These five pigs are being raised on pasture by MOFGA’s farmers-in-residence, Clayton Carter and Kendra Michaud. They turned under a lush stand of rye and hairy vetch in one week, then were moved to a spot where oats, peas and forage brassicas had been seeded several days earlier. The pigs pushed the seed into the
Far Better Options Exist by Alex Owre High-nitrogen content (6-2-2) cottonseed meal is an organic fertilizer that lowers the pH of soil, poses little danger of burning plants, and provides nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as many minor plant food elements. It is cheap and readily available. In some states, however, cottonseed meal is
Johnny’s ‘Red Russia’ kale. Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau. by Jean Ann Pollard In Maine, kale comes into its own in autumn. Healthy and tall even in November, it barely shivers when ice and snow decorate leaves and stems. In fact, cold weather seems to improve its flavor without deleting nutrition. According to The
Poplars harvested from shelterbelts can provide lumber, veneer and chips. The poplars are harvested just as they begin to compete with ash and oaks planted alongside them. This shelterbelt at Lakopita College Farm in LaPocatiere, Quebec, also includes a row of fir trees. Story and photos by Jean English Agroforestry, according to Ron Smith of
This 8’ x 8’ hoophouse was built from scrap materials and $50 worth of new materials at Unity College, to see if that area could supply greens through the winter. The College’sregulation-sized hoophouse, used in an herbaceous gardening class, is in the background. English photo. Troubleshooting on the Ground by Holli Cederholm Situated in the
The farm crew teaches a group of MCS students about production and livestock management at Salt Marsh Farm. Family-Farm Philosophy in a High School Semester By Molly Schaffner Photos by Scott Andrews and Margaret Youngs Nestled between salt marsh and woods, tangent to a school and a summer camp, lies the Chewonki Foundation’s Salt Marsh
Jim Cook started Crown O’Maine Organic Cooperative to distribute local and organic produce from Maine farms to natural food stores, restaurants, buying clubs and institutional kitchens. Making it Happen in Maine: Crown O’Maine Takes Distribution to New Levels by Marada Cook Author’s note: While objectivity and honesty are traditionally the foremost goals of journalists, The
by Diane Schivera I attended two sessions presented by Frederick Provenza at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) conference this January. Both concerned ruminant eating and foraging behavior and biological reasons for this behavior. In the introduction to his book, Provenza says, “Our work has shown how simple strategies that use knowledge of behavior
By Roberta Bailey Pancakes – they’re not just for breakfast any more. They haven’t been for centuries, but lately most of us seem to think of pancakes as synonymous with blueberries and maple syrup. Pancakes in one form or another are a part of every culture, including scallion pancakes or pa jun in Korea, German
Biofumigation May be a Good Bet for Organic Growers Black scurf, or Rhizoctonia, is a fungal disease of potatoes. New research shows that it may be controlled by compounds released from mustard crops. Photo by Eric Sideman. by Eric Sideman, Ph.D. If you have ever had lots of little black, irregular lumps on the skin
