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ATTRA Blog

Whether you’re a seasoned or beginning producer, a curious consumer, or simply someone who appreciates the bounty of the earth, you’ll find valuable insights and engaging stories here.

Written by ATTRA specialists on topics they are passionate and knowledgeable about, the ATTRA blog highlights techniques, how-tos, insight, success stories, and much more in support of sustainable agriculture.

NCAT Releases Updated Tipsheets on Soil Solarization and Biosolarization

Are you struggling with weeds or pests? Solarization and biosolarization…

Urban Agroforestry: Bringing the Jungle Back to the Concrete Jungle

Cities are notorious for being devoid of flora and fauna. They don't call it the concrete jungle for nothing! But it doesn't have to be that way. In this blog, we're going to talk about how we can bring a little bit of jungle back to the concrete jungle with something called urban agroforestry.
Katherine Favor

Advanced Grazing Webinar, Session 2 – Plants

Is it possible for weeds to provide equal or better nutrition than alfalfa? The second session of the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s (NCAT) four-part webinar series, Advanced Grazing for Regenerating Soils and Enhancing Animal Nutrition, addresses these questions by focusing on the plant side of the grazing equation. 
Justin Morris and Lee Rinehart

New Resources to Demystify Regenerative Grazing and Soil Health

The terms regenerative grazing and soil health have started to seem almost ubiquitous in the world of agriculture. This is heartening for me as a soil specialist with NCAT, where I consider it part of my job to help producers understand and take care of their soils, as it is key to their long-term success as farmers and ranchers.
Nina Prater
high tunnel

Insect Netting for Spray-Free Insect Control on Small Farms

As I walked through the high tunnels in mid-July 2020, a frustration set in that it may not be possible to grow greenhouse cucumbers without spraying them. In my previous role as Farm Director at Hip Peas Farm, a peri-urban microfarm in Hooksett, New Hampshire, we had a demand for greenhouse cucumbers. These pests presented a huge problem for us, as we were attempting to be a completely spray-free operation.
Dan Birnstihl, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

Farmers and Ranchers Are Neither the Cause Nor the Solution to Climate Disruption

The anxiety and stress farmers and ranchers face because of the consequence of climate disruption are real, but neither the causes nor significant solutions rest with farmers and ranchers. According to a new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the level of net greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in 2019 was estimated to be 59 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent. A gigaton is a billion metric tons. That is a lot of extra climate-disrupting gases being released into the atmosphere of our planet every year. Unfortunately, those emissions levels are growing.
Jeff Schahczenski, NCAT Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist

Video Series Provides Solar Education to Farmers

It should come as no surprise that farmers are busy people.…

NCAT Webinar Series Addresses Advanced Grazing

Did you know that the most important livestock on your farm are the ones you never purchased and, in most cases, have rarely, if ever, seen? These livestock, along with plant roots, play an essential role in improving soil health, which is the foundation of any agricultural operation. But what is soil health and how does one go about improving it? The NCAT four-part webinar series Advanced Grazing for Regenerating Soils and Enhancing Animal Nutrition begins by addressing this question. 
Justin Morris, NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist, and  Lee Rinehart, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist 

Reflections from a Shortgrass Prairie

Erik Tucker has been ranching in Southeast Colorado since his early 20s, and although he didn’t grow up on a ranch, he has long felt  that the old way of ranching just wasn’t working. He likes to observe the sunshine, rain, and natural processes of the world that culminate in pastures and healthy cattle. He knows livestock didn’t always need so much handling, especially when bison freely roamed the area. He often thinks about those times and wonders if they can be recreated in their efficiency.
By Hernán Colmenero, Sustainable Food Consultant