Resources
Resources
General Information
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
(301) 504-5230
sare_comm@sare.org; www.sare.org.
Studies and spreads information about sustainable agriculture via a nationwide grants program. See research findings at www.sare.org/projects.
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)
Free assistance and resources to farmers and agricultural professionals, including information on water use and water quality. (301) 504-6559; www.nal.usda.gov/afsic.
ATTRA.
National information service offers 200+ free publications. Click on “water management” for information on irrigation and water use.
(800) 346-9140; Spanish (800) 411-3222;
http://attra.ncat.org.
Water Quality Information Center
Links to drought and weather information: www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/drought.html
and water conservation: www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/cons.html
Soil Management Resources
Building Soils for Better Crops
by the Sustainable Agriculture Network.
How ecological soil management can raise fertility and yields and improve water-holding capacity.
240 pp; $19.95 + $5.95 s/h. (301) 374-9696;
; www.sare.org/WebStore
Drought Resistant Soil
by ATTRA.
Pamphlet on how texture, aggregation and organic matter affects water-holding capacity.
Free. (800) 346-9140;
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/drought.html.
Field Guide for Compost Use
by the U.S. Composting Council.
Technically based compost use guidelines.
$30. (631) 737-4931;
www.compostingcouncil.org/article.cfm?id=64
Managing Cover Crops Profitably
Comprehensive look at the use of cover crops to improve soil, slow erosion and capture precipitation.
$19 + $5.95 s/h. (301) 374-9696;
; www.sare.org/WebStore
Stubble Over the Soil
by Carlos Crovetto Lamarca.
In-depth look at no-till applications, which renovated soils and brought higher wheat and corn yields to this Chilean farmer.
247 pp; $40. (608) 273-8080;
http://www.amazon.com/Stubble-Over-Soil-Residue-Management/dp/0891181318
Plant Management Resources
PLANTS Database
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Click on “Advanced Search” for detailed characteristics.
http://plants.usda.gov.
Texas Tech University
Department of Plant and Soil Science Forage Research Program, which focuses on water conservation.
www.orgs.ttu.edu/forageresearch/sustainable.htm
Water Management Resources
Colorado High Plains Irrigation Practices Guide: Water-Saving Options for Irrigators in Eastern Colorado
80 pp.; free.
Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, Fort Collins, Colo.
(970) 491-6308; cwrri@colostate.edu; http://cwrri.colostate.edu.
Crop Residue and Irrigation Water Management
by Nebraska Cooperative Extension.
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/irrigation/g1154.htm
Drip Irrigation for Vegetable Production by Penn State University Extension
http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/crops/Irrigation/DripIrrigation.pdf
Drought Preparedness and Response
by University of Wisconsin Extension.
www.cft.uwex.edu/ces/news/info/drought.pdf.
22 pp.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) irrigation cost-share assistance:
The Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA). www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ama.
www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/eqip_gswc_fs101305.pdf
Water Conservation and Irrigation
Selected linked publications compiled by North Carolina State University.
www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/water_conservation.html
Water Conservation Publications
such as “Livestock Water Management During a Drought” and “Estimating Water Flow Rates.”
Oregon State University Extension.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/.
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