Facing challenges with change
Change isn’t always planned, but families who remain flexible and open-minded can see a positive outcome as their business model shifts. While many U-pick and agritainment farms expanded during (more…)
Soil steaming: Hot and effective
Everything old is new again. Soil steaming, popular at the turn of the 20th century, fell out of use when chemical-based farming became the norm. Soil fumigants such as methyl bromide – popular with (more…)
Five times as strong
Anne Bailey wasn’t always sure she would come home to her family’s farm in Snohomish, WA, but that’s where her heart is today. The farm has been in the family for more than 100 years, and Anne (more…)
Hopping on the holiday pot trend
After Christmas trees, one of the biggest sellers of winter décor is wreaths. There are other decorative options to consider, however, including large porch pots, artfully arranged with greens and colorful accoutrement. (more…)
Picadilly Farm continues to thrive in local farming
In the heart of the Connecticut River Valley, Picadilly Farm, in Winchester, NH, has been growing and serving fresh, organic and local produce for the Monadnock region for almost two decades. (more…)
Blackberry Hill Farm: Growing in the city
It’s a successful urban farm that is just under two acres and, despite its moniker, does not even grow blackberries. Actually, the crops produced there aren’t even grown in the ground. Welcome to Blackberry Hill (more…)
Important factors in a successful drainage system
The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership’s (ISAP) risk management webinar “Myth – Tile and Conservation Don’t Mix” presented reasons why farmers’ reluctance in transitioning to a conservation cropping system (more…)
Dry cleaning: It’s not just for delicates
“When I started 10 years ago, I went out into the community and asked what was needed,” said University of Vermont agriculture engineer Chris Callahan. “I got the sense that an area that was needing attention (more…)
Interns on the farm
Some farms benefit from offering internships, but such arrangements require understanding and commitment from both the farm owner and the intern. It’s important for farmers to understand the differences (more…)
Hot vegetables: Heat and sun damage
Complaining about the heat? Unfortunately, increasingly hot growing seasons are becoming the norm as the effects of unmitigated climate change wreak havoc on our ecosystems. Farmworkers feel the heat (more…)
Forty years of Christmas tree research and education
Chal Landgren, Extension Christmas tree specialist and Oregon State University professor, has a long history of working to benefit the Christmas tree industry. Landgren shared what he’s learned after 40 years (more…)
Safety tips for hayrides: Keeping riders and farm owners protected
Agritourism is a large sector of industry throughout the U.S., and it’s a way for farmers to showcase their hard work to the public. While opening up a farm to a large audience can be a great way to promote (more…)
