northcentral.sare.org resources forest-farming-in-missouri-an-overview-of-the-production-of-non-timber-forest-products Forest Farming in Missouri An Overview of the Production of Non-Timber Forest Products Although much has been written on the subject of forest farming in the context of Appalachia, few resources exist on this practice in other regions of the U.S. This book is interspersed with references and applications that are relevant to Missouri and the Ozark region while also providing an overview of the practice that aspiring […]
northcentral.sare.org resources diy-roller-crimper South Dakota Innovators Build Affordable DIY Roller-Crimper Ryan Schmid and Mike Bredeson know that sustainable farming often hinges on practical, affordable tools. That’s why they led a recent project to address the high cost of roller-crimpers. Roller-crimpers are used for terminating cover crops without tillage or herbicides, but commercial models can cost over $30,000, a cost too high for many farmers. Schmid […]
www.sare.org resources farming-strategies-for-adapting-to-extreme-weather Farming Strategies for Adapting to Extreme Weather SARE partnered with PBS KVIE to produce an episode of RFD-TV's America's Heartland that highlights how farmers and ranchers across the United States are using sustainable and regenerative practices to adapt to increasingly challenging and unpredictable weather conditions. Adapting to Flooding and Drought on Hurricane Flats Farm in South Royalton, Vermont Ashley Loehr and Antoine […]
northcentral.sare.org resources beekeeping-workbook Beekeeping in Northern Climates Manual and Workbook The "Beekeeping in Northern Climates" Manual and Workbook are companion resources created by the University of Minnesota's Bee Lab to help beekeepers understand and apply region-specific best practices. Beekeeping in Northern Climates Manual The third edition of "Beekeeping in Northern Climates Manual" is a guide from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab for both new and experienced […]
northcentral.sare.org resources video-series-highlights-how-different-field-practices-impact-moisture-and-temperature Video Series Highlights How Different Field Practices Impact Moisture and Temperature The adoption of cover crops offers significant benefits. Yet, many farmers remain hesitant due to concerns about spring planting delays, particularly in regions like Ohio, where weather trends have made April and May notably wetter over the past decades. With ten fewer days available for fieldwork compared to 1995, it’s no surprise that managing soil […]
www.sare.org resources ecosystem-services-from-cover-crops Ecosystem Services from Cover Crops The Ecosystem Services from Cover Crops resources found on this page include a series of fact sheets, three infographics and one PowerPoint slide set. Together, these resources address the role of cover crops in nutrient management, erosion, infiltration, soil organic matter, supporting wildlife and beneficial insects, and carbon sequestration. They are available for use by educators, […]
www.sare.org resources cover-crops-image-library Cover Crop Image Library Images, Illustrations and Presentations This page includes free resources educators and farmers can use in outreach and educational activities related to cover crops. Available resources include a database of cover crop images, ready-made PowerPoint presentations on cover crop topics, and soil health illustrations. Cover Crop Image Library The SARE Cover Crop Image Library is hosted […]
www.sare.org resources national-cover-crop-survey-reports National Cover Crop Survey Reports From increasing yield to improving soil health, find out why farmers use cover crops. Since 2012, SARE, CTIC and other partner organizations have periodically conducted a national survey of farmers on their experiences with cover crops. New! 2024-2025 Survey: report (PDF)2022-2023 Survey: report (PDF) summary (PDF)2019-2020 Survey: report (PDF)2016-2017 Survey: report (PDF)2015-2016 Survey: report (PDF)2014-2015 Survey: report (PDF)2013-2014 Survey: […]
northcentral.sare.org resources the-new-growers-guide-to-producing-organic-food-grade-grains-in-the-upper-midwest The New Growers’ Guide to Producing Organic Food-Grade Grains in The Upper Midwest For farmers interested in producing food-grade grains, there are unique opportunities, challenges, and considerations for growing and selling these higher-value crops. These grains, destined for direct human consumption or as ingredients in products, have a range of markets, from breweries and distilleries to co-op groceries and restaurants. However, navigating these specialized markets requires careful planning […]
northcentral.sare.org resources blooms-for-mason-bees Blooms for Mason Bees With support from SARE, the Osmia Bee Company in Ohio is designing a seed mix to support springtime pollinators — particularly mason bees. They developed a guide with the intention that the information could be used as a starting point and adapted for other field trials. This project leverages the rich collaborative network maintained by […]
www.sare.org resources growing-new-markets-for-specialty-crops Growing New Markets for Specialty Crops Voices from the Field is a podcast series co-produced by ATTRA and SARE that explores the different ways farmers are working to create new local markets for specialty and niche crops. Each partner episode will address a different production system or crop–from endives to small-grain value chains–and will feature farmers sharing their production and marketing […]
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 guide-to-honey-bee-queen-banking Guide to Honey Bee Queen Banking This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of establishing and maintaining a queen bank. The guide starts with the basics and walks the reader through each step to create a successful honey bank that includes a queen bee. Because queen bees are so critical in maintaining a bank, beekeepers center their focus on […]
northcentral.sare.org resources pollinator-friendly-cover-cropping-for-vegetable-producers-in-the-upper-midwest Pollinator-Friendly Cover Cropping for Vegetable Producers in the Upper Midwest Growers are increasingly interested in adding cover crops to rotations to improve soil health, break disease cycles, and provide ecosystem services. In addition to these benefits, cover crops present an opportunity to add crucial floral resources and habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects on the farm. However, identifying appropriate cover crop species and management […]
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 leaders-in-sustainable-agriculture Leaders in Sustainable Agriculture Featured on America's Heartland SARE partnered with PBS KVIE to produce an episode of RFD-TV's America's Heartland that features four farmers describing their commitment to sustainability, how they plan to meet farming challenges of today and tomorrow, and how SARE has impacted their farming and ranching practices. The full 24-minute video is available, as is each segment featuring the […]
www.sare.org resources transitioning-to-organic-production Transitioning to Organic Production Farmers and ranchers decide to pursue organic certification for many personal, financial and environmental reasons. This publication introduces you to the requirements of the USDA National Organic Program and outlines many of the key strategies producers use to make their three-year transition to organic production a successful one. It discusses the practice areas common to […]
www.sare.org resources scaling-up-your-vegetable-farm-for-wholesale-markets Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets For direct market farmers, expanding your operation to capture local and regional wholesale markets can represent an opportunity. But such a shift brings with it many changes to how you run your farm because the expectations that wholesale buyers have is much different than your direct market customers. Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale […]
www.sare.org resources soil-health-principles-and-practices-videos Soil Health Principles and Practices Videos Investing in soil health is critical to the success of all farms, but many beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers struggle to put soil health principles into practice. There can be many reasons for this. Many of these producers have small acreage and land is expensive, and either they can't make this investment or they don't […]
www.sare.org resources manage-weeds-on-your-farm Manage Weeds On Your Farm Manage Weeds on Your Farm is a definitive guide to understanding agricultural weeds and how to manage them efficiently, effectively and ecologically—for organic and conventional farmers alike. With the growing spread of herbicide-resistant weeds and with the public’s embrace of sustainably raised foods, farmers everywhere, both organic and conventional, are seeking better ways to eliminate […]