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Can Indigenous Agricultural Methods of Puerto Rico Mitigate Erosion and Feed the Island?
UTUADO, Puerto Rico - Graduate student Joseph Anthony Navarro thinks that sustainable agroecological practices can preserve biodiversity and was awarded a $16,491 SSARE grant to research it. He asks the question, “Can Taino be an alternative to traditional intensive Agriculture?” According to Joseph, a Conuco is an elevated bed of soil, organic matter, and plant/tree residues (mulch) for easy harvesting/weed management. “My […]
In Revitalizing the Chestnut Industry, a North Carolina Farmer is Chasing the Perfect Nut
BURNSVILLE, North Carolina – Ron Fritz has a vision to restore the grandeur of the American chestnut tree in Western North Carolina. The retired food scientist turned farmer sets his gaze on the forested hillsides of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside his small chestnut orchard and recounts the stories told of American chestnut trees that […]
Getting the Most Sap from Each Tap in Black Walnut Syrup Production
MCDOWELL, Virginia – Long before the Civil War, land on the mountainous slopes of the Allegheny Mountains in western Virginia had been cleared for logging and cattle grazing. Today, agriculture is still prominent, but in the form of syrup tapped from hardwoods – maple, hickory, elm, black walnut – that have retaken the landscape. Syrup […]
Using Native Plants as a Cover Crop for Soil and Vegetable Production Benefits
SANDSTON, Virginia – Patches of partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) dot Patrick Johnson’s permaculture farm, still holding on to their yellow summer flowers while setting pods to drop seed in the coming colder temperatures. Johnson is excited to see the native plant growing wild on his Airport Food Forest Farm; he believes the legume will make […]
Vanilla Could Be the Next Big Crop for Small Farmers in Southern Florida
HOMESTEAD, Florida – Florida is on the cusp of a new agricultural crop that could give small farmers in the southern region of the state a high-value alternative to vegetable and fruit production. University of Florida researchers at the Tropical Research and Education Center have embarked on a comprehensive evaluation of vanilla – from developing […]
Private Landowners Guide to Forest Certification in the South
"Private Landowners' Guide to Forest Certification in the South," developed by the LSU Ag Center and Mississippi State University Extension, helps forest landowners understand forest certification.
Agroforestry an Alternative for Farmers Transitioning Away from Tobacco Production
BEREA, Kentucky – A Kentucky farmer, exploring alternatives for tobacco production, has found that elements of an agroforestry system may prove viable to increasing farm profitability and providing environmental benefits. Through a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) Producer Grant, Matthew Wilson of Rindlewood Farm studied the feasibility of incorporating sweet sorghum and pasture […]
Hiding in Plain Sight
MCMINVILLE, Tennessee – Winter cover crops, specifically a ryegrass/crimson clover mix, appear to protect susceptible deciduous trees from the flatheaded appletree borer, while also effectively managing weeds, according to results of a Tennessee State University study. The results could be useful for orchards, nurseries, urban landscapes and agroforestry producers in managing the significant economic pest. […]
Some Invasive Trees are Good for Mushroom Production
TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Some non-native invasive trees in the Southeast have proven to be ideal substrates for growing edible mushrooms, according to the results of a USDA Agricultural Research Service study funded by a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant. USDA-ARS researcher Stephen Hight, in collaboration with small farmers in southern […]
Video: How a Farmer Used SARE to Develop Virginia's Organic Ginger Market
The Virginia’s craft brewing industry is bubbling – 58 breweries in 2013 - 103 today. The beverage industry and Asian restaurants both value locally sourced ginger. While a great deal is known about growing this tropical in the warmer eastern coastal plains, Virginia's Piedmont farmers cannot access these markets. On a December morning, it’s 27 […]
Weed Control in the Organic Coffee Field
A video created by University of Puerto Rico outlining sustainable methods for controlling weeds in organic coffee fields. NOTE: This video is in Spanish, with English subtitles.
Establishing Cottonwood Plantations
A fact sheet on establishing cottonwoods as a bioenergy feedstock in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension.
Growing American Ginseng in Forestlands
A fact sheet from Virginia Cooperative Extension on growing ginseng in forestland as an alternative crop.
Place-Based Foods of Appalachia
A publication to foster recognition of the Appalachia region and encourage preservation of heirloom seed varieties.
Sustainable Forestry Management for Productive Woodlands
A series of fact sheets from Sustainable Woodlands and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service on opportunities for management of productive woodlands for limited-resource landholders.