Entries by Cathy Svejkovsky

Father/Daughter Team Tackles Sustainable Carbon Venture

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How one Southern startup recycles farm waste to purify water, build green, and generate power. As an entrepreneur running a business incubator in the Memphis area, Bryan Eagle knew nothing about the organic charcoal product known as biochar. He wasn’t alone, as the material made from plant waste occupies an obscure niche in agricultural communities […]

Building the Market for Climate-Beneficial Wool

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By Allison Cooley-Agee, NCAT Carbon Farm Planner In today’s world, fast fashion is everywhere, but we often forget about the journey from soil to fabric. Behind every piece of clothing, there’s a story about soil health and sustainable practices that affect how our clothes are made and their impact on the environment. Let’s explore how […]

Ag Efficiency: Focus on the 20%

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By Hakeem Holmes, NCAT Agriculture Specialist What is the real source of the problem? As farmers, we probably ask ourselves this question often, when we are confronted with the many challenges that arise within our agribusiness operations. Farmers deal with a complex web of processes in diverse areas that may be under their purvue, including […]

Drought: Objective or Subjective?

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By Darron Gaus, NCAT Agriculture Specialist  P. A. Yeomans, author of Water for Every Farm—as well as inventor of the Yeomans plow, the scale of permanence, and keyline design principles—ends his book with the idea that drought is a choice. Whoa! Dems fightin’ words for some of us! Drought is a measurement of rainfall in […]

Harmful Algal Blooms in Farm Ponds: Risks to Humans, Livestock, and Pets

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By Tammy Barnes, NCAT Agricultural Specialist Now, as we enter the hot, dry summer months, is the time to watch livestock water sources for quality. Water is the most important nutrient in the diet and is especially critical during summer. When the weather heats up, all algae, filamentous and planktonic, grow rapidly in response to […]

Double SNAP Dollars: Increasing Equitable Access to Local Produce

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Double SNAP Dollars is a USDA-funded program that increases access to fresh, local produce by giving participants an extra $1 in SNAP benefits for every $1 they spend on produce at farmers markets and participating grocery stores. In Montana, NCAT has partnered with the Community Food & Agriculture Coalition on a project designed to diversify […]

Throw Some Shade: Protecting Livestock from Heat Stress

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By Nina Prater, NCAT Agriculture Specialist As the summer heat ramps up around the country, it’s a good time to make sure we livestock producers are protecting our animals from heat stress. It is beneficial for their comfort and it improves their productivity, as well. Here in Arkansas where I live and raise cattle, goats, […]

Heritage Chickens: A Rare Breed in Modern Coops

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By Danielle Crocker, NCAT Agriculture Specialist There was once a time when the American backyard was a bustling chicken metropolis. Families raised heritage chicken breeds—the OGs of the poultry world. Breeds such as Dominque, Brahma, Delaware, Jersey Giant, Buckeye, Rhode Island White, and New Hampshire chickens were common dual-purpose yard birds. Much like heirloom vegetable […]

Working on the Business: Tax Day Musings

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By Linda Coffey, NCAT Livestock Specialist Here in Arkansas, the grass is growing, hens are at full lay, baby lambs are everywhere, and calves are arriving. It’s past time to put in garden crops, my to-do list is full of outdoor tasks, and it’s an exciting, beautiful time of year. I remember from past years […]

The Unsung Heroes of the Plants We Drink: Tea

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By Audrey Kolde, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Tea, a beverage enjoyed worldwide, is a subject of growing interest among specialty crop farmers in the Gulf South. The process of producing tea, from the tea seed to the cup, is a complex and fascinating one. The tea we drink is obtained from the leaves of a bush […]