Entries by ncat-admin

Episode 212. Forty Years Later, Mr. Burch is Back on the Farm

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Asha Tillman shares the story of James Burch, who left Carroll County, Mississippi, for the military and other pursuits some 40 years ago. Now, he has returned to pursue his dream of starting Coleman’s Farm. As a beginning farmer, Mr. Burch is full […]

Episode 211. Native Plants Offer More Than Beauty to the Farmscape

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Native plants bring both beauty and resilience to the farmscape. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Eric Fuselier, an environmental project manager at the Arkansas and Oklahoma civil engineering firm Crafton Tull, tells the story of native plants and the benefits they offer in a conversation with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater. […]

Episode 210. Harnessing the Power of Worms in Composting

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Not all superheroes wear capes, and that includes worms. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Nina Prater, sustainable agriculture specialist in the NCAT Southeast office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, talks with Matt Casteel, owner of Wurmworks, a composting business in Jackson, Mississippi. The two take a closer look at worms as composting superheroes. Casteel […]

Episode 209. Meet NCAT: Linda Poole Explains There’s No Cookbook for Regenerative Grazing but Networks are a Key Ingredient

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In this episode, you can make the acquaintance of NCAT’s new Regenerative Grazing Specialist, Linda Poole. Linda’s love of working wildlands began with riding horseback at her family’s Eastern Washington ranch and led to a Master of Science degree in wildlife ecology from Oregon State University. She managed The Nature Conservancy’s 60,000-acre Matador Grassbank in […]

NCAT Staff Complete Rigorous International Organic Inspectors Association Crop and Livestock Inspector Training

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Last month, 12 National Center for Appropriate Technology employees hit the books for a rigorous week-long training through the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA). Through the IOIA curriculum, we developed skills required for inspecting and reporting on the management of organic crop and livestock operations.
By Lizzie Gill, Local Foods Specialist

Episode 207. What to Consider When Choosing U-Pick Crops

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, National Center for Appropriate Technology Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Martin Guerena speaks with Robert Ramming to learn more about Robert’s U-pick operation near Woodland, California. Robert’s Pacific Star Gardens raises apricots, berries, melons, tomatoes, and eggs. It sells from a roadside stand and U-pick fields. Robert explains his […]

Episode 206. Meet NCAT: Veteran Farmer Mike Lewis Brings Diverse Expertise to Our Team

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, National Center for Appropriate Technology Southeast Regional Director Margo Hale talks with Mike Lewis, a new NCAT sustainable agriculture specialist. From his Kentucky farm, Mike explains that farming is part of his DNA. Mike is a military veteran who founded Growing Warriors, a veteran-oriented food security project. […]

NCAT’s Armed to Farm Returns to In-Person Training

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In January 2020, NCAT’s Armed to Farm team was busy making plans to host eight workshops, including one in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in June 2020. However, by late April it had become clear that we would not be able to meet in person for some time. After a year of waiting and hoping and Zooming, we were thrilled to finally host the 25th week-long Armed to Farm in May 2021 at Mount Sequoyah Retreat Center in Fayetteville. We were so happy to be back with a group of military veterans eager and ready to learn about sustainable farming.
By Robyn Metzger, Armed to Farm Coordinator