources and contacts listed in the Further Resources section and in the four Appendices.

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This guide is written for anyone seeking help from federal programs to foster innovative enterprises in agriculture and forestry in the United States. Specifically, the guide addresses program resources in community development; sustainable land management; and value-added and diversified agriculture and forestry. Thus, it can help farmers, entrepreneurs, community developers, conservationists, and many other individuals, as well as private and public organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit.

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While information on large-scale egg washing and handling is readily available, there is less information available on handling eggs on a small or medium scale. This publication covers proactive methods to keep free-range eggs clean through egg collection, egg cleaning, candling and grading.

[PDF/767K]

Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/biodiesel.html

This publication is an introduction to home biodiesel production. It includes lists of equipment and materials needed to make small batches of biodiesel. It describes biodiesel and includes cautionary notes and procedures for making test batches and 5-gallon batches. An extensive resource list is also provided.

Esta publicación cubre el procesamiento a pequeña escala, tanto en la granja como en plantas pequeñas. Información relevante del procesamiento a gran escala es también incluida para comparar, proveer contexto, y porque los pequeños procesadores necesitan tener algún grado de conocimiento del proceso en escala mayor.

[PDF / 1.3MB]

This publication highlights some common ways to lease or own land. It outlines important considerations about each of these leasing options and paths to ownership.

[PDF / 1.5M] [Espanol PDF / 1.2M]

Urban farming is not a new concept, but it is gaining new support among diverse citizen groups all over the country. Schools, colleges, churches, city councils, government agencies, parks departments, anti-hunger groups, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations are coming together to give a fresh new meaning to "greening the city."

[PDF / 2.3M] [Espanol PDF / 1.8MB]

In an era of high feed costs and uncertain milk prices, many dairy producers are looking to pasture to provide most of the dry matter for lactating dairy cows during the growing season. This publication addresses aspects of pasture production beginning with animal selection and forage resource assessment, grazing, facilities, reproduction and health, organic production and seasonal economics. Included are extensive resources for further reading.

[PDF / 1.0M]

If you want to certify your farm as organic, you will need to complete an application form. This guide was developed to assist you in completing that application by explaining just what information certifiers want and why it is required.

[PDF / 785K]

This publication is an introduction to home biodiesel production. It includes lists of equipment and materials needed to make small batches of biodiesel. It describes biodiesel and includes cautionary notes and procedures for making test batches and 5-gallon batches. An extensive resource list is also provided.

[PDF / 740K]

Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/potatoes.html

This publication outlines approaches to organic and sustainable potato production. Practices include fertility and nutrient management; organic and biorational pest management for insects, diseases and weeds; and storage and marketing.

[PDF / 1.9M]

Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/graindrying.html

This publication summarizes two low-impact technologies used to dry grain; natural-air drying and solar drying. Although not as much recent research has focused on solar technology for grain drying, solar was shown by University of Maryland studies to be feasible for small- and medium-size facilities for drying grain for on-farm use.

Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/marketgardening.html

Market gardening, which entails the intense production of high-value crops, gives farmers the potential to increase their income from a few acres. It is also of interest to people looking at agriculture as an alternative lifestyle. This publication provides an overview of issues you need to be aware of as you consider undertaking market gardening, and suggests helpful resources.

Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/sheep_illus.html

Sheep and goats provide meat, milk and fiber products, as well as brush control and pasture improvement services to many farms. Animal selection, feeding, breeding and young stock, equipment and handling, and marketing are the focus of this introduction to sheep and goat production.

Energy consumption can vary significantly between conventional and organic production systems when accounting for direct energy inputs as well as indirect energy involved in manufacturing, shipping and applying pesticides and nitrogen-based fertilizers. Because organic agriculture reduces the amount of indirect energy inputs, it is often assumed that organic agriculture is less energy intensive than conventional agriculture. However, this is not always the case.

[PDF / 756K]