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Paul
Dettloff: ORGANIC DAIRY HERD HEALTH
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Nathan
McClintock: SUSTAINABLE IN SENEGAL
- July
13, 2006: Thriving with peppers, seeds and leaves in Koumpentoum,
Tambacounda region Training in organic agriculture helps
woman develop family enterprise that features income streams
from integrated and biodiverse micro-agroforestry kitchen
garden.
- June
8, 2006: Milk and yogurt production, Ourossogui, Matam region
Fulani women learn holistic cooperative development and
enterprise skills to generate value-added revenue, and to
inspire other small-scale farmers in the region—including
their daughters—with options for economic development.
- May
12, 2006: Livestock fattening,Thiawène, Diourbel
Village women’s group pioneers and teaches how “kept”
sheep and goats can improve soil, boost yields and provide
much-needed income in dry Diourbel region.
- March
9, 2006: Diabou Balde, rice farmer, Manthiankaning, Kolda
region
Intensive production pressure leaves little space for experiments,
but improvements from increased spacing win respect for
new method.
- February
16, 2006: El-Hadji Hane and Gora Ndiaye, regenerative ag
education and entrepreneurship along the Petite Côte
Through local farmer organizing, commercial promotion of
agroforestry and international connections, two college
friends are nurturing sustainable initiatives along the
tourist-impacted “Little Coast” of Senegal.
- January
12, 2006: Abderahmane Sow, agro-entrepreneur, Belel, Matam
region Starting from scratch with curiosity and a knack
for doing business, this new farmer wants to expand agricultural
opportunity to help the next generation thrive on the land
without leaving the region.
- December
8, 2005: Seydou Diémé, soil conservationist,
Thiès Women often provide the most hands when
rural communities construct stone erosion barriers to conserve
and restore adequate soil moisture for sustainable cropping.
- November
11, 2005: Madame Sall, juice and syrup entrepreneur, Dakar
Buying directly from farmers boosts quality and consumer
demand, but small-scale processor struggles to expand her
place in the market.
- October
13, 2005: Doudou Diallo, urban market gardener, Saint-Louis
Strong customer demand for his high-quality vegetables propels
this intensive urban gardener to pursue organics even without
a premium price.
- September
1, 2005: From dunghills to compost pits and back again –
only better How Senegalese farmers learned,
practiced then radically adapted composting to fit their
land, culture and settings.
- July
15, 2005: Soft and red, hard and black Getting
up close and personal with local soils in Senegal’s
Peanut Basin with farmers who are managing them sustainably
- June
16, 2005: A rich slice of sustainability in Senegal
A Peace Corps stint in Mali and an internship with The Rodale
Institute® showed this American ag student the critical
need for innovative soil saving practices in West Africa.
- June
16, 2005: Innovations in sustainability mark Rodale work
in Senegal Women’s farming groups, in
particular, benefit from training and micro-credit initiatives.
Building on our long history in Senegal, we've produced
a series of articles and profiles telling some of the story
of sustainable farming in the country.
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George
DeVault: TOOL TALK
Equipment and tool basics for the beginning
farmer
Various
farmers: FIELD NOTES
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Daryll
Ray: AG POLICY PERSPECTIVES
- January
12, 2007: Will alternate farm bill options retain agricultural
safety net? Replacing current subsidies with green payments
and insurance programs may placate farmers and non-farmers
alike, but won't change the reason subsidies were created
in the first place.
- December
14, 2006: Free market for corn kicks in: Tyson exec sounds
warning Corn producers who feared the end of subsidies
in global trade talks face charge of making consumers choose
“fuel or food.”
- November
10, 2006: Fitting the remedy to real rural economy problem
Systemic ills that discourage crop production limits make
farm income variability too much for farm program to handle.
- September
15, 2006: Farming the farm program Movin’ on up
from the sandlots to the big leagues.
- August
10, 2006: Agribusinesses, not farmers, benefit most from
payments Daryll Ray explains the real problem with direct
payments and LDPs.
- July
13, 2006: Do “death taxes” cause the death of
family farms? Daryll Ray challenges the assumption that
the estate tax is a burden on family farmers.
- June
8, 2006: Are you confused about WTO trade liberalization
numbers? Daryll Ray provides some insight into where
those numbers come from and how to sort through the hype.
- May
12, 2006: Economic viability of the farm sector Why
does it include a spouse’s paycheck?
- March
9, 2006: Primer on how to kill a market What ever happend
to the customer is always right? When the US refused to
allow private BSE testing, they officially lost one of our
biggest beef customers—Japan.
- February
16, 2006: US commodity delivery policy suppresses world
prices Changing loan deficiency payment mechanism would
send corn upward
- January
12, 2006: Freedom to Farm The root of current farm-related
problems
- October
13, 2005: Two issues may shape the 2007 Farm Bill
- September
15: Hurricane aftermath Policy analyst Daryll
Ray lays out the market certainties farmers will face now
that that the unpredictable Mother Nature has calmed
- September
1, 2005: Pursuing a new vision for agricultural policy
Policy analyst Daryll Ray introduces his 4-step plan for
remedying the commodity programs
- August
11, 2005: Counter cyclical payments steady prices but fail
to resolve agriculture's basic market problem
Part 3 in a 3 part series: Policy columnist Daryll Ray takes
a closer look at farm subsidies and what an America without
them would look like
- August
4, 2005: The case for eliminating LDPs Part
2 in a 3 part series: Policy columnist Daryll Ray takes
a closer look at farm subsidies and what an America without
them would look like
- July
15, 2005: Bush calls for elimination of agricultural subsidies
Part 1 in a 3 part series: Policy columnist Daryll Ray takes
at a closer look at direct payments and what an America
without them would look like
- June
16, 2005: Checkoff lawsuits: It ain’t over ’till
its over
- June
2, 2005: New high yielding wheat eases weight of China’s
food security burden In a country where famine
memories linger, the emphasis on its new ‘Super Wheat’
is not on the super but rather the wheat
- May
24, 2005: Being paid not to eat: the food pyramid meets
ag policy Corn and soy, the most subsidized
of agricultural products, are discouraged by the new USDA
pyramid while, heavily hyped fruits and vegetables grow
basically payment free, Ray evaluates this logic and argues
it does in fact make sense.
- May
10, 2005: Traditional farm interests aren’t the only
ones with something to say about the 2007 farm bill
Fast food companies, environmental organizations and New
Deal-haters among those looking to eliminate farm subsidies
- April
21, 2005: Ag futures await oil outcome Will
rising fuel prices drive a new revolution in American agriculture?
- April
14, 2005: Rising prices paint crude picture for oil-dependant
farmers
- March
18, 2005: Coming soon to a billboard near you: "Get
the US out of the WTO & NAFTA & CAFTA"
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NEW
FARMER JOURNAL
Easy Growin' Farm, Buena Vista CO, Joshua Flowers
Essex Farm, Essex NY, Kristin Kimball
Fresh Harvest Farm, Moken IL, Patty McPhillips
- July
14, 2005: Tool time Rain has been scarce and some crops
have less than thrived, but the right tools have helped
these new farmers keep their heads above water (so to speak).
- June
16, 2005: The long list With growing season in full
gear, farm projects continue to pile up.
- June
2, 2005: That which sustains us With CSA shares sold
out, an inspiring and inspired intern, and lists and tasks
well in order, one small farm in the Chicago suburbs is
ready for summer.
- April
19, 2005: A process of inquiry This new farmer finds
that every new lesson leads to a dozen more questions.
- March
17, 2005: New horizons As their second year begins,
these ambitious farming partners are considering some major
expansion plants.
- February
10, 2005: Trial and error Two friends new to farming
learn many lessons growing veggies in the 'burbs.
Loon Organics, Eagan MN, Laura Frerichs
North Country School, Lake Placid NY, Laura Rickard
Sol-e-Terre Farm, Suffield CT, Daniel Duesing
Stoney Lonesome Farm, Gainesville VA, Pablo Elliott
Your Farm, Hilmar CA, Mele Anderson
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Courtney
White: The New Ranch
- February
22, 2005: Getting into the game As second-career ranchers,
Jim and Carol Thorpe had a lot to learn about managing rangeland
and caring for cattle. But coming to ranching from a non-ag
background enabled them to embrace the best of 'old' and
'new' ranch management thinking, from applied ecology to
Internet livestock auctions. It also helps to have a philosophical
outlook and boundless curiosity. Including
The
Getting Started Toolkit
- December
9, 2004: Hope on the range Eighteen years ago, Oregon
rancher Connie Hatfield drove to the city and asked a health
club owner what he thought about red meat. His answer helped
shape Oregon Country Beef, now one of the most successful
rancher-managed, certified natural beef labels in the country.
- September
28, 2004: All in the family Outside of Durango, Colorado,
the James Ranch is using holistic management, direct marketing,
and community involvement to build a sustainable livelihood
for all the members of the clan.
- August
31, 2004: Conservation measures improve profits On the
EC Bar Ranch in northeastern Arizona, Jim Crosswhite got
radical—and started cooperating with government scientists
to implement environmental restoration strategies on his
land. Eight years later, he counts a wealth of economic
as well as ecological benefits.
- August
3, 2004: Big things on a little place On Sandia Pueblo
in north-central New Mexico, Sam Montoya revitalized a tired
piece of land—and is now earning a comfortable retirement
income.
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Yigal
Deutscher: VINE AND FIG TREE
- July
15, 2005: Lessons learned, challenges remaining
To care for Israel is to care for the land of Israel, Yigal
concludes—its soil, its potential to sustain life
and in turn its power to become a peaceable home for all
its inhabitants
- June
3, 2005: Teaching farming as a balance of spirit, soil and
a healthy culture Kibbutz Harduf is not just
a biodynamic farm, it's a biodynamic community
- April
20, 2005: Rebels in a communal society With
government ownership of land at 95 percent, most everything
in Israel is done communally, especially farming. There
is the agricultural sector with many different farms and
a living sector, with many different homes, but for those
who have a need to create a small family farm, self-sufficient
and private; they have begun to squat.
- February
10, 2005: Israeli-Arab farmer builds future hope where politics
permeates land and water Laithi combines donated
fields, heirloom seeds, traditional wisdom and farmer networking
throughout Israel to build an agriculture that fits the
place and the time to come.
- January
7, 2005: Amidst political strife and a firing range on the
West Bank, the Zimmermans farm, market and sanctify the
land Combining biblical rituals with remarkable
flexibility, the Zimmermans have thrived because of their
faith ... and because of their ability to shift from export
markets, to local markets, to value-added products in response
to the pressures of war and politics
- November
23, 2004: Rising from nothing in the desert, idealists now
work amid water, orchards, gardens and fish.
At Kibbutz Neot Smader, amazing agriculture achievement
is the byproduct of a community of transients dedicated
to learning from the land and each other.
- September
28, 2004: Seeking life in the desert, on the desert’s
terms As the global climate becomes more harsh,
Elaine Solowey is a botanical pioneer trying to develop
ultra-low water crops before it’s too late.
- August
31, 2004: Farmers on the margins test lush agricultural
notions against Israel’s dry climate, charged politics
Young New Yorker encounters six communities
who love the ancient soil of the Holy Land enough to care
for it well. First in a series.
- August
31, 2004: Vine and fig tree: Restoring agriculture in the
Holy Land Introducing a series of farmer profiles
from Israel/Palestine that shows resiliency, determination
and an agricultural vision greater than the seeming impossibility
of sharing the land in peace.
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INTERN
JOURNAL: Insights and experiences from organic farms
- December
13, 2007: Those cabin fever blues Dealing with coming
indoors to a smaller space.
- November
16, 2007: Playing with your food One Rodale Institute
research intern focuses on the process of cooking and eating
in a way that honors the work that went into growing and
harvesting her food.
- October
18, 2007: A matter of perspective Close call has international
intern reflecting on the here and now.
- September
14, 2007: Staying connected OPX intern finds her passion
for physical fitness, economics and sustainability all lead
to the same bright future.
- August
9, 2007: Transitions Rodale Institute intern offers
perspective on values, culture and priorities following
Peace Corps stint in Mali.
- July
13, 2007: Reckoning with the natural, sustainable self
Through years of change and many miles on more highways
than I can number, I’ve finally found my way back
home to a farm in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania.
- June
15, 2007: Sustainability in a wasteful world Rodale
Institute research intern calls for major changes in policy
and behavior; ones which, like good farming, mimic nature.
- May
11, 2007: The root of everything A returning South Korean
intern reflects on the universal role of the farmer.
- April
12, 2007: Take cover Let’s not lose our grip on
nature’s genetic tools to help heal the earth.
- February
16, 2007: Salatin keynote gets the wheels turning TRI
research intern ponders the changing landscape of food production…and
savors the possibilities.
- January
12, 2007: Let it snow (or freeze, at least) Dormant
seeding requires a little gambling with nature.
- December
14, 2006: He’s gotta wear shades Departing intern
looks toward his own future and the future of organics.
- November
10, 2006: Sustainability comes full circle TRI intern
learns some valuable lessons from one of society’s
most undervalued craftsmen: a farmer.
- October
12, 2006: Months of learning help to put together more pieces
of farming puzzle Interns are like farmers, kind of:
We learn best by seeing and doing.
- September
15, 2006: The world is your organic oyster These visiting
interns from South Korea are ready to change the face of
agriculture in their country and the world through the seeds
of inspiration germinated at The Rodale Institute.
- August
10, 2006: Closing the gap between the "real world"
and educational institutions The Rodale Institute's
online intern discovers the value of including sustainable
agriculture in the curriculum from elementary school through
college.
- July
13, 2006: A full plate of field tests and fungi One
of our interns explains why the research we do here at The
Rodale Institute should matter to you.
- June
8, 2006: No farm is an island A Rodale Institute intern
ponders organic agriculture’s lessons of cause and
effect.
- May
12, 2006: Planting plastic jugs brings a smile Rodale
Institute intern contemplates where she’s been and
what she’s learning.
- March
17, 2005: ENTRY 15 Llamas in Lake Placid and a return to
Ecuador One intern journalist gears up for spring while
another says goodbye to California and prepares to take
her new knowledge home.
- February
22, 2005: ENTRY 14 Post-harvest trauma Whether dealing
with lettuce or chickens, our intern journalists discover
many lessons in that critical step between growing the produce
(or raising the bird) and delivering it to the dinner plate.
- February
10, 2005: ENTRY 13 Weather report Winter conditions
have our interns experiencing vastly different challenges
on opposite coasts.
- January
7, 2005: ENTRY 12 New Turf One intern packs her bags
for graduate school while another makes the trek from an
organic farm in Arkansas to a completely different operation
in California.
- December
9, 2004: ENTRY 11 California dreamin' With one intern
journalist on a spiritual sabbatical in the Andes, one finished
for the season, and another too busy to write (they grow
up so fast), our intern from the equator holds down the
fort from her new vantage point on the Left Coast.
- November
23, 2004: ENTRY 10 Good-bye. Hello. One of our journaling
interns lands in a new world of geometric sustainability
(i.e., a greenhouse operation) while another says goodbye
to Arkansas (and prepares for a new farming experience in
California).
- November
9, 2004: ENTRY 9 Fall colors Public relations, mercury
observations, and end-of-season ruminations keep our interns
occupied.
- October
14, 2004: ENTRY 8 Reflections on service Bruised bodies
and apples, a thorny predicament, motorcycle mayhem, and
back-to-back highs and lows prove that there’s still
much to learn and experience, even as the season winds down.
- September
28, 2004: ENTRY 7 Harvest parties, homespun handiwork and
Hare Krisnas Our interns speak to the wide range of
experiences available to organic farm apprentices.
- September
14, 2004: ENTRY 6 Apprentice in the Rye Our interns
from near and far (and farming near and far) glad-handle
grain and coffee beans, learn the language of plants and
humans, and accommodate work schedules to the shifting seasons.
- August
31, 2004: ENTRY 5 To everything, turn, turn, turn Whether
it’s compost or time, these interns find the summer
just keeps chugging along.
- August
17, 2004: ENTRY 4 Mysteries solved, sort of Our interns
learn building steps in Belize takes less paperwork but
more legwork; that one hot, humid Saturday is not the same
as the next; and there is most definitely a difference between
research and production potatoes even if they look (and
smell) identical.
- August
3, 2004: ENTRY 3 Discovery zone From finding hidden
treasures inside a bed of weeds, to a real lesson in trust,
to creating a fruit display by recycling boxes, our interns
learn that observation, innovation and persistence are critical
components of farming.
- July
20, 2004: ENTRY 2 Lessons in the field Our intern journalists
each learn in his or her own way that it’s not what
you know, but what you don’t know, that makes organic
farming so interesting.
- July
2, 2004: ENTRY 1 The highs and lows of a job well done
Our fearless interns tackle mud ovens in the Mexican heat,
weeding an endless no-till pumpkin patch in Pennsylvania,
cherry robbers in Nevada, and the demands of leading a double
life in Minnesota.
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Don Lotter:
Crossing the Americas
PAN-AMERICAN
ADVENTURE
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News
from Mariquita: A CSA Journal
- August
12, 205: Small farms can go mano a mano with food
shows like The Iron Chef in reconnecting Americans with
good food In fact, says Andy Griffin, lots of CSA customers
want to be pushed into cooking again. That’s why he
and his wife Julia supply members with lots of recipes and
tips. They even feature recipes of members and employees
in their weekly newsletter--including donkey ear zucchinis.
- July
14, 2005: Chile shooters What grows up to 15 feet tall,
can produce through the winter in California and makes the
perfect shot glass? Why, it's the Peron pepper and Andy's
planning on introducing this fruteria regular to upscale
San Fran.
- June
16, 2005: A farmer's guide to multi-tasking Andy is
multi-task impaired, doomed to plod from one task to another.
But, he manages his crops so THEY do the multi-tasking for
him. In their younger phases, for example, weeds--and plants
that need thinning--do double duty and become another product
for adventurous eaters.
- June
2, 2005: The Complete Zucchini Management Guide Andy
has a six point plan for making sure his CSA customers don't
get overwhelmed by summer squash. If that doesn't work,
he may have to get a pig. They're easy to please.
- May
12, 2005: Recipe for success America the melting pot?
Probably not. America the soup pot? Maybe. What Andy's learned
from his CSA is that pleasing 900 deliciously diverse individuals
is a challenge but one that's not totally insurmountable.
- April
19, 2005: The "three legged stool" school of farming
Andy sells his produce through a CSA, a restaurant delivery
route and a farmers' market stall. These three legs of his
marketing effort support each other--and him--in unexpected,
synergistic ways, and keep him sitting pretty.
- March
31, 2005: Thinking out of the box As any CSA farmer
will attest, waxed boxes can be a major expense. Andy and
his crew have found a local solution that reduces their
dependence on box makers who may have to toast their profits
with slightly less expensive champagne.
- March
17, 2005: And the moral of the story is... Andy's telling
his CSA members bedtime stories. No, the stress hasn't finally
gotten to him, it's the first newsletter of the season and
there is a moral to this story--keep the boxes neat, clean
and folded; don't forget to tell us when you're away; and,
last but not least, enjoy the connection between country
and city.
- February
22, 2005: Spring flowers bring me down ... Andy's got
the early season nerves. What if his overwintered carrots
bolt before his CSA season starts in late March? Most of
his neighbors start later, but he thinks it's worth the
risk ... and the nerves.
- February
10, 2005: Just kidding around Andy's goats might look
like an expensive hobby on paper, but they keep the poison
oak under control, entertain the human CSA kids and prevent
Andy from pummeling the occasional penny-pinching market
customer.
- January
27, 2005: Blame it on the boyfriend Disappearing CSA
boxes. Vanishing flowers. Missing strawberry containers.
Can it all be laid at the feet of ignorant or irresponsible
boyfriends and husbands, or are men just a convenient excuse?
Andy ponders some of the profound mysteries of running a
CSA.
- January
7, 2005: A very dairy New Year Life slows down at Mariquita
and, as another year begins, Andy reminisces about the 42
hours of exhausted delirium on a fateful New Year's Eve
that inspired him to farm vegetables.
- December
9, 2004: Addicted to learning the hard way Like most
organic farmers, Andy Griffin is a pugnacious experimenter.
He has taken radicchio to “radiculoso” extremes
you wouldn’t believe—and he won’t give
up on blanched celery either.
- November
23, 2004: The value--and the limits--of fantasy in any farming
operation For Andy Griffin, every season begins with
a magic carpet ride through those glossy agricultural fantasies
called seed catalogues. Then, the fantasy meets the customer.
- November
9, 2004: Farm wife meets mother earth As Julia tours
Italy and hobnobs with farmers from all over the world at
the Terra Madres conference in Turin, Andy is left to the
job of farm wife--a post he just can't seem to get a handle
on. Julia's networking pays off, though, and now that she's
back, Andy can breath a sigh of relief.
- October
14, 2004: A little bit of Mexico on Monterey Bay An
“end-of-the-season” party brings some regional
Mexican rivalry to Mariquita Farm. Workers from Michoacan
and Oaxaca have a friendly argument over the best way to
barbecue a goat.
- September
28, 2004: Giving a voice to small farmers … in 90
seconds or less Even public radio’s signature
show, All Things Considered, doesn’t consider the
farmer very often. So when Andy got a chance to spout off
about farming on the local NPR station, he jumped.
- September
13, 2004: Pardon my Padróns … Andy is still
working out the details of how to harvest his Spanish Padrón
peppers before they get too hot. When he succeeds, the $20
per pound he fetches may finance a second honeymoon back
in Spain … speaking of hot.
- August
31, 2004: Dangling crystals, bad poetry and political theater...
The social challenges of running a farmers' market stall
The protestors and cranks at an urban farmers' market thrust
Andy inot delicate merchandizing dilemmas and make him eager
to return to the sweet country life.
- August
17, 2004: You can keep your lemonade … Life gave
me elderberries, not lemons, and that’s just fine
with me, says Andy.
- August
3, 2004: Garlic Snakes Andy discovers how his first-ever
planting of stiff-necked garlic got it's scientific name
and stumbles upon another marketing gimmick--spicy serpents.
- July
20, 2004: Keep Rollin' While the rest of the world savors
basil and tomatoes, Andy gets pumped up to plant parsnips.
It's all part of the cycle.
- July
2, 2004: Keep Truckin' Stop! Put that plastic truck
(or other piece of marketing swag) down and back away. Think
smart promotion to keep your small farm in the public eye.
- June
2, 2004: Kinky Carrots It's astounding to what uses
Andy Griffin's farmers' market customers will put his kinky,
crooked carrot culls. Every carrot has a home.
- May
11, 2004: Ain't I smart? Carelessness, poor planning
and neglect leads Mariquita's Andy Griffin to discover the
true value of a strange old heirloom crop--black Spanish
radish.
-
April 20, 2004: Hats off to the many sombreros of a farmer
Quack lawyer, truck driver, fake chef, and borderline carnival
barker: all in a day’s work for a farmer like Andy
Griffin … and once in a while he gets to contemplate
nature.
- April
2, 2004: The watermelon radish: Conspiracy from the left
or the right … or just a darned good heirloom daikon?
Those were among the suspicions raised by this ancient veggie
at a recent event in Santa Cruz designed to introduce consumers
to local food producers.
- March
23, 2004: NOW is the time for shameless self-promotion
He can't plant, cultivate or harvest--the fields are a swamp--but
Mariquita's Andy Griffin can sell shares and hustle publicity.
- March
4, 2004: Guerilla garlic Battling the influx of cheap
Chinese garlic—even in to Gilroy, the “Garlic
Capital of the World”—Mariquita Farm grows green
spring garlic, and banks its garlic dollars long before
the garlic festival in July.
- February
13, 2004: New riders of the purple goosefoot In Watsonville,
California, the founders of Mariquita CSA discover the value
of this antique cousin to spinach.
Back to top >
Susanna
Meyer: Susanna's Costa Rican Sojourn
- October
14, 2004: Saying goodbye to the land of plenty
Back in Pittsburgh, Susanna concedes that while not everything
she has learned is applicable, some lessons travel well.
- September
14, 2004: Filling a niche Growing at 4200 feet,
Home Farm specializes in mixed salad greens and specialty
breads for the bustling San Isidro Farmers' Market
- August
31, 2004: Sustainable U Surrounded by primary
rainforest and fronted by the Caribbean Sea in the southeastern
corner of Costa Rica, U.S. high school students, local Ticos,
and others learn about living off the land and in harmony
with nature, as one teacher’s dream for community
and outdoor education becomes a reality.
- August
3, 2004: A farm of one's own In the northeastern
cloud forests, a decade-old cooperative project has helped
landless Costa Ricans work toward economic independence
and ecological sustainability
- April
23, 2004: Siete Estrellas de Jicotea Making
organic coffee (farms) strong enough to last takes support,
creativity and time
- March
5, 2004: Finca la Puebla Coffee co-op depends
on compost, self-processing and premium organic quality
to beat slumping market
SLIDESHOW: Hand
roasted: The story of small-scale coffee production
- January
13, 2004: Finca Pura Suerte Searching for sustainability
on a 30-acre mountain farm.
- December
1, 2003: San Isidro del General A small-scale
forest farm bucks the local trend to level forests and monocrop
for quicker cash.
- November
7, 2003: Part 1, Beginnings How strip mine
spoils and organic soils shaped a young woman's resolve
to farm in nature's image.
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Various Farmers: CSA Notebook
- November
9, 2004: Serving CSA members better As the CSA season
draws to a close, the Harmony Valley team brainstorms about
ways to boost member retention from year to year—and
to encourage former CSA members to become faithful farmers'
market customers.
- August
17, 2004: Finding the support in Community Supported Agriculture
After 30 years of full-time farming, Richard DeWilde experienced
a farmer's worst nightmare--he was laid up with severe back
pain and unable to work. How the heck would the farm survive?
- August
3, 2004: UPDATE: A legal immigrant odyssey In the spring,
Linda Halley wrote about their decision to go legal with
their Mexican help. Now, in the thick of the season, she
sends an update.
- April
19, 2004: The worth of good work: An H2-A odyssey Wisconsin
vegetable growers Linda Halley and Richard de Wilde venture
into new territory with the federal seasonal worker program.
So far, so good.
- January
30, 2004: Reflections on the 2003 CSA season Giving
thanks for a season with no disasters, good partners, a
great new staff member, and—overall—more sanity.
- October
27, 2003: Community Comes to the Farm Even if your farm
is nowhere near your customers, you can still cement the
relationship and sense of shared community with a few low-key
events each year on your farm.
- August
22, 2003: Over-Abundance: Mid-Summer at Harmony Valley CSA
What you DON'T put in your box may be as important as what
you do. And having other markets that can absorb overproduction
are essential.
- June
24, 2003: Distribution – An important connection to
your members Linda Halley describes the system of distributing
share boxes each week that has worked well for them over
the last 11 years . . . with some tweaking.
- May
6, 2003: Wanted: Consumers seek like-minded farmer looking
for long term CSA relationship The Philadelphia area's
newest organic farm started as a consumer dream.
- April
23, 2003: Collaborative CSA in N.E. Iowa successfully serves
an all-rural market Ten farm families contribute to
CSA, a buyers’ club, and a cooperative that markets
produce to local institutions.
- April
8, 2003: From money pit to economic provider for a farm
family and its employees ... in just 4 years! Julia
Wiley of Mariquita Farm says that to run a CSA successfully,
you have to grow well. That’s a given. But you also
have to know how to nurture a whole human community. Here’s
the story of how their CSA began.
- April
2, 2003: Two veteran CSA farmers share their insights
Richard de Wilde and Linda Halley have been running a successful
CSA for 11 years. This month: Introductions and some initial
thoughts on retention.
Back to top >
Jason
Witmer: Jason's Global Organic Odyssey
- July
11, 2003: The Great Awakening High on a Himalayan
Mountain top--a million miles from his Ohio home--Jason
reflects on a trip whose mission was met but whose purpose
was usurped by the magnitude of the people met along the
way
- June
27, 2003: Spain: In Spain's wine country, One-time
vineyard gets a make-over and Terragona province gets its
first taste of organic almonds.
- May
30, 2003: The Himalayas: In the Himalayas,
the Western world has invaded, but not yet conquered Many
families still survive happily on crops and livestock tended
on steeply terraced plots at high elevations ... AND IT'S
ALL ORGANIC, by default.
SLIDESHOW
Extreme Steps: Terrace Farming in the Himalayas
- May
13, 2003: India: Mulchan Haria may not have
followed the family into traditional medicine but his gentle
touch and chemical-free remedies have nursed a parched,
depleted earth back to full health and earned him the title
"Doctor" among his peers.
- April
25, 2003: India: Indian farmer creates an organic
oasis in a harsh land. On top of dust and floods, chemicals
were killing Vijay Shah's soil ... and production was falling.
He decided it was time, for a change, to farm WITH nature.
On July 1, 1996, he stopped using chemicals all together.
- March
28, 2003: Reflections With
their journey almost half over, Jason and Derek share a
new perspective on organic farming, material possessions
and foreign cab drivers
- March
21, 2003: Thailand Buddhist
"Asok" movement builds organic farms, sustainable
communities: In a farm economy devastated by reliance on
chemicals, Buddhist monks teach thousands a new way to grow
- March
6, 2003: Laos Jason and Derek work with Thanongsi
Solangkoun, whose silk-farm, organic restaurant and international
learning center offer an alternative to chemically based
agriculture
- February
28, 2003: Thailand Our intrepid world travelers
make their way to eastern Thailand and Jon Jandai -- farmer,
builder and man of leisure
- February
21, 2003: Beginnings How
a young kid picking sweet corn on his Grandpa’s farm
in Ohio ended up making an organic sojourn across two continents
- February
21, 2003: An Introduction Ohio
traveler debuts “global grassroots” network
of farmer-correspondents
Back to top >
Mary-Howell
& Klaas Martens: Letter from New York
- December
9, 2004: Confessions of a "foodie" In this
world of economic disparity and cultural conveniences, malnutrition
takes many forms, says this organic farmer.
- September
28, 2004: Smoothing the path to a profitable harvest home
Dozens of harvest tips to ensure that your good grain isn't
transformed into the bad and ugly by poorly maintained equipment,
improper storage or rough handling.
- August
31, 2004: Farming is definitely shades of gray It all
looks so clear-cut when you submit your organic crop plans
in January. But by August you’ve had to make a dozen
major decisions … some bad, some good, some impossible.
Here are a few thoughts on making the best of those tough
decisions.
- August
3, 2004: What can I use to boost my soil fertility?
The real key to soil fertility involves complex and slow
moving agronomic management. But you have a deficiency now.
Klaas and Mary-Howell explain how to temporarily boost your
soil fertility organically while you're waiting for those
long-term practices to kick in.
- August
3, 2004: "Farms R Us?" Part 2 Exploring the
successful management practices on one farm that could possibly
be transferred to another.
- July
20, 2004: "Farms R Us?" Part 1 Fearless farmers
bring a friend’s franchise farm fantasy to fruition
- April
2, 2004: Thinking upstream: Looking for root causes and
real solutions Our conventional agricultural system
is like chemotherapy for the soil … kill everything
and hope it solves the problem. But what caused the cancer
in the first place, and what can we do about it? That’s
what thinking upstream is all about.
- March
5, 2004: Seed: The Achilles’ heel of organic The
growing evidence in this country that much of our seed stock
is GMO-contaminated raises tough questions about the future
of organic—what it is, what it should be, and how
we can reduce our vulnerability and preserve our integrity
and vision as organic farmers.
- January
12, 2004: New Year's Reflection: How do you reduce risk
and improve farm income in 2004 100 ideas for improving
yield and income through crop diversity, weed control, equipment
repair, input avoidance, financial planning and value-added
processing.
- December
16, 2003: At What Cost? As rural communities, and entire
farm states, collapse under the current farm, we must consider
how we can make organic agriculture the norm...not just
a niche option.
- Special
Edition: Can we match Europe's small grian yields?
Klaas responds to questions about last month's column.
- November
21, 2003: Evaluating the 2003 season, and harvesting lessons
for 2004 and beyond This year: Disastrous small grains,
decent soybeans and corn, and a near miss with the cabbage
crop. Into the future: Exploring how to get European small
grain yields, often double those of the U.S.; figuring out
what contributes to corn lodging, and what variables effect
soybean yields from field to field.
- October
24, 2003: Why we certify. A must-read for anyone who cares
about the future of organic. There's an emerging level
of "sneaking non-compliance" with organic rules.
There's resistance and frustration with niggling NOP rules.
Lots of farmers are asking "Why bother with certification?"
Mary-Howell Martens offers a passionate and thoughtful response
to that tough question.
- September
30, 2003: Regarding the unseen life of sand and soil . .
. On beach and bottom land, life and health depend on
billions of unseen creatures weaving together in a complex
dance. Mary-Howell Martens eloquently questions how we have
managed to delude ourselves into thinking that we can disrupt
this complex movement without consequence.
- August
22, 2003: DEFENSIVE farming 18 years ago, Mary-Howell
Martens’ mother-in-law-to-be cautioned her suburban-raised
daughter-in-law-to-be that “the weather is never going
to be right.” How right she was! So what do you do
to survive in the tough years – which include every
one of the last four years here in the East? Mary-Howell
says it’s a combination of attitude, diversification
... and calm, creative thinking instead of panic.
- June,
2003: ORGANIC precision farming For organic
growers, "precision farming"; doesn't mean GPS
and on-board computers. It means better observation, longer
memory, and more care and attention to details. Organic
farmers can't patch up their mistakes and carelessness with
chemicals
- April,
2003: What is the true wealth of the organic movement?
The people, of course. They come
with different skills, backgrounds, motivations, ages and
educational levels, yet all feel the joy and excitement
of living at the heart of a burgeoning, world-changing movement.
- March,
2003: The Art of Crop Rotation Create a line-up
that ensures healthy soil; deters erosion, pests and weeds;
makes effective use of resources and earns a profit. Mary-Howell
reviews the process that is part science, part agronomics,
part economics, part field history and part farmer intuition.
- February,
2003: Providing for Ourselves.
Being self-sufficient starts with the food on our table,
but it doesn’t end there—it extends to farm
practices that don’t rely on inputs for fertility
and weed control; to communities that work together; and
to the most basic need of all . . .healthy, viable seeds
without help from Monsanto.
- January,
2003: Looking
backward, looking forward.
The Martens review the past and plan for
the future while passing on recording-keeping tips, soil
testing advice … and some thoughts on our responsibilities
as regenerative farmers.
- December,
2002: The gift of community.
The Martens reflect
on the critical importance to organic farmers of a supportive
community that counteracts the trend in rural America toward
bitter competition and isolation. PLUS:
6 keys to successful weed management.
- November,
2002: Reflections at harvest time,
with thanks.
Mary-Howell Martens takes a moment to reflect on insuring
quality at harvest, crop rotations, no-till vs. low-till
. . . and the privilege of harvesting your own crops and
seeing the tangible completion of a year.
- August,
2002: How Mary-Howell and Klaas Martens made the transition
to organic. 8 lessons our future NewFarm.org
columnists learned in the last ten years as they moved to
organic field crop production on over 1300 acres
And, by popular demand, following are the links to the Martens'
three part series "Look, Ma! No Weeds: Early Season Weed
Control".
Back to top >
Alan
Guebert: The Final Word
- September
24, 2004: Who is Tom Hofeller?; Now quickly,
the other news of the week
- September
17, 2004: Bush widens lead among rural, swing
voters; Other news of the week; It's just a game
- September
10, 2004: That crazy federal
deficit; Other news and views; Sept. 10, 2001: Trust your
future
- September
3, 2004: Farmers, November and party platforms;
And as the GOP convened in New York ...; Letter of the week
- August
27, 2004: “The President’s personal
commitment to conservation ...”; Other news, views
and clues; Again with the crowing rooster routine
- August
20, 2004: Need marketing advice? Call me in
November; The week’s theater of the absurd
- August
13, 2004: August crop report about a 6; Rabo: Part II;
Sugar meeting turns sour
- August
6, 2004: Sketchy WTO ag trade framework outlined;
Omaha Farm Credit bank opens FCS to takeovers
- July
30, 2004: Doha,'conflicting trade' and wages;
The wonderful world of unintended consequences
- July
23, 2004: USDA Inc.
- July
16, 2004: US-Aussie free trade deal a done
deal; Mad cow mistakes spotlighted in joint House hearing;
Some things are just a mystery
- July
9, 2004: Bush and the rural "Bubba"
vote; Letter of the week: NCBA threatens R-CALF; Weekly
news, views and reviews
- July
2, 2004: Of mad prices, mad cows and mad farmers;
In their words: the week that was; Of fireworks, family
and fish on the Fourth
- June
25, 2004: Hand-wringing over America's ag competition;
What others are saying; Of soaring turkeys and USDA
- June
18, 2004: House Ag hearing blasts USDA conservation
programs; Newest Bush target could be CRP; ACGA asks for
CRP sign-up now; Another ADM chapter closes
- June
10, 2004: Who we are: 2002 Ag Census; The week
in words; Cargill will DNA test cattle for taste, economics;
Ag journ 101
- May
28, 2004: USDA reverses itself on organic rules;
USDA budget cuts coming; Making sense of export numbers;
Memorial Day, 1868
- May
21, 2004: Listen to what I say, not what I
do; The week in words: One for the good guys: Sen. Paul
Muegge
- May
14, 2004: EU-US WTO two-step, again; The week
in words: All the ag news you'll ever need for $18,000 per
year
- May
7, 2004: USDA's mad cow mess stumbles on; Letter
of the week: Big Pork's big threat; Nebraska pork power
totters into Chapter 11
- April
30, 2004: Brazil opens cotton's can of worms;
debating subsidies with faulty math
- April
23, 2004: Far from the maddening cow; A long,
hot summer ahead: No Bush Farm and Ranch Team for me
- April
16, 2004: It's a long day in India, Part 3:
Rice, sugar awash in social faux pas – Alan makes
sure to leave his mark before returning to the states.
- April
9, 2004: It's a long day in India, part 2:
We meet India's future, several different options, to whose
hands will it fall?
- April
2, 2004: It's a long day in India
- March
19, 2004: Only mad cows and Americans; News,
views and all those blues; Letter of the week: Leaving the
herd behind
- March
12, 2004: Cargill settles civil suit on HFCS
price fixing; News and views; Meaty memo of the week: It's
all about us
- March
5, 2004: The news from Lake Farmbegone; Looking
for Wall Street? Try the Federal Courthouse; Letter of the
week: Is special sauce a durable good?
- February
27, 2004: Milk's mustache wiped off; News,
views and all those blues; A reader writes
- February
20, 2004: Cowboy justice clips meatpackers;
Cowboys 1, Tyson 0; now what?; USDA mad cow miracle: Downer
cows that walk
- February
13, 2004: Silence of the mules: the trade deal
no one wanted
- February
6, 2004: USDA takes hit big in 2005 Bush budget;
Behind the headlines
- January
30, 2004: Farming 101: The trouble with statistics;
The trouble with political science; The trouble with ag
economics
- January
26, 2004: On the road: Denver; On the road,
again: Denver II; Just can't wait to get off the road
- January
20, 2004: Cowboys in the courtroom ; News,
views and reviews; On the road: Iowa
- January
9, 2004: The USDA's busy week; So, if it's
clearly Canadian; Of checkoffs and mad cow
- January
2, 2004: A maddening New Year; Other “mad”
facts
- December
19, 2003: CAFTA is not a trade victory; A farm
belt recovery?; Another black-and-white Christmas story
- December
12, 2003: Budget bummer
busts ag; World Bank’s analysis of free ag trade:
You’re dead; Sen. Paul Simon, 1928-2003
- December
8, 2003: The new pork powerhouse: Washington,
D.C.; 2004's big issues
- December
1, 2003: Ethanol mandate, COOL sink in Senate;
From the Farm and Food File archives: A 'right smart' Thanksgiving
- November
21, 2003: Energy Bill baggage threatens passage;
Confusing week for US ag trade policy; Short takes on the
news
- November
14, 2003: The pot-holed road to Miami and a
FTAA; Steel vs. ag: 'illegal' tariffs to clip ag exports;
Views and invective
- November
7, 2003: Ethanol compromise pushes Energy Bill
forward; Ag budget bill, COOL, cattle import idea pass Senate;
Bites of week's food news
- October
31, 2003: USDA burns COOL again; Cost study
shows GM wheat a market killer; Headlines and deadlines
- October
24, 2003: Second pork checkoff defeat threatens
all checkoffs; In the news; On the road: Montana
-
October 10, 2003: Smithfield, Cargill line
up bids for Farmland; Another COOL hearing, another COOL
set-up; I don't know about you, but...
- October
3, 2003: Cooked books hide paltry farm income;
Red hot beef market to remain warm into winter; Laugh-a-minute
Limbaugh caught on TV
- September
26, 2003: Cancun reactions continue to ricochet
through global ag trade; Scenes from this farm life; GM
foods fail public polls again
- September
23: 2003: This issue has just one topic: what
led to the collapse of WTO talks in Cancun and its consequences...
- September
12, 2003: Heat's on farmers in Cancun; US,
EU sweating; GAO shows USDA how to move ahead on COOL; Payment
Commission to Congress: It's your mess, fix it
- September
5, 2003: Fixing U.S. ag policy; Willie v. Annie;
Canadian beef and bass
- August
29, 2003: By the time you read this... Reprise:
Oh say, can you see... Manitoba
- August
22, 2003: Court again declares South Dakota's
anti-corporate farming law illegal; Stop the presses: China
bigger ag exporter
- August
15, 2003: US-EU ag trade proposal little more
than Cancun window dressing; Still crazy after all these
years; The view from the rooftop
- August
11, 2003: AFBF: No WTO deal better than bad
deal; Silly season
- August
5, 2003: Stop the presses: USDA talks beef
with Japan without NCBA; International farm leaders offer
own agenda for WTO-Cancun; Energy bill again passes Senate
- August
1, 2003: Smithfield eats Farmland Foods; In
their own words: the real Smithfield; COOL funding killed
in House; survives in Senate; News, views and some blues
- July
25, 2003: Cancun could clobber US farmers and
ranchers; 'We're being fed to the fishes over and over and
over again'; A lovely evening for crop reportin'
- July
11, 2003: US blasts GM food and feed labeling;
Academic wars: The battle to replace Neil Harl; Beef checkoff
goes down for the second time
- July
7, 2003: Europe votes for GM labeling of food,
feed; More Europe: CAP reform; How to kill a farm group
- June
27, 2003: When old Doc Greenspan talks, we
should listen; Passing time with the great American pastime
- June
23, 2003: Special interests gut COOL funding;
Follow the money--or Henry Bonilla; Go ahead, hit me—but
I say, 'keep the estate tax'
- June
17, 2003: Wheat's newest battleground is free--and
GMO-free--Iraq; Government program payments 'expected to
total $21.4 billion in 2003'; News, views and more ag journalism
blues
- June
9, 2003: Ethanol gets victory in Senate; G-8:
BINGO! — Bush wins again; Dairy’s naïve
backroom political offer
- May
30, 2003: Canada's ill wind shows America's
leaky biosecurity blanket; Views of the news; From the Ag
journalist's mouth to the banker's ear
- May
23, 3003: Mad cow madness; The Jungle: More bad meat
and bad news for meat; Bye-bye dollar
- May
16, 2003: How to win GMO friends and influence
customers; Ms. Veneman has been doing a lot of crowing but
what does she have to show; Graduation Day, 2003
- May
12, 2003: It's
been a COOL week—ACGA poll confirms
concerns over GM corn, support for COOL; Finally,
a COOL study on labeling benefits;
Quote of the week
- May
2, 2003: Our
man in Baghdad part II; Just COOL it;
Ag journalist, watchdog or a businessman's best friend?
- April
25, 2003: Our
man in Baghdad; News you may have missed; 'I weep for my
profession' - Part 2
- April
11, 2003: Trying
to spin the plain truth on COOL; 'I weep for
my profession’
- Part 1
- April
4, 2003:
March
31 plantings report not 'suprising'; Budget
billions, budget baloney; On the road to Baghdad
- March
28, 2003: GMO:
Genetically modified oratory; The lighter
side of COOL; Two voices— do you know which one is
speaking the truth?
- March
21, 2003: The
farm homefront; David Heath Swanson, Federal
Convict; Quotes of the week
- March
14, 2003: The genes of biotech journalism;
Appellate courts hear beef, pork check-off cases
- March
7, 2003: ‘Smelly'
Starlink settlement; Suited up for checkoff challenges;
Hi, I’m Ann and I'll be your saleslady today'
February
28, 2003: Court
ruling may challenge ag integrators; Busy week for news
and views; Letter from America: Dancing Ann; Note from Norway
- February
21, 2003: Congress
cripples organic standards; Traveling Bobby's
$435 billion tab; Europe bashing
February 14, 2003: Disaster aid charade; Stop
the presses! NPPC claims COOL too costly; World trade talkers
- February
7, 2003: For the main
course, 2004 White House, USDA Budget Baloney and to finish,
Short takes on the rest of the week. Bon Appétit!
- January
31, 2003: Agriculture is surprisingly absent
from the State of the Union address and other news that
will shock you
- January
24, 2003: Senate approves
$3.1 billion in disaster aid; Court puts out Iowa welcome
mat for pork integrators; What a day - homeland security
is offical, Veneman is near failing, CountryMark's CEO is
under arrest, again - and it's not even noon yet!
- January
17, 2003: Chicago fire
burns commodity prices; Grain reserve offers insurance against
future flames; New Congress, new assistance ideas; You'll
be missed, Elmer Brown
- January
10, 2003: January report
bearish but hope for '04; Not a nickel for farm aid, $674
billion for tax cuts; Bush Stimulus Plan: Fat Plums to Fat
Cats; Some things never change – beef, pork, and a
non-stimulating “stimulus” package
- January
3, 2003: New Year could
bring stronger ag markets; Oh where, Oh where are CCPs?;
Here's to a new USDA, some much needed moments of silence,
a few wins for the Chicago Cubs and a great 2003
- December
20, 2002: Europe to
America: “Our Food, Our Rules;” bring me the
head of Hedrick Verfaillie; Trent Lott inspires “quote
of the week;” a special Christmas story, retold because
it bears retelling.
- December
2, 2002: The benefits of country of origin
labels; free trade for Aussie beef means more grief for
U.S. cattlemen; with lack of competition, food multinationals
all set to gouge us at the plate.
- November
22, 2002: Maybe the
U.S trade rep should check with U.S. farmers before promising
their support of a free trade agreement with the Aussies.
And maybe the last two years in Congress weren't a total
loss for agriculture
- November
15, 2002: New house
ag committee chair to be named; pork checkoff--the true
cost to farmers; and GM contamination--just a matter of
time before experimental crops end up on our dinner plates.
- November
8, 2002: Thad Cochran to take farm policy reins
– how far will he go? Farmers make Londoners smile
– in the rain!
- November
1, 2002: Chicken slaves, and honest talk from
Swiss ag leaders
- October
25, 2002:
GMO labelling and the European Union
Back to top >
George
Devault: Real Tales of High Value Farming
- November
9, 2004: Blueberry Blues Part 2: After chuckling all
the way to the bank through the summer, this farmer is now
singing the blueberry blues. High-value can quickly turn
into big-loss if you're not careful. Time to protect your
assets!
- August
31, 2004: Farming under cover -- BIG TIME! Haygrove
Tunnels boost yields and fight disease, by the acre -- or
the hectare.
- August
17, 2004: Blueberry Bonanza! Part 1: Hand-picked blueberries
overcome the objections of penny-pinching customers and
inspire a dedicated following like nothing else simply by
being tasty. At $4 a pint, these little powerhouses pack
true high value.
- June
27, 2003: Dump dept and diversify! Growing less corn
is not a bad idea, either.
- June
3, 2003: His farm isn’t quite an acre . . . but this
‘small farmer’ makes it work After investing
a whole lot of elbow grease and making his fair share of
mistakes, Scott Kuntzer does more with less and
makes a decent living.
- March
21, 2003: Lettuce Get Growing! Greens that is. Planting
lettuces and greens for steady production from early Spring
through Fall.
- March
12, 2003: George DeVault's 14 Myths About Modern Farming
- March
5, 2003: Affording Essential Equipment There are a lot
of good buys out there. Just go slow, and pay as you go.
- January
17, 2003: What To Grow?There
is no mystery to it, as long as you understand quality --
and what sells.
- December
2, 2002: Why diversify? Simple. It can help
pay the bills when traditional crops don’t earn their
keep. And it’s not nearly as difficult and expensive
as you might think.
Back to top >
Jeff
Moyer: One Farm to Another
- January
17, 2008: Soil-saving and input-cutting practices are good
additions to any farm Whether or not you choose to become
certified organic, developing more skills improves your
management options in responding to changing weather and
markets.
- December
13, 2007: He's making his list and checking....the price
of grain? Jeff takes a look at the state of the market
and explains why now is a great time to go organic.
- November
16, 2007: Fall drought demands invoking Plan D—or
creating it, if the impact will come next spring Disruption
of crops with critical roles to play in your rotation means
act now to make the best of a dry situation.
- September
14, 2007: Seize pre-harvest gaps to plan on-farm research
Identify options you can test yourself to guide better management.
- July
13, 2007: Welcoming interns to the farm brings potential
benefits, responsibility to teach Young people ready
to work and learn bring energy, new questions and a mix
of expectations.
- June
15, 2007: Make time to leave home for farmer-to-farmer learning
Choose well and plan carefully to get the most out of summer
field days.
- May
11, 2007: Scrambling to find Plan B after a nasty winter
for vetch In my mind, I saw deep vetch and timely no-tillage.
In my fields, I’ve got dead vetch, bare ground and
problems.
- April
12, 2007: Legumes buffer organic farms from this year’s
high N costs Ethanol-fueled high corn prices create
ripple effect that touches organic grain outlook.
- March
15, 2007: Spring gleanings as winter melts into spring
Ruminations on the busy season, challenges in the organic
sector and our cutting-edge research.
- February
16, 2007: On our farm or yours, face-to-face or online,
people and their questions make my work a delight Sharing
a quest—or just a question—creates a bond that
helps build sustainable community.
- January
12, 2007: First year on the NOSB: Hard work, tough issues,
good energy It’s a privilege—and a world
of intense problem management—to be a farmer rep on
this organic sector advisory board to the USDA organic program.
- December
14, 2006: Twinkling lights, well-loved carols and really
nice wrenches Jeff reflects on gifts that are better
than things… but there’s the things, too.
- November
10, 2006: Let’s get real, and all commit to using
organic seed Narrow variety focus that makes it impossible
to “find” the seed organically is not a way
to strengthen the organic seed sector, which is a vital
part the future of organics.
- October
12, 2006: Organic grain market requires—and rewards—quality
control Treatment of grain from field to bin to destination
takes a new level of management that non-organic markets
don’t demand.
- September
15, 2006: Oil price spike creates incentive for real change
Why tinker with fuel and fertilizer efficiencies when innovative
organic synergies offer a way to change the whole system?
- August
10, 2006: Organic choice can impact relationships with family,
friends, neighbors Change that feels good to you may
feel like rejection to others; to build bridges, stay in
touch while you openly share the joys and struggles of your
journey.
- July
13, 2006: Cutworms challenge organic no-till in wet field
Timing and moisture conditions conspire to give cutworms
the edge.
- June
8, 2006: Cultivating your cultivation techniques Keeping
your weeds in check means keeping your tools honed, your
eye on the fields and some new tricks up your sleeve.
- May
12, 2006: First taste of the NOSB: organics is alive and
well Determination to testify showed strong farmer commitment
to keeping organics organic.
- April
13, 2006: Springtime at The Rodale Institute® New
research, responsibilities and projects keep our farm manager
busy.
- March
9, 2006: Before all your mornings turn to mud... ...get
out early to frost seed covers, hay.
- February
16, 2006: When your compost ingredients come from somewhere
else, know what’s in the truck Garbage in, garbage
out – no matter how well you manage it.
- December
8, 2005: Poring over catalogs, making wish lists Decisions
about next year's seed orders can make a big difference
for your farm--and for the organic community as a whole.
- November
11, 2005: Before you plant that first seed… Season's
end is a good time to think about alternative marketing
strategies, Jeff says.
- October
13, 2005: Taking the REALLY long view As fall approaches,
Jeff reflects on the past and future of farming on our own
little patch of North America--and considers the ecological
and economic value of adding perennial grain crops to the
mix.
- September
1, 2005: Good farming values good neighbors Cultivating
community is just as important as cultivating crops.>
- July
14, 2005: While the sun shines Jeff reflects on the
sweaty work of putting up hay.
- June
16, 2005: The more the merrier By rotating crops, cover
crops and tillage practices, says Jeff, you can improve
your soils, improve your yields and keep the weeds and the
pests guessing.
- May
12, 2005: Green on green Counting the virtues of small
grains, from the soil to the balance sheet.
- April
19, 2005: Mirror, mirror on the wall, what'll be the best
variety...come fall? When it comes to choosing crop
varieties, Jeff says you can rely on the advice of others—or
you can see for yourself by conducting your own on-farm
variety trials.
- March
17, 2005: These are exciting times! Those were the sentiments
of a group of researchers and farmers who met during the
first week of March at The Rodale Institute’s farm
in southeastern Pennsylvania to initiate plans for further
research into Organic No-Till.
- January
7, 2005: Where does the time go? Sure, it's more of
the same this year. The weather. Our on-farm research. Meetings
and conferences. But with a little planning, it does keep
getting better and better ... and more and more interesting.
- December
9, 2004: Re-evaluation time As the year draws to a close,
Jeff's making lists again.
- October
26, 2004: Harvesting more than just crops It's been
a good season for apples, pumpkins, corn and soybeans here
at The Rodale Institute, but it's our cover crop roller
that's bearing fruit other farmers can use.
- August
31, 2004: The calendar says summer, but buyers are saying
fall Half of our apples are damaged, but prices are
good. The pumpkins are prolific. And the corn is 10 feet
tall. Life is good—not great, but pretty darned good.
- August
17, 2004: Keeping blight at bay Despite a really wet
year, our wheat has resisted fusarium head blight. Don’t
ask about our apples, though. Ask about our straw, instead.
- July
20, 2004: Great weather. Good yields? We’ve got our
fingers crossed. Jeff gives an update on equipment purchases,
crop progress, farm building maintenance, new approaches
to no-till … and the fire of 2004.
- June
2, 2004: The crops are poppin' this spring Can the weeds
be far behind? Jeff talks about cultivation, no-till organic,
apple production...and an opportunity to run a CSA here
at The Rodale Institute®.
- May
11, 2004: What’s that? Researchers and universities
have discovered organic? Seems to be the case, folks.
Grant dollars are being earmarked for organic projects …
and they need the input and involvement of farmers. Is this
a dream, or what?
- April
2, 2004: Spring has sprung The oats are still in the
bag, but the apple orchards are looking good and some tweaks
to a modified planter are well on their way. As the wheat
greens up, the bedding plants are just about ready to move
from greenhouse to cold frame for hardening off. Yep. It's
spring.
- March
5, 2004: Hungry for spring Most of the repairs are done,
the re-certification paperwork is almost finished and the
vetch and rye covers are pushing through the stubble. If
only the mud would go away.
- January
13, 2004: Planning for success on your farm Jeff knows
one farmer whose planning is so refined that his workers
can print out detailed work schedules each morning throughout
the season. Most of us don’t need that kind of planning
with a capital P, but we all need some … and winter
is the time to do it.
- December
17, 2003: Jeff's making his lists and checking them twice...
mostly because he can't believe how much has to
get done this winter to be ready for next season.
- November
21, 2003: Capital purchases: An opportunity to think more
deeply about where your farm is heading It makes no
sense to invest new dollars into equipment designed for
old systems, says Jeff. He also offers a few thoughts on
mixing nurse crops with your cover crops.
- October
24, 2003: On to STEP 2: Proving that organic produce is
nutritionally superior It's pretty much a foregone
conclusion that organic is better, hands down, for the soil
and the environment. But is it GOOD for you?
- September
5, 2003: A long love affair with cover crops In the
midst of the current season’s tribulations, planting
cover crops lets you think about and prepare for a whole
new growing season, with all its unspoiled promise.
-
August 22, 2003: All my trials, Lord... The
wheat's pretty much of a loss, the oats lodged, the weeds
are having a field day and the leaf hoppers worked over
the alfalfa and potatoes. But on the bright side....
- July
11, 2003: Small grain harvest coming soon, and things are
looking good... but disease resistant pumpkins
were a bust. Plus, mid-summer field days and new fungi research
that promises to boost yields.
- June
10, 2003: Jeff adds two new tools to his weed-eating arsenal
and starts work on a better toilet What does a trip
to Japan have to do with battling weeds here at home? And
how can a toilet help protect farm land? Jeff covers how
two great ideas came from unexpected places.
- May
12, 2003: A late spring has Jeff chomping at the bit
He's ready to try out the retooled planter for planting
no-till through vetch with minimum disturbance. And the
new pole barn will let him store more hay and straw, which
sold like hot cakes last year.
-
March 3, 2003: Eighteen inches of frozen ground. Guess I’ll
get the paperwork done. Jeff reflects on our new research
focus on the human impact of farm chemicals, and wonders
why we allowed ourselves to get so dependent on government
handouts.
- February
4, 2003: Two degrees below zero . . . and I’ve
got to think about crop rotations and weed pressure!
- January
7, 2003: Who says organic no-till can't be done?
Jeff describes his no-till corn experience in 2002, and
its significance for the future
- December
3, 2002: Making hay this year . .
. Sometimes you
just can't predict what will sell
Back to top >
Brenda
Cochran: Dispatches from Dairyland
Back to top >
Melanie
Devault: Specialty Cut Flower
Corner
- July
14, 2005: Weddings: Think before you say "I do"
The honymoon's over. Melanie's got cold feet when it comes
to doing flowers for weddings, but with good reason. If
you have your heart set on netting nuptial gigs, there are
some things you should know.
- May
12, 2005: Flower diseases Don't worry, be observant.
- March
31, 2005: Flowers and insects: A manageable combination,
Part 2 Aphids, thrips, spidermites, leafhoppers, beetles
and caterpillars--knowing your enemies, and how to handle
them.
- March
17, 2005: Flowers and insects: a manageable combination,
Part 1 Sure, insects cause flower growers some noticeable
heartaches, but they can be controlled organically—with
beneficials, diversity, selecting the right flowers for
your region, and even with guinea hens.
- February
22, 2005: Questions, more questions... On hoophouses--and
more; Regarding Lisianthus; One pinch, two pinch
- January
27, 2005: Terminology 101 Our cut flower guru answers
the question, “What do you mean when you say…?”
- January
7, 2005: Living the high life High value flowers have
high standards and absolutely thrive in high tunnels. So,
Mel and George are adding another gothic arch to their property
and populating it entirely with the best-selling blooms.
- November
23, 2004: Tools of the trade Practical ideas for the
holidays.
- November
9, 2004: Good Karma--"Karma" dahlias, that is
The sponteneous purchase of Karma Dahlias turned out to
be one of the best decisions of the season for Melanie and
flower partner Linda.
- August
31, 2004: Secrets of selling to florists Flower shops
can be a boost to your bottom line if you cultivate relationships
carefully, deliver quality and pay attention to what they
need.
- August
3, 2004: Summer madness, and mistakes Fresh from the
Mid-Atlantic meeting of the Association of Specialty Cut
Flower Growers, Mel and ASCFG president Bob Wollam share
mistakes they made this summer and Mel details what it takes
to have a continuous flower supply for a 25-week farmers'
market season.
- June
2, 2004: Five time savers for flower growers Weed management
help, watering aids, smart tool use and more.
- June
2, 2004: A flowering of questions How to price, Preserving
organic flowers, Help...do I need a permit to sell?
- April
19, 2004: Fall Harvest: More than just mums Spring has
arrived in Pennsylvania and so has the fourth and final
in Mel's four-season flower mini-series. If you haven't
noticed, it's all about thinking ahead. Plan your fall line-up
now and offer gorgeous autumn bouquets when everyone is
tired of the same-old mums.
- March
4, 2004: Your problems, possible solutions Mel shares
some questions from a recent conference and her answers
- March
4, 2004: Summer Harvest: Thinking warm while it's still
cold means better variety There’s plenty of time
to think about sunflowers and zinnias, the summer garden
workhorses, but they only go so far. Some of the best summer
sellers need to be started NOW!
- January
30, 2004: Spring Harvest: Planning now for next year's early
bloomers Most northern growers are chomping at the bit
to get back out in the dirt (yes, we are all certifiably
nuts). But if you take this lull in the schedule to do some
planning for next spring, you can satisfy everyone's cabin
fever with extra early bouquets and baskets.
- December
17, 2003: Winter Harvest: Making up for a rough summer
Turning the “off-season” chill into a ringing
till. Tips for winter long sales from a variety of cut flower
gurus.
- November
7, 2003: Planning for next season Looking back, looking
ahead … and PLUG-ging along.
- October
20, 2003: Lilies Make Everyone Smile Pennsylvania
grower Paul Shumaker finds a fragrant niche in cut lilies.
- August
1, 2003: Getting through summer The summer sweat is
on and if you're seriously considering putting the weeds
up for sale which are looking better than your flowers,
don't stress. Mel tells you how to handle burnt-out blooms,
disheveled beds and the "oh no, I'm running out of
flowers" moments.
- June
27, 2003: Farmers' Market--ing 13 tips for selling flowers
at your local farmers' market.
- May
23, 2003: After the bloom is ON Thinking ahead to summer--it
won't be long--some general and specific advice for cutting,
handling, storing and transporting flowers.
- April
24, 2003: Planting . . . Gotta go, gotta go -- ah, relax;
there’s still time Overcoming her anxiety about
an overly long winter, Melanie dispenses timely early-season
wisdom about planting, transplanting and growing flowers.
- March
17, 2003: Seeding . . . Where to start
Set those complicated computer programs and expensive gadgets
aside and start simple.
- February
21, 2003: Good Beginnings Melanie's suggestions for
starting off on the right foot with annuals.
- January
17, 2003: Becoming
a “flower lady” (or gent)
First in an ongoing series: Melanie Devault talks about
the ins and outs of starting and building a cut flower business
... without going into debt.
Back to top >
George,
Melanie & Don Devault
Nuts & Bolts & Dreams: A beginner's
guide to farming
- August
17, 2004: Greenhouse 101: Summer No "forcing"
summer lettuce this year Circumstances beyond our control
have forced us to go a little easier on ourselves, for a
change. Thank heavens.
- January
12, 2004: Greenhouse 101: Winter Survival Guide Once
you know when to fold ‘em and when to hold ‘em,
you, too, may say “let It snow!”
- November
6, 2003: The season’s over, or nearly so: Here’s
what paid, what didn’t The wisdom four Pennsylvania
farm families salvaged from another tough season.
- August
21, 2003: Veggie Farmers’ Marketing 101 Be clean.
Price fairly. Don’t discount. And use every opportunity
to educate, educate, educate.
- July
11, 2003: Putting your face on Getting ready for market
means "hair, make-up and wardrobe" for your goodies.
No matter how sweet your carrots or crisp your lettuce,
if they're spattered with grit they won't get a second glance.
- June
5, 2003: The A to Z Greenhouse Growing Guide, Part II
How to grow tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in your hoophouse
without them going to riot and rot.
- May
23, 2003: The A to Z Greenhouse Growing Guide, Part I
Everything you need to know--except the experience--about
planting, cultivating and harvesting salad and cooking greens
year round.
- April
23, 2003: From big city to small farm -- couple successfully
follows their dream Jeffrey Frank and Kristin Illick
started farming four years ago as novice apprentices. Now
they supply a farmer’s market and 10 restaurants with
greens, heirloom tomatoes, baby veggies and herbs.
- April
9, 2003: Hoophouse dreams -- building a beginning, PART
2 From baseboards to plastic sheeting, your greenhouse
gets finished. Relax and celebrate this flying leap into
your dream. There won’t be much time, later.
- March
21, 2003: Hoophouse dreams -- building a beginning Hoophouse
how-to, part 1: Anchoring your farming dreams in the bedrock
of your own soil
- March
7, 2003: DON'T take your day job and shove it A few
practical thoughts on preparing to take the plunge.
- March
5, 2003: How Much Land? Probably not as much as you
might think,especially if you’re growing the right
crops. Here's what history teaches us.
- February
14, 2003: So You Want to Be a Farmer? Twenty-five-year-old
Don Devault talks about how farming crept up on him, about
the mentors he was lucky to meet . . . and about the doses
of reality and hard work he got along the way.
- January
17, 2003: Finding the right information Knowing
what to do and who to believe means the difference between
success and failure.
- January
17, 2003: New farm dreams DO come
true Maybe not
the way you thought they would. But with planning, persistence
and a little luck it is possible to get started in farming
today. New Farm® columnists Melanie and George Devault
tell their own story.
Back to top >
Paul
Beingessner: Letter from Saskatchewan
- October
18, 2007: FAO issues report calling for new thinking on
avian flu poultry risks World body says it’s not
clear that big confinement operations are safer.
- March
15, 2007: It’s official: ag income in most provinces
will decrease in 2007, with Saskatchewan bucking the trend
Higher grain prices will buoy one province, but hurt returns
on hog farms all the way to the Atlantic Coast.
- February 17, 2005: Disengaged
farmers have created a land where a few packers rule
- January 11, 2005: Rural
areas lacking critical mass to recover As financial
security forces rural residents to flee for the cities along
with them goes any incentive to return
- December 17, 2004: Farmers
beware: Canadian government getting out of the plant breeding
business
- December 1, 2004: Public
seed variety research critical for farmers to thrive
- October 24, 2004: U.S.
duty hits hog farmers where it hurts
- September 23, 2004: Seed
legislation could spell end to farmers keeping seed
- August 24, 2004: Alberta
cattlemen mount risky NAFTA challenge against US in desperate
bid borne of desperate times
- August 17, 2004: Canadian
farmers left wondering about impact of WTO subsidy cuts
- July 28, 2004: Trade
talks will never be the same after Cancun
- July 2, 2004: Canadian
farmers need a strategy as "leaders" dither over
BSE/beef
- June 28, 2004: Factory
farm controls need to balance regional benefits with local
impacts
- June 21, 2004: Conservatives,
liberals favor cheap food; fail to campaign for meaningful
ag future
- June 2, 2004: Who
do subsidies really benefit?
- May 26, 2004: Schmeiser
loss leaves Monsanto empty handed
- May 20, 2004: Factory
farm controls need to balance regional benefits with local
impacts
- May 6, 2004: Farmers'
right to GMO-free cropping trumps biotech's desire to dominate
- April 23, 2004: Farmers
need market power, not higher tech solutions
- April 8, 2004: Over-expansion
of patent law fails "public good" test patents
used to serve
- March 29, 2004: Canadian
cattle producers demand packers buy more from open market
- March 12, 2004: Cooperation
produced great wheat variety; will plant patents do as well?
- March 4, 2004: The
war about drugs: Coming to a corn patch near you
- March 1, 2004: Would
a Schmeiser win hurt plant breeding?
- January 21, 2004: Let's
talk sheep, madam secretary
- January 14, 2004: Mad
cow troubles resurface with a vengeance
- December 30, 2003: Saying
it does not make it so
- December 15, 2003: Canada's
western farmers bid joyous adieu to ousted ag head
- December 8, 2003: Keep
supply management, despite the detractors
- December 1, 2003: Farmer
efficiency benefits everyone but the farmer
- November 24, 2003: Problems
of supply management may be a welcome improvement
- November 11, 2003: US
cotton: subsidy farmers get billions to produce, market
crop
- October 28, 2003: Canadian
sheep producers suffering from BSE-blockade
- October 13, 2003: Are
GM Crops the New Colonialism?
- October 2, 2003: Without
sustainable alternatives, ending subsidies only shifts misery
- September 25, 2003:
Free trade and the case of the missing profits
- September 15, 2003: Truth
suffers, traders win in US ruling against Canadian wheat
board
- August 8, 2003: Unparalleled
opportunity to regain wealth
- July 27, 2003: Fate
of Canadian Agriculture Rests on Cattle Herd
- July 19, 2003: Mad
Cows Are Not COOL
- July 14, 2003: Monsanto
suits gobble up farmers, target milk bottler. Is Maine next?
- June 22, 2003: U.S.
posturing on Canada's one mad cow shows weak trade policy
- June 8, 2003: Protocol
upholds genetic integrity; on collision course with WTO
and GMOs
Back to top >
Various
Writers: Letter from Ontario
- August
9, 2007: Replacing imports with local food Quiet leadership
with solid proposals lead to real impact
- June
15, 2007: Shouldn’t the market serve us, instead of
the other way around? Why can’t society chose
fairness and food access over speculation?
- May
11, 2007: Ontario farm innovation awards hit the mark
Organic value-added meat and farmer training, manure to
electricity, mortality composting and biosecure hog loading
systems honored.
- April
12, 2007: Everyone has an opinion on farm size Group’s
discussion guide considers factors that create community
resistance.
- March
15, 2007: How can farming be so challenging, yet so stimulating
and fun? Called to a role that always has more to discover,
and to enjoy.
- March 9, 2006: Ontario
farmers to tackle some dramatic proposals on the future
of Canadian agriculture
- September 6, 2005: The
distraction of trade talks
- August 15, 2005:
Giving
up the bird in the hand for the bird in the bush Elbert
van Donkersgoed advises on trade negotiations
- July 26, 2005: Farmland
vs. Wetland Striking a balance between environmental
responsibility and economic viability
- July 7, 2005: Pay
the man Society, not farm families, must make the decision
to preserve the farmland
- June 20, 2005: Test,
test and retest America's
newly confirmed mad cow raises more trade question no matter
which side of the US/Canadian border you lie
- May 20, 2005: Butter
mountains and wine lakes Technology and subsidies have
led to a land of plenty and yet still not enough—Donkersgoed
reviews the ideas of Edgar Pisani
- April 29, 2005: The
GMO controversy continues Prince Edward Island is among
the latest to join a growing list of regions around the
world fighting to become GMO-free zones
- April 7, 2005: Who's
paying for environmental responsibility? Everyone wants
clean air, water and flurishing natural habitats so maybe
its time everyone starts paying for them
- March 23, 2005: Sometimes
it's not so different Ontario farmers fight Michael
Jackson and Martha Stewart for the ear of the people
- March 10, 2005: The
food is secondary Farmers in Ontario will meet this
week to fight for their share of the retail dollar before
technology, globalization and society’s taste for
all things processed pushes them out of the food chain all
together
- February 16, 2005: Leveling
the international playing field for some Canadians Letter
from Ontario reviews Minister of Ag Andy Mitchell's paper
on changes in world trade
- January 19, 2005: Living
the rural life Today it takes 100 acres just to make
a “contribution to family income”
- January 11, 2005: Worth
watching in 2005 While not necessarily the top headlines
of 2004, these stories are likely to keep us guessing well
into the New Year
- December 16, 2004: A
green too far Preserving farmland continues to be a
goal of rural communities but who must sacrifice a comfortable
retirement for the betterment of the whole? Elbert dissects
Ontario's approach.
- December 1, 2004: In
the low-budget world of agriculture research—what
comes first the research or the change?
- November 18, 2004: Keeping
farmland, farmland—a mission in grays
- November 9, 2004: Stand
up to the shrug
- October 27, 2004: We
eat and drink our environment
- October 1, 2004: As
if cities can do It all by themselves
- September 3, 2004: Of
the color of peach fuzz and places to grow
- August 24, 2004: Restructuring
Canada's electricity: going beyond good intentions
- August 17, 2004: The
farmland preservation toolkit
- August 5, 2004: MBM-Free
Pork, a point of differentiation, a cut above the competition--at
the expense of the farmer
- July 28, 2004: I
don't have to worry - I'll be out of farming before I have
to do all that
- July 23, 2004: A
wave of government intrusion
- July 2, 2004: Are
they serious about farming in the park?
- June 28, 2004: Portrait
of an ideal candidate.
- June 21, 2004: Stewards
of the status quo no more
- June 7, 2004: On
the way to becoming socially reprehensible
- May 27, 2004: Time
to deconstruct our plant patent law to reasonably limit
scope
- May 18, 2004:
When it comes to food trade, consumers trump sound science
- May 6, 2004: Our
cities are what we eat
- April 23, 2004: Water
policy carries a price whose bill is being sent to Ontario's
farmers
- April 8, 2004: Recognizing
the new normal
- March 25, 2004: The
concept I like, it's the reality that's got me worried--Ontario's
Nutrient Management Act in this edition of the Letter
- March 19, 2004: To
test or not to test- that is the BSE question
- March 9, 2004: Grown
locally by family farmers - a powerful marketing message
- March 2, 2004: Contracts
under captive
- February 23, 2004: CAIS
is a good program - plan to participate
- February 17, 2004: Out
of an abundance of caution
- February 13, 2004: The
Purpose of Research: Understanding or Winning?
- January 30, 2004: One
sick cow is a food story
- January 26, 2004: Loopholes
the size of houses and subdivisions
- January 20, 2004: What
a difference one cow makes.
- January 14, 2004: Resolutions
to remember in the new year
- December 31, 2003: 2003:
A Year of Big Changes for Farming
- December 23, 2003: In
the shadow of a new deal for cities
- December 19, 2003: Consumer
reports indicate time is right to move beyond cheap food
- December 8, 2003: Canadian
farm income withered in 2002
- December 1, 2003: The
Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program: A better
way
- November 24, 2003: Linking
farmers, retailers and consumers is organization priority
- November 14, 2003: We
need to market uniqueness not a level playing field
- November 7, 2003: Distinctive
local communities
- October 31, 2003: A
small charge, big benefits
- October 24, 2003: Farmers
are applauded for doing it cheap
- September 22, 2003: The
capital of the countryside
- September 15, 2003: World
needs more common sense in mad cow guidelines
- September 11, 2003: Trade
libbers have us taking medicine for a disease we don't have
- August 27, 2003:
Innovation
and the return to farming
- August 18, 2003: A
Trade Deal without Consumer Benefits? The bottom line of
GM crops
- August 12, 2003: If
I could make just one change in this program...
- August 8, 2003: Who
is Protecting Our Best Farmland?
- August 1, 2003: Food
Trade is Not Widget Trade
- July 28, 2003: Farm
subsides and fairness
- July 24, 2003: Save
the planet--Go ahead, what's stopping you?
- July 7, 2003: Value
chains versus supply chains
- June 30, 2003: Ontario
farmers reflect on the gifts they have been given
- June 19, 2003: Recipe
for unrest
- June 9, 2003: The
cheap food fight
- June 3, 2003: Sharing
the land
- May 28, 2003: Peer
pressure supply management
- May 12, 2003: GMO
in food: The story we are not telling
- May 9, 2003: Walkerton
Inquiry Review: Public policy success equals clean drinking
water
- May 5, 2003: Ethics
of biotechnology: Conference discussion goes beyond higher
yields
- April 25, 2003: Conference
players agree: Quality, consistency will give edge to local
food
- April 18, 2003: Complex
land decisions must be based on values, not data
- April 9, 2003: The
emerging managed food chain
- April 3, 2003: Farmers'
name top nominees for the Rural Red Tape Reduction Project
- March 28, 2003: Farm
size matters
- March 21, 2003: Myths
about hunger
- March 14, 2003: Europe
gets innovative about farm subsidies
- February 21, 2003: Seven
ideas for strong rural communities
- February 7, 2003: An
action plan for a fresh vision for agriculture
- January 3, 2003: 2002
ag policy changes to have big impact in 2003
- December 13, 2002: Farmers
know ag’s benefits, but wonder how to make them profitable
- November 15, 2002: Six
essential characteristics of a better future for agriculture
- November 5, 2002: Intervening
in farm markets for the public good
- October 25, 2002: Standing
up to commodity agriculture
- September, 2002: Wishes
and dreams for Ontario agriculture
Back to top >
Jim
Riddle: Inspector's Notebook
Inspector's notebook
- October
13, 2005: Don’t bug me Jim’s three-tiered
approach to pest management should keep insects at bay
- August
12, 2005: Stay away from CCA For fence posts,
trellises, or any other application coming
in contact with soil or livestock, Jim says, stick with
naturally rot-resistant woods like cedar, hedge or black
locust
- June
16, 2005: Good buffer zones make good neighbors
Unless you can show that adjacent fields are managed without
the use of prohibited materials, Jim reminds readers, buffer
zones are required
- May
12, 2005: Stopping the landslide Jim Riddle
shares his secrets for dealing with erosion problems
- March
31, 2005: To plant or not to plant Answers
to all your questions on organic seeds—what they are,
where to find them and which will get your fields DQed for
three years
- February
22, 2005: Taking the fear out of farm maps
With the early bird deadline—it’s March 1—rapidly
approaching it is time to finish up this year’s Organic
Farm Plan and that means completing those dreaded field
maps
- February
10, 2005: Planning the perfect rotation: Three part series
on creating crop rotations Part 3: Nine simple
steps to your own rather complicated looking, field specific
map of future planting
- January
27, 2005: Planning the perfect rotation: Three part series
on creating crop rotations Part 2: A good transition
provides the ground work for fields that are nutrient stable,
disease free and haven’t washed into the local river.
These ten easy rules will give you a head start then keep
you running ahead of the pests.
- January
7, 2005: Planning the perfect rotation: Three part series
on creating crop rotations Part 1: NOP requirements
and the ten things you must consider before buying
the season's first bag of seeds.
- December
9, 2004: Wash & Glow: The inspector's guide to post-harvest
handling
Showcasing quality and guarding against contamination rank
among the top priorities at this stage of certification.
- November
19, 2004: Get paid for getting certified Cost-share
programs offset certification expenses up to $500 but act
quickly deadlines loom near
- November
9, 2004: Complying with noncompliances Take
time now to understand and correct outstanding issues on
your certification contract
- October
14, 2004: The exit interview made easy Jim
shares his tips for getting the inspector off your property
as quickly as possible.
- September
28, 2004; Because there's a lot riding on your numbers
Keep your lot numbers simple and consistent to have one
less worry come harvest time.
- August
17, 2004: Protecting the integrity of organic grains during
harvest Develop strict cleaning protocol for
harvesting and handling equipment.
- August
3, 2004: Expecting the inspector? 9 tips to
shorten your inspection time
Various:
Organics in the news
- July
15, 2005: Seniors’ market program in jeopardy
New rules may cost many in need access to farm fresh produce
- April
29, 2005: A meeting with Secretary Johanns
NOSB representatives and the recently appointed USDA chief
- April
21, 2005: Missouri’s organic certification program
nixed Despite huge growth in the state’s organic
sector, governor’s office drops organic program and
sustainable agriculture demonstration project citing budget
cuts.
- March
31, 2005: There’s a synthetic in my organic chicken
It has been three years since the exception was made to
allow synthetic methionine in organic poultry production.
As the deadline on usage nears, it seems little has changed
in the world of organic poultry. This has led some to question
whether it ever will, others to ask if it even should, and
just about everyone to throw up their hands in frustration
- March
31, 2005: Harvey v. Veneman’s spectre of
unintended consequences roils organic water Successful
legal challenge to parts of the USDA Organic Rule could
have a big impact on producers and the marketplace.
- March
31, 2005: Finally, a conservation program for those that
are conserving Conservation Security Program
announces 2005 watershed eligibility list and sign-up period
- February
10, 2005: The crucial question: What is pasture?
National Organic Standards Board will debate pasture guidance
at its upcoming meeting in Washington, D.C.
- January
27, 2005: “Organic” fertilizer may be organic,
or it might be a residual surprise
Organic farming groups request state fertilizer control
officials to bring their use of the term into line with
the USDA National Organic Standard – before the loose
language causes more trouble.
- January
24, 2005: Reason to hope? New USDA head expresses support
for organics
In response to questions from Senator Patrick Leahy, Secretary
of Agriculture Mike Johanns promises to uphold and strengthen
implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act
- January
7, 2005: A vision for organic growth – and a welcome
to incoming USDA Secretary Mike Johanns In
his open letter to Ag Secretary Johanns, who was confirmed
on January 6, National Organic Standards Board member Jim
Riddle outlines the Organic Program priorities Johanns needs
to put at the top of his list.
- November
23: Researchers responding to discovery of soybean rust
in the U.S. Conventional management strategies
for the new disease introduction are being rapidly mobilized;
organic strategies should be close behind
- October
29: Heat wave leads to climate change at NOP Jim
reveals the progress made and the new commitment to cooperation
seen inside the NOSB October meeting
- October
14, 2004: Conventional excellence tromped by even standard
organic While critics of organic agriculture
like to question the safety of manure, the truth is organic
producers are held to a much stricter standard on everything
from traceability to manure usagethan non-organic producers.
- September
28, 2004: Too many good ideas Grant review
process for the USDA Integrated Organic Program demonstrates
urgent need for additional federal support for organic farming
research, extension and education
- April
20, 2004: Organic livestock rules reduce risky feeding,
but tighter restrictions would improve safety.
- April
6, 2004: With BSE at issue, why eat organic beef?
Regs keep risky feed out of the system
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Paul
Hepperly: Research Perspectives
- December
13, 2007: Fabricated food has become a profitable, debilitating
problem Insects know how to tap into a sustainable eco-niche—why
can’t humans eat, and farm, that way, too?
- November
16, 2007: Measuring soil carbon changes would allow farms
to offset excess emissions of other enterprises Cap-and-trade
approach, used wisely, could drive carbon-sequestering activities
on-farm and beyond.
- June
15, 2007: Indiana study shows correlation between ag chemicals
and birth impacts, from pre-term births to school performance
Non-organic corn booms in 2007, and so may its human health
consequences.
- April
12, 2007; “Old” Asian Soybean Rust research
from many places holds valuable natural defense clues
South Asian experience and classical plant pathology findings
hold promise for non-chemical ASR protection.
- February
16, 2007: Organic challenges conventional for yield potential
in current Rodale tests Decades of soil improvements
produce better soil quality and allow organic corn production
to move beyond yield parity, while providing better resilience
in drought and wet years.
- January
12,2007: Year 2006 is breakthrough for organic no-till corn
yield; tops standard organic for first time at Rodale Institute
Roller system creates moisture-saving mulch from cover crop
to suppress weeds and build soil as it slashes fuel and
labor inputs.
- October
12, 2006: Healthy soils resist typical N and P losses during
wet seasons Chemical fertilizer is lost from conventional
fields in moist years, while compost-amended organic soil
mitigates leaching and air-borne denitrification.
- September
15, 2006: Unseen Treasure Part 2: "Lost research”
shows organics benefit root growth Rodale Institute
and Cornell site results also validate damage done by fertilizer
and herbcides.
- August
10, 2006: Unseen treasure Part 1: Giving due respect to
the robust role of roots A closer look shows synergies
under the soil.
- July
13, 2006: New hope for organic management of Asian rust
in soybeans ASR confined so far to Deep South where
its kudzu host gives winter lodging.
- June
8, 2006: The world has changed A look at nitrogen and
corn economics.
- May
12, 2006: Through choices private and public, our children’s
future is in our hands Ag chemicals in food and water
are having profound, generational impacts through subtle
effects.
- February
16, 2006: SANREM: Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource
Management A new dawn for longer-term thinking.
- January
12, 2006: Soil erosion, energy scarcity, excess greenhouse
gas all answered through regenerative carbon management
Compost is great, but new bio-based process yields hydrogen
and super-stable carbon as charcoal soil booster.>
- December
8, 2005: New reasons to perfect organic no-till USDA
study finds conventional no-till is no panacea when it comes
to greenhouse gas emissions.
- November
11, 2005: Feed the soil, not the plant Organic farming
challenges centuries of scientific thinking with regard
to plant nutrition—but the proof is in the results.
- August
11, 2005: The sacred art and science of composting
In the second of three essays on teaching organic farming
methods in Ghana, Paul reflects on the scientific method,
calcium deficiencies, and the far-reaching benefits of soil
organic matter
- August
11, 2005: Twelve reasons to make and use compost
- June
16, 2005: "Show me the numbers" A
guide to research publications based on work done at The
Rodale Institute
- April
20, 2005: Carbon is the key Research in the
Amazon region suggests that ancient farmers dramatically
improved poor soils through the addition of charcoal-based
carbon
- March
11, 2005: Using composts for disease suppression
Two recent studies document specific effects for limiting
plant diseases in strawberries and cucumbers, while a third
finds that composting can kill E. coli
- February
7, 2005: Transitioning to organic farming The
biological keys to success
- December
23, 2004: Vitamins, organic food and your health
Researchers are uncovering more reasons to get your daily
allowances—and they say organic foods may be the best
sources
- December
9, 2004: From fat to fit Research on the benefits
of conjugated linoleic acid is stacking up
- November
19, 2004: Organic farming systems build organic matter,
soil fertility over the long haul
- November
9: Water, antibiotics and Animal Farm
A U.S. ban on sub-therapeutic antibiotic use in livestock
production is long overdue
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