Farm Records
Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
(SARE) Farm Internship Curriculum and Handbook
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Tom and Maud Powell and Michael Moss, Sustainable Farmers, Jackson County, OR.
Technical advisor: Tim Franklin, Jacksonville, OR. Curriculum advisor: Peter O’Connell, Jacksonville, OR. Web advisor: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Butte, MT. Published 2007 Updated 2010 © NCAT |
Farm Records
Learning Objectives
The learner will…
- Understand what type of records are required.
- Discuss the various reasons that records are important.
- Review and have access to sample record keeping forms.
Purpose of Maintaining Farm Records
- The practice is required by National Organic Practices for organic certification
- Records serve as documentation of the farm’s standards and practices
- Records aid future planning – (amounts planted, varieties preferred, marketability of particular crop)
- Records enable comparison and tracking of farm’s progress – (yields, soil fertility, crop rotations)
Required Records
Daily Log
- The daily log details any farm activity. It provides a basis for the year’s master plan – (Details from daily log can be used to create a field map showing what crops were grown where. This is necessary for tracking crop rotations.) The daily log includes:
- What was done – planting, harvesting, weeding, marketing
- Where work was done – field, greenhouse, market
- Who did the work
- How long did the task take to complete
- May also include weather, general observations, any farm related topic
Input Log
- Tracks production aids used
- fertilizers and amendments – specific product used, application rate, where used (field, greenhouse)
- compost – what is added to the compost pile, how often is pile turned, record of temperature readings of pile
- Tracks pest control
- Details the pest problem, what crop, how applied and rate, degree of success
Harvest Record
- Tracks crop and variety harvested
- Amount of harvest in pounds, bunches, or other unit
- What field or bed harvested
- Harvest technique used
- Tracks post-harvest handling
- Is crop washed, if so, where and how
- How crop is packaged
- How crop is delivered to market or consumer
Invoices
- Invoices help record all sales of farm product.
- Must include farm name and organic certification number, date, to whom sold, item sold, amount of item, price per unit, and total price
Complaint Log
- If there is a complaint about the farm, this log records the nature of that complaint and what action was taken by the farm.
How to Keep Records
With so many other important jobs to balance, farm record keeping is often overlooked. It must be added to the list of necessary farm chores. Ideally, records are kept daily during the main growing season (Mar-Oct), and weekly in the off-season (Nov-Feb). Different records should be kept in their own binders, in a safe and consistent place, with an easy to use form. It may work well to assign the job of recordkeeping to one person on the farm.
Sample Forms
Daily Log
Input Log
Harvest Log
Invoice
Complaint Log
Assessment/Review
- Why is farm record keeping important?
- Other than the essential records described in this chapter, what farm records might be particularly useful?
DAILY LOG
| DATE: WEATHER: |
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| Time Required | Who? | |
Propagation Work
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Field Work:
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| Comments, Notes, Natural Observations:
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INPUT LOG
| DATE: WEATHER: |
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Type of Input:
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| Application Rate: Amount applied over a given area |
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| Location:
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HARVEST LOG
| DATE: CROP AND VARIETY: |
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| Location: Field or bed harvested
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| Amount: Expressed in pounds, bunches, count, etc. |
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| Cleaning Method: Washed or not |
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| Packaging:
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| Storage:
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| Delivery:
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INVOICE
| DATE: FARM NAME: Address: Phone #: Organic certification #: |
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| Buyer:
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| Crop and Variety:
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| Amount:
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| Price p/unit:
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| Total Price:
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COMPLAINT LOG
| DATE: | |
| Nature of Complaint:
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| Compliant Submitted By:
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| Action Taken in Response:
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