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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.

So, You Want to a Start a Farm?

This blog will cover a short set of key questions you should ask yourself when considering starting a farm. Your answers will help you think about whether farming is right for you and help get you started in your planning process.
By Rockiell Woods, NCAT Gulf States Regional Director

Juneberry: the Delicious Native American Fruit with a Thousand Names

Of the many names for this plant, "chuckleberry" is certainly my favorite, but I've only seen it in writing, never heard it spoken. Around the Ozarks where I live "sarvis" or "sarvisberry" seems to be the most commonly spoken, at least among the old-timers.
By Guy K. Ames, NCAT Horticulture Specialist
Bianca Moebius-Clune

Moebius-Clune and Soil “Livestock”

Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune sees soil as a living ecosystem whose critters need attention, just like the animals in any agriculture operation. 'Every one of you who's a farmer or even a gardener has livestock, because your livestock are in the soil, and you wouldn't think to not feed them,' Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune said recently to producers in Kansas.
By Rich Myers, NCAT Outreach Specialist

Buz Kloot: Seven Words that Sparked a Change

In 2013, Montana Highland Lamb had finally come to the conclusion that we were spending way too much on fertilizer for our irrigated pastures. Sure, they were producing more than six tons of grass dry matter per acre, but for what? We were not realizing any profit—the fertilizer manufacturer was. Somehow, we had to escape the immense gravitational bondage of more and more inputs. But how?
By Dave Scott, NCAT Livestock Specialist and Co-Owner of Montana Highland Lamb

Takeaways from the Real Organic Symposium

In 2014, my colleagues and I held an evening reception at our office in San Antonio for the members of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). We wanted to show our appreciation to these volunteers and organic champions who do the often-thankless job of interpreting and defending the USDA organic standards.
By Mike Morris, Director of NCAT’s Southwest Regional Office

Provenza has a Recipe for Plant, Animal, and Human Health

Dr. Provenza will be among the featured speakers at NCAT’s first Soil Health Innovations Conference in March. He will be discussing 'How Palates Link the Health of Soil and Plants with Livestock and Humans.'
By Rich Myers, Outreach Specialist

Meet The Subsurfer

Designed and patented by Dr. Dan Pote, the Subsurfer inserts dry poultry litter a few inches into the soil profile without disturbing the soil. It’s kind of like a combination of a no-till seed drill and a manure spreader. It was originally designed to be used in pasture and forage production systems, but Dr. Ashworth has been leading a three-year research project to assess its use in organic specialty crop production. This research, funded by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, is trying to determine best practices for using the Subsurfer in organic sweet corn and edamame production.
By Nina Prater, NCAT Agriculture Specialist
boozeman hale headshot

A Senator’s View of a Post-COVID Food World

While in Washington, DC, last spring, just as the rising tide of COVID-19 began, I had the pleasure of visiting with Senator John Boozman of Arkansas during a chance encounter outside the Capitol. A warm and friendly man by temperament, his dedication to sustainable agriculture and local food systems quickly animated our curbside conversation.
By Steve Thompson, NCAT Executive Director

Looking for Federal Assistance? We’ve Got a One-Stop Shop for You!

By Cathy Svejkovsky, NCAT Publications Director I’ve been…
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Getting Started in Livestock: Lessons Learned

By Linda Coffey, NCAT Livestock Specialist Thinking back to…