Sean McGovern, Author at SARE

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Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets

Posted on November 29, 2022March 5, 2024 by Sean McGovern

With the popularity of local foods spreading to the largest retailers in the country, many producers now see an opportunity to grow their farms by scaling up and expanding to wholesale markets. Selling to the wholesale market can help smaller-scale farmers to connect with more customers to increase brand recognition and profitability.

SARE’s newest bulletin, Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets, provides a variety of strategies and tools to help owners of small- to mid-scale operations branch out into wholesale markets.

Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets features a range of effective strategies for business planning, working with wholesale buyers and increasing production capacity. Producers Shakera and Juan Raygoza of Terra Preta Farm in Edinburg, Texas, share how they scaled up from 1.5 acres of diversified vegetables to growing 15 acres of organic radishes for local wholesale markets. Raygoza says that transitioning to wholesale markets was a “game changer” for the farm and for the surrounding community.

Specialized crop production, combined with smart investments in equipment, appropriate marketing strategies and improved postharvest handling, can help farmers to scale up to sell their products more efficiently and consistently. In some cases, working together can give producers the opportunity to expand by overcoming barriers that have previously limited access to profitable wholesale markets.

Download or order your free print copy of Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets at www.sare.org/wholesale-marketing or by calling (301) 779–1007. Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets is also available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes or tours.

SARE Fellows Examine Sustainable Range Management

Posted on September 2, 2022March 6, 2024 by Sean McGovern

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SARE Fellows recently reconvened to examine sustainable practices used in five crop and livestock production systems in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. Guided by Caitlin Youngquist and Jenna Meeks of the Western SARE Professional Development Program (WSARE PDP) team at the University of Wyoming, SARE Fellows examined how Wyoming ranchers use innovative approaches to produce beef, small grains, corn, vegetables and more on Wyoming’s arid landscape.

The first stop located in the red soria hills outside of Buffalo, WY on the eastern side of the Bighorn range, was Merlin Ranch, owned by Mark and Jennie Gordon. There, ranch manager Kevin Rodriguez shared a variety of strategies Merlin Ranch uses to produce high-quality cattle in an environmentally sound manner, including carefully planned rotations and monitoring of range and water resources to help maintain the long-term productivity of the ranch’s range and forage systems. Merlin’s Black Angus/Hereford cattle herd is continually improved by focusing on a breeding program that selects for beef production as well as disposition. They also use a short-season sandhills calving strategy to ensure that new calves are born on clean ground to suppress disease and improve health.

After a brisk picnic lunch, Fellows visited Brewster Ranch to conduct the daylong “Reading the Farm” activity where they examined, in depth, the challenges of managing cattle on widely dispersed rangelands on the western slopes of the Bighorn Mountains. Brewster Ranch’s herd of 265 Black Baldy cattle is bred to thrive in rangeland conditions with minimal input. However, low rainfall and poor soil conditions still present the ranchers with challenges. In the fall and winter, the herd is kept on the ranch on the bottomlands of the Nowood River. When spring arrives, the herd is turned out to higher elevations onto a nearby lease of public range before being trucked 50 miles to spend the summer on privately leased mountain pastures. When snow comes and prevents grazing at higher altitudes, the entire herd is trailed back home to the Nowood River. Following the tour, along with the ranchers, Fellows discussed strategies for managing integrated crop and grazing lands, including the use of goats to reclaim range and using various marketing strategies to diversify income streams.

The next day, Fellows lent a hand weeding and planting at the Worland Community Gardens before heading to Ondo Farms to discuss the challenges those farmers face as they transition to no-till production in sugar beet and corn fields. A short stop at Baker Farms in Thermopolis, Wyoming, illustrated a successful transition to no-till grain production systems despite ongoing pressures from weeds brought onto the farm via irrigation waters.

The last day of the tour featured a stop at Legend Rocks Petroglyphs Site followed by a visit to the Arapaho Ranch, a 300,000-acre grassfed beef operation on the Wind River Reservation. There, Fellows learned about the tribe’s efforts to establish a high-quality, sustainable ranch management program within the context of Native American values and experiences. During a reflection period at the conclusion of the tour, one Fellow remarked: “I really appreciated the opportunity to visit and then break bread with our hosts. It really provided an opportunity to ask questions and learn in a more comfortable setting.”

The SARE Fellows program enhances understanding of sustainable agriculture through broad-based training and immersive educational experience to successful and unique sustainable agriculture operations. SARE Fellows receive support to participate in a two-year experiential training program that highlights innovative production systems nationwide. Interested in becoming a SARE Fellow? Visit https://www.sare.org/fellows for more information.

Reaching Women in Agriculture: A Guide to Virtual Engagement

Posted on June 23, 2022April 11, 2025 by Sean McGovern

With the increasing number of women farmland owners and operators, many extension professionals and agriculture service providers have come to recognize the value of offering women-centered outreach and networking. Women-focused events establish a comfortable space that helps many woman-identifying individuals access resources, information and networking in the agricultural services world that they may not have ready access to otherwise.

SARE’s newest bulletin, Reaching Women in Agriculture: A Guide to Virtual Engagement, outlines a range of strategies and tools to help educators who have prior experience conducting in-person educational activities adapt their programming for online and hybrid spaces.

Reaching Women in Agriculture features a number of effective strategies for planning, hosting and evaluating online events. Created in partnership with the American Farmland Trust (AFT) and University of Vermont Extension, the bulletin “was born out of AFT’s Women for the Land initiative and the Learning Circle model, which arose out of early partnerships with the Women Food and Agriculture Network,” said Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, PhD, guide author and AFT Women for the Land director.

Experienced presenters, paired with well managed learning circles, breakout sessions, videos, chat and polling can help educators better capture and hold learners’ attentions. Encouraging participants to work together to solve real-life problems can assist learners in developing practical skills that can be applied in their own operations. The guide also encourages educators to use an equity lens to overcome barriers associated with online learning that may exclude some farmers and ranchers from participation.

Download or order your free print copy of Reaching Women in Agriculture: A Guide to Virtual Engagement at https://www.sare.org/reaching-women or by calling (301) 779–1007. Reaching Women in Agriculture: A Guide to Virtual Engagement is available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes or tours.

Manage Weeds on Your Farm: An Ecological Approach

Posted on February 10, 2022April 25, 2025 by Sean McGovern

Sustainable weed management is essential for improving crop yield and increasing farm and ranch profitability. SARE’s newest book, Manage Weeds on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies, examines the biology and behavior of common weeds and provides an integrated set of non-chemical control strategies that exploits their weaknesses. Manage Weeds on Your Farm will help organic and conventional farmers alike better understand and manage weeds efficiently, effectively and ecologically.

Manage Weeds on Your Farm features profiles of five farmers who use the physical, ecological and biological factors of common weeds to develop science-based management strategies appropriate for their operations. “In my opinion, this book has the best information on weed management that is available today,” says Klaas Martens of Lakeview Organic Grain of Penn Yan, N.Y. “Our understanding of weed control is still growing rapidly, and this book will certainly become an invaluable tool for every farmer who wants to control their weeds sustainably.”

Manage Weeds on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies is written by the late Charles L. Mohler, John R. Teasdale and Antonio DiTommaso; it is published by SARE.

Manage Weeds on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies is free to read online or to download as a PDF at www.sare.org/weeds. Print copies can be ordered online for $24 each, plus shipping and handling. Call (301) 779–1007 for telephone, tax-free, rush or purchase orders. Discounts apply for orders of 10 or more copies.

SARE Welcomes New Associate Director Dr. Kristy Borrelli

Posted on September 23, 2021March 5, 2024 by Sean McGovern

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is pleased to announce that Dr. Kristy Borrelli has been hired to serve as its new associate director. Borrelli will lead SARE’s National Reporting, Coordination and Communications Office at the University of Maryland effective November 1, 2021.

As SARE’s associate director, Borrelli will manage communication with regional SARE offices, assist with grant administration and reporting, and facilitate interaction with other programs. The associate director also leads SARE’s national communication team and coordinates the evaluation and communication of SARE’s national impact. She succeeds Dr. Kim Kroll, who is retiring after serving as SARE’s associate director since 1996.

Borrelli, a Penn State University Extension educator specializing in agronomy, currently serves as SARE’s Pennsylvania coordinator and previously served on the Northeast SARE Administrative Council. Prior to her time in Pennsylvania, she was an Extension specialist at the University of Idaho, where she collaborated with a multi-state, NIFA-funded project that examined approaches to climate change in the Pacific Northwest.

Borrelli grew up on a family farm in Upstate New York, received her bachelor’s in environmental biology from SUNY ESF, and her master’s and doctorate in soil science from Washington State University. Her main research and extension focus has been on soil organic matter dynamics in grain-based cropping systems, especially for specialty market crops. She has received multiple SARE grants examining the maintenance of agroecosystem functions, farmer engagement in sustainable agriculture research and service provider networking.

Updated Building Soils for Better Crops Focuses on Soil Health Fundamentals

Posted on August 5, 2021March 6, 2024 by Sean McGovern

Now more than ever, it is abundantly clear that healthy soils play an essential role in productive agricultural systems. Soils are foundational to the food we eat and fundamental to life on earth. Focusing on sustainable soil management has shown to increase farm and ranch profitability, improve crop yield and provide other critical services related to water, air and climate. SARE’s newest book, the fourth edition of Building Soils for Better Crops, provides rich detail on ecologically sound practices for developing and maintaining healthy soils. It is a must-read for farmers, educators and students alike.

The new edition of this highly regarded book provides critical updates to reflect the new science and many new, exciting developments in soil health over the past 12 years. Building Soils for Better Crops includes detailed information on soil-improving practices as well as in-depth background, from what soil is to the importance of organic matter. Along with providing practical strategies for achieving agricultural sustainability with high-quality soil, the book presents readers with a holistic appreciation of the importance of soil health.

Building Soils for Better Crops is written by Fred Magdoff (University of Vermont emeritus professor of plant and soil science) and Harold van Es (Cornell University professor of soil science); it is published by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

Building Soils for Better Crops is free to read online or to download as a PDF. Print copies can be ordered online for $23 each, plus shipping and handling. Call (301) 779-1007 for tax free, rush or purchase orders. Discounts for bulk orders apply.

New SARE Bulletin Highlights Best Practices for Adult Learning

Posted on July 16, 2021March 6, 2024 by Sean McGovern

Studies show that farmers learn best through in-person, face-to-face educational programs. But learning opportunities often miss the mark due to content choice, disorganization or lack of understanding of participants' learning styles. Educators that use best adult learning practices have a greater effect on participants’ learning and retention, and empower farmers to make sustainable changes to their operations.

SARE’s newest free bulletin, Sustainable Agriculture Through Sustainable Learning, presents five best practices educators can use to facilitate effective learning among farmers and thus improve agricultural sustainability.

Incorporating effective learning practices before, during and after educational programs is crucial to encouraging learning among farmers. Educators can maximize the impact of learning opportunities by:

making the content relatable
engaging positive emotions
giving learners choice
identifying mental models and
providing opportunities for practice and application

Sustainable Agriculture Through Sustainable Learning examines the science behind each practice and examines how it aids in adult learning. The guide also provides strategies for incorporating best practices to improve educators' teaching or their own professional development outcomes.

Download or order your free print copy of Sustainable Agriculture Through Sustainable Learning at https://www.sare.org/resources/sustainable-agriculture-through-sustainable-learning/ or by calling (301) 779–1007. Sustainable Agriculture Through Sustainable Learning is available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes or tours.

SARE Seeks Applications for Associate Director Position

Posted on April 21, 2021March 5, 2024 by Sean McGovern

The University of Maryland seeks an Associate Director for the National Reporting, Coordination and Communications Office (NRCCO) of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

This Associate Director position is appropriate for both experienced and early career professionals. See https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/82240 for a full job description, responsibilities, qualifications and application guidelines. Submit applications by the best consideration date of 05/14/2021.

The Associate Director for the NRCCO works directly with the SARE National Director to manage many aspects of SARE program coordination and communication. The Associate Director works with the regional offices to ensure project reports are completed and project information is publicly available. The NRCCO also works with national staff to aggregate, evaluate and communicate project results and programmatic impact for the national SARE program. Job responsibilities include communication with regional offices, assisting with grant administration, producing reports, representing SARE at local and national meetings, and facilitating interaction with other programs relevant to sustainable agriculture. The Associate Director also provides leadership for an experienced staff (content coordinator, outreach and promotions coordinator, IT coordinator, multimedia coordinator and a business manager).

This is a 12-month, full-time professional staff position with a full benefits package provided by the University of Maryland with funding from the USDA. Questions regarding this position should be directed to kkroll@sare.org.

SARE is funded and administered at the national level by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), headquartered in Kansas City, MO. NIFA works cooperatively with four universities that serve as competitively selected regional host institutions. These host institutions fund competitively selected sustainable agriculture research, education, and extension programs in their respective regions. NIFA also funds the competitively selected NRCCO through a cooperative agreement with the NRCCO’s host institution. This office serves a core role to help administer the SARE program, support research and educational functions, and perform program outreach.

The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Updated Guide to USDA Programs Opens Door to Millions of Dollars of Available Funding

Posted on January 20, 2021May 5, 2023 by Sean McGovern

It can be difficult for farmers and ranchers to navigate the wide range of USDA resources and stay up to date with program changes after each Farm Bill. Thanks to the newly updated Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities, producers, researchers, nonprofits and landowners can easily find USDA programs that can help them achieve their goals.

Download Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities

The 101-page guide covers 62 government programs and has been updated to include program updates from the 2018 Farm Bill. Each program listing provides a description of the program’s available resources, information on how to apply, and in some cases, examples of how the funding has been used. The guide also includes basic information on how to design sound projects, find appropriate programs and write grant applications.

“Farmers are hungry for resources to help them get started or answer specific questions. Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities provides a comprehensive, one-stop-shop to many helpful programs,” says Kerri Ebert, coordinator of the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops.

Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities is now available as a free download. Free print copies are also available from the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s ATTRA program. To order, email pubs@ncat.org with your request. Don’t forget to include your shipping address. Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities was produced through the collaboration of SARE, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI), the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). Funding was provided by SARE, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the McKnight Foundation.

New SARE Bulletin Addresses Ecological Approach to Managing Pests

Posted on October 29, 2020March 5, 2024 by Sean McGovern

A flock of sheep is vital to the success of one particular vineyard in Winters, California. While many operations struggle to manage weeds, this vineyard used a SARE-funded grant to test grazing sheep as a pest management practice, and they are seeing many whole-farm benefits. The sheep were trained to avoid the grape crop’s leaves and to instead graze only on weeds and other cover crops. Rather than apply potentially harmful pesticides or do time-intensive mowing, the vineyard uses the sheep to manage its weeds. Producers using methods based on ecology to manage pests, like sheep grazing weeds in vineyards, are finding improvements and benefits across their farms. SARE's newly revised A Whole-Farm Approach to Managing Pests bulletin discusses ecological approaches to pest management and highlights cases in which farmers are using innovative methods to manage pests.

A Whole-Farm Approach to Managing Pests is available for free in print and for download, and is useful to farmers and educators alike.

Sheep Grazing Vineyard — These sheep, at a vineyard in Winters, Calif., were trained to ignore grape leaves while grazing on vegetation such as weeds and cover crops. Photo courtesy University of California Extension

A Whole-Farm Approach to Managing Pests describes ecological pest management strategies that focus on strengthening natural relationships throughout the farm to reduce pest pressures. These holistic strategies emphasize knowledge of cropping systems, biodiversity and farm resource management. Practices that produce healthy crops and keep insects, weeds and diseases away focus on:

promoting biodiversity
creating healthy crop habitat
reducing disturbance to soil and non-crop vegetation , and
minimizing off-farm inputs.

This newly updated technical bulletin is broken down into two parts. Part one examines how biodiversity and biological control drive management practices that can boost the natural defenses of your farm. The second part puts those tools into practice by providing reliable and profitable strategies to successfully manage pests.

Focusing on the farming system rather than on each individual pest can make pest control across the whole farm more effective and sustainable. Ecological strategies can be adopted incrementally to meet the unique pest management needs of every operation while providing other benefits such as improved soil health and biodiversity maintenance.

Download or order your free print copy of A Whole-Farm Approach to Managing Pests at https://www.sare.org/resources/a-whole-farm-approach-to-managing-pests/ or by calling (301) 779-1007. A Whole-Farm Approach to Managing Pests is available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes or tours.