2021

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How to improve the digital employee experience for deskless employees and frontline workers

Thought Farmer

If I were to ask you to close your eyes and envision a typical workplace and describe it to me, chances are you would mention a desk, cubicle, and maybe even a water cooler. . Yes, this may resemble a typical office , but it doesn’t resemble a typical workplace. . Why? Because only 20% of workplaces in the world have office-based employees. . Wait, what?

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Every Entity Reports … Unless

Agribusiness Blog

It appears that our most recent post on entities being required to provide information to the government may not been as clear as intended (at least for some readers). The reality is all entities will be required to report this information to the government UNLESS you are considered to be a large operation (more than $5 million in gross receipts and more than 20 full-time employees).

Grain 52
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SCHOOL OPTIONS

The Lunatic Farmer

Yesterday I spent a delightful afternoon with the chief architects of a proposed Anglican sponsored all-boys boarding farm school about half an hour from our farm. We spent the afternoon looking at the 260-acre property on which they have a contract. I'm a fan of any educational alternative to government typical institutional schools but I found this outfit's idea especially warming.

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FarmQA on the Microsoft / Bayer Announcement

Farm QA

Several people on the internet have been speculating about what this will mean to the #AgTech industry. One school of thought seems to be that these two giants will produce a platform that will minimize much of the common code that many ag-specific software companies (like FarmQA) have to produce.

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Locally-Grown Food Won’t Get Stuck in the Suez Canal

Caff

In March of this year, an Empire State Building-sized cargo ship infamously lodged itself in the Suez Canal. But while the world watched as engineers scrambled to remove this gargantuan threat to a multi-billion dollar supply chain, CAFF was back home planting seeds for local resilience. As nearly 400 equally colossal boats panicked in queue behind that floating global bottleneck, our members throughout California were helping to push forward a bill that would invest $15 million in Community Foo

Food 52
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EP44 Farming at Kainai

RR2CS

Kainai First Nation members Cyrus and Roy Weasel Fat share their success story of farming and ranching on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta. The father and son team discuss some of the challenges of farming on the reserve and how they built a successful small business and educational outlet for the community. Useful Links: Rural Routes to Climate Solutions Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project Want to learn more?

Farming 52
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Consuelo's Sweet Plantain Empanadas

Sustainable Harvest International

For years, SHI-Honduras field trainer Consuelo Hernández has been perfecting recipes to share with partnering farmers that use the diverse array of crops grown on their land, and now we’re thrilled to share one of her recipes with you! Consuelo’s sweet plantain empanadas are that delicious combination of sweet and salty, fried to a golden-brown perfection.

Crop 52

More Trending

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An Insightful Understanding of Our Soils

Farming Secrets

Everything You Need To Know with Dr. Mary Cole Most people are unaware of the importance of soil microbiology to plant growth. Soil microbes play a vital role in plant nutrition, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. There is a growing need in the agriculture and food fields to understand soil microbes and their role in […] The post An Insightful Understanding of Our Soils appeared first on Farming Secrets.

Food 52
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National Picnic Month!

The Gleaning Project of South Central PA

July is National Picnic month! In honor of National Picnic month we wanted to share some recipes and ideas for a picnic with in-season produce that will keep the heat of summer at bay under those shade trees and in the fields for the long hot days! For more information on National Picnic month’s origins check out this article explaining what’s in the name and some suggestions on enjoying the month!

Food 52
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Soil vs Dirt

Organic Garden Farmer

What is soil? There is soil and there is dirt. One definition by Hans Jenny a soil scientist defines soil as a balanced combination of minerals (sand, silt, and clay), organic matter, and soil organisms also called aerobic organisms. There is another definition of soil defined by the Green Revolution scientists initiated in the ’50s and ’60s of the past century.

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April Fool’s Day jokes for remote workplaces

Thought Farmer

Gone are the days when we could just shrink wrap a colleague's desk, stuff your boss's desk full of balloons, or rearrange the keys on a coworker’s keyboard. . With the majority of us still working in a remote or hybrid environment, physical pranks and jokes aren’t what they used to be. But, that doesn’t mean you still can’t have a little fun in the workplace—especially on April Fool’s Day. .

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Are You Ready to Report Your LLC (or any other entity) to Uncle Sam?

Agribusiness Blog

In an effort to crack down on money laundering and other illegal activities Congress passed the Corporate Transparency Act into law effective January 1, 2021. We finally got Proposed Regulations from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen) on December 7. It is likely that you will need to report all of your current business entities to the government in the near future.

Farming 52
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PLAIN VALUES

The Lunatic Farmer

I'm now writing a monthly column for the magazine PLAIN VALUES and this is a plug for everyone to subscribe. Historically it has been aimed at the Amish-Mennonite community (people who dress plain) but its success is moving to a broader base. I'm part of that morphing as it seeks a toehold in the politically and religiously conservative community of our culture.

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Soil Sampling: Critically Important for 2022 Crop Yields

Farm QA

The weather patterns for the 2021 growing season have been unusual, to say the least. Many have compared 2021 to 1988, but those farming in 1988 remember even tougher growing conditions. There were 39 days with temperatures above 90 in 1988 in Fargo and 40 equally hot that year in Grand Forks. Rainfall has been very short for most of ND, SD, and western MN in 2021.

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Why Do Farmers Join CAFF?

Caff

Hi there, Maybe you’re a farmers market regular committed to ensuring that everyone has access to healthy, local food. Or a climate change activist who knows that rich, thriving, carbon-sequestering soil is vital to the survival of our species. Or perhaps you’re a farmer, like the ones here below, seeking support, solidarity and a seat at the table when it comes to shaping the future of our food system.

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Agroforestry and Erosion Control January 27th, 2022

RR2CS

Agroforestry is agriculture incorporating the cultivation and conservation of trees. It has long been believed that trees, crops, and livestock can be grown together as a cohesive system to help improve the overall outputs of a farm. Evidence of agroforestry systems can even be seen as far back as the Middle Ages and can be found all across the globe from the Americas to Europe to Asia.

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Two-Way Bridges Towards a Better Future

Sustainable Harvest International

Dr. José Zaglul is the founding president (1989-2016) of EARTH University in Costa Rica, and currently serves on SHI’s Board of Directors. He holds multiple advanced degrees, including a PhD in Animal Science and an M.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Florida. His life’s work has focused on educating the next generation of environmental stewards.

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“Since Time Out of Mind.” Asserting Woodland Rights in an English Village

Rachel Laudan

Every year on May 29th, Oak Apple Day, the people of Great Wishford, a village of about 250 inhabitants in the southern county of Wiltshire in England, reassert their rights… The post “Since Time Out of Mind.” Asserting Woodland Rights in an English Village appeared first on Rachel Laudan.

Food 52
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Use the “Land Monitoring and Corrective Action Form” – to Prevent Problems and Create Profits

Farming Secrets

Farmers often don’t know how to properly monitor and manage their land to prevent problems that get in the way of profits. The resulting issues can be manifold: overgrazing, loss of tree cover, soil erosion – not to mention poor crop yield. The Land Monitoring and Corrective Action Form helps farmers monitor, chart, and solve […] The post Use the “Land Monitoring and Corrective Action Form” – to Prevent Problems and Create Profits appeared first on Farming Secrets.

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Walking a Mile in Others’ Muck Boots—Farmer Dramas and Impostor Syndrome

Hartwood Farm

It’s January, which means it’s the season of farm conferences. In this pandemic year, it’s the season of a LOT more farm conferences than the one or two events we normally would attend in person, since all education is now online. My monthly calendar looks like I’m back in school, with at least one class three or four days a week for the next couple months.

Farming 52
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Soil vs Dirt

Organic Garden Farmer

What is soil? There is soil and there is dirt. One definition by Hans Jenny a soil scientist defines soil as a balanced combination of minerals (sand, silt, and clay), organic matter, and soil organisms also called aerobic organisms. There is another definition of soil defined by the Green Revolution scientists initiated in the ’50s and ’60s of the past century.

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What collaboration really means

Thought Farmer

Updated February 12th, 2021. Crises like the Covid-19 pandemic have highlighted the significance of effective collaboration for organizational success; but do we even understand what the term collaboration means? . The word collaboration is so overused and overhyped it’s becoming meaningless. Even with the launch of intranet software, video technology, and other collaborative tools, some people still suffer from, and complain about, poor collaboration. .

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Remember the ERC When You File Your Form 943

Agribusiness Blog

We have discussed several times the opportunity for farmers to claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) for wages paid during the first three quarters of 2021. In brief, you will qualify for the credit if your total gross receipts on a quarter-by-quarter basis in 2021 compared to the same quarter in 2019 are at least 20% lower. If you qualify for that quarter, you automatically qualify for the next quarter.

Pruning 52
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MAINE'S FOOD BILL OF RIGHTS LEGALESE

The Lunatic Farmer

My last post garnered the comment that this new constitutional amendment in Maine does not guarantee food commerce; the language speaks more to personal production and consumption. The way I understand the legal framing of it, though, it IS about commerce because it uses the terms that give people legal standing. You cannot sue for redress of a right you don't have.

Food 52
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FarmQA’s Talks AgTech with CEO/CFO Magazine

Farm QA

This week, Lynn Fosse of CEOCFO magazine sat down with FarmQA’s CFO/COO Thor Iverson to learn more about the AgTech business and how FarmQA is making a difference. We’re pleased to share that interview with you.

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BIOS Field day River Garden Farms

Caff

The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) hosted our second Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) field day at River Garden Farms on November 30th, 2021 titled “Cover Cropping, Sanitation and Mating Disruption in Walnuts.” People came from all over Northern California to learn about the work being done in walnut orchards, many returning after the first BIOS field day.

Orchard 52
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From Urban to Rural Agriculture — Reclaim Organics, Leduc County

RR2CS

Ryan Mason transitions a successful urban farm operation back to his rural roots in Pigeon Lake, Alberta. He shares more about the challenges and rewards of scaling-up into a rural farm, and how his passionate team of young agrarians are farming with the climate in mind By Trina Moyles Ryan Mason, owner of Reclaim Organics , a certified organic vegetable and herb farm in Leduc County, spent most of his twenties traveling the world studying agriculture and food systems.

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Sustainable Harvest International Announces "Million Farm Transformation"

Sustainable Harvest International

Media Contact: Fritz Schneider fschneider.clarkcommunications@gmail.com 301.728.4811 For Immediate Release March 25, 2021 A Plan to Scale Up Impact in Central America + Beyond to Increase Farm Productivity with Ecological Practices that Benefit People and the Planet. Boston, MA — March 25 — Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) launched its “Million Farm Transformation” initiative, Founder Florence Reed announced today.

Harvest 52
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Use These 3 Tips to Improve Soil Nutrient Levels

Agriculture for Life

In agriculture, growers must work with quality earth that contains healthy levels of soil nutrients. When striving to grow lush, healthy plants that produce favourable yields, soil nutrient quality must be high. It’s no secret that keeping soil ripe with fertile nutrients – such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, requires effort and care.

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Pasture Cropping

Farming Secrets

Pasture cropping is a system that allows for better weed control, improved soil health, more biodiversity through strategic placement of plants and animals, better use of water, and improved nutrient cycling. It is absolutely a way of increasing the productivity of your land. In essence, you are taking advantage of all the organic matter present […] The post Pasture Cropping appeared first on Farming Secrets.

Pasture 52
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Technology is Hard (and other Hartwood Farm curses).

Hartwood Farm

Every year my new year’s goal is to publish more blogs. (Note that I didn’t say “write” more blogs, because I tend to write plenty, but then not publish them for being off topic, too dark, or not things that folks want to read. This year we are retooling our blog for real though, adding our CSA newsletters to it, as well as recipe posts, the normal farm blogs, and my more random farm blogs (which I’m going to tag “muddy thoughts” even though I really want to call them “dirty thoughts.

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Starting Indoor Seeds

Organic Garden Farmer

Time to start seeds indoors. Vegetables such as cabbage, okra , tomatoes and peppers, kale and many other need a significantly long growing season. As a general rule annual vegetables need to be sown indoors approximately six weeks prior to the last frost within your area.Here in Ontario our last frost days are beginning of May. Starting seeds now will give us advantage and in May we will have ready plants to transplant outdoors into soil beds.

Seeding 52
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How to (remotely) appreciate your employees on Valentine’s Day

Thought Farmer

Most of us associate Valentine’s day with chocolate and flowers to our significant others, but February 14th is also an excellent time to show appreciation and gratitude to your colleagues! . Research shows that engaged employees are more productive and less likely to seek out a new job. Of the employees that do leave, one study found that 50% of them would stay if they were tangibly recognized.

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How Not To Do a Deferred Payment Contract

Agribusiness Blog

For every good deferred payment situation we see with farmers there always seems to be about five bad ones. We got the following from a reader of the blog: “Some of my clients tell me that they have deferred payment contracts set up ahead of the sale, but when they sell it, they don’t decide to take a check or put it in the deferred payment contract until a certain date in December, which the Elevator sets up.

Farming 52
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Second Amendment for Food

The Lunatic Farmer

A ballot initiative you may not have heard about in Maine late Tuesday created unprecedented freedom for voluntary food commerce. This first-of-its kind constitutional amendment does what the U.S. Bill of Rights failed to do: guarantee citizens the right to choose their food. The measure added language to the state constitution providing that individuals have a “ natural, inherent, and unalienable right to food, including the right to save and exchange seeds and the right to grow, raise, harvest

Food 52
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Preparing for the Carbon Market Challenges

Farm QA

When it comes to the USDA’s #carbonsequestration programs, education is key. Dr. Al takes a look at the challenges that come with these new programs and considerations for growers and agronomists alike in this week’s blog.

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Reflections on USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2.0

Caff

Applications for the USDA’s CFAP-2 ( Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2.0 ) closed last week on October 12th. CFAP-2 was the second round of federal funding for farmers who faced losses during the pandemic. A departure from the first iteration that focused on large-scale farmers, CFAP-2 targeted small and underserved producers through partnerships with more localized organizations to provide direct outreach and assistance.

Food 52