www.sare.org resources best-practices-for-the-sustainable-urban-farm Best Practices for the Sustainable Urban Farm For decades, urban farms and community gardens have helped meet the demand for fresh, local produce. Urban farms are diverse and adaptable, ranging from small farms on repurposed vacant lots to multilevel vertical farms and rooftop gardens. Often, they combine ecological farming practices with some form of infrastructure. Urban growers make clever use of their […]
www.sare.org resources what-is-sustainable-agriculture What is Sustainable Agriculture? A simple way to think about sustainable agriculture is that it involves producing enough food and fiber to satisfy today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. Farmers and ranchers who value sustainability embrace three common goals while running productive operations: To achieve these sustainability goals, a farmer typically views […]
www.sare.org resources northeast-farm-energy-iq Northeast Farm Energy IQ Farm Energy IQ offers free information to help farmers enhance operational sustainability in the context of the farm economy and ecosystem. Each topic area includes a module overview, Train the Trainer presentation, farmer presentation, and educational materials such as fact sheets, activities, case studies, images, decision support tools, and checklists.
www.sare.org resources sustainable-production-and-use-of-on-farm-energy Sustainable Production and Use of On-Farm Energy High and fluctuating energy costs have caused economic challenges for many of the country’s farmers and ranchers. For this reason, more producers are seeking alternative energy sources to improve their energy independence and revenue. Vermont farmer Roger Rainville, for example, learned to produce biodiesel for under $2 per gallon. His savings and profit margin will […]
www.sare.org resources high-tunnels-and-other-season-extension-techniques High Tunnels and Other Season Extension Techniques A condensed version of the content on this page is available as a PDF download, High Tunnels and other Season Extension Techniques. Or use the Order button on this page to order free hard copies. This page was created to provide information for producers and educators interested in generating more income by extending the growing season. […]
www.sare.org resources building-sustainable-farms-ranches-and-communities Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities This guide lists funding opportunities offered by federal programs, and is indispensable for anyone seeking government help to foster their innovative enterprise in forestry and agriculture. Specifically, it addresses program resources in community development; sustainable land management; and value-added and diversified agriculture and forestry. Thus, it can help farmers, entrepreneurs, community developers, conservationists, and many […]
www.sare.org resources the-sustainability-of-biofuel-fact-sheet-series The Sustainability of Biofuel Fact Sheet Series The following peer-reviewed fact sheets are available on eXtension.org: Biodiesel and the Food vs. Fuel Debate Biodiversity and Biofuel Production Biofuels and Greenhouse Gas Reductions Biomass Feedstocks and Energy Independence Diverse Plant Mixtures for Sustainable Biofuels Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Biodiesel Genetically Modified Organisms for Bioenergy Systems Introduction to Energy Efficient Irrigation Introduction to […]
www.sare.org resources developing-an-energy-efficient-solar-heated-greenhouse-in-maryland Developing an Energy Efficient, Solar-Heated Greenhouse in Maryland The lack of year-round availability of locally grown food and food processing infrastructure are the greatest barriers to increasing the consumption of local food in western Maryland. If an economical, year-round or extended food production system could be developed, it would lead to increased demand for locally produced food, which in turn would foster the […]
www.sare.org resources growing-biodiesel-crops-a-couple-of-tips Growing Biodiesel Crops: A Couple of Tips Roger Rainville’s biodiesel production system didn’t come out of an instruction manual or textbook. As he describes in Energy Independence: On-Farm Biodiesel Fuel Production, it was developed over time through experimentation and creative problem solving. In this short video, Rainville describes his philosophy for trying something new on your farm. It’s all about making the […]
www.sare.org resources cover-crops-and-no-till-management-for-organic-systems Cover Crops and No-Till Management for Organic Systems This Rodale Institute fact sheet reviews the use of cover crops and no-till in organic systems, including selection, establishment and mechanical termination of cover crops; crop rotations; and energy and production budgets.