Virginia

Using Aerated Compost Tea as a Fertilizer Alternative in Organic Vegetable Production

LEESBURG, Virginia – With the rising costs of fertilizers, farmers are seeking alternative options to supplement soil health for crops. One microgreens farmer in Virginia is testing the validity of aerated compost tea as a viable option for small-scale vegetable growers, especially for those who wish to pursue organic production practices. In a two-year Southern […]

Diversifying Small Farms with Cereal Grains

FOREST, Virginia – Virginia farmer Michael Grantz is testing what it takes to incorporate cereal grains into a small-scale, diversified vegetable and cut flower farm for soil health as a cover crop and a value-added product for local markets. Grantz has managed a quarter acre plot of wheat and rye on he and his wife’s […]

Breeding a Better Butternut

LOUISA, Virginia – Virginia farmer Edmund Frost is on a mission to develop the ideal butternut squash: a disease-resistant prolific producer of consistent shape and size with unparalleled taste. Or maybe a few ideal varieties. Since 2013, Frost, who started the seed company Common Wealth Seed Growers in 2014, has received funding from the Southern […]

The Montgomery County Farm to Community Planning Project

A food system assessment developed by the Friends of the Farmers Market in Montgomery County in Virginia to identify opportunities to foster growth in local agriculture in ways that are inclusive to the low-income population.

Management of Mexican Bean Beetle in Snap Beans Using Cultural Control Strategies

A series of fact sheets from Virginia Tech on cultural control strategies to manage the Mexican bean beetle, a pest of snap beans.

Place-Based Foods of Appalachia

A publication to foster recognition of the Appalachia region and encourage preservation of heirloom seed varieties.

Growing American Ginseng in Forestlands

A fact sheet from Virginia Cooperative Extension on growing ginseng in forestland as an alternative crop.