Tomato Therapy
There are so many reasons why we decide to be farmers. Traditionally it has been a profession passed down from one generation to the next. You were often expected to take on the stewardship of the family land. Others took up farming as an alternate revenue stream to the corporate world as either a…
Read MoreSpring Forward
In the Northeast, usually Spring is a renaissance after a long, cold, snowy season. This past winter, however, never really arrived. On February 2, 2012, the day Punxsutawney Phil predicted 6 more weeks of winter, there was little or no snow cover in much of the Northeast. Spring arrives in March followed by her sisters,…
Read MoreOff the Ground: Conservation Program Promotes both Hay Yield and Bird Habitat
In our last two “Stewardship and Nature” columns, the National Audubon Society described the partnership they have had with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and landowners to facilitate the management of wildlife habitat to promote avian species (birds). In this article Toby Alexander explains the process used to develop an agronomic practice and financial…
Read MoreMaine’s Original Duck Farm
Ryan Wilson and Gina Simmons, owners of Common Wealth Farm, in Unity, Maine, were surprised with their level of first year success. Finding an instant niche market and being established as a family farm gave way to a lot of progress in a short amount of time. Before starting Common Wealth Farm, Ryan Wilson had…
Read MoreGrazing and the Good Life
This article was one of four winning entries in a writing contest sponsored by the New York State Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). GLCI is led by a Steering Committee of farmers and agricultural professionals to promote the wise use of private grazing lands, and is funded by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Our family…
Read MoreFarm Memoirs
There’s nothing more enjoyable than spending a spring afternoon indoors reading a book while it rains outside or while you wait for the mud to dry. Memoirs export you to a different time and place and put the reader into the shoes walked by the author. The genre of memoir is very popular and…
Read MoreBeginning Farmers: Help us, Help You!
Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Seeks Respondents for Phase 2 of Beginning Farmer Needs Survey Starting a farm is difficult, and succeeding beyond the first few years may be even more so. According to USDA definition, farmers are considered “beginners” until they have been in operation for 10 years. Many new farmers don’t make it to…
Read MoreUsing Foster Mother Hens to Raise Chicks on the “Cheap”
Welcome to the Northeast SARE Spotlight! SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) offers grants to farmers, educators, universities and communities that are working to make agriculture more sustainable – economically, environmentally, and socially. Learn about whether a SARE grant would be a good fit for you. How do you raise chicks without investing in expensive…
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