Northeast

Problem Solving and Innovation on the Farm

This manual is designed to help farmers improve operations by combining problem-solving and experimentation with day-to-day farm management. The step-by-step process outlined is based on the know-how of experienced farmers who have developed innovative approaches for adapting their farms to changes. By explaining the techniques these farmer innovators use, the manual provides information on how […]

Good Food Farmers Network Guide

The guide, written by farmer Henry Corsun of Dog Wood Farm in Old Chatham NY, documents the work to develop Good Food Farmers Network as a replicable model of farmer-owned joint marketing and sales. The model was designed to require little start-up capital and utilizes nationally available resources to make it more readily available to […]

Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation in the Northeast United States

The guide, developed by farmer Willie Crosby of Fungi Ally, outlines the process of indoor and outdoor shiitake mushroom cultivation. It also includes results from strain research conducted through a Northeast SARE Farmer Grant. Table of Contents Introduction Strains and Spawn Sources Growing Shiitake Mushrooms on Logs Growing Shiitake Mushrooms on Supplemented Sawdust Getting Started […]

A Guide to Sharing Farm Equipment

Hudson Valley New York farmer Faith Gilbert of Letterbox Farm Collective wrote this guide for farmers, service providers, cooperators, and organizers of shared equipment pools. The guide covers an array of practical concerns for equipment sharing. Contents include case studies, a review of different ownership and management arrangements, financial considerations, annotated budgets, sample fee structures, […]

Sowing the Seeds of Justice Food Manual

This manual offers strategies and insights to help farmers run a small farm business that supports the needs of low-income communities. It is drawn from the lived experiences of farmers at Soul Fire Farm, a family farm working to end racial and economic injustice in the food system, and partner farms as well as research […]

Crediting Cover Crops and Soil Organic Matter in a Variable Rate Nitrogen Fertilizer Prescription

Crop growth depends on available nitrogen (N) in the soil, much of which comes from mineralization of soil organic matter and other organic residues, such as cover crops. The amount of mineralized N available to a crop depends on several biological and environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, soil texture, the total quantity of organic […]

Goldenberry Fact Sheet

The fact sheet, written by Edward Durner of the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, provides an overview of goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.). It includes a botanical description and basic information on production considerations.

Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus and Impatiens necrotic spot orthotospovirus

This fact sheet was written by Pennsylvania State University graduate student Juan Francisco Iturralde Martinez who studied molecular techniques for detecting the viruses: Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) and Impatiens necrotic spot orthotospovirus (INSV). The publication provides information and recommendations about the project's model virus TSWV and the closely related virus INSV that can be […]

Dried Flowers, Herbs and Cover Crops Sold as Seasonal Decoration

Monica Drazba of Chickadee Creek Farm in Pennington, New Jersey conducted a Northeast SARE Farmer Grant to study the production costs, required labor, marketability, and profitability of growing specialty cut flowers and grasses specifically for wreath production. As a result, she created a series of five fact sheets, below, that contain an analysis of the […]

Cordyceps Mushroom Cultivation in the Northeast United States

Cordyceps is currently one of the highest valued mushrooms cultivated in the world. The US market for cordyceps is rapidly growing in the supplemental and herbal markets. Willie Crosby of Fungi Ally, Montague, MA, studied basic production variables of cordyceps, including strain and container, on his farm. Results of the study informed this cultivation guide. […]

Baskets to Pallets Teaching Manual

The Baskets to Pallets Teaching Manual was written by Violet Stone, New York state SARE coordinator, as part of a state-based professional development program aimed at addressing the gap of tools to support farmers as they decide if, when and how to sell to a wholesale market. The Manual contains lessons plans and teaching resources that educators […]

Growing Specialty Ethnic Crops for a South Asian Market in the Northeast

This guide, written by David Vigil and Kendra Ellis of East New York Farms!, provides information on growing three types of South Asian specialty crops--beans, vining gourds and greens. A general description, planting and care considerations, harvesting tips, and varieties and seed sources are included for each of the following crops. Beans Winged Beans (Psophocarpus […]

Cover Cropping on Vegetable Farms in Northern New England

This bulletin, authored by Heather Darby and her staff at the University of Vermont Extension Crops and Soils Team, provides basic information on cover crop strategies for vegetable farms based in northern New England. It addresses cover crop benefits and challenges; cover crop selection, seeding option planting dates, termination options; and additional resources. The bulletin […]

Scaling Up Pastured Livestock Production

This research report, authored by Pasa Sustainable Agriculture staff Franklin Egan and Brooks Miller of North Mountain Pastures, summarizes land and feed efficiency benchmarks for grass-finished beef, pastured pigs, and pastured broilers. It explores the implications of these benchmarks for scaling-up pastured livestock to become a dominant method of livestock farming in Pennsylvania.

Raising Ducks on a Small Agroforestry Farm

This guide, authored by Steve and Elizabeth Gabriel, shares their experience raising ducks on their farm in Trumansburg, New York. The guide includes the following topics. Key considerations for raising ducks Breeds Basic care Infrastructure tips and tricks Duck products The Gabriels say, "This document is gathered from our experience at Wellspring Forest Farm after […]

NJ farm evaluates oyster seed nursery practices

Oyster farming is increasing in the Northeast and is a top contributor of our region’s $161 million in annual aquaculture sales. However, a major challenge to the continued growth of this shellfish crop is availability of oyster seed. Hatchery and nursery capacity for seed production is limited, and often the demand for oyster seed exceeds […]

WV farm determines optimal strawberry planting dates

Strawberries are a high demand crop for both pick-your-own and local retail markets. While this crop commands premium prices, growing strawberries in southern West Virginia has been tricky due to challenges like deer and weed pressure, labor demands and planting time conflicts. With their Northeast SARE Farmer Grant, Kent and Jennifer Gilkerson of Sunset Berry […]

Edible Weeds on Farms

Tusha Yakovleva of Found Wild in New York's Hudson Valley authored this resource guide for wild edible plants on cultivated soils. Edible weeds are nourishing, resilient, and yet often maligned crops. Yakovleva encourages readers to see "weeds" in a new light -- as ways to provide supplemental income, offer novel flavors and phytonutrients, increase biodiversity […]

European Corn Borer in Hops

The renaissance of hopyards throughout the Northeast has brought pests not commonly associated with hop growing in other parts of the country. Farmers in New England have found European Corn Borer to be a unique pest in their hopyards. Farmer Ryan Houghton of The Hop Yard in Portland, Maine and David Handley of University of […]

Northeast SARE Seeks Candidates for Administrative Council

Update 12/05/2020: The deadline has passed to submit for this year's membership to the Administrative Council but please contact us if you have an interest in serving in the future. Thank you! The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is seeking individuals to serve on its Administrative Council (AC). The 20-member governance committee […]