Become an Editor

Interested in serving as an Editor?

Editors sign up for a 2 year term with the Small Farm Quarterly.  Many of our editors stay with the magazine for much longer.  As an editor, you recruit or write 1-2 articles per issue in a topic area that you have expertise and interest in.  For ideas, take a look at current vacancies in our Editorial Team, or suggest a new column area that interests you.

What do I need to do as a Small Farm Quarterly Editor?

Editors are welcome to write their own articles, but we encourage you to also recruit articles from networks of farmers or educators that are experienced in your topic area.   Featuring a variety of authors over the course of a year ensures the most diverse perspectives and production knowledge is reaching the SFQ audience. Often editors reach potential writers using topic-based list-serves.  For example,  if you are the editor of the Forest and Woodlot column, you’ll want to recruit articles from 1) farmers that are practicing agroforestry, 2) landowners that are managing forests, 3) graziers that are practicing silvopasture, and 4) educators or agriculture service providers that serve these audiences.  An easy way to reach these folks would be something like the ForestConnect listserve.  An example recruitment announcement you might send to this group could say something like this:

“As the ‘Forest and Woodlot’ column editor for the Small Farms Quarterly Magazine, I would like to invite you to submit an article for an upcoming issue on any topic related to forestry, agroforestry or silvopasture.   The magazine seeks articles that are warm and friendly in tone, colorful and  journalistic, between 1000-1300 words and accompanied by high resolution images. The focus for articles is on the Northeast, though perspectives from other regions will be considered.  The magazine reaches more than 32,000 throughout the Northeast and beyond.  If your article is printed, you and any featured farmers will receive up to 10 complementary copies.  The deadline to submit to the [Season], [Year] issue is [Insert here].   To review writers guidelines, visit https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/quarterly/writers/ For example articles, see https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/quarterly/writers/#Examples. Please contact me at [phone] or [email] prior to your submission to discuss your article idea”

When you receive a proposed topic via your recruitment announcement, you’ll want to make sure the writer has reviewed the guidelines at the Info for Writers pages.  You’ll also want to review a draft of their article and provide feedback before you give the go ahead for them to submit it using our online submission form.

What are the Requirements to Submit?

Everything you need to know about submitting to Small Farm Quarterly is posted at our “Info for Writers” pages.   In general, articles should be about 1000 – 1400 words and must include 2-4 high resolution photographs and captions.  We require all editors to read over other information posted at these pages to have a good sense of the requirements to write or recruit submissions for the Quarterly.

When are the Deadlines?

As an editor, you’ll be added to our Small Farm Quarterly writer’s list-serve so that you can receive news of upcoming deadlines and hot topics if you need help thinking of an idea.  You can always check upcoming deadlines on our annual calendar posted on the Info for Writers pages.

How am I compensated?

Editors are volunteers that offer their service to the magazine in exchange for the professional experience and recognition of contributing to a widely distributed publication. The Quarterly reaches an audience of 32,000 across the Northeast and beyond, as well as thousands more via an online blog at https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/quarterly/
For more information, contact Managing Editor Steve Gabriel (info below).

SFQ Managing Editor
Cornell Small Farms Program
15A Plant Science Building
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-9227
sfg53@cornell.edu