www.sare.org resources farming-strategies-for-adapting-to-extreme-weather Farming Strategies for Adapting to Extreme Weather SARE partnered with PBS KVIE to produce an episode of RFD-TV's America's Heartland that highlights how farmers and ranchers across the United States are using sustainable and regenerative practices to adapt to increasingly challenging and unpredictable weather conditions. Adapting to Flooding and Drought on Hurricane Flats Farm in South Royalton, Vermont Ashley Loehr and Antoine […]
www.sare.org resources growing-new-markets-for-specialty-crops Growing New Markets for Specialty Crops Voices from the Field is a podcast series co-produced by ATTRA and SARE that explores the different ways farmers are working to create new local markets for specialty and niche crops. Each partner episode will address a different production system or crop–from endives to small-grain value chains–and will feature farmers sharing their production and marketing […]
www.sare.org resources best-practices-for-the-sustainable-urban-farm Best Practices for the Sustainable Urban Farm For decades, urban farms and community gardens have helped meet the demand for fresh, local produce. Urban farms are diverse and adaptable, ranging from small farms on repurposed vacant lots to multilevel vertical farms and rooftop gardens. Often, they combine ecological farming practices with some form of infrastructure. Urban growers make clever use of their […]
www.sare.org resources guide-to-honey-bee-queen-banking Guide to Honey Bee Queen Banking This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of establishing and maintaining a queen bank. The guide starts with the basics and walks the reader through each step to create a successful honey bank that includes a queen bee. Because queen bees are so critical in maintaining a bank, beekeepers center their focus on […]
www.sare.org resources leaders-in-sustainable-agriculture Leaders in Sustainable Agriculture Featured on America's Heartland SARE partnered with PBS KVIE to produce an episode of RFD-TV's America's Heartland that features four farmers describing their commitment to sustainability, how they plan to meet farming challenges of today and tomorrow, and how SARE has impacted their farming and ranching practices. The full 24-minute video is available, as is each segment featuring the […]
www.sare.org resources manage-weeds-on-your-farm-video-series Manage Weeds on Your Farm Video Series In this series, experienced farmers from around the country talk about how they have found success controlling weeds by following ecological principles, and without resorting to the use of herbicides. To do so, they rely on a range of cultural and mechanical practices, including diverse crop rotations, well-timed cultivation and targeting weeds when they're at […]
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 scaling-up-your-vegetable-farm-for-wholesale-markets Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets For direct market farmers, expanding your operation to capture local and regional wholesale markets can represent an opportunity. But such a shift brings with it many changes to how you run your farm because the expectations that wholesale buyers have is much different than your direct market customers. Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale […]
www.sare.org resources manage-weeds-on-your-farm Manage Weeds On Your Farm Manage Weeds on Your Farm is a definitive guide to understanding agricultural weeds and how to manage them efficiently, effectively and ecologically—for organic and conventional farmers alike. With the growing spread of herbicide-resistant weeds and with the public’s embrace of sustainably raised foods, farmers everywhere, both organic and conventional, are seeking better ways to eliminate […]
www.sare.org resources a-sustainable-approach-to-controlling-honey-bee-diseases-and-varroa-mites A Sustainable Approach to Controlling Honey Bee Diseases and Varroa Mites Geographic Adaptability: Relevant to beekeepers throughout the US and Canada. Honey bees are the world's most economically valuable insect pollinator of fruits, vegetables and other crops. Along with the more than 4,000 species of wild bees in North America, honey bees also provide significant pollination of wildflowers and cultivated gardens. The health of honey bee […]
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 cover-crop-economics Cover Crop Economics Farmers around the country are planting cover crops on millions of acres to protect and improve the soil, and the more that farmers use cover crops, the more they value this conservation practice. Cover Crop Economics: Opportunities to Improve Your Bottom Line in Row Crops looks at the economics of cover crops in corn and […]
www.sare.org resources cultivating-climate-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches Cultivating Climate Resilience on Farms and Ranches Cultivating Climate Resilience on Farms and Ranches outlines the new challenges that changing weather patterns pose in agriculture throughout the United States, and what you can do to make your farm more resilient. By understanding the climate risks to your production system and practices that can reduce those risks, you can identify some management steps […]
www.sare.org resources 10-ways-cover-crops-enhance-soil-health 10 Ways Cover Crops Enhance Soil Health Soil health is a hot topic these days, one that is justifiably receiving considerable attention from farmers and their farm advisors. Whereas in the past, soil testing and evaluation focused more on chemical and physical measures, new research has shown that the biology of the soil is very important to its overall health and productivity. An incredible diversity of bacteria, protozoa, arthropods, nematodes, fungi and […]
www.sare.org resources improving-soil-health-through-cover-crops Improving Soil Health Through Cover Crops Grain farmer Jeff Frey has used no-till on his 700-acre farm in Willow Street, Penn., since the 1980s. Despite these efforts, Frey knew he needed to do more to protect his soil from erosion. Recently, he worked with Sjoerd Duiker, associate professor of soil management at Penn State University, on a SARE grant designed to […]
www.sare.org resources how-to-conduct-research-on-your-farm-or-ranch How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch This 32-page Ag Innovations Series technical bulletin provides detailed instruction for crop and livestock producers, as well as educators, on how to conduct research at the farm level using practical strategies and peer-reviewed research findings. How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch also includes a comprehensive list of in-depth resources and real-life examples—from […]
www.sare.org resources sustainable-production-and-use-of-on-farm-energy Sustainable Production and Use of On-Farm Energy High and fluctuating energy costs have caused economic challenges for many of the country’s farmers and ranchers. For this reason, more producers are seeking alternative energy sources to improve their energy independence and revenue. Vermont farmer Roger Rainville, for example, learned to produce biodiesel for under $2 per gallon. His savings and profit margin will […]
www.sare.org resources 2017-national-conference-on-cover-crops-and-soil-health 2017 National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health The second National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health was held December 7-8, 2017 in Indianapolis. Hosted by the Soil and Water Conservation Society, this meeting served as an opportunity to learn recent developments in how cover crops are being used by innovative farmers across the country and gain important insights on improving soil health from producers, conservation […]