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16 Nov

Posted at 11:08h in Podcasts by
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In this episode Robert Maggiani, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA – the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service – who works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas, has a conversation with Thea O’Carroll, the founder and CEO of YieldOrganic. YieldOrganic is an online marketplace based in San Antonio for organic and non-GMO crops. Thea is a fourth-generation farmer, who along with her family, transitioned their northeast Nebraska grain farm to organic about 10 years ago. She and Robert talk about YieldOrganic – how it works and how it came about. You can get in touch directly with Robert Maggiani via email at robertm@ncat.org. Here are some related ATTRA resources: Marketing Organic Grains Organic Small Grain Production Nutrient Management in Organic Small Grains Disease and Insect Management in Organic Small Grains Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with them and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources on our homepage or ATTRA's Facebook page. Stay in touch with NCAT at its website or NCAT's Facebook page. NCAT's SIFT (Small Intensive Farm Training) Farm website Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages! Southwest Regional Office. SW Facebook page/. Western Regional Office Website. CA Facebook page. Rocky Mountain West Regional Facebook Page. Gulf States Regional Office Website. GS Facebook page: Southeast Regional Office Website. SE Facebook page. Northeast Regional Office Website. NE Facebook page....

12 Nov

Posted at 09:45h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Tammy Howard, a horticulture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA program, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, who works out of NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana, sits down with Lawrence Rhone of Farm Retreat Rhone in Flaxville, Montana. Lawrence is a graduate of NCAT's 2017 Armed to Farm training for veterans interested in sustainable agriculture as a career. NCAT has offered numerous Armed to Farm trainings, and the one Lawrence took part in was held in Montana's Mission Valley. Since then, he has made significant progress towards his farm-based retreat center for veterans. In the podcast, he talks about using his skills as a veteran to approach the often intimidating process of working USDA programs like the National Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Farm Service Agency loan programs. He also describes his farm retreat goals and how his military experience has helped shape them. Related Resources: NCAT Armed to Farm ATTRA: Voices from the Field: High Tunnels and the NRCS ATTRA Business Start-Up Resources Veteran Resources You can get in touch directly with Tammy Howard via email at tammyh@ncat.org. Stay in touch with NCAT headquarters at its website or NCAT's Facebook page. Also check out NCAT's Rocky Mountain West Facebook page for the latest in the region! Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with them and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources by starting out on the ATTRA Home Page. ...

07 Nov

Posted at 14:15h in Podcasts by
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Small (Ruminant) Talk - Fall Breeding and Feeding for Sheep and Goats In this episode NCAT Southeast Regional Director Margo Hale and Linda Coffey, a livestock specialist with NCAT's ATTRA the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, discuss fall and winter production considerations for sheep and goat producers. Their conversation includes preparing your herd/flock for breeding, ewe and ram management, kidding/lambing management, and winter feeding considerations. Related ATTRA resources: Sheep and Goat FAQ's Small Ruminant Toolbox Illustrated Guide to Sheep and Goat Production ATTRA Sheep and Goat Publications Intensive Grazing: One Farm's Set Up Managed Grazing Tutorial Small Ruminant Course You can get in touch directly with Margo and Linda via email at margoh@ncat.org and lindac@ncat.org. Stay in touch with the NCAT Southeast Regional Office at its website or Facebook page. Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with us and explore our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources. ...

02 Nov

Posted at 09:48h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Daniel Prial, an agricultural specialist for NCAT's ATTRA, the National Sustainable Information Service at the NCAT Northeast Office in Keene, New Hampshire, travels to Five College Farms in Hadley, Massachusetts, to learn about growing organic crops in greenhouse systems. Five College Farms grows heirloom tomatoes and Persian cucumbers in a series of greenhouses. Daniel speaks with Arthur Mulyono, the business manager of Five College Farms, about how the greenhouse operators maintain soil fertility and control pests. They also discuss the unique marketing considerations that go along with selling greenhouse vegetables directly to groceries. The interview was part of Daniel's research for an update of an ATTRA publication, Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production, which will be available on the ATTRA website, before the end of 2018. Other related ATTRA resources available on the website include: High Tunnels in Urban Agriculture High Tunnel Fruit and Grape Production for Eastern Growers Organic Greenhouse Tomato Production Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production You can get in touch with Daniel danielp@ncat.org. Stay in touch with the NCAT Northeast Office at its website or its Facebook page. Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org and find all of our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources....

12 Oct

Posted at 13:21h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Andrew Coggins of the National Center for Appropriate Technology's Rocky Mountain Region office in Butte, Montana, talks about the process NCAT followed to build two new high tunnels on its SIFT Demonstration farm at the Butte office. The high tunnels were supported in part by a grant from the USDA NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP). Anyone with questions about applying for the EQUIP program can contact Andrew through the toll free hotline (800-346-9140 or the Spanish language hotline 800-411-3222) or email askanag@ncat.org. Visit our home page to start your search for a wide range of resources on free sustainable-agriculture resources. While you're there, sign up for the Weekly Harvest sustainable-agriculture newsletter. Andrew mentioned the SIFT Farm website and NCAT Rocky Mountain Region Facebook page, where photos of NCAT's high tunnel project can be found. You can access both at NCAT's website. Here are links to some related ATTRA resources: High Tunnels in Urban Agriculture High Tunnel Fruit and Grape Production for Eastern Growers High Tunnels for Vegetable Production in Warm Season Climates Information on Moveable High Tunnels ...

05 Oct

Posted at 16:33h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, National Center for Appropriate Technology Livestock Specialist Dave Scott talks about the factors that led him to transition his own lambing operation to regenerative grazing. He covers fertilizer costs, soil organic matter effects, how the system affects barber pole worms in his flock and more. Dave also mentions a number of related ATTRA resources, including: 1. Nutrient Cycling in Pastures: 2. ATTRA Soil Health Tutorial 3. ATTRA Managed Grazing Tutorial Questions? Check out our Ask an Ag Expert feature. ...

01 Oct

Posted at 12:42h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, we talk with Dave Halpin, a young beginning farmer who, with his wife, has recently reached the “jumping-off point” and has begun planning to begin an operation in St. Charles County, Missouri. After you listen to Dave's story, be sure to check out ATTRA's extensive – and free – resources for beginning farmers. A good place to start is on our Beginning Farmer Page. ATTRA has a wide array of free resources for all aspects of sustainable farming - publications, webinars, videos, databases, and our popular Ask an Ag Expert hotline and email service....

13 Sep

Posted at 09:20h in Podcasts by
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In this episode we talk with Margaret Krome, the Policy Program Director of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, New York. She is also a board member of the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Margaret talks about the impact of the ATTRA program – which is managed by NCAT through a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service – and the important sustainable-agriculture issues she sees going into the future. ATTRA resources on issues Margaret mentions in the episode – soil health, urban agriculture, cover crops, internships, and more – can be found on our website. Press the play button to listen....

10 Sep

Posted at 10:58h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Rich Myers of the National Center for Appropriate Technology talks with Gil Senger of Candlewick Farms in New York about his experience in the Armed to Farm agriculture-business training for veterans sponsored and hosted by NCAT/ATTRA. To ask a sustainable agriculture expert a question – for free – >go to the Ask an Ag Expert Form. Veteran Resources Press the play button to listen.

13 Jul

Posted at 09:48h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, award-winning cheesemaker Veronica Baetje of Baetje Farms LLC in Missouri talks with NCAT Specialists Linda Coffey and Daniel Prial about the history of the operation -- which started with a goat named Cookie -- and marketing small-ruminant dairy products. Some Related ATTRA resources: Tips for Marketing Sheep and Goat Products. Dairy Sheep.

02 Jul

Posted at 09:57h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, NCAT sustainable agriculture specialist Kevin Ellis sits in the cab of a farm truck with Mike Marchand of Whitehurst Heritage Farms to talk about farming livestock in Texas and having to prepare for and deal with the damage caused by hurricane Harvey in the fall of 2017.

25 Jun

Posted at 16:06h in Uncategorized by
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Facebook can be one of the most effective social-media platforms for marketing agriculture-based businesses. You can view our newly archived webinar, "Using Facebook to Grow Your Farm Business," and find out how to best take advantage of what Facebook has to offer at https://attra.ncat.org/video/. The hour-long webinar -- featuring National Center for Appropriate Technology Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Luke Freeman and Lauren Manning, Partner at Ozark Pasture Beef -- will teach you how to set up and manage a Facebook page to help grow your farm business. It covers the basics of setting up a farm Facebook page from scratch, tips for creating content for your page, engaging with customers, leveraging Facebook advertising, and tools for managing multiple accounts and scheduling posts. The webinar is presented in partnership with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is and is funded by a USDA Small & Medium Sized Farms Grant: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-2014-05471. ...

25 Jun

Posted at 16:01h in Uncategorized by
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Farm Aid's annual music and food festival featuring family farmers, homegrown food, inspiring music, and agrarian experiences will come to Hartford, Connecticut, on September 22, 2018. Farm Aid 2018 will feature performances by Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, as well as Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and Particle Kid. Farm Aid 2018 festivalgoers will experience family farm agriculture firsthand via Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions®, which showcases family farm-sourced ingredients at all food stands, and the HOMEGROWN Village, which features hands-on activities about soil, water, energy, food, and farming....

19 Jun

Posted at 10:31h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Daniel Prial of the National Center for Appropriate Technology talks with Abby Ferris, Member Services Coordinator with the National Farmers Union, about the role of her organization and the importance of educating consumers about how the agriculture industry works.

13 Jun

Posted at 11:36h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, NCAT Specialist Linda Coffey talks with Courtney Ross and Audrey Hollis of the United People’s Community Organization Market and Farm in North St. Louis City, Missouri. The mother and daughter discuss how their organization came to be after they observed how getting involved with gardening created interest in food among neighborhood children and how much the children enjoyed taking part in gardening tasks.

25 May

Posted at 16:39h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Rich Myers of the National Center for Appropriate Technology talks with Austin Harley, a second-generation blueberry farmer near Covert, Michigan. Harley talks about changing market strategies as producers in more states choose blueberries as a crop; the labor market, and the challenges of dealing with plant-specific insect pests.

11 May

Posted at 12:01h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, we talk with Mike Andreas of Andreas Homestead near Raleigh, N.C. Mike, who has had a successful career in the entertainment industry, and his wife, Lynn, moved to North Carolina. After beginning to raise their own poultry, with help from neighbors, they have begun a small poultry meat business, sustainable raising around 300 to 500 birds each year, as well as 10 to 20 goats, on 10 acres. Mike talks about how after just a few years, others in the area have begun asking them for advice, the challenges of processing in North Carolina, and regenerating the tobacco-depleted land the operation is on.

25 Apr

Posted at 12:16h in Podcasts by
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In this episode NCAT Soil Specialist Nina Prater has a wide ranging discussion with Hannah Smith-Brubaker. Hannah is an organic farmer and co-operator of Village Acres Farm near Mifflintown, PA. She is also a farmer representative on the Northeast SARE Administrative Council and former Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Hannah talks about the economic benefits of organic and sustainable agriculture and the importance of including all producers in the conversation regardless of their current practices. She notes the strides being made by organic agriculture in Pennsylvania, including high rates of cover cropping and commitment by state government. She also describes her family's long history of organic farming.

17 Apr

Posted at 14:21h in Podcasts by
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Interview with Aldo Andres Marega organic farmer from El Gauchito Hill Farm in Yolo County California. The interview includes: biography, first years of experience, farmer's markets and restaurant sales, challenges or challenges of fertilization and pest control, and advice for beginning farmers. With Martin Guerena, NCAT program specialist.

17 Apr

Posted at 14:09h in Podcasts by
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Entrevista con Aldo Andres Marega agricultor orgánico de El Gauchito Hill Farm en Yolo County California. La entrevista incluye: biografía, primeros años de experiencia, mercados de agricultor y ventas a restaurantes, retos o desafíos de fertilización y control de plagas, y consejos para agricultores principiantes. Con Martin Guerena, NCAT especialista del programa.

09 Apr

Posted at 14:42h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Luke Freeman, horticulture specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, talks with Hannah Hemmelgarn, the education program coordinator at The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri. The conversation focuses on the wide-ranging possibilities of agroforestry and how producers can determine which may work for their operation. Hannah also lists some available resources; also check out NCAT horticultural specialist Guy Ames' publication Fruit Trees, Bushes, and Vines for Natural Growing in the Ozarks.

23 Mar

Posted at 14:59h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, NCAT Livestock Specialist Linda Coffey talks with Tessa McCormick about dairying with Nigerian Dwarf Goats and the process of developing a value-added cheese-making operation. Tessa and her husband Scott own the White River Creamery in Arkansas, where they milk 52 Nigerian Dwarf goats.

12 Mar

Posted at 12:15h in Podcasts by
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In this series of podcasts, Thomas Schroeder, Sustainable Ag Specialist in the NCAT Southwest office sat down with Pedro Schambon, owner/operator of My Father's Farm to talk about food safety and scaling up to wholesale markets. My Father's Farm is a certified organic farm situated on 52 acres in Seguin, Texas, growing year round both in-field and in greenhouse settings. Pedro talks in depth about the changes that they needed to make to their facilities, practices and overall approach to food safety, GAP and FSMA as they made the transition from CSA/Farmer's Market grower to Wholesale producer. In this episode, he talks about changes the farm made to safely transport, package, and trace its produce as well as advice for new farmers.

12 Mar

Posted at 12:04h in Podcasts by
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In this series of podcasts, Thomas Schroeder, Sustainable Ag Specialist in the NCAT Southwest office sat down with Pedro Schambon, owner/operator of My Father's Farm to talk about food safety and scaling up to wholesale markets. My Father's Farm is a certified organic farm situated on 52 acres in Seguin, Texas, growing year round both in-field and in greenhouse settings. Pedro talks in depth about the changes that they needed to make to their facilities, practices and overall approach to food safety, GAP and FSMA as they made the transition from CSA/Farmer's Market grower to Wholesale producer. In this episode, he talks about changes the farm make in how it packs produce.

12 Mar

Posted at 11:45h in Podcasts by
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In this series of podcasts, Thomas Schroeder, Sustainable Ag Specialist in the NCAT Southwest office sat down with Pedro Schambon, owner/operator of My Father's Farm to talk about food safety and scaling up to wholesale markets. My Father's Farm is a certified organic farm situated on 52 acres in Seguin, Texas, growing year round both in-field and in greenhouse settings. Pedro talks in depth about the changes that they needed to make to their facilities, practices and overall approach to food safety, GAP and FSMA as they made the transition from CSA/Farmer's Market grower to Wholesale producer. In this episode, he addresses changes the farm made in how it harvests its crops and the value of GAP and FSMA audits in determining practices to make their produce safer.

07 Feb

Posted at 08:14h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Keith Berns of Green Cover Seeds in Nebraska talks about "Carbonomics," a big-picture view of soil health. He compares the economy of a country with what's going on in the soil. "The soil operates as an economy," he says. "And when we can look at it that way, we will fundamentally understand it better." Berns' talk took place at the Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Conservation District's 2 Soil Health Conference in Danville, Pennsylvania. ...

24 Jan

Posted at 08:55h in Podcasts by
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Sometimes, you can find the benefits of sustainable agriculture in unexpected places. In this episode, NCAT sustainable agriculture specialist Felicia Bell talks with Cammie Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer of Fondren Cove Assisted Living in Jackson, Mississippi. Fonden Cove helps people with mental health issues, and Cammie's interest in sustainable agriculture began with an idea that being around farm animals could be therapeutic for clients. He also became an advocate of the role that that fresh, nutritious food can play in health. Now Cammie operates a demonstration farm, CK Ag, and is looking to move forward with the role of sustainable agriculture in therapy with other farms as Fondren Cove expands....

19 Dec

Posted at 10:48h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, GAP Internal Auditor David Wise talks with Dylan Strike of Strike Farm near Bozeman, MT, about his operation's water-safety procedures. The talk is part of a video series available, which is available on the ATTRA Youtube Channel, here --> Farm-based Approach to Food Safety - The Internal GAP Audit....

19 Dec

Posted at 08:55h in Podcasts by
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In this video Traci and Margaret of County Rail Farm near Huson, Montana, discuss their approach to water testing from their irrigation ditch. Organic certifier Jonda Crosby also joins the discussion. This discussion is an excerpt from the videos series Farm-Based Food Safety, which is available on the ATTRA Youtube Channel, here --> Farm-Based Food Safety....

18 Dec

Posted at 11:11h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Wes Helpthorne of B-Bar Ranch near Big Timber, MT, discusses the process the ranch takes to process its beef at the nearby organically certified Pioneer Meats. Margaret Scoles of the International Organic Inspectors Association leads the discussion. The discussion is an excerpt from the video Inspecting Certified Organic Slaughterhouses, available on the ATTRA Video Archive....

18 Dec

Posted at 07:22h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Brian Engle, co-owner of Pioneer Meats near Big Timber, MT, discusses the issues the organically certified slaughterhouse has to take into consideration when it processes organic orders for customers. Margaret Scoles of the International Organic Inspectors Association leads the discussion. The discussion is an excerpt from the video Inspecting Certified Organic Slaughterhouses, available on the ATTRA Video Archive....

18 Dec

Posted at 06:45h in Podcasts by
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In this episode, Judy Owsowitz, owner of Terrapin Farm near Whitefish, MT, discusses her certified organic operation's cover cropping and other strategies during a farm tour sponsored by USDA RMA. Her discussion also can be seen on the ATTRA Youtube Channel --> Terrapin Farm Cover Crop Tour Near Whitefish, Montana....