Thought Farmer
JUNE 21, 2021
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?
The Lunatic Farmer
DECEMBER 30, 2021
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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Caff
DECEMBER 23, 2021
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
RR2CS
DECEMBER 23, 2021
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?
Sustainable Harvest International
DECEMBER 22, 2021
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.
Rachel Laudan
OCTOBER 31, 2021
A couple of years ago we bought a house with a kitchen that checks all the fashionable American home kitchen boxes. It’s open to the living room and dining room.… The post Grumpy Old Lady Dumps on Her American Kitchen appeared first on Rachel Laudan.
Farming Secrets
OCTOBER 8, 2021
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.
Agriculture Informer brings together the best content for Agriculture professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Organic Garden Farmer
JULY 11, 2021
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.
Hartwood Farm
JANUARY 22, 2021
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.
Agriculture for Life
JANUARY 12, 2021
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.
Thought Farmer
MARCH 26, 2021
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. .
The Lunatic Farmer
DECEMBER 1, 2021
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.
Caff
DECEMBER 16, 2021
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.
RR2CS
DECEMBER 15, 2021
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.
Sustainable Harvest International
APRIL 1, 2021
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.
Rachel Laudan
JUNE 27, 2021
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.
Farming Secrets
SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
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.
Thought Farmer
FEBRUARY 12, 2021
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. .
Thought Farmer
FEBRUARY 10, 2021
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.
Thought Farmer
JANUARY 12, 2021
Like many of you, we are pretty excited 2020 is over. . The past year brought a lot of change and unpredictability to workplaces around the world as many of us navigated remote and hybrid workplaces for the first time. . Fortunately digital workplace technology, like intranet software, provided ample opportunity for employees to remain connected and engaged to each other without any risks to productivity.
Caff
DECEMBER 10, 2021
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.
RR2CS
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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.
RR2CS
DECEMBER 4, 2021
Co-operatives have a long history in Alberta of getting the job done. We ask Rod Olson of YYC Growers if co-ops can assist in advancing regenerative agriculture in the province. Want to learn more? Our Farmer’s Blog is a great go-to source for stories of producers in Alberta who are going the extra mile with their management practices for the land, food and their communities.
RR2CS
NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Agricultural producers who move fence and livestock daily or every few days during the growing season have talked about the benefits of adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing, sometimes called rotational grazing, for soil health, plant diversity and their livestock for quite some time now. But did you know that AMP grazing can also improve water infiltration in your soil?
RR2CS
NOVEMBER 18, 2021
Rotational Grazing, Multi-Species Cropping, Relay Cropping, and the Future of Digital Collars for Cattle. By Trina Moyles Tim Wray grew up on his family’s cattle ranch in Irricana, a small town located 50 kilometres northeast of Calgary in southern Alberta. As a child, he always dreamed of following in his parent’s footsteps and one day becoming a farmer, but first he pursued post-secondary education and later studied at a seminary to become a pastor.
The Lunatic Farmer
NOVEMBER 15, 2021
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.
The Lunatic Farmer
NOVEMBER 12, 2021
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
The Lunatic Farmer
OCTOBER 29, 2021
GMWatch published a story today about a $500,000 U.S. National Science Foundation grant to the University of California, Riverside to figure out how to get covid vaccines into lettuce and spinach as a new mechanism for inoculating humans. When I read this, my first reaction was "are you serious?" Well, it is serious. Truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction.
Caff
OCTOBER 22, 2021
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.
Caff
OCTOBER 18, 2021
(Español abajo) Looking for a way to cover costs — particularly those driven by market changes — incurred during the pandemic? The new Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program may be a good fit for you. The U.S. Department of Agriculture designed PRS to cover a very wide range of new market and health safety costs for farmers and local food systems that haven’t been covered by previous federal aid; new costs associated with farmers markets and CSAs may be a good fit.
Caff
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Are you looking to broaden your e-commerce audience beyond visitors to your website? Consider this: In 2021, 130 million Instagram accounts tap on a shopping post to learn more about products every month ( source ). Instagram is no doubt stepping into e-commerce with the upward trend of online shopping. Retail e-commerce sales were about 18% of all retail sales worldwide in 2020, and that is predicted to increase to nearly 22% by 2024.
Caff
OCTOBER 7, 2021
There is a saying, “If you don’t have a website you don’t exist!” As of January 2021, it is reported tha t there are 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide. As a small farm, food hub or farmers market, this is reason enough to take control of your online presence and give prospective customers an easy place to find you on the World Wide Web. Fortunately, building a website has never been e asier!
The Lunatic Farmer
SEPTEMBER 28, 2021
POLYFACE MICRO: SUCCESS WITH LIVESTOCK ON A HOMESTEAD SCALE is my latest book and we’re finishing up the initial autographed copy/discounted introductory price Sept. 30. If you want an autographed copy and off-cover price, order before Oct. 1 and we’ll be delighted to ship you a copy. This book speaks to the animal husbandry needs of the homestead tsunami sweeping our nation as people become more interested in self reliance and controlling their food security.
Caff
SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
CAFF'S ANNUAL SURVEY DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 15! Your voice matters! Please take a few moments (no more than 5-8 minutes) to complete CAFF’s annual survey. The feedback you provide here helps to guide CAFF’s work and advocacy to better serve and represent California family farmers while advancing regenerative agriculture, local food systems and social equity.
Caff
SEPTEMBER 23, 2021
Today, Governor Newsom signed a $15 billion climate budget package passed earlier this month by the California State Legislature, the largest in California’s history aimed at investing in the needs of California’s communities. These investments range from broadband infrastructure, to housing for farm workers, as well as significant climate change efforts through investments in the various California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) climate smart agriculture programs.
Caff
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
This informational webinar for farmers explores Sonoma County regulations regarding hosting permits and selling produce off the farm (beyond farmers markets) Topics include: – Host permit for farms that want to allow other vendors on site on a regular basis (e.g. coffee vendor on Saturday mornings) – Selling farm produce at community events: One day events do not require a permit: one day event vs. multi-day events, permits, Standard Pack regs, etc.
The Lunatic Farmer
SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
As of today, we regret to announce that we haven’t gotten enough traction on the Nov. 6 Harvest Celebration Gathering at Polyface and are officially cancelling it. Those of you disappointed in not being able to enjoy the performance by Rory Feek should pivot to see him at the Homesteaders of America Conference in Front Royal, VA Oct. 9. These gatherings were a brand new idea here!
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