Entries by Cathy Svejkovsky

The Timeless Pulse: A Personal Story

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This coming year, I am reaching the age where the federal government has suggested that it might be best for me to retire. While amazing legumes provide a natural and timeless means to address much of the fertility needs of at least organic agriculture, I am realizing that I am not as timeless as I used to fool myself into believing.
By Jeff Schahczenski, NCAT Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist

NCAT Launches Nation’s First AgriSolar Clearinghouse

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In less than a decade, solar installations are expected to cover more than 3 million acres of the United States, creating a big opportunity to pair solar with agricultural land to produce food, conserve ecosystems, create renewable energy, increase pollinator habitat, and maximize farm revenue. The National Center for Appropriate Technology, a nonprofit focused on […]

The Impact of Grazing Frequency and Recovery Period on Plant Diversity and Soil Health

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During my extensive travels working in pastoral ecosystems for nearly 20 years, ranging from Hawaii to New Hampshire and a lot of places in between, I’ve observed a common phenomenon. Whenever I would see a pasture that was always grazed down very short, I would see maybe two or three species of plants there. At the opposite end of the spectrum, I observed fields where livestock were never permitted to go and again, I would see a few plant species at best. Between these two extremes I found pastures with incredible diversity. So, what was driving plant diversity or the lack of it? 
By Justin Morris, Regenerative Livestock Specialist

Advanced Beekeeping

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Sometimes, in the course of events, having knowledge leads folks in odd directions. One of those directions could even be driving down the highway with a chunk of tree full of bees. A fellow needed help with said bees. He’d knocked them and their tree over with his tractor while mowing. He knew the tree to be dead and took the opportunity to start preparing it for burning. It didn’t go so well for him.
By Justin Duncan, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

Many Places for Pastured Poultry on This Integrated Farm

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I had been looking forward to a visit to the Burroughs Family Farms with university extension and beginning farmers alike, to learn from this multigenerational farm family about how they integrate raising pastured laying hens with their certified organic farm enterprises. With a decade of experience with poultry, they are refining their practices by moving coops through their pastures and orchards to build soil health and fertility while producing nutrient-dense eggs. Every season brings new learning opportunities.
By Ann Baier, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

Integrating Pastured Quail into a Whole-Farm System

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Diversity is a key insurance strategy on many farms, as multiple revenue streams can help keep a farm more stable in trying times. Most successful farmers I know employ this strategy and they are always on the lookout for new, higher-value enterprises to try out. The same is true on my farm in Kentucky. Last year, a restaurant client asked if we could raise pastured quail for their menu. They currently purchase 600 quail annually but believe that locally sourced quail will double their annual demand. 
By Mike Lewis, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

The ABC(DE) of Animal Health

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I have been raising livestock since I was a young child, and I have learned some things in doing so. Today I want to share an easy way to think through animal observations. These basic indicators of animal health will allow you, the livestock manager, to see early warning signs and take effective action. While my experience is mostly with sheep and goats, these principles apply to other livestock, as well.
By Linda Coffey, Livestock Specialist

Help Shape Montana’s Soil Health Future

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There’s nothing like a summer of vicious heat, drought, and grasshoppers to focus minds on the vital importance of healthy soil. Soil scientist Wallace Fuller said in 1975, “A cloak of loose, soft material, held to the Earth’s hard surface by gravity, is all that lies between life and lifelessness.” Across Montana, the summer of 2021 proved again just how crucial — and how vulnerable — that thin cloak of soil can be. Soil health is foundational to the resilience of land, and thus also to food systems, human health, and ecosystem function.
By Linda Poole, Regenerative Grazing Specialist

Next Gen Regen: Becky Weed on Building Resilient Agroecosystems

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Thirty-five years ago, Becky Weed and Dave Tyler left successful careers to start a farm in Montana’s Gallatin Valley. As first-generation farmers, “Dave and I didn’t know our heads from a hole in the ground, but we wanted to merge our interest in conservation and ecological systems with jobs in agriculture,” recalled Becky.
By Linda Poole, Regenerative Grazing Specialist