Answer: Forage diversity is key to productive pastures from a soil perspective as well as from an animal productivity perspective. Select forages that are high in sugar content, including perennial grasses and legumes and annual forages such as…...
Answer: Sheep foot rot is a disease in which two species of bacteria work together to infect the foot. One, the "trigger" bacteria, predisposes the foot tissue to infection by the other. The trigger bacteria is gone out of the environment after two…...
Answer: There are several key diseases that affect apple production, such as fire blight, apple scab, cedar apply rust, summer rots, sooty blotch, and fly speck. In order to properly treat these diseases, it's important to first correctly identify them.…...
Answer: Organic hayfields typically have problems because nutrients are removed from the fields and are not replaced. This doesn't occur as much in fields that are grazing because of the manure and urine from grazing livestock. And if you add a more…...
Answer: As a producer interested in working with a food hub, it is important to evaluate several components of a hub to see if the operation meets your needs and the needs of your farm. Here are some factors to consider. ? Purpose/Mission ? Food hubs…...
Answer: Persimmons generally bloom late enough in the spring to avoid spring frosts, so site selection does not have to emphasize air drainage to the same degree that other early blooming tree crops require (e.g., peaches). Persimmons grow well on a…...
Answer: In the United States, nearly all of the commercially grown plums for fresh eating are hybrids of the Japanese plum introduced by a Berkley nurseryman in the 1870s and subsequently hybridized by Luther Burbank in the late 1800s. Today, 95% or…...
Answer: Brambles, including raspberries and blackberries, can be a very profitable crop, but how profitable they will be for you depends on several factors. To begin with, your market will determine the price you receive for your berries. You will get…...
Answer: Because tadpole shrimp do not hatch from eggs until exposed to water, rice that is grown in dry-seeded systems and not flooded until rice is at the 4?5 leaf stage should be safe from tadpole shrimp injury. This practice promotes large plants…...
Answer: Nematodes are microscopic roundworms found in many habitats. Nematodes are the most abundant multicellular organisms on Earth. Most are beneficial members of their ecosystems, but a few are economic parasites of plants. The Columbia, Stubby, and…...
Answer: No. Internal parasites, especially Haemonchus contortus, have developed drug resistance. Drug treatment gets rid of the worms that are susceptible to that particular drug; resistant parasites survive and pass on "resistant" genes. No dewormer is…...
Answer: Cultivated garlic, Allium sativum, is a member of the lily family. It can be divided into two subspecies: Allium ophioscorodon (bolting or hard-neck cultivars) and Allium sativum (non-bolting or soft-neck cultivars). Allium ophioscorodon…...
Answer: Coccidiosis is a parasite infection caused by the protozoan organism coccidia (also known as cocci or by the scientific name, Eimeria), which causes damage to the animal's intestinal tract so that food is not absorbed well. Recognizing…...
Answer: The number-one factor in effective pricing is quantifying your costs and selling above those costs. It can be difficult to quantify production costs accurately and estimate profits from sales, but knowing production costs is key to staying in…...
Answer: The principle concern with no-tilling corn or milo into timothy is going to be plant competition. Certainly, the timothy, being a cool-season perennial grass, will begin to slow down as temperatures reach the 80s. However, stored carbohydrates…...
Answer: The authorities that govern biodynamic and organic certification are the Biodynamic Standard and the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Regulations, respectively. Both prohibit the use of treated wood in certified production systems, as…...
Answer: Hairy buttercup is a winter annual that that germinates in the fall and flowers in the spring. Non-chemical control is possible and will require a holistic approach. The best way to inhibit buttercup infestations is through plant competition and…...
Answer: The term low-spray has no precise definition. It simply refers to a reduced-synthetic-pesticide spray program relative to a region's prevailing conventional practices. For example, instead of eight to 12 spray applications during a growing…...
Answer: Mid-May is really late to transplant. The issue is transplant shock: the leaves are transpiring moisture before the roots are adequately established--remember, it's the little root hairs that do the work of sucking up water, and those little…...
Answer: Cultivar selection is a very important decision for a bramble grower because it can determine the productivity and profitability of an operation. The best place to start is by talking with bramble growers in your area to see what cultivars have…...
Answer: Controlling poison ivy is a difficult task, and it may take a long period of time to get a handle on it. Here are a few options for controlling poison ivy without the use of chemical herbicides.1. Control poison ivy by constantly mowing or…...
Answer: The natural fibers produced by wooled sheep, Angora goats, and cashmere goats can be used in a variety of ways to add income to the sheep or goat enterprise. There are several possibilities for marketing wool:? In bulk: ask your shearer for…...
Answer: Specialty vegetables can be considered any variation from the typical market fare. This could be baby, heirloom, or ethnic products. Producing specialty vegetables is a way to set yourself apart in local markets and often command a higher price.…...
Answer: Nitrogen (N) is especially important in sweet corn production, not only for plant growth but also for the production of amino acids that influence flavor and nutrition. Research at Michigan State University showed that 6 percent of the total…...
Answer: There are different levels of processing, and access to them will affect how you can market your animals.? Federal- or USDA-Inspected Plants?Federal plants can process meat for nationwide sale. ? State-Inspected Plants?Only about half of…...
Answer: Early blight is a prevalent disease in the humid southeast, exacerbated by late spring rains. Many organic growers are moving to high tunnel tomato production and plastic mulch to mitigate the disease and keep rain/soil splash off the foliage.…...
Answer: The codling moth, Cydia pomonella, is present throughout North American apple-growing regions. Prior to the advent of synthetic pesticides, the codling moth larva was the proverbial "worm in the apple." Relatively cold regions may have only one…...
Answer: The American Community Garden Association (communitygarden.org) has offered a 10-step outline for starting a community orchard. Retaining the 10 major headings, the following is an expansion of that outline:1. The first step is to develop a…...
Answer: The basic processing steps are as follows:Seed cleaning Preparation of the raw material often includes removing husks or seed coats from the seeds and separating the seeds from the chaff. There are a wide variety of small- to…...
Answer: Generally speaking, biochar is the product of turning biomass into gas or oil with the intention of adding it to crop and forest production systems as a soil amendment. The definition of biochar is more about its creation and intended…...
Answer: Rabbits eat only plants and are classified as non-ruminant herbivores. They recycle feed by re-ingesting the cecotropes. Cecotropes are small particles of digested food that collect in the cecum (hindgut), which the rabbit excretes once a day…...
Answer: In general, the goal of farm to institution programs is to get fresh, healthy, locally sourced foods into cafeterias in schools, colleges, hospitals, correctional facilities, and senior living centers. There are many ways to bring local food…...
Answer: Apple scab, caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis, causes grayish-brown spots on leaves and hard, rough ("scabby") lesions on fruit. As the lesions progress, they often crack, opening the fruit to other problems. Rain, duration of leaf…...
Answer: Most methane-electric generation is from animal waste. If you are accepting animal waste by truck, perhaps food waste or brewery waste can be trucked in as well. This will provide the desired variety of feedstock and will greatly increase…...
Answer: The Scotch bonnet pepper is classified as a Capsicum chinense pepper, which is the same species as other chili peppers such as the habanero. These are some of the hottest peppers and are native to the Americas.I did not find specific…...
Answer: It is important to note that any water used in organic operations must meet standards and regulations first set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act. The use of lime as a water treatment in organic…...
Answer: As good and nutritious as apples, peaches, and seedless grapes are, they are subject to a myriad of pests and diseases in the Ozarks, and most varieties of these fruits can hardly be grown at all without regular applications of pesticides. On…...
Answer: This year, we've seen a tremendous increase in bloat nematode in garlic. I've been paying particular attention to it as some of my own garlic is infected, and unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done to control it in the short-term,…...
Answer: Products that are labeled under the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) certify that the food or other agricultural product(s) have been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that…...
Answer: Choosing and properly preparing a site to install a high tunnel are among the most important factors in how well the high tunnel will perform for years to come. Most urban farms have a limited amount of space and workable soil. Although…...
Answer: Generally in organic systems, preventive weed control is the most effective method of dealing with weeds. But as for what can assist you now, I have found that a combination of approaches is necessary. I'm sure that's no surprise to you as you…...
Answer: Living hedges are fences made of living trees and shrubs. Their installation and use is common in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Australia. While historically used in this country as livestock fencing, living hedges are…...
Answer: Managing manure can be a challenge, especially in large-scale operations. However, if you view manure as a free, plentiful, and valuable resource, you begin to look at it as a commodity in its own right. Marketing manure can be a beneficial,…...
Answer: The number-one driver of getting the soil microbes to cycle nutrients is soil organic matter. Organic matter can be increased, but it will take some time. The fastest way to do so is to no-till in multi-species cover crops (six to 10 species)…...
Answer: Organic farming requires any pest management materials used be in compliance with USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) regulations and must be used in the context of organic principles for farming and handling practices. The Organic…...
Answer: In addition to growing great food and fiber products and taking care of the land, farmers need to be good financial stewards of their business and household. This requires being organized, keeping track of all income and expenses, and having a…...
Answer: The ATTRA website contains several online multi-lesson tutorials that allow you to work through lessons and associated worksheets at your own pace, including two that focus on getting started in commercial farming. These beginning-farmer…...
Answer: Growing fodder for livestock using hydroponics is being used throughout the country, giving farmers in drought-prone areas the ability to grow feed for livestock and also as an alternative high-protein food source for livestock. Hydroponics is…...
Answer: The establishment of a pecan orchard by planting trees in rows is how most new growers enter the pecan industry. Trees can be purchased with the cultivar already budded to the top, or planted as a seedling and grafted in the field. (To be "true…...
Answer: Symptoms of brown rot in peaches include the following: ? Two to three weeks before harvest, earlier infection (as early as bloom and petal fall) of the fruit by the fungus Monilinia fructicola becomes apparent as the fruit softens,…...
Answer: Yellowing or browning of white cauliflower heads can be attributed to frost damage, sun damage, or boron-deficient soil.Cauliflower is a cool-season plant belonging to the Brassica family. However, it can be damaged if the temperatures are too…...
Answer: Vertical farms come in different shapes and sizes, from simple two-level or wall-mounted systems to large warehouses several stories tall. But all vertical farms use one of three soil-free systems for providing nutrients to plants?hydroponic,…...
Answer: Over the past decade, direct marketing has become highly visible and popular among consumers in the United States. Consumer campaigns such as USDA's Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food have succeeded in bringing awareness to the importance of the…...
Answer: : Integrating trees and shrubs with other enterprises on a farm can create additional sources of income, spread farm labor throughout the year, and increase the productivity of those other enterprises -- all while protecting soil, water, and…...
Answer: The nutritional concern for ruminants centers around energy (i.e., carbohydrates), protein, minerals, vitamins, and water. Energy (carbohydrates) is responsible for maintenance and growth functions of the animal and for the generation of heat.…...
Answer: Companion planting can be described as establishing two or more plant species in close proximity for some cultural benefit (such as pest control or higher yield). The concept embraces a number of strategies that increase the biodiversity of…...
Answer: As a custom grazier you will be filling an important niche as a forage-based relationship specialist. With this in mind, you can think of yourself as a niche marketer. Identify your niche, what you have to offer that is above and beyond the…...
Answer: Dr. Bernadine Strik and Dr. Luis Valenzuela of Oregon State University, Dr. David Bryla of USDA-ARS produced a webinar titled Organic Blackberry Production: Tips Learned from an Ongoing Research Study, which you should find useful. It covers…...
Answer: Sorghum-sudangrass is often grown as a cover crop to reduce erosion, increase soil organic matter, and suppress weeds, but you're right to be concerned about its allelopathic effects on subsequent crops. These effects can include death or…...
For many beginning farmers, poultry may be the most logical livestock choice. Birds have several advantages ? their small size, quick return on investment, and low start-up costs, to name a few. Poultry can be the "gateway" animal to raising larger…...
Answer: While solar water-pumping systems are not very complicated, there are a few steps to take and some figuring that goes into choosing the right size pump and solar panels. The type of water source, the distance it is from the crops being…...
Answer: Tilapia have historically been considered a very disease-resistant, or resilient, species. However, researchers and practitioners are beginning to dispel this notion, as there are some diseases that occur in tilapia populations that can…...
Answer: Research has suggested that application rates of 20 to 160 gallons per acre of 20% acetic acid solution applied in combination with additives such as orange oil, non-ionic surfactant, and crop oil concentrate can be effective for controlling…...
Answer: Contract grazing is a livestock-production system that decouples land ownership, livestock ownership, and land (and livestock) management. The arrangement may involve as many as three separate entities carrying out distinct roles: a landowner, a…...
Answer: The nutritional concern for ruminants centers around energy (i.e., carbohydrates), protein, minerals, vitamins, and water. Energy is responsible for maintenance and growth functions of the animal, and for the generation of heat. Protein grows…...
Answer: First, the purpose of using high-airflow fans in your tunnels is to keep the air moving mostly at night to even out the temperatures throughout the tunnel. This decreases the chance that the tomato foliage temperature will drop below the…...
Answer: Peach leaf curl, caused by the fungal organism Taphrina deformans, is a common disorder in peach and nectarine orchards, especially during wet springs. Infected leaves become misshapen, deformed, and necrotic, resulting in premature defoliation…...
Answer: The amount of land that is put in to production should relate to your markets and, overall, to your targeted revenue. These components are configured in a business plan in which developing a business plan is the first big step in starting a farm…...
Answer: A really good place to start would be the ATTRA publication Fruit Trees, Bushes, and Vines for Natural Growing in the Ozarks. Though the title refers to growing in the Ozarks, most of the publication's information is also true for central…...
Answer: You're probably farming on sandy soil, which nematodes very much enjoy. I'm guessing that you grow lisianthus flowers pretty much year after year in your hoop house. That is also something which the nematodes would very much enjoy. I try to…...
Answer: While it is possible to establish a no-till system for your land, it is advisable to first establish a cover crop and get the weeds under control, particularly if you are trying to establish no-till in an organic system. According to the book…...
Answer: Most agricultural herbicides and pesticides break down quickly in the environment. There are a few exceptions, however, particularly Clopyralid and Picloram. Picloram has shown up in compost residues throughout the country for as much as two…...
Answer: For many market farmers, blister beetles can wreak havoc on crops in a very short time. The beetles seem to prefer tomatoes, potatoes, and chard, but easily move on to peppers and eggplants. More importantly, they infest hay and are poisonous…...
Answer: Depending on how extensive this weed is on your land, here are some possibilities: 1) Mow, vacuum, mow. This is to pick up the burs and get them off the pasture. The source I found suggested that a wood chipper is equipped with a vacuum to…...
Answer: Unfortunately, there is no simple way to answer your question, as crop selection is market-driven as well as related to your short- and long-term goals. A farm can't be a farm without being able to cover its costs. Often we see that the…...
Answer: Holistic Management? is a decision-making framework designed to assist you in establishing your goals, creating a financial plan, as well as developing a plan for managing social and environmental sustainability. In short, it is a tool…...
Answer: To find your break-even point and set prices for your products it is crucial to know your costs of production. Check out the ATTRA publication Understanding Organic Pricing and Costs of Production. This publication covers techniques for…...
Answer: Besides the initial investment of greenhouse construction, labor and energy are usually the two greatest ongoing greenhouse expenses. If you can find a way to decrease costs of either, or both, of these, your chances of making a profit will be…...
Answer: Vertical farms come in different shapes and sizes, from simple two-level or wall-mounted systems to large warehouses several stories tall. But all vertical farms use one of three soil-free systems for providing nutrients to plants?hydroponic,…...
Answer: Sorghum-sudangrass is often grown as a cover crop to reduce erosion, increase soil organic matter, and suppress weeds, but you're right to be concerned about its allelopathic effects on subsequent crops. These effects can include death or…...
Answer: The nutritional concern for ruminants centers around energy (i.e., carbohydrates), protein, minerals, vitamins, and water. Energy (carbohydrates) is responsible for maintenance and growth functions of the animal, and for the generation of heat.…...
Answer: For many market farmers, blister beetles can wreak havoc on crops in a very short time. The beetles seem to prefer tomatoes, potatoes, and chard, but easily move on to peppers and eggplants. More importantly, they infest hay and are poisonous to…...
Answer: If you plan to use a watering system when pipes and water troughs can freeze, you will need to plan ahead. If you use a solar-powered system, keep in mind the solar panels stop generating power at night, when temperatures are lowest. Also, solar…...
Answer: Here is an interesting item from Canada about crown gall, which includes some information on crown gall resistant rootstocks: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/grapeipm/crowngall.htm. This will be helpful if you know how to graft or if you could get…...
Answer: No-till systems are a practical way to raise vegetables and improve soil quality at the same time. No-till production involves growing and managing cover crops to provide living and killed mulches, which along with the reduction/elimination of…...
Answer: I would definitely recommend a soil test to determine what kind of level of arsenic is in your soils. I would suspect that most of the litter would be hauled off, but a good deal could have been used on site as well, maybe too much. Arsenic…...
Answer: A lot of the same principles that go into selling your food at farmers markets are the same for selling to grocery stores and restaurants. Key questions to ask yourself before beginning to sell at grocery stores or restaurants include: What…...
Answer: First, constrain the animal and then put the halter on. Initially, you can tie the calf low to a post to begin the halter-training process. Leave her tied up for about five minutes every day and then gradually increase the time, so that she will…...
Answer: The term chicken tractor is mostly used for housing meat birds; for layers, coop or egg mobile is more commonly used. Egg mobiles are different from chicken tractors in that they are designed to allow the hens to venture beyond their house, to…...
Answer: There are two places where you can find information about allowed (and specifically prohibited) organic soil amendments: OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) and the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).OMRI's searchable database can be…...
Answer: The use of appropriate agricultural equipment and tools for small-scale intensive crop production contributes to the viability of the farm by enhancing production efficiency. Factors to consider when choosing appropriate agricultural equipment…...
Answer: Flea beetles are one of the most difficult to manage pests of eggplant and cole crops. They are also a problem on seedlings of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, turnips, radishes, and corn. There are various genera and species of flea beetles, all…...
Answer: Lumber treated with prohibited materials is not allowed under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Regulations. The NOP prohibits most, but not all, synthetics. Lumber is pressure treated to resist insects and fungi, but the materials used…...
Answer: There are many different funding sources, programs, and grants for agricultural production. You will have to spend some time exploring the many different options and finding a program that matches what you are wanting to do.An excellent place…...
Answer: Biochar was initially linked to the exploration and archeological study of early human settlement and soils. These early studies of soils being enriched from what appears to be the deliberate mixing of burned biomass in soils around human…...
Answer: Wooled sheep, Angora goats, and cashmere goats offer another "crop" in addition to meat. The natural fibers produced by these animals can be used in a variety of ways to add income to the sheep or goat enterprise. Natural fibers are a renewable…...
Answer: This red ring at the bottom of your milk jars is almost certainly blood. It comes from the slight bursting of one of the very small blood vessels (capillaries) supplying the alveolar tissues in the udder. Although not uncommon, you may go a long…...
Answer: The University of Florida has conducted many studies on the best ways to control smutgrass. Their recommendations can be found at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa261. A mature forage smutgrass isn't very palatable or all that nutritious, making it…...
Answer: For starters, I recommend that you view Chapter 2 of the ATTRA intensive grazing video Intensive Grazing: One Farm's Set-Up. This video talks about the circumference of the hoop (in this case, 67 inches) and also gives the formula for figuring…...
Answer: Prairie grass hay should be fine for your sheep to eat. A few points to consider:? The sheep will eat the hay better if it is forages they are used to. If they are grazing native prairie pastures in the growing season, then they should…...
Answer: In addition to growing great food and fiber products and taking care of the land, farmers need to be good financial stewards of their business and household. This requires being organized, keeping track of all income and expenses, and having a…...
Answer: If not controlled, internal parasites can cause illness in animals. Symptoms of parasitism include weight loss, loss of appetite, depression, weakness, lagging behind or separating from the flock, and possibly anemia, bottle jaw, or diarrhea.…...
Answer: The following ATTRA resources should be of interest to you:Sustainable Soil Management https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=183Drought Resistant Soil https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=118…...
Answer: Soil texture and available water-holding capacity determine the rate at which water moves through the soil and, therefore, how long to run a drip system per application. The following steps will help you determine your needs.…...
Answer: The fungus that causes this disease moves back and forth between eastern red cedars (actually junipers, not true cedars) and apples, so it can be a major problem where eastern red cedars are endemic. In order to complete its life cycle, this…...
Answer: Bermudagrass is one of the hardest grasses to control organically. The best thing I've read about organic control of Bermudagrass is based around an intense, one-year, series of smother crops strategy worked out by George Kuepper at the Kerr…...
Answer: Renting farmland is a common practice in U.S. agriculture, where more than 45 percent of the 917 million farmland acres are rented. According to the Agricultural Economics and Land Ownership Survey, 60 percent of farmland rent is paid in cash,…...
Answer: Interest in local and regional food systems is increasing as their health benefits and contributions to economic, environmental, and social sustainability are recognized. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show growth in…...
Answer: Foot problems are often hard to diagnose, and sometimes they are very easy to misdiagnose. In sheep, the most common and definitely the most feared type of foot rot is sheep foot rot. This is different than cattle foot rot. Its main diagnostic…...
Answer: Commercial organic cherry production presents many challenges. The cherry fruit fly, bacterial canker, phytophthora root rot, leaf spot, fruit cracking, late frosts, and brown rot of the blossom and fruit are all serious obstacles to the…...
Answer: Cheat grass is an annual and it spreads by seeding. Grazing animals will eat it in the vegetative state, but they generally avoid it when it heads out. Thus, you can graze it out by grazing it in the vegetative phase of its growth. This is…...
Answer: While the opportunity for producing organic grains is significant, organic production is not without its challenges. Weed management, soil fertility, soil moisture, tillage, rotation design, and marketing present a unique set of obstacles for…...
Answer: Local foods purchasing has moved beyond farmers markets to mainstream grocery stores. As consumers become more interested in purchasing local foods, chain grocery stores from Walmart to Safeway tout their support of local farmers. At the same…...
Answer: For pastured laying hens, as for any animal-agriculture enterprise, a source of quality livestock is absolutely necessary. Different poultry breeds have different characteristics that a producer must take into account when choosing a breed for…...
Answer: For the direct-market producer, shipping melons is probably not a good bet, as per-unit costs of production make them uncompetitive in price in small quantities. This condition, of course, is shared by producers of all stripe. It's hard for a…...
Answer: Sericea lespedeza is a legume that requires a moderate climate and well-drained soil with an optimal pH of 6.0 to 6.5. It will not withstand prolonged freezing. It requires about 30 inches of rainfall a year. It is not listed as a noxious weed…...
Answer: I would need to know more about your farm to give an educated opinion but, in general, if the $700 dollar electric bill was for one month, then your farm would likely be a good candidate for an energy audit. An audit would determine where most…...
Answer: First, I recommend that you consult the ATTRA publication Financing Your Farm: Guidance for Beginning Farmers. This publication talks about some of the options that are available for accessing moneys to start a farm business. It covers…...
Answer: Transplanting this late in the season, when trees are beginning to break dormancy, it would be best if you could take as much soil with the roots as possible (not bare root). The reason is that most of the work of water uptake is actually done…...
Answer: Pricing is one of the most challenging aspects of farming. Checking the regional market prices is a good place to start. Rodale Institute has a good online tool that gives conventional and certified organic prices on many crops based on the…...
Answer: I foresee no problems with substituting wet brewers grains for one-third of the corn-oats-barley (COB) grain ration you are feeding your finishing steers. The University of Florida published an article titled "Wet Brewers' Grains for Beef…...
Answer: Common Triplax spp. feed on oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.), which grow on dead logs. Chemical controls are not recommended, since mushrooms and their mycelia are very absorbent. These insects are not considered a major commercial pest, so…...
Answer: First, I encourage you to visit ATTRA's Biorational Pest Management Database. Here's the link to the entry for Japanese beetle:…...
Answer: Blackberries are exceedingly easy to propagate from root cuttings. First, you have to get to the roots, so you can either come out from your mother plants 12 to 18 inches or so with a shovel or tractor-driven plow and turn up some roots. Or you…...
Answer: I'd say your chances for growing tart cherries successfully are good to very good. The tart cherry, Prunus cerasus, is much better adapted to the upper South than is the sweet cherry, P. avium. Note that sweets and tarts are separate and…...
Answer: A good place to start is ATTRA's internship database, one of the most utilized farm internship sites in the country. You can narrow a search by location or by enterprise. It is available at https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/. It is…...
Answer: Occasionally seed-borne diseases can be spread when saving seed. It is not very often that this occurs, however, and I wouldn't discourage you from seed saving because of this. Two diseases that are more commonly spread via seed are black rot…...
Answer: In its most basic definition, hydroponic production is the production of plants in a nutrient solution rather than soil. Many variations on this theme exist, but most production occurs in greenhouses. The investment required for a hydroponic…...
Answer: Drying your cow up is probably the easiest and most reliable treatment. The action of the milking machine or hand milking will irritate the scab and delay its healing. However, if you do not want to dry her up, and I don't blame you, this is…...
Answer: Bradford pear belongs to the "wild" species Pyrus calleryana. Bradford is simply a selection from that species, chosen for ornamental purposes. Bradford is actually budded or grafted onto seedlings of P. calleryana, which may or may not (due to…...
Answer: When you are purchasing a used manure spreader, look for these things:1. General appearance. Is it beat up from misuse? Look at the sides. Are they rusted? Is the bottom made of wood with a poly cover? Avoid metal beds, even the Cor?Ten steel…...
Answer: You should be able to transplant the trees into pots anytime they're dormant and the ground isn't frozen. However, be aware that if temperatures plummet after they're in pots, the roots will be more subject to cold damage than if they had…...
Answer: Harvesting your animals at exactly the right time is very important. Lambs that are over- or under-finished will produce meat that is less desirable to consumers. Mastering the ability to determine when your lambs are correctly finished at 0.20…...
Answer: Threshing?the act of physically breaking the grain kernel out of the plants seed head?is done by some form of beating. With small amounts of grain, it can be done by beating the grain heads against the inside of a clean container such as a…...
Answer: Llamas or alpacas can be a good addition to a farm or ranch?alpacas as an alternative livestock enterprise and llamas as guard animals or recreational animals. They fit well into a diversified farming operation. Marginal pastureland is suitable…...
Answer: There are many different funding sources, programs, and grants for agricultural production. Finding a program that matches your project will require that you spend some time exploring the many different options.An excellent place to start is…...
Answer: I foresee no problems with substituting wet brewer's grains for one-third of the corn-oats-barley (COB) grain ration you are feeding your finishing steers. The University of Florida produced a useful publication titled Wet Brewers' Grains for…...
Answer: Yes, you could make the compost without a spreader by layering one and a half to two parts of straw to one part of manure and building the pile up to at least five feet high. Higher would be better?the more mass, the more habitat. You have to be…...
Answer: Increased soil salinity levels can greatly effect plant growth and production. Some soils are naturally high in salinity but most salinity problems on farms are increased by farm practices. In arid regions of the country, irrigation water can…...
Answer: In starting an aquaponic garden, one of the most important things to do is a fishless cycle with pure ammonia to build up the nitrifying bacteria. This step requires patience and should not be rushed. Some resources mention the use of feeder…...
Answer: Commercial organic apple production is possible in Minnesota, but it is complicated compared to conventional production and compared to organic production in drier parts of the nation, like Washington state. The ATTRA publication Apples: Organic…...
Answer: Weed control is a huge challenge for organic growers in any system, but perennial fruits are particularly problematic because it's difficult to use weed-control techniques like rotations and smother crops without some danger of damaging roots…...
Answer: There are two issues that should help you decide which source to use. The first issue deals with the type of spreader system you have available. The pellets offer an easier and more uniform product to spread on the hay ground and a simple…...
Answer: There are several indicators of ripeness or impending ripeness, including the following:1) The abscission "scar" on the stem breaks cleanly when you push up and away on the fruit. This is a spot on the stem that is bigger than the rest of the…...
Answer: Do you currently have reproductive problems, reduced weight gains, or other issues connected to grazing fescue? If not, and your animals have adapted and produce well on fescue, then it likely won't make much economic sense to spend lots of time…...
Answer: While there are many programs available for garden and landscape design, there are only a handful of programs designed for the small farm. And those available tend to focus more on management practices, recordkeeping, and marketing. That said,…...
Answer: Mushroom production is completely different from growing green plants. Mushrooms do not contain chlorophyll and, therefore, depend on other plant material (the "substrate") for their food. The part of the organism that we see and call a mushroom…...
Answer: Desirable genetic traits for pastured hogs are very different than those for confinement operations. The large confinement operations have actually bred out a stress gene that was causing an average 14% mortality from crowding and shipping…...
Answer: I would spread lime as soon as you can get onto the soil. However, do not spread the lime on wet soil, as going over the soil when it's wet will create compaction layers that will take a long time to get rid of. That being said, the longer the…...
Answer: The two primary diseases that I would recommend vaccinating for are overeating and tetanus. Overeating disease is caused by Clostridium perfringens, types C and D. Vaccinating for tetanus is recommended if you are banding tails or testicles. The…...