Northeast

Agricultural Conservation Leasing Guide

This bulletin, authored by Sarah Everhart of the University of Maryland Francis K. Carey School of Law, provides guidance to farmers, landowners and agricultural service providers interested in lease agreements to help implement stewardship planning and conservation practices on leased land. The publication describes many popular conservation programs and considerations for how they might be […]

Reversing the Downward Trend

Farmers across the Northeast have reported decreases in consumer participation at farmers' markets and reduced sales. This toolkit was developed as a result of survey research that looked at consumer perceptions of shopping at farmers' markets. The publication provides information on marketing strategies and services aimed to help farmers' market managers and farmers understand what […]

Annual Report Looks Back at 2020 and Looks Up to the Future

Northeast SARE has published its annual report for 2020. The report includes a piece from director Vern Grubinger called, "Looking up – for Sustainability". It highlights funded projects representing each of Northeast SARE's six competitive grant programs, and lists the 111 projects awarded in 2020.

Evaluation of the Intervale Center Food Hub

From 2007 to 2010, the Intervale Food Hub grew from a research project to a food hub with 21 participating farms, grossing $280,000 in total and returning 70 percent to participating farmers. The food hub provides the infrastructure needed to aggregate produce from local farms and distribute it to the community. With the help of a 2007 […]

Farm to School Training Toolkit

Farm to School in the Northeast is a training toolkit that provides information and resources for extension educators and other community leaders involved in starting a farm to school program. The toolkit is divided into sections representing the key steps needed to create and sustain successful farm to school connections. The curriculum was designed to […]

Guide to Financing Community Supported Farms

Since it is not always easy to obtain loans from traditional financing sources, farmers are exploring alternative funding opportunities to meet their needs. Unconventional financial arrangements, which are new to the agricultural sector, include a variety of mechanisms where financial transactions take place between the community and farmers. Community financing, represented by both monetary and […]

Cheshire Labor and Infrastructure Needs Assessment

In 2011, New Hampshire's Cheshire County Conservation District explored the labor and infrastructure needs for farms in the county to provide farmers, agricultural service providers and community members with the information they need to promote economic viability of agriculture. The needs assessment reports on labor-related barriers faced by farmers in Cheshire County as well as […]

Marketing for Profit Curricula

The following materials are available as part of the Marketing for Profit: Tools for Success online course developed by the Farmers Market Federation of New York for farmers and farm educators as part of the Northeast SARE project, "Marketing for Profit: Tools for Success." Marketing for Profit Tools for Success Handbook (Book/Handbook) Trainer Curriculum Self […]

Resources for Vermont’s Beginning Farmers

Over the next decade and a half, an estimated 70 percent of farms in the United States will transfer out of production or to new owners. To help cultivate the next generation of farmers, University of Vermont researchers surveyed new and beginning farmers on their informational needs to help them build Vermont’s Beginning Farmers website. Now, […]

Case Studies on Setting Up Microloans

According to a study conducted by The Carrot Project, 25 percent of farmers that request financing are denied access to credit needed for start-up and expansion costs. In 2009 and 2010, the Massachusetts-based nonprofit set up collaborative microloan programs in Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont. They facilitated 15 loans, with a median loan size of $12,300, […]

A Practical Guide to No-Till and Cover Crops in the Mid-Atlantic

No-till and cover crops are among the most cost effective tools to reverse soil and carbon loss and improve soil health; the economic, agronomic and environmental benefits of these practices are well known within the farming community. Transitioning from conventional farming to no-till, and incorporating the use of cover crops, requires a higher level of […]

Northeast Dry Bean Production Guide

This guide provides guidance on growing dry beans based on field-based research conducted in 2015 and 2016 on two Northern Vermont farms that trialed 19 varieties of dry beans. The publication includes considerations for the following. Sourcing quality seed. Production and management: Soil and fertility, Seeding rates, and Planting timing. Pest Management: Weeds, Diseases, and […]

Potato Leafhopper in Dry Beans

As a one-page fact sheet that describes potato leafhopper as a pest in dry beans, this publication provides information on biology, symptoms and management options.

New York Cover Crops Decision Tool

This is an online tool to help you quickly narrow the choices of cover crop for your situation. In a few seconds, you will have growing instructions for the cover crop that will do the job you need. Access the Cover Crops Decision Tool now. It is designed for the soil, climate, cropping practices and […]

Canola Production for On-Farm Energy

The following production guides, cost calculator and research reports are on canola production, including weed management. They were developed as part of a multi-year research project by University of Vermont Extension on growing sunflowers and canola for on-farm energy. Find research reports on sunflowers here. Production guides Northeast Oilseed Production Manual.pdf 10.18 MB VT Oilseed […]

Sunflower Production for On-Farm Energy

The following production guides, cost calculator and research reports are on sunflower production, including weed management. They were developed as part of a multi-year research project by University of Vermont Extension on growing sunflowers and canola for on-farm energy. Find research reports on canola here. Production guides Northeast Oilseed Production Manual.pdf 10.18 MB VT Oilseed […]

Predatory Mites for Organic Thrips Control in High Tunnel Cucumbers

A presentation of grant-funded research on biological control methods in New York, including cultural practices, plant resistance, grafting, rotations, sprays and beneficials.

Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management

Crop management for insects and disease control, photos, fact sheets, and extensive appendices addressing plant resistance, habitats for beneficial insects, trap cropping, and more.

Nutrient Management in Corn Production

The following Cornell University agronomy fact sheets were developed during a 2009 SARE grant to help farmers and educators better evaluate nutrient cycling in corn production, thereby equipping them with information to make improved whole-farm management decisions: Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test for Corn, fact sheet 36 Fine-Tuning Nitrogen Use on Corn, fact sheet 63 Adaptive […]

Mobile Poultry Processing Unit Farm and Food Safety Management Guide

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and the New England Small Farm Institute prepared this guide for small-scale poultry producers and processors using a Massachusetts-inspected mobile poultry processing unit or stationary on-farm facility. It includes information and sample documentation to help producer-processors with: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOPs) Hazard Analysis Critical Control […]