Attra - Sustainable Agriculture

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Andrew Coggins and John Wallace talk about biochar and NCAT’s use of biochar in its Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training (SIFT) program.  John runs NCAT’s SIFT farm at the nonprofit’s headquarters in Butte, Montana.SIFT does sustainable agriculture trials at the farm, including some that have focusedon biochar. John and Andrew talk about renewed interest in biochar as a meansof sequestering carbon and as a soil amendment and even a possible soil enhancement.  Related ATTRA Resources: ·        Biochar ·        Episode286. What is Biochar? ·        Biocharand Sustainable Agriculture ·        Buildinga Biochar Retort Kiln ·        Producersand Researchers Agree, Scaleup of a Sustainable Biochar Industry isCritical to Meet Climate Targets and Build Agricultural Resilience and Soil Health ·        BiocharPolicy Project Aims to Scale Up Rural Climate Solution ·        Potting Mixes for Certified Organic Production ·        Agriculture

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we meet NCAT’s new carbon farm planner in Texas, Cody Brown. Cody’s friend — and now colleague — NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus talks with him about his background, the carbon planning work he is doing now, how producers can get involved in that work, and his hopes for the future.  Related ATTRA Resources:·        Climate Solutions·        Episode 284. Carbon Farm Planning·        Episode 297. Digging into Texas’ First Carbon Farm Plan·        Carbon Farm Planning Related NCAT Resources:·        Carbon Farm/Ranch Planning Onboarding Interest FormContact Darron Gaus and Cody Brown at darrong@ncat.org and codyb@ncat.orgPlease complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Katherine Favor talks to NCAT Southwest Regional Director Mike Morris about a new series of irrigation guidebooks available from NCAT’s ATTRA program. Mike and Katherine discuss some common myths and misunderstandings about irrigation, the under-appreciated importance of soil health to irrigators, and some easy and inexpensive things every irrigator can do to save water, energy, and money. Related ATTRA Resources:·         The Irrigator’s Pocket Guide·         The California Microirrigation Pocket Guide·         The Colorado Irrigator’s Pocket Guide·         The New Mexico Irrigator’s Pocket Guide·         The Texas Irrigator’s Pocket Guide·         Managing Soils for Water·         Soil Moisture Monitoring: Low-Cost Tools and Methods·         Sustainable Irrigation: A Beginner’s Guide·         Tracking Soil Moisture and Evapotranspiration: The Satellites Are Coming!  NCAT Resources:  ·         NCAT Soil for Water Program   Othe

Community gardens and urban farms provide more than just delicious, fresh food for surrounding neighborhoods. In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Felicia Bell and Nina Prater talk about what these two types of enterprises are and the differences between them, why they are so beneficial, what some of their challenges are, and what resources are available for folks interested in getting started in either community gardens or urban farms. ATTRA Resources: ·        Urban Agriculture·        Regenerating Damaged Soils on an Urban Farm ·        Community Gardening ·        Community Gardens and Sustainable Agriculture ·        Community Supported Agriculture NCAT Resources:·        Upcoming EventsOther Resources: ·        USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service·        Metro Atlanta Urban Farm·        Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture·        HABESHA, Inc.·        Tougaloo CollegeContact Felicia Bell and Nina Prater at feliciab@ncat.org and nin

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Martin Guerena has a conversation with Bob Scowcroft, former Executive Director of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF).  Bob recounts his involvement in the organic movement, from working as an organizer with Friends of the Earth on pesticide reduction to organizing organic farmers in California and taking part in the development of the National Organic Program.   Related ATTRA Resources: ·        Organic Farming·        Episode 138. Organic Pioneer: Tom Willey·        A Conversation with Amigo BobOther Resources:·        California Certified Organic Farmers·        Organic Farming Research FoundationContact Martin Guerena at marting@ncat.org Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, vi

Dr. Bill Robertson recently retired after a long career as the Cotton Extension Agronomist with the University of Arkansas Extension Service. He also worked for the National Cotton Council for a few years, focusing on improving the sustainability of cotton production. Bill and his wife, Carey, have a livestock farm where they raise sheep and many other livestock species using prescribed grazing techniques.   In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater talks with Bill about how he came to understand soil health as essential to a profitable farm whether the farm is growing crops or livestock. They talk about what practices farmers are using to improve soil health and the benefits they see from their efforts – benefits that include reduced input costs, healthier crops, better yields, and better profitability overall.   Related ATTRA Resources: Practices Supporting Sustainable and Economic Cotton Production  Integrating Livestock and Crops: Improving Soil, Solving Problems, I

In this episode of Voices from the Field, two NCAT staffers talk about their years of experience working with historically underserved farmers. Gulf States Regional Director Rockiell Woods and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell discuss who the USDA NRCS defines as historically underserved and some of the programs that are available to them. They also address topics that agriculture professionals might experience as they deal with historically underserved farmers, from a reluctance to make use of government programs to the need to respect the cultures many of the farmers come from.Related ATTRA Resources:Farmer EquityEpisode 298. Ag Professional Series with Brennan Washington of Southern SAREWeekly Wednesday Workshop: Ag Professionals with Otis Wright Jr. of RAFI-USABeginning Farmer TutorialsOther Resources: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Contact Rockiell Woods and Felicia Bell at rockw@ncat.org and feliciab@ncat.orgPlease complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about th

This episode is a conversation between NCAT Energy Program Director Stacie Peterson and Iain Ward, a farmer and founder of Solar Agricultural Services.It is the sixth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.Stacie and Iain discuss the potential of agrisolar as way to remove barriers to entry into farming, how agrisolar is shifting the solar industry to consider regenerative agriculture, practical considerations for getting started in agrisolar, Iain’s connection with Wendell Berry, and Wendell’s thoughts on co-locating solar and agriculture. Related NCAT Resources:AgriSolar ClearinghouseAgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 1: Growing Crops Among the Solar Panels in Colorado AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 2: Keeping Family Farms in Family Hands with AgriSolar in MassachusettsAgriSolar Podcast Ep. 3: Lexie Hain — Sheep and Solar a Match AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 4: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies – Solar Pollinator HabitatAgriSolar Podcast Ep. 5: Sharing the Journey w

This episode of Voices from the Field is the second of a two-part conversation between Maryrose Livingston of Northland Sheep Dairy in New York and NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole. It is part of the podcast’s occasional “She’s Raising Sheep” series.Maryrose and Linda give advice for those considering starting a sheep dairy, including ways to improve the bottom line by saving money whenever possible.Related ATTRA Resources:·        Episode 305. She’s Raising Sheep: Maryrose Livingston of New York·        Episode 244. She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana’s Denice Rackley·        Episode 246. She’s Raising Sheep: New Zealand Shepherd Bev Trowbridge·        Episode 247. She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Becky Weed·        Episode 251. She’s Raising Sheep: California Shepherd Lani Estill·        Episode 272. She’s Raising Sheep: Minnesota Shepherd Janet McNally·        Episode 282. She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Maloi Lannan·        Episode 299. She’s Raising Sheep: Wendy Auzqui of Wyoming·   

Despite a centuries-long tradition of sheep dairying in Eurasia, sheep dairies are rare in the United States. But burgeoning demand for artisanal sheep cheeses is prompting more shepherds launching dairy enterprises. This episode of Voices from the Field is the first of a two-part conversation between Maryrose Livingston of Northland Sheep Dairy in New York — America's oldest sheep dairy — and NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole. It is part of the podcast’s occasional “She’s Raising Sheep” series.Maryrose shares useful, funny, and sometimes painful lessons in her journey from suburban Detroit schoolgirl to being the shepherd and cheesemaker at what may be America's only certified 100-percent grassfed, organic sheep dairy. Among the subjects Maryrose and Linda discuss are evasive grazing to control parasites, the question of nutritional wisdom of sheep, and how raising grassfed livestock is Maryrose's answer to creating a beautiful life while helping heal the land. Related ATTRA Res

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialists Nina Prater, Guy Ames, and Lee Rinehart explore the balancing act of managing phosphorus – a macro-nutrient essential for life.  Getting just the right amount of phosphorus without over-applying it is a tricky balance because of the unique way phosphorus interacts with the soil. Getting phosphorus fertilization right is also important for farm profitability since the price of phosphorus fertilizer has almost doubled in recent years. And phosphorus can have highly detrimental effects if it runs off fields into lakes and streams, making managing phosphorus a critical problem for producers to solve.  Using nature as a model, farmers and ranchers can manage phosphorus on their farm to maintain productivity while reducing their reliance on inputs of synthetic forms of this expensive, non-renewable resource.  ATTRA Resources: ·         Toolkit: How to Reduce Synthetic Fertilizer Use ·         Rising Fertilizer Costs: Look to History for Answers

This episode is a conversation between NCAT Energy Program Director Stacie Peterson and Alexis Pascaris, executive director of AgriSolar Consulting.It is the fifth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast. Alexis is a consultant and a stakeholder in the AgriSolar Clearinghouse. She and Stacie discuss the social aspects of agrisolar, including the concept of energy as a social matter with technological components, the importance of the cultural landscapes around agrisolar operations, and the “social license” to operate them. Alexis and Stacie also address the stacked benefits of agrisolar itself and agrisolar projects around the country. Related NCAT Resources:  ·        AgriSolar Clearinghouse·        Agrisolar Policy Guide·        AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 1: Growing Crops Among the Solar Panels in Colorado·        AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 2: Keeping Family Farms in Family Hands with AgriSolar in Massachusetts·        AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 3:

This episode of Voices from the Field is a conversation with John Coleman, the manager of Alcorn State University’s demonstration farm. John and Rockiell Woods, director of NCAT’s Gulf States Office in Jackson, Mississippi, talk about the idea of beginning farmers modeling their operation after demonstration farms. They discuss labor costs, recordkeeping and GAP certification, choosing equipment, and selecting crops. Related ATTRA Resources: ·         Farm Start Up ·         Beginning Farmer Tutorials  Other Resources: ·         Alcorn State University ·         USDA Agricultural Research Service ·         USDA Farm Service Agency  Contact Rockiell Woods at rockw@ncat.org. Please complete a brief surveysto let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.  

This episode of Voices from the Field is the second half of a conversation between Latrice Tatsey, a soil scientist, the cultural science lead, and the intern supervisor for the Piikani Lodge Health Institute of the Blackfeet Nation and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole. Latrice focuses in this episode on the management practices her research has suggested and how she measures their success. You will find the link to the first half of the conversation in the notes below.A rancher herself on the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, Latrice — whose Piikani name is Buffalo Stone Woman — works with cattle and bison producers to improve the health of the land, the water, and the people where her relatives have lived since time immemorial. Related ATTRA Resources:·         Episode 301. Learning from the Amskapi Piikani — Latrice Tatsey on Soils, Climate, and Culture, Part 1·         Indigenous Perspectives on Soil and Water·         Indigenous and Traditional Soil Health Practices with Mil

Latrice Tatsey is a soil scientist, the cultural science lead, and the intern supervisor for the Piikani Lodge Health Institute of the Blackfeet Nation. A rancher herself on the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, Latrice — whose Piikani name is Buffalo Stone Woman — works with cattle and bison producers to improve the health of the land, the water, and the people where her relatives have lived since time immemorial.  This episode of Voices from the Field is the first half of a conversation Latrice has with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole about regenerative grazing, traditional knowledge, and both the utility and limitations of reductionistic science in guiding us to climate solutions. Related ATTRA Resources: ·         Indigenous Perspectives on Soil and Water ·         Indigenous and Traditional Soil Health Practices with Mila Berhane Other Resources: ·         Piikani Lodge Health Institute ·         The Deep Roots of Regenerative Agriculture are Found in Communities of Color ·

What are the secrets to success in raising sheep? For Wyoming rancher, shepherd, and world champion stockdog trainer Wendy Auzqui, the answers lie in our attitudes, our powers of observation and communication, and our willingness to cooperate with nature rather than battle against it. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Wendy has a conversation with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole, focusing on raising Rambouillets on an integrated cattle, sheep, and hay ranch in the Northern Great Plains. They also talk about why our minds are like puppies, tell a story about the power of Pop-Tarts in creativity, and offer lots of deep wisdom about living a life of joy and meaning in today's world. Related ATTRA Resources: ·         Wisdom from SHEperd: ATTRA’s She’s Raising Sheep Podcast Series, Episodes 1-5·         What Your Stockdog Can Teach You About Livestock Other Resources: ·         Creekside Stockdogs·         Wyoming PBS: Wendy Auzqui and Quirt ·         Wyoming Woman Trains World Ch

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell continues her “Weekly Wednesday Workshop” webinar and podcast series by spotlighting the grants available from Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). Felicia enlists the help of Southern SARE’s 1890 Land Grant Institution Liaison Brennan Washington. He lays out the production and research grants producers could be eligible for, as well as other funding Southern SARE offers. Felicia and Brennan also give some tips about preparing to write a grant proposal and discuss other resources Southern SARE has available. Related ATTRA Resources: ·         Grant Programs·         Federal Working Lands Conservation Resources for Sustainable Farming and Ranching   Other Resources: ·         Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities: A Guide to Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Entrepreneurship, Conservation, Food Systems, and Community Development    ·         SARE Resourc

Episode 297. Digging into Texas' First Carbon Farm Plan In this episode of Voices from the Field, we dig into Texas’ first Carbon Farm Plan with New Leaf Agriculture Farm Director Matt Simon, NCAT Climate and Agriculture Program Manager Elise Haschke, and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus.  Matt shares his “aha” moments in farming and his vision for ecological restoration and community-building on New Leaf’s 21-acre farm in Elgin, Texas.  Carbon Farm Planning is a comprehensive conservation planning framework that centers carbon as the organizing principle on working lands. With generous funding from a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program grant and The Meadows Foundation, NCAT is working with Texas farmers and ranchers to pilot the Carbon Farm Planning conservation framework for a Texas context.  Darron and Matt discuss specific conservation practices in the New Leaf’s Carbon Farm Plan, such as how they’re testing no-till and strip-til

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis talks with Gary Zimmer, co-owner of Otter Creek Organic Farm in south-central Wisconsin and founder of Midwestern BioAg, a fertilizer company focused on biological and organic farming methods. Gary is also a co-founder of Rye Revival, an organization that aims to bolster the use of rye. Gary and Mike talk about rye’s health benefits and its use as an animal feed and a cover crop. Related ATTRA Resources: ·         Organic Small Grain Production Overview ·         No-Till Case Study, Brown’s Ranch: Improving Soil Health Improves the Bottom Line ·         Cover Crops and Their Impact on Soil Health, Crop Productivity ·         Cover Crops and Water Infiltration  Other Resources: ·         Zimmer Ag Consulting ·         Rye Revival Contact Mike Lewis at mikel@ncat.org. Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find a

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis talks about pastured hogs based on his experience on his Kentucky farm, where he raises farrow-to-finish heritage hogs on pasture and in the woods.  NCAT Livestock Specialist Linda Coffey poses questions to Mike asked by her beginning farmer son, John, who plans to raise pastured hogs in Arkansas. Mike shares valuable tips about reducing feed cost, making the enterprise labor efficient, taking good care of the land, and starting small to figure out what your niche will be.  Many other practical topics are covered in this episode, which is the first of a series called “In the Pigpen with Mike and Linda.” If you would like Mike and Linda to do more episodes and maybe connect with them about a topic for the series, you can reach them at mikel@ncat.org or lindac@ncat.org.    Related ATTRA Resources: ·        Hogs: Pastured or Forested Production·        Farrowing on Pasture·        Looking for On-farm Diversification? Consider Pastur