www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms introduction-3 how-this-manual-was-constructed How This Manual Was Constructed To ensure that this rotation planning manual reflects the realities of crop production on actual farms, the New England Small Farm Institute, on behalf of the Northeast Organic Network (NEON), assembled a panel of 12 expert organic farmers. The panel met for three days and worked through a formal facilitated process that produced a detailed […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms introduction-3 Introduction By Charles L. Mohler Crop rotation is a critical feature of all organic cropping systems because it provides the principal mechanism for building healthy soils, a major way to control pests, and a variety of other benefits. Crop rotation means changing the type of crop grown on a particular piece of land from year to […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms about-the-authors-2 About the Authors (Listed in alphabetical order) Jody Bolluyt, producer, Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook, New York Sue Ellen Johnson, research leader, New England Small Farm Institute, Belchertown, Massachusetts; currently assistant professor and forage specialist, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University Peter Lowy, intern, Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook, New York Margaret Tuttle McGrath, associate professor, Department of Plant Pathology, […]
www.sare.org publications crop-rotation-on-organic-farms acknowledgments Acknowledgments Production of Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual was made possible with funding from Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). This project was collaboration between researchers, extension educators, and growers. The authors especially thank the twelve farmers who participated in the DACUM process, and whose efforts created the foundation for this project: Polly […]
www.sare.org publications clean-energy-farming biofuels community-scale-biofuel-production Profitable, Community-Scale Biofuel Production While much national attention has been focused on the mega-million-gallon ethanol and biodiesel plants sprouting across the country, on-farm biofuel production facilities run by farmers for farmers, and by small businesses, are also taking root. “In the Northeast, we are trying to develop community-scale fuel systems that minimize infrastructure costs and transportation requirements, while using […]
www.sare.org publications clean-energy-farming storing-carbon Storing Carbon in Soils Specific agricultural and forestry practices can capture and store, or “sequester,” carbon, which can be released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2), a primary greenhouse gas. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), roughly 100 billion metric tons of carbon could be sequestered in the world’s soils during the next 50 years, […]
www.sare.org publications production-and-marketing-of-beach-plum-a-heritage-fruit-crop references-7 References For information on beach plum production and marketing, consult the beach plum web site, Beach Plum: A New Crop for New Markets. It includes more information including, food science reports, pests, history and new articles and contact information for growers and suppliers. Some information presented in this report was first published as, The Beach Plum: […]
www.sare.org publications production-and-marketing-of-beach-plum-a-heritage-fruit-crop research-synopsis-8 Research Synopsis As a result of SARE funding, we have found that commercial production of beach plum is possible in the Northeastern U.S. by use of standard orchard production techniques. Beach plum can be grown with cultural methods that are used for commercial plum varieties on soil with good drainage. Wild genetic resources for long-term crop improvement […]
www.sare.org publications production-and-marketing-of-beach-plum-a-heritage-fruit-crop insects-and-diseases Insects and Diseases Even though beach plum is a native crop, it is subject to a number of insect and disease problems typically found on other cultivated plums—the most serious being brown rot, plum curculio, and plum gouger. Consult guides on plum or stone fruit pests to find more information on these problems and treat them as you […]
www.sare.org publications production-and-marketing-of-beach-plum-a-heritage-fruit-crop cultural-methods cultural-methods-page-3 Cultural Methods, Page 3 Soil PreparationSpring one year before plantingAdd lime and fertilizer as specified by the soil testing service and plow it into the soil to 16 inches if possible. In general, a pH of 6-6.5 is recommended for production of most tree fruits. Incorporate lime and fertilizer into the root zone before planting. As with all perennial […]