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Rotational Grazing with Cover Crops Case Studies

Since rotational grazing of cover crops is not a common practice, to address some of the current questions from farmers in the upper Midwest, the Sand County Foundation of Wisconsin partnered with the Sauk Soil and Water Improvement Group and the University of Wisconsin-Madison to explore short-term agronomic and environmental costs and benefits of managed […]

Diagnostic Tools for Honey Bee Diseases

Diagnostic Tools for Honey Bee Diseases is an interactive website designed to train beekeepers and veterinarians in honey bee medicine. It includes photos of honey bee diseases and clear instructions for known diagnostic methods for honey bee disease. Lessons include step by step instructions, common mistakes and even fun games to solidify learning objectives. This […]

Innovative Sliding Electric Fence System for Pastured Poultry

With 3,000+ pasture-raised laying hens, Michael Gutschenritter from Three Brothers Farm in Wisconsin needed a solution that saved time and energy. Enter the HenPen, a sliding fence system with an integrated feeder that gets the job done faster with less physical strain.

Beekeeping in Northern Climates Manual and Guidebook

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 is a manual from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab for both new and experienced beekeepers […]

Bale Grazing to Build Soil Health

Erin and Drew Gaugler are exploring and documenting the impact of bale grazing on their North Dakota farm. Outreach activities like their "mailbox tour" are helping the siblings share their findings with neighboring producers.

Spring-Grazing Cover Crops with Nebraska’s Knuth Farms

When a fourth-generation farm in Mead, Nebraska began to diversify their primarily cash crop operation in 2012, they gave some thought to cover crops and livestock. Knuth Farms didn’t want to buy cattle or become beef producers, but they did want to diversify their income stream, capture some of the soil benefits of cover crops, […]

Goat Milk Soap Making Manual

This 38-page manual was created to be used in Goat Milk Soap Making workshops and as a tool for producers interested in making goat milk soap. It was developed by Krista Duval of Creekside Farms in 2017, as part of a SARE-supported project to amplify specialty dairy opportunities for local producers and food entrepreneurs in Appalachia Ohio.

Does Open-Pollinated Corn Have a Place on Today’s Organic Farm?

On 205 acres near the picturesque bluffs of the Mississippi River, Stanley Smith raises beef cows and grows organic corn in southeastern Minnesota. He grew up on this small farm in the rolling hills of Winona County and worked alongside his dad until his dad retired. Smith and his wife, Vickie, purchased the farm, and […]

North Coast Lamb Co-op: Using Carcass Scanning for Producer Production Criteria

In 1865, the National Wool Growers Association was formed. This first-ever national livestock association in the U.S. laid the groundwork for the organization we know today as the American Sheep Industry Association (American Sheep Industry Association, 2018). “The American Sheep Industry may be the oldest livestock organization in the county, however, American lamb consumption and […]

Development of a Cooperative Food Distribution Model for Small Farms

Monica Bongue owns Muddy Fork Farm in Wooster Ohio, a certified organic farm for over 15 years, where she produces vegetables, chickens, ducks, sheep, and goats. She wanted to expand her marketing which consisted of direct sales through farmers’ markets and a small, on-farm CSA. Along with a number of other small, local producers, Bongue […]

Optimal Flock Size for Pasture Raised Layers

A number of growers, especially those on small or mid-scale diversified farms, are choosing to raise poultry in alternative ways, many of them reliant upon pasture. Aaron Brower, along with his wife Mary, own and operate Bluestem Farm, a diversified, 4-season farm in Northern lower Michigan. They raise certified organic vegetables on 10 acres. They […]

Feasibility, Planning, and Purchase of Mobile Processing Unit (MPU)

Pasture poultry, with its quick turn-around and minimal equipment needs can be attractive to small farmers looking to diversify their farming operations. Chris Sramek is a pasture poultry producer and a member of the High Plains Food Co-op (HPFC); in 2013, customer interest in their poultry was so high that the producer members were unable […]