Posts by Tara Hammonds

Complete a Marketing Plan to Guide Business Decisions

By Tara Hammonds / January 1, 2016

Effective Marketing for the Busy Farmer (BF 201) Sell Smarter, Not Harder an online course through the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Mon. January 11 – February 21, 2016, with webinars every Monday evening from 6:30-8:00pm http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/bf-201-making-money/ Most of us go into farming with the thought of making some – or all – of our livelihood through…

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Examine Potential Markets and Profitability

By Tara Hammonds / December 30, 2015

Markets and Profits (BF 102) Exploring the Feasibility of your Farming Ideas an online course through the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Thurs. January 14-February 18, 2016, with webinars each Thursday evening from 7:00-8:30pm (no webinar on Feb. 11) http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/bf-102-markets-profits/ Have an idea for a farm enterprise but not sure if it’s feasible? This course will get…

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Explore Small-scale Grain Production from Pre-planting to Post-harvest

By Tara Hammonds / December 28, 2015

Small-Scale Organic Grain Production (BF 140) Is it right for you? an online course through the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Tues. January 19 – February 23, 2016, with webinars each Tuesday evening from 7:00-8:30pm http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/small-scale-organic-grain-production-bf-140/ This course is intended to make grain production more accessible for small-scale farmers. Information from pre-planting to post-harvest will help…

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Vegetable Farming: Learn Everything from Selection to Cultivation

By Tara Hammonds / December 26, 2015

 Vegetable Farming, Part 1 (BF 120) From Planning to Planting an online course through the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Wed. January 13 – February 17, 2016 with seminars each Wednesday evening from 7:00-8:30pm (excluding January 20) http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/bf-120-growing-a-veggie-farm/ This course will help new or aspiring vegetable producers to answer basic questions about site selection, crop rotation,…

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So, You Want to Be a Farmer

By Tara Hammonds / October 5, 2015

A veteran shares the challenges of beginning a farm. Before making the decision to become a “farmer,”  “agricultural producer,” or “grower,” there are many things that should be considered. This is a decision that cannot be taken lightly, because like many vocations, farming is more than a job or career; it’s a way of life.…

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Hot Topic: Improving Water Quality on Dairy Farms in Vermont

By Tara Hammonds / April 6, 2015

by Rachel Carter Vermont in summer; blue skies, mountain breezes, and dairy cows dappling the working landscape—a source of both heritage and economic growth for Vermonters. The hottest of Vermont summer days are the perfect excuse to skip out of life’s everyday responsibilities and dunk in a stream, dip in a pond, or dive in…

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Kinderhook Farm: Sheep of Leisure Flock Together

By Tara Hammonds / April 6, 2015

by Angelique Pinet Anna Hodson is the shepherd at Kinderhook Farm in Valatie, NY, located on over 1,000 acres of rolling pastures at the heart of the fertile Hudson Valley. When she and her husband moved to the farm in 2009, there were only about 20 Dorper ewes—now she tends to a flock of over…

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Edible Schoolyard NYC: "Thank You Gardeners, Thank You Cooks!"

By Tara Hammonds / April 6, 2015

by Annette Slonim Established in 2010, Edible Schoolyard NYC is a nonprofit organization committed to bringing the vision of Alice Waters, acclaimed restaurateur and organic food pioneer, to New York City public schools as an effective solution to our childhood obesity crisis. When Alice Waters created the first Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California in 1995,…

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Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Soil

By Tara Hammonds / April 6, 2015

United Nations Declares 2015 as International Year of Soils by Amy Overstreet While we might not think about the soil underfoot every day, soil is essential to human survival. Soil grows the food we eat, the flowers and trees that surround us, and provides the foundation for the recreational activities that we enjoy. We walk on…

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Weighing the Pros and Cons of Producing Birch Syrup

By Tara Hammonds / April 6, 2015

By Michael Farrell Although many people have heard that you can tap birch trees, very few have actually tried to produce birch syrup, and folks who have boiled down some birch sap have often had negative experiences. The sugar content of birch sap is much lower than maple sap (usually between .5-1 brix), so it…

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