Harvest Power’s bacterial mascot, Burp Reynolds, describes the anaerobic digester. “Anaerobic digestion is awesome! You put stuff, like pizza crusts, banana peels and fish guts – into a warm, airtight box. Then tiny bugs eat up the yummy things like the fats, sugars and starches. Then the bugs burp and fart! And if you capture those burps and […]
Many people come back to farming after careers off the land. Others find themselves wanting to keep up with new research and trends in agriculture. There are a number of training programs designed for new farmers, many of which are available as webinars and online. The National Farmer’s Union has the Beginning Farmer’s Institute. The […]
The Food Sovereignty Movement is a growing international movement that supports a community’s right to choose how and where their food is produced and what food they consume. This basic human right stands in opposition to corporate agribusiness, and family farmers and fishermen are leading the fight. The National Family Farm Coalition is supporting this […]
Protecting the land from development is a critical piece of succession planning. Land trusts and conservation easements are a popular model. Less well known is the option to turn a farm or ranch into a nonprofit corporation. There are two non-profit models that can apply to farms: the 501(c)(3) and the 501 (c)(5). In addition […]
Whether you and your loved ones are currently practicing the family farming lifestyle, are considering implementing some farming techniques, or simply want to celebrate the unique farming way of life, try picking up some literature that everyone can indulge in together. 1. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan This classic takes place in the Midwestern […]
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Addressing Food Waste on the Farm
Climate change and a projected population of 9 billion by 2050 means we are looking at a future of food insecurity. Agencies across the world are making plans and working on solutions. Food waste is a global problem, with 24% of the calories we grow in the world being wasted. Waste is assessed as being loss […]
The idea of breaking ground on your own farm can be exhilarating: the idea of your children learning the hard work and ethics of farming, giving fresh produce and meats back to your friends, knowing exactly what your family puts on the table, what it ate, how it was grown, and what went into it. […]
The EPA has published a report on Climate Change and Water Resources that details a number of areas of concern for agriculture. The increase in global temperatures, even by a couple of degrees, causes more water to be evaporated from the earth and held in clouds in the atmosphere. When we have rain, it’s more water […]
Heritage breeds, CSAs, farmer’s markets, artisan cheese: farming is getting an injection of cool from farmers looking to change the face of agriculture in America. Clean food, slow food, organic food, local food: the movements may be a small part of the agricultural giant, but their share is growing. Consumers are starting to pay attention. They want […]
