www.sare.org resources transitioning-to-organic-production Transitioning to Organic Production Farmers and ranchers decide to pursue organic certification for many personal, financial and environmental reasons. This publication introduces you to the requirements of the USDA National Organic Program and outlines many of the key strategies producers use to make their three-year transition to organic production a successful one. It discusses the practice areas common to […]
www.sare.org resources soil-health-principles-and-practices-videos Soil Health Principles and Practices Videos Investing in soil health is critical to the success of all farms, but many beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers struggle to put soil health principles into practice. There can be many reasons for this. Many of these producers have small acreage and land is expensive, and either they can't make this investment or they don't […]
www.sare.org resources building-soils-for-better-crops Building Soils for Better Crops The 4th edition of Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management. It provides step-by-step information on soil-improving practices as well as in-depth background—from what soil is to the importance of organic matter. It will show you how different physical, chemical and biological factors of the soil interconnect, and how […]
www.sare.org resources smart-water-use-on-your-farm-or-ranch Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch As producers throughout the nation grow increasingly concerned about water scarcity, farmers, ranchers and agricultural educators are beginning to explore new, conservation-oriented approaches to water use. They are managing soil to improve infiltration, selecting drought-tolerant crops and native forages, and designing innovative runoff collection systems. Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch spotlights innovative, SARE-funded research […]
www.sare.org resources a-whole-farm-approach-to-managing-pests A Whole Farm Approach to Managing Pests This 16-page bulletin helps producers—and the educators who work with them—use ecological principles to design farm-wide approaches to control pests. It lays out basic ecological principles for managing pests and suggests how to apply them to real farm situations—along with cutting-edge research examples and anecdotes from farmers using such strategies in their fields. Ecological pest management […]
www.sare.org resources what-is-soil-health What is Soil Health? Why is soil health so important? More and more, producers are understanding that healthy soils are more productive and lead to healthier crops. Dig into this interactive infographic to learn more about sustainable production practices that can help build healthy soil. Explore the on-farm benefits of using cover crops, crop rotation, manure amendments, composting and […]
www.sare.org resources berry-soil-and-nutrient-management Berry Soil and Nutrient Management Guide for Educators and Growers Commercial berry growers in the Northeast have traditionally made standardized fertilizer applications based on crop age or past fertilization practices, and not on site-specific data of plant nutrient status. This practice continues today, some 20 years or more after commercial berry crop guidelines for analysis-based fertilization programs became widely available. Adoption of soil health improving practices (including the consideration of physical and […]
www.sare.org resources the-small-ruminant-toolbox The Small Ruminant Toolbox Sheep and goat enterprises offer diversification opportunities for small and limited-resource farmers. This Small Ruminant Toolbox was developed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in order to provide a collection of information for small ruminant producers and educators. The Small Ruminant Toolbox includes many publications, presentations and other resources that will be helpful […]
www.sare.org resources manure-composting-for-livestock-and-poultry-production Manure Composting for Livestock and Poultry Production Dealing with manure is a reality for animal agriculture, especially when livestock or poultry are confined for any length of time in pens, corrals, lots or barns. This Montana State University publication addresses medium- to large-scale composting as a management option for animal producers.
www.sare.org resources developing-successful-organic-horticulture-farms-practical-training-for-ag-professionals Developing Successful Organic Horticulture Farms: Practical Training for Ag Professionals Power Point presentation series developed by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group for ag professionals and farmers interesting in elements of organic crop production and managing organic systems. Principles of Organic Farming Systems and Natural Resource Conservation Building Soil Quality and Managing Nutrients: Feed the Soil, and the Soil will Feed the Crop Organic Management […]
www.sare.org resources in-house-composting-in-high-rise-caged-layer-facilities In-House Composting in High-Rise, Caged Layer Facilities Manure handling, storage, and disposal are common problems facing poultry producers in the United States. Fly and odor control, urban encroachment, a limited nearby land base for manure disposal, and increased regulatory pressures necessitate the development of alternatives to traditional scrape and haul systems. One alternative for high-rise layer facilities is to compost manure inside […]
www.sare.org resources cultural-practices-for-root-knot-and-root-lesion-nematode-suppression-in-vegetable-crop-rotations Cultural Practices for Root-Knot and Root-Lesion Nematode Suppression in Vegetable Crop Rotations This publication discusses the use of non-host crops, sorghum sudangrass and castor bean grown as cover crops, RKN-resistant crops, and the application of poultry litter (PL) and PL compost to manage RKN and root-lesion nematode. These methods can be used in vegetable production systems to reduce build-up of nematodes over time, to lengthen the interval […]
www.sare.org resources estrategias-economico-ambientales-en-la-crianza-de-cerdos Estrategias Economico-Ambientales en la Crianza de Cerdos Granjeros que quieren producir puercos con éxito en pequeña escala pueden preservar su independencia de cara a la industria de puercos en proceso de consolidación. Estrategias Económico-Ambientales en la Crianza de Cerdos muestra ejemplos de formas alternativas de criar puercos rentablemente. Diseñando sistemas de producción de cerdos que funcionan en sus granjas—camas profundas de paja, estructuras en […]
www.sare.org resources profitable-pork Profitable Pork Farmers who want to successfully produce pork on a small scale can preserve their independence in the face of the consolidating hog industry. Profitable Pork: Alternative Strategies for Hog Producers showcases examples of alternative ways to raise pork profitably. In designing hog systems that work on their farms—in deep-straw bedding, in hoop structures and on […]
northeast.sare.org resources marketing-on-farm-compost Marketing On-Farm Compost Marketing is essential to a successful composting operation and is connected to best practices, compost quality, finding and serving a market, and other key tasks. Athena Lee Bradley of the Northeast Recycling Council developed this online resource to support farmers who make and sell compost and to help others understand compost markets in the Northeast. […]
northeast.sare.org resources whole-farm-nutrient-planning-for-organic-farms Whole-Farm Nutrient Planning for Organic Farms Filled with useful detail and valuable reference charts, this booklet acknowledges from the start that nutrient management is often a major challenge for organic farms. And, since soil test results don’t come with specific recipes for applying different nutrient sources, the guide shows farmers how to make informed decisions about the best use of the […]
northeast.sare.org resources nofa-handbooks NOFA Handbooks A series of guides originally published by NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) with support from Northeast SARE that covers organic principles and practices. Topics include cover cropping, soil fertility and weed management, composting, pest management, dairy production, seed saving, poultry, and whole-farm planning. Each book is $12.95, and a full set of all eight titles […]