Attra - Sustainable Agriculture

In this episode, Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, talks with soil specialist Lance Gunderson about the Haney soil test.They discuss the history of the Haney test, how it's scored, its effectiveness on both cropland and pasture and range land; the management practices it can suggest, and more.The conversation is the first of two that Kara and Lance will have concerning soil tests – next week's podcast will feature Lance's take on the phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) test. Be sure to listen to that discussion, as well.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas, and Lance is the founder of Regen Ag Lab in Pleasanton, Nebraska.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara directly at karak@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:Soils and CompostOther ResourcesHaney Test Interpretation GuideRegen Ag Lab website Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-

Today's episode explores community gardening and its relationship to sustainable agriculture.Daniel Prial, sustainable agriculture specialist from NCAT's Northeast Regional Office in Keene, New Hampshire, has a conversation with folks from Antioch University New England's Community Gardens Connections program.This episode looks at the importance of community gardening as part of the greater food system. Students from Antioch University New England's Environmental Studies Department, who are also coordinators of the Community Gardens Connections program, give advice on how to establish and maintain community gardens. They even touch on the role that farmers can play in community gardening initiatives.In this podcast, we'll hear from doctoral candidate, Jess Gerrior, and from Emma Rohleder, Jess Barnes, and Rachel Brice, who are all students in Environmental Studies and also co-coordinators of the Community Gardens Connections program at Antioch University New England.For more informat

In this episode, Martin Guerena, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, has a conversation with Tom Willey, one of the pioneers of organic agriculture in the Central Valley of California.Martin works out of the NCAT Western Regional Office in Davis, California.Tom – "farmer emeritus" at T and D Willey Farms, the operation he co-founded in Madera, California – discusses his entry into agriculture and the organic movement, the importance of finding mentors, what the past can teach us going forward, and some of the challenges he sees in the future of organic agriculture.For more information on this topic, you can contact Martin Guerena directly at marting@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:Organic FarmingA Conversation with Amigo BobOther ResourcesT and D Willey FarmsEcological Farming Association Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help

Today's episode – Part 4 of our "Direct Marketing Meat" series – features a question-and-answer session with Dave and Jenny Scott. Linda Coffey asks questions submitted by listeners, and Dave and Jenny provide great answers. You will hear some innovative marketing ideas, as well as more information about production practices and nutrition.Dave and Linda are livestock specialists with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program. Dave works out of NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana, and Linda is on the staff of NCAT's Southeast Regional Office in Fayetteville, Arkansas.Dave and Jenny are co-owners of Montana Highland Lamb near Whitehall, Montana.Be sure to check out the first three parts of this series. In Part 1, Dave and Jenny talk about marketing meat and how they started and grew their business. Meat processing was the primary topic in Part 2. And, Part 3 focused on working with customers, assessing profitability, and deciding on the scale of the enterprise.If you have a qu

In this episode – part 3 of our "Direct Marketing Meat" series – Dave Scott and his wife, Jenny, join Linda Coffey to talk about aspects of working with customers, planning pricing, assessing profitability, and deciding on the scale of the enterprise.Dave and Linda are livestock specialists with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program. Dave works out of NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana, and Linda is on the staff of NCAT's Southeast Regional Office in Fayetteville, Arkansas.Dave and Jenny also are co-owners of Montana Highland Lamb near Whitehall, Montana. During the discussion, Dave and Jenny emphasize the challenges and rewards of their business and the importance of relationships – family, business partners, and clients.Dave, Jenny, and Linda will be back next week with a different format – taking questions from listeners. You'll hear some innovative marketing ideas, as well as more information about both nutrition and production practices.If you have a question for t

In this episode, we feature a conversation with Kurt Myllymaki, a Montana farmer and rancher who, with his family, raises crops and beef cattle on 10,000 acres of leased and deeded land in north central Montana near the town of Stanford.He talks about the profound changes the operation is making, including diversifying cash crops raised on the farm and adding cover crops to reduce the use of summer fallow.The interview was conducted in collaboration with Western SARE, and Stacie Cleary of Western SARE acted as this week's guest host. Al Kurki, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, introduces the conversation with some background on the Myllymaki operation.He also has an important invitation for listeners at the end of the conversation to the upcoming Soil Health Innovations Conference cooperatively presented by NCAT, SARE, Montana State University, and USDA Rural Development.You can get in touch directly with Al Kurki directly via email akurki@ncat.o

In this episode, Nina Prater, an agriculture specialist in NCAT's Southeast Regional Office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, talks with Jay Randolph about prairie restoration. Jay is the Ben Geren Golf Course Superintendent and Sebastian County Park Administrator in Fort Smith, Arkansas. They discuss the prairie restoration work Jay has undertaken at the golf course since 2016. The conversation covers all the improvements Jay has seen at the park since starting this work, and the benefits any landowner can enjoy from re-establishing diverse prairie ecosystems.For more information on this topic, contact Nina Prater via email at ninap@ncat.orgATTRA Resources:Converting Cropland to Perennial GrasslandManaging Soils for Water: How Five Principles of Soil Health Support Water Infiltration and StorageSwitchgrass as a Bioenergy CropVoices from the Field: Allen Williams and Adaptive Stewardship Management GrazingOther Resources:Thomas Nutall: A Journal of Travels into the Arkansas Territory during the Year 1819The Pra

In this episode, Felicia Bell, sustainable agricultural specialist at NCAT's Gulf States Office in Jackson, Mississippi, interviews Wendell Paris about the history of food cooperatives in the South and his involvement in this movement, specifically in the Federation of Southern Cooperatives.Mr. Paris is the Chairman of the Board for Panola Land Buyers Association and has been involved in the Federation of Southern Cooperatives since its inception, which took place during the Civil Rights movement. In this episode, he describes the connections between the Civil Rights movement and the beginning of the food cooperative model in the South.For more information on this topic, you can contact Felicia Bell directly at feliciab@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:Tips for Selling to: Aggregators/Grower Marketing Co-opsSustainable Agriculture: An IntroductionATTRA's Beginning Farmer TutorialsOther Resources:Federation of Southern Cooperatives website"Land Assistance Fund Feeds Farmers' Hopes" blog post f

This episode is the second of two featuring a conversation between Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, and Fred Provenza. Fred is a well-known author and expert on animal health, human health, plant health, and how they are related – as well as their role in the care of ecosystems.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. The conversation took place at the recent 2019 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association. There may be a bit of background noise, but the conversation is well worth it.In the last episode, Kara and Fred talked in-depth about the importance of the quality and diversity of foods for animals and humans, and how important the relationships between particular foods are. Be sure to check out that part of the conversation if you haven't yet. Today's episode begins with p

This episode is the first of two featuring a conversation between Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, and Fred Provenza. Fred is a well-known author and expert on animal health, human health, plant health, and how they are related – as well as their role in the care of ecosystems.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. The conversation took place at the recent 2019 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association. There may be a bit of background noise here and there, but the conversation is worth it.Kara and Fred talk in-depth about the importance of quality and diversity of foods for animals and humans, and how important the relationships between particular foods are.Be sure to come back next week for the second part of the conversation, when the discussion begins with pasture management and co

In this podcast, Jeff Schahczenski, agricultural and natural resource specialist with NCAT, has a conversation with Marty Mesh of Mesh and Associates of Gainesville, Florida about the current and future development of organic production in the South.While certified organic farming and ranching has been expanding nationwide, its growth in the southern United States has been much slower. In this episode, Jeff and Marty explore many reasons for this slower growth.Marty Mesh is a leader in organic agriculture in the south and nationwide. A pioneer, visionary, and expert in organic agriculture and food systems, Marty began organic production in 1972. Four years later, he helped found the Bellevue Gardens Organic Farm, which made its reputation by growing and selling much-beloved and sought after organic watermelons nationwide. In 1987 he co-founded Florida Organic Growers and Quality Certification Services in Gainesville, Florida and served as its Executive Director for over 30 years. In 2004, Marty was named o

oday's episode is the second in an ATTRA: Voices from the Field ongoing series on Direct Marketing Meat. Linda Coffey, a livestock specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, follows up on a listener's question by interviewing fellow NCAT ATTRA livestock specialist Dave Scott and his wife, Jenny, about their direct-marketing meat business, Montana Highland Lamb.Linda works out of NCAT's Southeast Regional office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Dave is on the staff at NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana.In the previous episode, Dave and Jenny shared their farm story, and we focused on the marketing aspect of their business. In this episode, the focus is on processing. Processing is critical for Dave and Jenny's business and for others raising livestock for meat. Topics in this episode include finding a processor and the important criteria when looking for a processor; communication and building a great relationship; scheduling appointments; handling drop off an

ATTRA: Voices from the Field is taking a bit of a holiday break this week to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. We sincerely hope that everyone has a terrific holiday. Next week, we'll be back with the second in the Direct Marketing Meat series. In it, Linda Coffey and Dave Scott, both livestock specialists with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, along with Dave's wife, Jenny, will talk about the always important issue of processing.In the meantime, don't miss the chance to register for the inaugural Soil Health Innovations Conference, March 30-31 in Bozeman, Montana, on the campus of Montana State University.You'll hear farmers and ranchers from around the country tell their stories on achieving soil health profitably, along with the perspectives of scientists, private companies and other experts.Some of the topics that will be covered at the Conference include:The connection between soil health and water managementBuilding healthy soil on a large scaleRegener

This episode is the first of an occasional ATTRA: Voices from the Field series on Direct Marketing Meat. Linda Coffey, a livestock specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, follows up on a listener's question by interviewing fellow NCAT ATTRA livestock specialist Dave Scott and his wife, Jenny, about their direct-marketing meat business, Montana Highland Lamb.Linda works out of NCAT's Southeast Regional office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Dave is on the staff at NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana.Although the listener was asking about lamb, and both Dave and Jenny produce lamb, this series will be useful for anyone direct marketing meat.Dave and Jenny discuss their business and how it evolved, how to produce an excellent product and reach out to customers, how to keep customers, and the pros and cons of various marketing venues they've used. They talk about their partnership, and how important it is to have help – it's not a one-person show. And they shar

In this episode, Lee Rinehart, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, talks with world renowned rancher and grazing educator Allen Williams.Lee, who works out of NCAT's Northeast Regional Office in Keene, N.H., and Allen talk about what Allen calls adaptive stewardship management grazing and how it could increase the supply of livestock on the market as it helps solve many issues currently associated with animal agriculture.For more information on this topic, you can contact Lee Rinehart directly at lee@ncat.org.Related ATTRA Resources:Nutrient Cycling in PasturesBuilding Healthy Pasture SoilsSoils and CompostGrazing ResourcesLivestock and PastureOther ResourcesUnderstanding Ag website Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livest

In this episode, Margo Hale, director of NCAT's Southeast Regional Office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, interviews Lauren Stine, a beginning farmer in Northwest Arkansas. Lauren shares how she went from being a lawyer in California to raising goats in Arkansas. She talks about the keys to her success, obstacles she has faced, and the resources that have helped her. Lauren also explains the ways she is educating others about pastured-based livestock production.For more information on this topic, you can contact Margo Hale directly at margoh@ncat.org.Related ATTRA Resources:ATTRA Farm Start-Up resourcesATTRA Internship DatabaseFarm Business Start-Up ChecksheetGetting Started in Farming TutorialUsing Social Media to Grow Your Farm Business videoUsing Facebook to Grow Your Farm Business videoUsing Instagram to Grow Your Farm Business videoOther ResourcesLauren Stine's farm on InstagramOzark Pasture Beef website"Are You Truly Ready to Buy a Farm?" article"Beginning Farmers Identify Three Barr

This podcast is part of a Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education project for integrating livestock with crops.In this episode, Dave Scott, livestock specialist at NCAT's Rocky Mountain West Office in Butte, Montana, has a conversation with Roy Benjamin, a farmer of nearly 20,000 acres in Devon, Montana.For the past few years, Roy has been integrating livestock with his crops. In this episode, you'll hear about his experience with his operation and lessons he has learned.Before we get started, I'd like to point out that towards the end of the podcast, when Roy is talking about his water sources, he mentions a map of his farm. We have included a link below to a video of Roy referring this map.For more information on this topic, you can contact Dave Scott directly at daves@ncat.org.Related ATTRA Resources:Integrating Livestock and Crops: Improving Soil, Solving Problems, Increasing IncomeFood Safety Considerations for Integrating Livestock into Produce Cropping SystemsSoil Health

In this episode, Andrew Coggins, NCAT's Rocky Mountain West Regional Director and a specialist based in Butte, Montana, with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, talks with Alexis Bonogofsky, Northern Coordinator of the Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian program.Alexis discusses the New Agrarian program, which supports apprenticeships and mentors in agriculture. The Quivira Coalition recently brought the program to Montana for the first time.For more information on this topic, you can contact Andrew Coggins directly at andrewc@ncat.org.Related ATTRA Resources:List of InternshipsBeginning Farmer Other Resources:Quivira Coalition websiteQuivira Coalition Facebook pageMannix Brothers Ranch websiteVilicus Farms websitePlease call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and

In this episode of "Scaling Up," an occasional series at ATTRA, Rockiell Woods, director of NCAT's Gulf States Regional Office in Jackson, Mississippi, talks with Dr. Bill Evans, Director of Horticulture at Up in Farms Food Hub in Jackson, Mississippi.Rockiell and Bill discuss land and water considerations when scaling up a farm. You'll hear about how to determine the best use for land and the economic feasibility of scaling up. They also talk about the importance of the source and quality of water for your operation.For more information on this topic, you can contact Rockiell Woods directly at rockw@ncat.org.Related ATTRA Resources:Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Regional Markets publicationScaling Up for Regional Markets tutorial Other Resources:National Resources Conservation Service: Web Soil SurveyPlease call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array

In this episode, we introduce Texas Sized Sustainable Pasture Operations, a new occasional series on ATTRA: Voices from the Field. Colin Mitchell, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, hosts Cameron Molberg, owner and operator of a larger-scale organic and pastured chicken operation, Greener Pastures Chicken, located in Elgin, Texas. Colin works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. Cameron and Colin discuss Cameron's experiences and what he's learned that has allowed him to create a sustainable and efficient system that produces healthy chickens and a quality meat product at a large scale. Cameron gives the listener an idea of a chicken's life on his farm from the day it arrives to the day it ends up on the plate. He also discusses his participation in the Real Organic Project and the Regenerative Organic Certification. For more informa