Attra - Sustainable Agriculture

This episode of Voices from the Field is the second part of a conversation between NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis and Michael O’ Gorman, an organic farming pioneer and founder of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.  Mike and Michael talk about mitigating risk, in tomato crops in particular and agricultural operations in general. Michael also describes why he thinks the current high price of fuel and its effect on transportation costs may help new, locally oriented farmers get into the business. If you missed the first part of the discussion, you can find a link in the show notes for this podcast. ATTRA Resources: Resource Guide to Organic and Sustainable Vegetable Production Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Regional Markets Other Resources: Farmer Veteran Coalition Contact Mike Lewis via email at mikel@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access our trusted, practical s

This episode of Voices from the Field is the first of a two-part conversation with organic farming pioneer and founder of the Farmer Veteran Coalition Michael O’Gorman. For 50 years, Michael has spearheaded some of the country’s most influential farming ventures. In this part of the conversation, he and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis talk about Michael’s history and how good planning and record keeping can help farmers cope with rising prices for inputs and supplies. Be sure to come back for the second part of the conversation, when the discussion turns to what tomatoes can teach farmers about choosing new crops and how current energy situation may help new farmers get into the business.  ATTRA Resources: Resource Guide to Organic and Sustainable Vegetable Production Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Regional Markets  Other Resources: Farmer Veteran Coalition  Contact Mike Lewis via email at mikel@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of t

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we meet up with one of NCAT’s newest sustainable agriculture specialists, Luz Ballesteros Gonzalez. In her conversation with colleague Robert Maggiani in the NCAT Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas, Luz explains how she decided on a career in sustainable agriculture. After initially setting out to study medicine, her interests in chemistry and environmental sciences led her to see the connections between health and food, agriculture, and community. Environmental scientists, Luz says, are the “doctors of the Earth.” ATTRA Resources: Luz Ballesteros Gonzalez Bio NCAT Staff Other Resources: Texas Water Development Board University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg First United Methodist Church-University of Texas Sustainable Agriculture Community Garden Contact Luz Ballesteros Gonzalez and Robert Maggiani via email at luzb@ncat.org and robertm@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can g

NCAT’s headquarters in Butte, Montana, has a complicated growing climate to say the least. That makes John Wallace’s job as farm manager of NCAT’s Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training program – or SIFT – challenging as well. In this episode of Voices from the Field, John talks with NCAT Energy Analyst Victorian Smart about the SIFT farm’s strategies for conserving water. Since the farm is located in what is essentially a high mountain desert and relies on city water, those strategies are essential, as is increasing organic matter in its decomposed-granite soil.   ATTRA Resources: Local Food Systems Water Management Soils and Compost Cherries and Berries in a Cold Climate Hydroponic Trials at NCAT’s SIFT Farm SIFT 2018: Lessons from a Small-Scale Urban Intensive Farm SIFT 2019: Continuing Lessons from a Small-Scale Urban Intensive Farm  Contact John Wallace and Victorian Smart via email at johnw@ncat.org and victorians@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of th

Darron Gaus grew up in Yoakum, Texas, a small agricultural town. After some other career moves, he made his way back to agriculture, including a stint as the farm manager at the San Antonio Food Bank. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Darron – NCAT’s newest Sustainable Agriculture Specialist -- tells fellow NCAT staffer Justin Duncan about his journey and the passion he feels for spreading the word about sustainable agriculture. Now that Darron has gone from using NCAT’s ATTRA sustainable-agriculture resources to being a staff member, he describes what he thinks he can contribute to ATTRA and some of what he hopes to learn. ATTRA Resources: Darron Gaus Bio NCAT Staff   Other Resources: San Antonio Food Bank Farms  Contact Darron Gaus and Justin Duncan via email at darrong@ncat.org and justind@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access our trusted, practical sustainable-agricul

Lani Estill has built a good life and strong business around fine-wool sheep on the California-Nevada border. Far from a one-woman enterprise, running 3,000 Rambouillet sheep across a half-million acres of public and private lands involves Lani’s family and contract herders.  This episode of Voices from the Field is part of our “She’s Raising Sheep” series. Lani tells NCAT Grazing Specialist Linda Poole about her journey -- first raising sheep, then teaching kids about wool, followed by developing her successful wool business, Lani’s Lana.  Lani also details how an innovative partnership led by the nonprofit Fibershed brings together woolgrowers, climate scientists, fashion designers, and textile manufacturers to regenerate land and communities through the wild world of wool and shepherding.  Related ATTRA Resources: She’s Raising Sheep: New Zealand Shepherd Bev Trowbridge  She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana Shepherd Denice Rackley  She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Becky Weed  Other Resources: Lani’s Lana Fibe

For more than 35 years, the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program has been helping farmers and ranchers grow nutritious food and operate successful businesses without synthetic fertilizer. Now, NCAT has released a new toolkit with trusted and practical resources for farmers who want to transition away from the use of synthetic fertilizers.  In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Communications Director Emilie Ritter Saunders speaks with Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Nina Prater and Lee Rinehart about the new toolkit, and the easy-to-follow steps for transitioning away from synthetic fertilizer use.   As you’re listening to this episode, check out the toolkit at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.    ATTRA Resources: Toolkit: How to Reduce Synthetic Fertilizer Use  Other Resources: NRCS Cost Sharing Programs Christine Jones: Liquid Carbon Pathway  Contact Emilie Ritter Saunders, Nina Prater, and Lee Rinehart via email at emiles@ncat.org, ninap@ncat.org and lee@ncat.org.  

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis introduces us to one of NCAT’s newest staff members, Dan Birnstihl.To say Dan has wide-ranging experience is something of an understatement. He worked on fighter jets while in the Marines, studied sustainable agriculture and managed a farm. And he managed to squeeze in studying audio production in Nashville. He says he’s particularly interested in NCAT’s Armed to Farm training for veterans and in finding ways to use his multi-media skills to make NCAT’S ATTRA and other sustainable-agriculture resources even easier to use.ATTRA Resources:·       Dan Birnstihl Profile·       Armed to Farm·       Farm Start Up·       Marketing and Business Other Resources:·       Hip Peas FarmContact Mike Lewis and Dan Birnstihl via email at mikel@ncat.org and danb@ncat.org.Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access our trusted,

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Dietetics Intern Melissa Wyatt sits down with beginning farmer Rick Williams and his wife Kyra, to talk about strategies for selling their farm products through the winter. The couple’s farm, Sugar Beet Row, is located in Butte, Montana -- often known as the icebox of the state. They also own Dancing Rainbow Natural Grocery, a small natural foods store in uptown Butte. Rick and Kyra discuss how they integrated Sugar Beet Row’s production into Dancing Rainbow Natural Grocery and took part in Butte’s first winter farmers market a few months ago. They also explore strategies for improving production and sales next winter.  Related ATTRA Resources: Montana’s Winter Farmers Markets Help Provide Local Food Access and Bridge Revenues for Farmers NCAT Marketing Tip Sheet Series Farmers Markets   Other Resources: Sugar Beet Row Dancing Rainbow Natural Grocery Contact Maura Henn via email at maurah@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about

This episode of Voices from the Field continues ATTRA’s podcast series on women shepherds, “She’s Raising Sheep.” Becky Weed talks with NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole about the role of sheep in “farming as if nature matters.” Becky and her husband Dave Tyler run 80 crossbred long-wool ewes in Montana’s Gallatin Valley, at 13 Mile Lamb and Wool Company. It’s a spectacular setting where shepherds face daunting challenges from large predators as well as from exurban development. Becky shares her path of learning from mistakes and through careful observation. Don’t miss Becky’s story of Max, a livestock guardian dog who dances with fawns! Becky says “adaptability is the name of the game” in helping her flock, land, business, and community prosper in times of unprecedented change.  Related ATTRA Resources: Next Gen Regen: Becky Weed on Building Resilient Ecosystems She’s Raising Sheep: New Zealand Shepherd Bev Trowbridge She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana Shepherd Denice Rackley Livestock and Pasture  

This episode of Voices from the Field introduces us to New Zealand shepherd Bev Trowbridge. It’s the latest in ATTRA’s five-part series “She’s Raising Sheep.” Trained as an agroecologist in the United Kingdom, Bev has raised heritage sheep and small-frame cattle on New Zealand’s North Island for two decades. Bev tells NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole that “sheep are the best biostimulants you could have” to improve soil health, water quality, and biodiversity. She talks candidly about shepherding for the good of nature and offers tips for success, including starting with site-adapted sheep (She raises majestic and meaty Wiltshire Horns.) and joining a network of like-minded people who can learn together. Listen in to discover what herding sheep and guiding airplanes have in common!  Related ATTRA Resources:  She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana’s Denice Rackley  Livestock and Pasture  Soils and Compost Farm Start Up Organic Farming Other Resources:  Muriwa Valley Farm  How Organic Farmer Bev Trowbridg

This episode of Voices from the Field is part of “Starting a Farm,” an occasional series from Rockiell Woods, who directs NCAT’s Gulf States Regional Office in Jackson, Mississippi, and Bill Evans, director of horticulture at Up in Farms food hub in Jackson.   In this episode, their conversation focuses on the importance of reviewing the last growing season and planning the next, along with strategies and topics farmers should address in the process.  Related ATTRA Resources: Starting a Farm Starting a Farm: Soil Considerations Starting a Farm: Water Issues  Evaluating a Farm Enterprise Financing Your Farm: Guidance for Beginning Farmers Planning for Profit in Sustainable Farming Basic Accounting: Guidance for Beginning Farmers Other Resources: Farm Answers Up in Farms  Contact Rockiell Woods via email at rockw@ncat.org.  Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.  You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access our trusted, practical sustai

This episode of Voices from the Field is the first in a five-part series about women raising sheep. The She’s Raising Sheep series features practical tips for starting and growing a profitable sheep business, plus we’ll have some laughs along the way. Indiana farmer Denice Rackley talks with NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole and shares her journey from a city girl with a dream of raising livestock, to a woman living that dream with her wooly flock and Border collie sidekicks on an Indiana farm.  Denice touches on how she chose which breeds to raise and shares insider tips for building a profitable sheep business. Listen, learn and have a couple of laughs as Denice talks about her experiences as a woman working alone in animal agriculture. Spoiler alert: You might want a good stockdog and another income while get started. Related ATTRA Resources:  What Your Stockdog Can Teach You About Livestock Managing Internal Parasites in Sheep and Goats Sheep: Sustainable and Organic Production   Other Reso

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis is joined by Shawn Lucas, an assistant professor of organic agriculture at Kentucky State University, in a conversation about cover crops.  In addition to specific crops, Mike and Shawn talk about the timing of planting cover crops and the benefits they can bring to a farmer’s bottom line. Shawn also describes his ongoing small ruminant research.  Related ATTRA Resources: Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures No Livestock? Innovative Ways to Incorporate Them into Your Cropping System Managing Soils for Water: How Five Principles of Soil Health Support Water Infiltration and Storage Cover Crops (340) in Organic Systems Cover Crop Options for Hot and Humid Areas  Other Resources Dr. Shawn Lucas Contact Information  Contact Mike Lewis via email at mikel@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find acc

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Martin Guerena, a sustainable agriculture specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s western regional office in Davis, California, speaks with Sean Feder, director of inspection operations for California Certified Organic Farmers.  Their wide-ranging conversation covers the certification process, the organic transition period, producers’ organic system plan, the cost of certification for small growers, climate change and other looming issues, as well as the future of organics.  Related ATTRA Resources: Guide for Organic Crop Producers  Organic Standards for Livestock Production: Excerpts of USDA’s National Organic Program Regulations  Organic Certification Process Organic System Plans: Field and Row Crops and Pasture and Range Systems  Organic Standards for Handling: Excerpts of USDA’s National Organic Program Regulations  Organic Considerations Organics in Pennsylvania Organic Regulation, Certification, Transition History  Other Resources: Calif

The National Center for Appropriate Technology has officially re-launched its Soil for Water project, opening access to the free, voluntary network to all commercial farmers, ranchers, and land managers across the United States. Soil for Water aims to connect farmers, ranchers, and land managers who are interested in land management practices that improve soil health, catch more water in soil, reduce erosion, sustain diverse plant and animal life, and filter out pollutants all while sustaining a profitable business. In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Communications Director Emilie Ritter Saunders speaks with NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole about the expanded Soil for Water effort and the new community-building tools we’ve launched to support this expanding network.  Connect with the Soil for Water community at SOILFORWATER.ORG.  Contact Emilie Ritter Saunders and Linda Poole via email at emilies@ncat.org and lindap@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoug

Urban agroforestry is the intentional use of perennial trees and shrubs to improve the sustainability and resilience of urban farms and communities. In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agroforestry Specialist Katherine Favor sits down with Christopher Marciello of Ecology Artisans — a regenerative landscape and design firm — to talk about urban agroforestry in dryland environments.  While urban agroforestry can take many forms, there are several design principles to keep in mind, no matter what your system looks like. These include sustainable water harvesting, soil development, habitat development, regionally appropriate plant species, and appropriately scaled food production. Chris and Katherine discuss how these design principles can be applied to create productive and regenerative urban agroforestry systems in arid areas.    Related ATTRA Resources:  Agroforestry  Meet NCAT: Katherine Favor Says Agroforestry Can Plant the Seeds of Sustainability   Silvopasture 101  Perspectives on Agroforestry

Cattle come in all sizes, and small cattle may be just right for a small or start-up farm, or they can offer an efficient add-on farm enterprise. NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tracy Mumma raises Aberdeen Angus, and NCAT Southeast Regional Office Director Margo Hale raises Belted Galloway.In this episode of Voices from the Field, Tracy and Margo discuss small cattle, ranging from miniature breeds to small-statured individuals of larger breeds. They explain the benefits of small-frame cattle and point out some of the challenges involved in raising, processing, and marketing less-common breeds. Related ATTRA Resources:Working with Your Meat Processor Organic and Grass-Finished Beef Cattle Production Soil Health and Livestock: ATTRA Resources Contact Tracy Mumma and Margo Hale via email at tracym@ncat.org and margoh@ncat.org.Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access our trusted, practica

En este podcast, Edgar Mendoza Samaniego de Sol Seeker Farm habla con Ann Baier, especialista en agricultura sostenible de NCAT, sobre la producción de aves de pastoreo.Edgar describe su producción en pastoreo de huevos y carne. El crecimiento de su negocio ha pasado por varias etapas. Se ha aprendido mucho de otros agricultores en su región, la Asociación Americana de Productores Avícolas de Pastoreo (APPPA.org por sus siglas en ingles), y con la asesoría de Kitchen Table Advisors.Después de cambiarse de dos ranchos alquilados, consiguieron tierra propia donde están ahora. La alimentación de sus aves (gallinas y pollos, patos y pavos), la mano de obra, y los mercados (Farmers Markets, tiendas, un CSA, y ventas en línea) son factores importantes en su crecimiento.Para proteger las aves de los depredadores, dependen de perros guardianes. Invirtieron en maquinaria para lavar huevos, y tomaron la decisión de llevar su producción de aves de carne a una planta procesadora. La cría de aves en pastoreo puede ser un

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Indiana shepherd and dog trainer Denice Rackley talks with Linda Poole, a regenerative grazing specialist with NCAT, about using herding dogs to handle livestock. A shepherd for more than 25 years, Denice handles a sizeable flock with only the help of her border collies. In this interview, Denice shares a wealth of information useful to listeners wondering whether a stockdog might be right for their farm or ranch.Related ATTRA Resources:Livestock Guardian DogsPredator Control for Sustainable & Organic Livestock ProductionSmall (Ruminant) Talk: Pastures, Parasites, and PredatorsContact Linda Poole via email at lindap@ncat.org.Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 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 p