ATTRA - Voices from the Field
By: NCAT
Language: en
Categories: Education, Science, Earth, Business
From cover crops to regenerative grazing and organic production to marketing, ATTRA - Voices from the Field is your weekly sustainable agriculture podcast. Voices from the Field is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Since 1976, NCAT has provided relevant information, individualized technical assistance and in-depth resources to support sustainable agriculture and accessible energy solutions. Learn more at NCAT.ORG and ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.
Episodes
Organic Certification: One Step at a Time
Oct 23, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Audrey Kolde sits down with colleagues Ann Baier and Andrew Coggins to discuss the initial steps in obtaining organic certification in farming. Before coming to NCAT, Audrey worked as a manager of vegetable production on a certified organic farm, and she brings that experience to this conversation.
In addition to her role as an NCAT Agriculture Specialist, Ann is also certified organic inspector. Ann has inspected numerous organic farms, livestock operations, and handling (processing) facilities to ensure compliance with USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) and in...
Duration: 00:59:15Farming Oysters with Mike Miezianka
Oct 02, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Lee Rinehart is joined by Mike Miezianka, co-founder of Toasted Oysters, a 3 1/2-acre aquaculture farm on Great South Bay off of Long Island. Mike and his business partner Ray Smith cultivate authentic Blue Point Oysters which they sell to distributors and restaurants on Long Island and beyond.
In this conversation, Lee and Mike discuss the promising future of aquaculture, including regulations on food safety and environmental stewardship which is paving the way for more farms to be established in waters around highly populated areas. There is...
Duration: 00:47:23Forging Community on an Organic Farm
Sep 10, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Eric Fuchs-Stengel sits with Jack Kittredge and Julie Rawson, the couple behind Many Hands Organic Farm and co-authors of the book Many Hands Make A Farm. The farm has been selling to the public since 1985, and specializes in certified organic produce, meat and eggs in Barre, Massachusetts.
In this conversation, Jack and Julie share how they started their farm by cultivating a community of volunteers, many of whom have become shareholders and paid staff over the years. They also offer tips on how best to communicate...
Duration: 00:50:48Diving into Irrigation with Dr. Stacia Congers
Jul 30, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Audrey Kolde dives into irrigation with Dr. Stacia Congers, an associate professor and statewide irrigation specialist and engineer at the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center. Audrey and Dr. Congers talk about all things water: floods, droughts, as well as interesting research projects that may yield promising advancements in agriculture irrigation.
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NCAT Resources
The Texas Irrigator’s Pocket Guide – ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture
Tutorial...
Duration: 00:50:39Beekeeping Basics with Eric Fuchs-Stengel
May 15, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialists Lee Rhinehart and Eric Fuchs-Stengel have a lively discussion on the topic of beekeeping. Lee and Eric talk about the best and worst conditions for keeping bees, common mistakes for beginners, bee anatomy, and honey production. Eric also shares his own experiences in raising bees and provides many practical suggestions who to seek guidance from when first starting out and for cultivating healthy hives.
ATTRA Resources:
Alternative Pollinators: Native Bees
Free Bees, Part One: Finding Them
Free Bees, Part...
Duration: 01:01:48Sustaining Farmers Market Success in Montana and Beyond
May 14, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field NCAT agriculture specialists and colleagues, Maura Henn and Tammy Howard, reflect on their journey helping Montana farmers markets build capacity and sustain success. Maura and Tammy also talk about new resources they have developed including Harvest of the Month at Farmers Market toolkit and a suite of Farmers Market Vendor Success videos.
ATTRA Resources:
Farmers Markets
Farmers Market Pricing Strategies for Vendors
Episode 377: Developing Farmers Market Cooperatives with Blake Lineweaver
Additional Resources:
Getting Started at F...
Duration: 00:46:44Talking 'Health in the Hood' with Asha Walker
May 14, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez sits down with Asha Walker, founder and powerhouse behind Health in the Hood, a Miami-based nonprofit tackling food insecurity and health disparities by transforming vacant lots into thriving community gardens. Gabriella and Asha dive into the origin story of Health in the Hood, unpack how today’s food landscape is fueling chronic disease in low-income neighborhoods, and explore Asha’s new wellness app, Cured, which helps people take control of their health journey. Asha also shares ways you can get involved—whether it’s volunteering in the garde...
Duration: 00:22:35Nourishing Native Plants on Farms and Ranches
May 13, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Nina Prater is joined by Tim Hammer, co-owner of Homegrown Native Foods, LLC. Tim is an educator who teaches people about responsible and safe foraging of wild plants and mushrooms in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas. In this conversation, they discuss the many qualities of native plants that make them desirable in the farmscape, the commercial potential of different native plants, how to forage in the wild responsibly, and more.
ATTRA Resources:
Native Plants Offer More Than Beauty to the Farmscape
Developing Farmers Market Cooperatives with Blake Lineweaver
May 13, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Maura Henn is joined by Blake Lineweaver, Co-op Development Program Manager at Mission West Community Development Partners. Maura and Blake talk about how farmers markets in Montana are using the cooperative business model to build resilience in their local food systems, as well as the steps to forming a cooperative farmers market, as well as the principles that guide all cooperatives.
ATTRA Resources:
Farmers Markets
Additional Resources:
Everything Co-op Podcast
Cooperatives at Work Book Duration: 00:33:03
Exploring Syntropic Agriculture
May 09, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez explores the principles and power of Syntropic Agriculture with Roger Gietzen and Mauro Rosito-Weber—two educators and practitioners deeply immersed in this regenerative agroforestry method. Together they discuss how syntropic agriculture differs from traditional agroforestry systems, long term benefits of this model, common challenges, and practical steps and resources for getting started.
Related ATTRA Resources:
How Syntropic Agriculture Restores Soil and Farms
Agroforestry
Additional Resources:
Global Freedom Project
ECHO Global Far...
Duration: 00:42:33Digging into Healthy Soil with Dr. Faye Smith
May 05, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable agriculture specialist Nina Prater is joined by Dr. Faye Smith, a soil scientist with a focus on sustainable soil and landscape management. They talk about the importance of soil health, science-backed approaches to soil health, important benchmarks for measuring soil health, and more.
ATTRA Resources:
Soil Aggregate Assessment
Managing Soil for Water Publication
Additional Resources:
Dr. Faye Smith's Website
Ologies, Indigenous Pedology Episode
The Art of Soil paints
Contact...
Duration: 00:48:53Forest Farming with Joe "Ginseng"
Apr 28, 2025In this episode of ATTRA’s Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist, Eddy Labus, is joined by Joe Boccardy, better known as Joe Ginseng. Joe has a small farm nestled in the mountains of Northwest North Carolina where he cares for a small herd of Scottish Highland cattle, pigs, and chickens. Joe farms the forests on his farm, raising several different types of threatened or endangered species like Ginseng and Golden Seal. In this episode, Eddy and Joe talk about growing plants in Appalachian forests, preservation methods, and value-added marketing ideas.
Related ATTRA Resources:
<... Duration: 00:43:47Vertical Mushroom Farming in Florida
Apr 15, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez goes in-depth into the world of mushroom production and market diversification in a conversation with Russell Hollander from Care2Grow, a vertical mushroom farm located in Naples, Florida.
They talk about how to start producing mushrooms on any scale, the uses of spent mushroom blocks, the health benefits of edible and medicinal mushrooms, and Russell's marketing journey.
Related ATTRA Resources:
Container Production of Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms with Care2Grow FarmEstablishing a Wine Cap Mushroom BedOther R...
Duration: 00:47:54Functional Movement in Farming with Cynthia Flores
Apr 03, 2025In today's episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT agriculture specialist Audrey Kolde interviews Cynthia Flores the founder of Labor-Movement, an organization that believes when you move well, you work well. Audrey and Cynthia discuss the inspiration for creating Labor Movement and the importance of proper movement for those whose livelihoods depend on their bodies, especially farmers, fishers, foresters, and industrial athletes.
ATTRA RESOURCES:
Equipment – ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture
Farm Stress and Emotional Well-Being, Part I – ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture
OTHER RESOURCES:
Labor-Movement Website
Farmer Well-Being...
Duration: 00:40:06Lessons from the 'Principal Farmer"
Mar 11, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Gulf States Regional Coordinator Felicia Bell sits down with “The Principal Farmer,” Patrick Muhammad, of Atlanta, Georgia. Patrick is the principal of the Chattahoochee Hills Charter School, where students from kindergarten through eighth grade learn about the world through the lens of agriculture, nature, and the arts. He also has a farm and enjoys helping adults learn to love the land and return to their farming roots.
Related ATTRA Resources:
Farmland Access
Beginning Farmer Tutorials
https://attra.ncat.org/publication/farmland-access/
ht...
Duration: 00:52:43The Farming Systems of Puerto Rico
Jan 16, 2025Episode 367: The Farming Systems of Puerto Rico
This episode of Voices from the Field explores the ancient Taino Conuco farming systems of Puerto Rico in a conversation between NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez and researcher Joseph Navarro. They discuss how these sustainable practices supported self-sufficiency during pre-colonial times, their evolution through colonial and industrial transitions, and their potential to transform Puerto Rico’s future and address modern challenges like soil erosion, food insecurity, and climate resilience.
Related Resources:
Can Indigenous Agricultural Methods of Puerto Rico Mitigate Climate Change and Feed the I...
Duration: 00:52:22Guy Ames: Living and Farming with Head and Heart
Jan 06, 2025In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Ag Specialists Nina Prater and Lee Rinehart are joined by recently retired Ag Specialist Guy Ames to celebrate his life and work. Guy is deeply knowledgeable about his area of expertise, fruit trees, and is also a font of wisdom about how to live the good life. This conversation includes how Guy found his way to farming in the Ozarks, the many failures that guided him toward success, and like most conversations with Guy, contains many wonderful, circuitous meanderings. He also shares about what it was like in the...
Duration: 01:01:26Calcium: The ‘Premier’ Soil Nutrient
Nov 20, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Nina Prater, Darron Gaus, and Lee Rinehart explore calcium – an essential plant nutrient and basic soil cation that has a big impact on soil pH. Whether your soil is naturally high or naturally low in calcium, this episode will guide
you in managing this nutrient.
Related ATTRA Resources:
Episode 164. Soil Sessions. Understanding Soil pH
Episode 304. Phosphorus and the Beauty of Biology
Episode 260. Rising Fertilizer Costs. Look to History for Answers
Episode 323. Potassium from Past to Pre...
Understanding Through Listening: Connecting with Indigenous Foodways in Montana
Nov 07, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Local Food Systems Specialists Maura Henn and Molly Kirkham talk with Indigenous Food Sovereignty Consultant Cheyenne Robinson about their project, “Understanding Through Listening: Connecting with Native Food Ways in Montana.”
The project focused on holding listening sessions in Native American communities in Montana, primarily on Indian reservations, to learn if community members would be interested in developing an Indigenous Harvest of the Month program. Harvest of the Month is a farm-to-school educational framework designed to promote locally grown food in Montana schools and communities.
Maura, Molly, and...
Duration: 00:53:58Episode 363: The Lost Art of Seed Saving with Bonnetta Adeeb of Ujamaa
Oct 31, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez talks with Bonnetta Adeeb, founder of Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, a nonprofit collective of BIPOC growers, farmers, and gardeners who cultivate and distribute heirloom seeds and grow culturally meaningful crops.
Gabriella and Bonnetta talk about the cultural role of seed saving and heritage crops as well as the importance of agriculture in defining and protecting cultural identity.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Specialty Melon Production for Small and Direct-Market Growers
· Improving Seed Viability and Germination
· Local Food Systems...
Duration: 00:52:26Strategies for Selling to Schools
Oct 23, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Chris Lent has a conversation with Crystal Hampton-Davis, co-owner of Davis Grown, a Pennsylvania livestock and produce farm. They discuss how Crystal and her husband, Bradley, diversified the farm and made the move toward selling to local schools. Crystal is also passionate about educating children and others in the community about local foods.
Related ATTRA Resources:
Local Food Systems
Business and Marketing
Other Resources:
Davis Grown
Pennsylvania Preferred
P...
Duration: 00:31:35Understanding the Hawai'i Regional Food Business Center and Food Hub Hui with Dr. Saleh Azizi
Oct 09, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez sits down with Dr. Saleh Azizi, Director of the Hawai'i Food Hub Hui and the Islands & Remote Areas Regional Food Business Center. Together, they delve into the historical context of Hawaii's food system, exploring the impacts of colonialism and the resulting health challenges faced by the native population. Saleh explains the critical role of food hubs in supporting local agriculture and food security, and he and Gabriella discuss the unique collaboration between Hawai'i's Regional Food Business Center, the Good Food Alliance Hawaii, and the US Virgin...
Duration: 00:39:33Natural Dye Supply Chain: From Field to Fabric
Sep 24, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins takes listeners on a journey through the natural-dye supply chain with three industry experts. Max Holden is a grower based in Washington state with a passion for cultivating dye plants. Bradley Todd is a fellow NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist who resides in North Carolina and is a processor skilled in dye extraction. Courtney Lockemer is an organizer and market builder based in North Carolina who is dedicated to advancing natural dyes in modern markets. Together, they discuss a pilot project that explored opportunities for farmers...
Duration: 00:46:20Teatime in Mississippi
Sep 16, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Audrey Kolde talks with Timothy Gipson, co-owner and co-founder of The Great Mississippi Tea Company in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Their conversation touches on the challenges and successes the company has had growing this popular specialty crop in the Magnolia State.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Agroforestry
· The Unsung Heroes of the Plants We Drink: Tea
· Farm Branding: Selling Your Products Through Story
Other Resources:
· The Great Mississippi Tea Company
Contact Audrey Kolde at audreyk@ncat.o...
Abundant Montana “Meet Up” Meets with Success
Aug 20, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Local Foods Specialist Molly Kirkham talks with Erin Austin of Abundant Montana. Abundant Montana is a nonprofit that helps create a more resilient and reliable food system by developing educational campaigns about local foods, providing digital marketing and promotion assistance, and fostering business-to-business connections for Montana food and farming businesses.
Erin and Molly talk about Abundant Montana’s recent online producer-buyer “meet-up event,” Abundant Connections. Molly and Erin discuss the need Abundant Montana saw that led to creating the event, the event’s format, what went well, who connected...
Duration: 00:23:28Soil-to-Skin: Laura Sansone of New York Textile Lab on the Intersection of Growers and Designers
Aug 14, 2024This episode of Voices from the Field is part of our Soil-to-Skin podcast series, in which NCAT Carbon Farm Planners Allison Agee and Danielle Duni explore the relationships between soil health, fiber production, and market solutions.
It is part of NCAT’s Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership with Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, Fibershed, Seed2Shirt, and New York Textile Lab. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership is funded by USDA’s Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities.
Today, Allison and Danielle talk with Laura Sansone from New York Textile Lab about the intersection of fiber growers and de...
Duration: 00:45:04Soil-to-Skin: Tameka Peoples of Seed2Shirt Shares Her Journey
Aug 07, 2024Episode 356. Soil-to-Skin: Tameka Peoples of Seed2Shirt
This episode of Voices from the Field continues our Soil-to-Skin podcast series, in which NCAT Carbon Farm Planners Allison Cooley-Agee and Danielle Duni explore the relationships between soil health, fiber production, and market solutions.
It is part of NCAT’s Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership with Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, Fibershed, Seed2Shirt, and New York Textile Lab. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership is funded by USDA’s Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities.
Today, Allison and Danielle talk with Tameka Peoples of Seed2Shirt as she wa...
Duration: 00:40:29Soil-to-Skin: Rebecca Burgess of Fibershed on Building Community
Aug 01, 2024This episode of Voices from the Field begins our “Soil to Skin” podcast series, in which NCAT Carbon Farm Planners Allison Cooley-Agee and Danielle Duni explore the relationships between soil health, fiber production, and market solutions.
The series is part of NCAT’s Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership with Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, Fibershed, Seed2Shirt, and New York Textile Lab. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership is funded by USDA’s Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities.
Allison and Danielle talk about the project with Rebecca Burgess, the Executive Director of Fibershed, about building community around gro...
Duration: 00:40:15The Rich Heritage of Chicken Breeds
May 22, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins talks with Richard Udale and Anne Fanatico in an enlightening conversation about the world of poultry breeding, genetics, and the rich history of the chicken. Richard and Anne, both renowned experts in the field, discuss the evolution of various chicken breeds and their unique traits, along with the intricate science behind selective breeding.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Poultry
· Eggs
· Growing Your Range Poultry Business: An Entrepreneur's Toolbox
Other Resources:
· American Pastured Poultry Assoc...
Duration: 01:08:18A Closer Look at Draft Horses
May 08, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tracy Mumma talks with her husband, David Sturman, and daughter, Lina Sturman, about using draft horses on the farm. They discuss some of the jobs horses can do, including logging and agritourism, and some of the different hitches that can help make effective use of horsepower. They also cover some important considerations for anyone considering using draft horses on the farm, based on decades of shared experience using draft horses in Montana.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Draft Animal Power for Farming
· ...
Duration: 00:36:16Principles Before Practices with Jenny Pluhar
May 01, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus joins Peggy Sechrist, a pioneer in the organic beef industry in Texas and a long-time Holistic Management International educator.
Darron, who is based in Victoria, Texas, co-leads a working group with Peggy in Texas as part of NCAT’s Soil for Water Southern SARE project. That project includes some great conversations with members of the working group – a four-state team of producers, scientists, and universities trying to key in on some of the barriers keeping more operations from adopting regenerative grazing method...
Duration: 00:39:20The Home-Scale Forest Garden with Dani Baker
Apr 24, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez talks with author and farmer Dani Baker. Since her retirement from another career and subsequent inspiration from an Extension class on permaculture, Dani has become well known for her takes on creating “resilient edible landscapes.” She and Gabriella discuss the benefits that come from realizing that nature knows what it is doing.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Permaculture
· Climate Change and Perennial Fruit and Nut Production: Investing in Resilience in Uncertain Times
· Weekly Wednesday Workshop: Permaculture 101
Other Resour...
Mid-Scale Biodigester with Matt Steiman of Dickinson College Organic Farm
Apr 17, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Northeast Coordinator and Agriculture Specialist Chris Lent talks to Matt Steiman, the Farm Energy and Livestock Manager at Dickinson College Organic Farm in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, about the farm’s new biodigester.
A farm-based biodigester can turn cow manure and food waste into natural gas to produce electricity for the farm to use and to sell to the utility grid.
Matt and Chris discuss Matt’s research over the past 14 years on turning waste streams into biofuels and how that research led to the new biodige...
Duration: 00:48:32Farm to School with Ridge to Reef Farm on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Apr 10, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez talks with Nate Olive, the owner of Ridge to Reef Farm on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.
Nate talks about the innovative market- diversification strategies that have contributed to his farming success and the challenges and opportunities of the St. Croix market.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· ATTRA Internship Hub
· Subtropical Soil Health Initiative
· Cover Crops for Hot and Humid Areas
Other Resources:
· Ridge to Reef Farm
Contact Gabriella...
Poke Salad, Mullein, and Other Crop Alternatives in Southern Arkansas
Apr 03, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, Kandi Williams of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Small Farms Program talks with Arkansas farmer Michael Henegan about his farming heritage and some of his methods to reach markets that others don't by wildcrafting local herbs and plants, including mullein and poke salad.
Kandi also works with the Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation, which partnered in producing this podcast.
This podcast was also produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology
through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative
agreement with...
Southern Small-Scale Grains with Iriel Edwards
Mar 27, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, Audrey Kolde, an NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, talks with Iriel Edwards, the farmer and owner of The Dancing Radicle Farm in Alexandria, Louisiana. Iriel is also a Certifier and Regional Organizer with the Real Organic Project.
Prior to starting her own farm, Iriel managed Jubilee Justice's 5-acre organic farm in Alexandria and worked with Black farming communities in the Southeast.
Iriel and Audrey discuss the challenges and potential of farming small-scale grains, particularly Louisiana rice. They delve into the necessary components for small-scale success, including community in...
Managing Risk in the Ark-La-Tex Region
Mar 20, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, Kandi Williams of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Small Farms Program talks with Hope, Arkansas, farmer Ernestine Maxfield about ways for limited-resource producers to manage risk in the Ark-La-Tex region. The Ark-La-Tex region is a socio-economic, tri-state region where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas meet.
Kandi also works with the Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation, which partnered in producing this podcast.
This podcast was also produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement wi...
NCAT/SARE: Chestnuts in Southeastern Ohio. A Cooperative Small Farm Effort
Mar 13, 2024This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.
In this episode, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins dives into the world of chestnuts with Michelle Ajamian, who works with Rural Action as a network developer for Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative.
Michelle shares her experiences and insights from her work in southeastern Ohio as a project developer and advocate for s...
Meet NCAT: Tammy Barnes Shares Her Journey
Mar 06, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field,NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins introduces us to new NCAT staff member Tammy Barnes. Tammy, who is also a sustainable agriculture specialist, will be focusing on carbon planning from Kentucky.
Tammy shares her wealth of experience and the insights garnered from an extensive career dedicated to sustainable agriculture, from equestrian and other livestock
management, to cropping systems and holistic farm management. She also shares
the story of her sustainable agriculture career and long history of farmer support and advocacy. She details the path that led her t...
Crop Resilience Through Diversification and Schedule Modification in Northeast Texas. Part 2
Feb 28, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, Milton and Diann Woods of Milliesbarn Veggie Farm in Eagle Lake, Texas, talk with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan about how they overcame various risks on their farm by choosing the right crops – both for their environment and in accordance with the needs of their clientele.
This podcast is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This podcast was also made possible in part by funding from the Southern Risk Management Education Center, USD...
Duration: 00:47:52Crop Resilience Through Diversification and Schedule Modification in Northeast Texas. Part 1
Feb 21, 2024
In this episode of Voices from the Field, Grace Brown, the founder of Uncle Paul’s Agritourism & Educational Farm in Tyler, Texas, talks with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan about how she overcame various risks on the farm by choosing the right crops – both for the local environment and in accordance with the needs of their clientele.
This podcast is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This podcast was also made possible in part by funding from the Southern Risk...
Duration: 00:48:20The Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management: A Conversation
Feb 14, 2024This week’s episode of Voices from the Field is a conversation about Texas A&M University’s Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, hosted by NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus.
The Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management is a coordinated, system-wide effort at Texas A&M aimed at safeguarding the ecologic and economic resiliency of grazing-land resources and ranching operations.
The episode features a conversation between the center’s director, Jeff Goodwin, and Peggy Sechrist, a longtime educator for Holistic Management International, about the work being done at Texas A&M and how it...
ATTRA and SARE: Edible Landscaping
Feb 07, 2024
This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.
In this episode, NCAT Horticulture Specialist Guy Ames talks with Matthew Lebon, owner of Custom Foodscaping in St. Louis, Missouri.
Guy and Matthew talk about “edible landscaping” – which includes plants that produce food in residential, business, and community landscapes. They also discuss the value of “uncommon” crops such as gooseberries...
Duration: 00:28:58Ecological Agriculture with Christopher Sacco
Jan 31, 2024This episode of Voices from the Field is an inspiring conversation with a trailblazer in ecological agriculture. In it, Gabriella Soto-Velez, an NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist in the Gulf States Region, sits down with Christopher Sacco, who needs no introduction for those familiar with sustainable agriculture practices. In 2009, Christopher laid the foundation for Groundswell International, a groundbreaking organization dedicated to empowering small-scale farmers and championing sustainable agriculture methods worldwide.
Fast forward to 2024, and Christopher has stepped away from the helm of Groundswell, but his support and passion for the organization’s mission remains steadfast. Christopher’s journey post...
Duration: 00:40:18Lessons Learned from a Southern Farmer: Violet Keys of Mississippi
Jan 24, 2024In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell talks with beginning farmer Violet Keys about the journey that took her from a career in the military to beginning Synergy in the Garden, a 6-acre urban agriculture operation in Jackson, Mississippi.
Violet discusses overcoming her nervousness as she begins her farm – where she plans to grow medicinal herbs, cut flowers, and other crops. She and Felicia also talk about creating a business plan and utilizing USDA financial and planning assistance. Violet shares her dream of creating a “healing space” for veterans that is als...
Duration: 00:48:53Episode 337. ATTRA and SARE: Building Local Food Systems in Montana
Jan 17, 2024
This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit SARE.ORG.
In this episode, Maura Henn, an NCAT Local Food Systems Specialist, talks with Michal DeChellis of the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) in Montana. Michal is AERO’s Program Manager for the Montana Food Economy Initiative (MFEI), a project that has been funded through a Western SARE Grant.
Maura and M...
Beat the Heat with Microgreens
Jan 10, 2024
In this episode of Voices from the Field, urban farmer Pasha Angelle of Healing Den Farms in Houston, Texas, discusses how farming realities led her to shift gears and produce microgreens literally in-house rather than crops out in the field in the brutal Texas climate. This risk-management decision has expanded her experience and led her to a new customer base.
This podcast is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development.
This podcast was also made possible in part by f...
She’s Raising Sheep: Sheridan Rowe Langford of Texas
Jan 03, 2024Sheri Langford is a straight-talking Texas shepherd, dog trainer, and retired crime- scene investigator.
In this episode of Voices from the Field, Sheri talks with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole about raising Navajo-Churro sheep – which she calls “the mustangs of the sheep world”– with the help of her border collie, Anatolian, and Great Pyrenees guardian dogs. On her Red Feather Ranch, Sheri says, predators are like pilots: there are old predators, and there are bold predators, but, thanks to her dogs, there are no old, bold predators.
Sheri also talks about her journey from crime scene...
Duration: 00:48:48Teaming Up with Oxen
Dec 20, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tracy Mumma talks with Jim Gronau, who uses oxen as draft animals on his farm in Ontario, Canada. Jim describes some of the environmental, economic, and marketing benefits of using oxen, and he provides pointers for getting started as a teamster and for starting a young team of oxen. Jim also explains what an ox is and talks about how versatile oxen can be on a farm. Finally, Jim reflects on the magic moment when everything comes together and the animals and driver become a team.
<... Duration: 00:47:47Draft Animals 101
Dec 13, 2023For centuries, draft animals were the premier power source for agriculture. Although tractors eventually usurped draft animals on most farms, ranches, and forests, some teamsters have kept the traditions alive. With the upswing of modern homesteading and people striving for ecologically beneficial agricultural practices, it looks like draft power is making a comeback.
In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist and
wanna-be teamster Linda Poole quizzes seasoned experts Tracy Mumma (also an NCAT staff member), Tracy’s husband David Sturman, and Jim Gronau – an oxen teamster from Canada –on the what, why, and...
ATTRA and SARE: Breeding Squash for Disease Resistance and ‘Eating Quality’
Dec 06, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.
In this episode, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan talks with Edmund Frost at the Twin Oaks Intentional Community in Virginia. Edmund is the managing director of Common Wealth Seed Growers, a cooperative of seed growers producing farmer-grown, regionally trialed seeds in the Southeast.
Since 2013, he has received funding from So...
Meet NCAT: Danielle Duni, Carbon Farm Planner for Woolgrowers in Wyoming
Nov 29, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field introduces one of NCAT’s newest staff members. Danielle Duni recently joined NCAT as a Carbon Farm Planner who will aid Wyoming shepherds as they build profitable businesses and healthy landscapes.
Danielle shares her winding career path working with livestock across the western U.S. and her vision for ranchers “finding that interface where we can all work together to build resilient communities.”
Also, Danielle and NCAT Grazing Specialist Linda Poole sketch the shape of the Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership, a five-year program to provide technical assistance and cost...
Meet NCAT: Carbon Farm Planner Allison Cooley-Agee of Montana
Nov 15, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, we meet one of NCAT’s impressive new staff members, Allison Cooley-Agee. Allison talks with NCAT Livestock Specialist Linda Coffey about her background and the interesting and varied experience she brings to her new position as a Carbon Farm Planner. Training cutting horses, milking goats on an organic dairy, raw milk, 4-H, and Nicole Masters all make their way into the conversation.
Allison also discusses the Climate Beneficial Fiber Project, which will be the main focus of her work for the next few years and will benefit sheep producers in...
Duration: 00:33:56Farmer Veteran Reaches Thousands Through Beekeeping
Nov 08, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, Margo Hale, Director of NCAT’s ATTRA and Armed to Farm programs, visits with Dr. Adam Ingrao, a beekeeper and educator in Michigan. Adam, a military veteran, talks about his farming operation and the programs that have been beneficial to it.
He shares how his military service and farming experiences led him to beekeeping. He also discusses the Heroes to Hives program, which reaches thousands of veterans each year, and he offers some advice for veterans who are interested in farming.
Related NCAT Resources:
·...
Duration: 00:33:56Lessons Learned from a Southern Farm: Alabama Farm’s Organic Integrity
Nov 01, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field is the first of a new podcast series, "Lessons Learned on a Southern Farm." In it, NCAT Gulf States Regional Coordinator Felicia Bell talks with Marguerite McClintock from Alchemy Farms and Plants in Huntsville, Alabama.
Marguerite discusses the lessons she has learned from operating her certified organic vegetable farm and from raising heritage and registered sheep, specifically Katahdin
and Gulf Coast Native. She offers some tips and ideas that Alchemy Farm used to
stay in business while maintaining the farm's organic integrity.
Related ATTRA Reso...
ATTRA and SARE: The Commercial Potential of Mulberries in the Midwest
Oct 25, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.
In it, NCAT Sustainable Horticulture Specialist Guy Ames talks with Weston Lombard, who grows mulberries on his Millfield, Ohio, farm and was a SARE farmer/rancher grant recipient on the topic “Field Testing the Mulberry for Commercial Production in the Midwest” in 2016.
Guy and Weston talk about the commercial possibilities and challe...
Duration: 00:53:58Exploring Soil Organic Matter with Dr. Johannes Lehmann
Oct 18, 2023We have only recently begun to understand the true nature of soil organic matter. In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater is joined by Dr. Johannes Lehmann, a Cornell University professor with the School of Integrative Plant Science - Soil and Crop Sciences Section as well as the Department of Global Development. They talk about misconceptions around soil humus and explore new ways to look at the organic components of the soil. They also discuss a number of other issues, including the carbon cycle, the importance of diversity, and the challenges of...
Duration: 00:53:58She’s Raising Sheep: Mickey Willenbring of Oregon, Part 2
Oct 11, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field continues a discussion between Mickey Willenbring, a lifelong shepherd who raises Navajo-churro and Karakul sheep in Western Oregon, and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole. Mickey touches on the value of reading, the role of on-farm experiments, the need for a good veterinarian/client relationship, and learning from people we don't agree with.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Episode 325. She’s Raising Sheep: Mickey Willenbring of Oregon, Part 1
· Tools for Managing Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants: Copper Wire Particles
Other Resources:
· ...
Duration: 00:54:05She’s Raising Sheep: Mickey Willenbring of Oregon, Part 1
Oct 04, 2023Raising sheep can be a hobby or a business, a joy or a trial. And with the right intent and actions, it can also be a powerful way to heal ourselves and our relationship with the Earth. Listen as Mickey Willenbring, a lifelong shepherd who raises Navajo-Churro and Karakul sheep in Western Oregon, shares her shepherding journey and the wisdom she's gleaning along the way.
In the first of a two-part discussion with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole, Mickey touches on the shepherding challenges of parasites, predators, and marketing.
Related ATTRA Res...
Duration: 00:45:51Potassium from Past to Present
Sep 27, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater and her husband, Jeremy Prater – a cattle and meat goat farmer – explore the science and history of potassium. Potassium fertilizer prices have increased 45 percent in the past few years, and finding ways to reduce off-farm inputs of potassium can improve a farm’s bottom line. Nina and Jeremy discuss potassium in the soil and in plants as well as the human history around this element. They then share ways to manage soils sustainably and require less off-farm potassium fertilizer.
Related ATTRA Resources:
...
Duration: 00:55:10Connecting a Farmers Market and a Community
Sep 20, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Omar Rodriguez talks with his NCAT colleague Local Foods Specialist Molly Kirkham. Molly, who also manages the Dillon Farmers’ Market in Dillon, Montana, gives us a glimpse into the work required to make a farmers market operate smoothly and function as a place where the community can connect. She also discusses several important points for farmers to consider when evaluating whether farmers markets are a good marketing option for them.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Local Food Systems
· Farmers Markets
Other...
Meet NCAT: Tyler Jenkins on Carbon Farm Planning
Sep 13, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, we get to know one of our newest NCAT employees, Tyler Jenkins. Tyler is joining the NCAT team as a Carbon Farm Planner and will be working on our “Building Soil, Building Equity” project, as well as contributing to the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program. NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater talks with Tyler about his work before coming to NCAT, what he will be focused on as part of the NCAT team, and to how to make the perfect tomato sandwich.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· NCATReceives $30 Million to...
Duration: 00:41:44She’s Raising Sheep: Dr. Kathy Soder of Pennsylvania, Part 2
Sep 06, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field continues a conversation between NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole and Dr. Kathy Soder, who runs 125 Dorset ewes on 96 acres in Pennsylvania with her husband Ken and son Nathan. They cover a variety of issues, including predators, parasites, and profits in the discussion, which is part of ATTRA’s ongoing podcast series “She’s Raising Sheep.”
The link to the first part of the discussion is in the notes to this podcast, so be sure to check it out along with the rest of the “She’s Raising Sheep” series.
A...
She’s Raising Sheep: Dr. Kathy Soder of Pennsylvania, Part 1
Aug 30, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field continues ATTRA’s ongoing podcast series “She’s Raising Sheep.” In a conversation with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole, Dr. Kathy Soder discusses building a healthy, profitable flock of sheep no matter where you farm. Kathy, an animal scientist and ruminant nutritionist with decades of experience raising sheep in both Montana and Pennsylvania, runs 125 production Dorset ewes on 96 acres in Pennsylvania with her husband Ken and son Nathan.
Be sure to come back next time for the second part of the conversation, when Kathy and Linda turn their attention to paras...
Duration: 00:52:26Local Foods Directory Helps Find Farmers Markets, Create a Digital Marketing Strategy
Aug 23, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist and Montana Farmers Market Network Manager Tammy Howard talks with Erin Austin of the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) about its online Abundant Montana platform. Erin is the Director of Community Partners and Sales at AERO and Abundant Montana. She talks with Tammy about how new and existing farmers market vendors can use the platform as a vendor tool — from finding area farmers markets to creating a digital marketing strategy.
ATTRA Resources:
· Tips for Selling at Farmers Markets
· Farmers Market Pricing...
Duration: 00:26:13Farmers Markets – Supporting Farmers Behind the Scenes
Aug 16, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, Samantha O’Byrne, CEO of the O’Hara Commons & Sustainability Center farmers market in Hamilton, Montana, gives us a behind the scenes look at the role of a farmers market manager during a conversation with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Omar Rodriguez.
Key to Samantha’s management philosophy is a dedication to local foods and the desire to ensure that both the market and the farmers who offer their goods for sale succeed through mutual support and engagement.
This material is based upon work that is supported by the Nati...
Duration: 00:31:16Gardopia Gardens, a San Antonio Urban Farm
Aug 09, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field is a conversation centered around two organizations helping the community through sustainable agriculture and education in the San Antonio, Texas, area. Stephen Lucke of Gardopia Gardens in San Antonio's Gardopia Gardens and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan take a candid look at their organizations’ missions as well as the projects they have done and are doing – and how those projects impact the community.
ATTRA Resources:
· Community Gardening
· Local Food Systems
Other Resources:
· Gardopia Gardens
Contact Justin...
Duration: 00:31:16Meet NCAT’s New Executive Director, Fred Bahnson
Aug 02, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, we meet Fred Bahnson, NCAT’s new Executive Director. Fred tells us the story of the journey that led him to NCAT and talks with Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis about the strength of NCAT’s resources — and staff — and some of its many programs.
Related Resources:
· National Center for Appropriate Technology
· ATTRA
· Armed to Farm
· Soil for Water
· AgriSolar Clearinghouse
Contact Fred Bahnson and Mike Lewis at fredb@ncat.org and mikel@ncat.org
Please complete a brief...
Duration: 00:39:29Biochar and NCAT’s SIFT Farm
Jul 25, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Andrew Coggins and John Wallace talk about biochar and NCAT’s use of biochar in its Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training (SIFT) program.
John runs NCAT’s SIFT farm at the nonprofit’s headquarters in Butte, Montana.
SIFT does sustainable agriculture trials at the farm, including some that have focused
on biochar. John and Andrew talk about renewed interest in biochar as a means
of sequestering carbon and as a soil amendment and even a possible soil enhancement.
Related ATTRA Resource...
Duration: 00:28:33Meet NCAT: Cody Brown on Carbon Planning in Texas
Jul 19, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, we meet NCAT’s new carbon farm planner in Texas, Cody Brown. Cody’s friend — and now colleague — NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus talks with him about his background, the carbon planning work he is doing now, how producers can get involved in that work, and his hopes for the future.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Climate Solutions
· Episode 284. Carbon Farm Planning
· Episode 297. Digging into Texas’ First Carbon Farm Plan
· Carbon Farm Planning
Related NCAT Resources:
· Car...
Duration: 00:23:55New NCAT Irrigation Publications Demystify Water and Energy Savings
Jul 12, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Katherine Favor talks to NCAT Southwest Regional Director Mike Morris about a new series of irrigation guidebooks available from NCAT’s ATTRA program. Mike and Katherine discuss some common myths and misunderstandings about irrigation, the under-appreciated importance of soil health to irrigators, and some easy and inexpensive things every irrigator can do to save water, energy, and money.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· The Irrigator’s Pocket Guide
· The California Microirrigation Pocket Guide
· The Colorado Irrigator’s Pocket Guide
· The New Me...
Duration: 00:49:40More Than Food Grows at Community Gardens and Urban Farms
Jul 05, 2023Community gardens and urban farms provide more than just delicious, fresh food for surrounding neighborhoods. In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Felicia Bell and Nina Prater talk about what these two types of enterprises are and the differences between them, why they are so beneficial, what some of their challenges are, and what resources are available for folks interested in getting started in either community gardens or urban farms.
ATTRA Resources:
· Urban Agriculture
· Regenerating Damaged Soils on an Urban Farm
· Community Gardening
· Communit...
Duration: 00:58:39A Conversation with Organic Pioneer Bob Scowcroft
Jun 28, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Martin Guerena has a conversation with Bob Scowcroft, former Executive Director of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). Bob recounts his involvement in the organic movement, from working as an organizer with Friends of the Earth on pesticide reduction to organizing organic farmers in California and taking part in the development of the National Organic Program.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Organic Farming
· Episode 138. Organic Pioneer: Tom Willey
· A Conversation with Amigo Bob
Other Resource...
Duration: 00:43:06Cotton Fields to Pasture: Why Soil Health Matters with Bill Robertson
Jun 21, 2023Dr. Bill Robertson recently retired after a long career as the Cotton Extension Agronomist with the University of Arkansas Extension Service. He also worked for the National Cotton Council for a few years, focusing on improving the sustainability of cotton production. Bill and his wife, Carey, have a livestock farm where they raise sheep and many other livestock species using prescribed grazing techniques.
In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Nina Prater talks with Bill about how he came to understand soil health as essential to a profitable farm whether the farm is g...
Duration: 00:59:25How to Work with Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers
Jun 14, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, two NCAT staffers talk about their years of experience working with historically underserved farmers. Gulf States Regional Director Rockiell Woods and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell discuss who the USDA NRCS defines as historically underserved and some of the programs that are available to them. They also address topics that agriculture professionals might experience as they deal with historically underserved farmers, from a reluctance to make use of government programs to the need to respect the cultures many of the farmers come from.
Related ATTRA Resources:
<... Duration: 00:28:48The Big Picture and Nitty Gritty of Agrisolar
Jun 07, 2023
This episode is a conversation between NCAT Energy Program Director Stacie Peterson and Iain Ward, a farmer and founder of Solar Agricultural Services.
It is the sixth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.
Stacie and Iain discuss the potential of agrisolar as way to remove barriers to entry into farming, how agrisolar is shifting the solar industry to consider regenerative agriculture, practical considerations for getting started in agrisolar, Iain’s connection with Wendell Berry, and Wendell’s thoughts on co-locating solar and ag...
Duration: 00:46:22She’s Raising Sheep: Maryrose Livingston of New York, Part 2
May 31, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field is the second of a two-part conversation between Maryrose Livingston of Northland Sheep Dairy in New York and NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole. It is part of the podcast’s occasional “She’s Raising Sheep” series.
Maryrose and Linda give advice for those considering starting a sheep dairy, including ways to improve the bottom line by saving money whenever possible.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Episode 305. She’s Raising Sheep: Maryrose Livingston of New York
· Episode 244. She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana’s Denice Rackley
· E...
Duration: 00:34:44She's Raising Sheep: Maryrose Livingston of New York
May 24, 2023Despite a centuries-long tradition of sheep dairying in Eurasia, sheep dairies are rare in the United States. But burgeoning demand for artisanal sheep cheeses is prompting more shepherds launching dairy enterprises.
This episode of Voices from the Field is the first of a two-part conversation between Maryrose Livingston of Northland Sheep Dairy in New York — America's oldest sheep dairy — and NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole. It is part of the podcast’s occasional “She’s Raising Sheep” series.
Maryrose shares useful, funny, and sometimes painful lessons in her journey from suburban Detroit schoolgirl to being the she...
Duration: 00:46:35Phosphorus and the Beauty of Biology
May 17, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialists Nina Prater, Guy Ames, and Lee Rinehart explore the balancing act of managing phosphorus – a macro-nutrient essential for life.
Getting just the right amount of phosphorus without over-applying it is a tricky balance because of the unique way phosphorus interacts with the soil. Getting phosphorus fertilization right is also important for farm profitability since the price of phosphorus fertilizer has almost doubled in recent years.
And phosphorus can have highly detrimental effects if it runs off fields into lakes and streams, making managing phosphorus a cr...
Sharing the Journey with AgriSolar Consulting
May 10, 2023This episode is a conversation between NCAT Energy Program Director Stacie Peterson and Alexis Pascaris, executive director of AgriSolar Consulting.
It is the fifth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.
Alexis is a consultant and a stakeholder in the AgriSolar Clearinghouse. She and Stacie discuss the social aspects of agrisolar, including the concept of energy as a social matter with technological components, the importance of the cultural landscapes around agrisolar operations, and the “social license” to operate them. Alexis and Stacie also address...
Duration: 00:36:02Using Demonstration Farms as a Model
May 03, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field is a conversation with John Coleman, the manager of Alcorn State University’s demonstration farm. John and Rockiell Woods, director of NCAT’s Gulf States Office in Jackson, Mississippi, talk about the idea of beginning farmers modeling their operation after demonstration farms. They discuss labor costs, recordkeeping and GAP certification, choosing equipment, and selecting crops.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Farm Start Up
· Beginning Farmer Tutorials
Other Resources:
· Alcorn State University
· USDA Agricultural Research Service
· USDA Farm Service Agency
Contact R...
Duration: 00:19:41Learning from the Amskapi Piikani — Latrice Tatsey on Soils, Climate, and Culture, Part 2
Apr 26, 2023This episode of Voices from the Field is the second half of a conversation between Latrice Tatsey, a soil scientist, the cultural science lead, and the intern supervisor for the Piikani Lodge Health Institute of the Blackfeet Nation and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole.
Latrice focuses in this episode on the management practices her research has suggested and how she measures their success. You will find the link to the first half of the conversation in the notes below.
A rancher herself on the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, Latrice — whose Piikani name is...
Duration: 00:28:11Learning from the Amskapi Piikani — Latrice Tatsey on Soils, Climate, and Culture, Part 1
Apr 19, 2023Latrice Tatsey is a soil scientist, the cultural science lead, and the intern supervisor for the Piikani Lodge Health Institute of the Blackfeet Nation. A rancher herself on the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, Latrice — whose Piikani name is Buffalo Stone Woman — works with cattle and bison producers to improve the health of the land, the water, and the people where her relatives have lived since time immemorial.
This episode of Voices from the Field is the first half of a conversation Latrice has with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole about regenerative grazing, traditional knowledge, and b...
Duration: 00:39:31She's Raising Sheep: Wendy Auzqui of Wyoming
Apr 12, 2023What are the secrets to success in raising sheep? For Wyoming rancher, shepherd, and world champion stockdog trainer Wendy Auzqui, the answers lie in our attitudes, our powers of observation and communication, and our willingness to cooperate with nature rather than battle against it. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Wendy has a conversation with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole, focusing on raising Rambouillets on an integrated cattle, sheep, and hay ranch in the Northern Great Plains. They also talk about why our minds are like puppies, tell a story about the power of Pop-Tarts in...
Duration: 01:01:43Ag Professional Series with Brennan Washington of Southern SARE
Apr 05, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell continues her “Weekly Wednesday Workshop” webinar and podcast series by spotlighting the grants available from Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE).
Felicia enlists the help of Southern SARE’s 1890 Land Grant Institution Liaison Brennan Washington. He lays out the production and research grants producers could be eligible for, as well as other funding Southern SARE offers. Felicia and Brennan also give some tips about preparing to write a grant proposal and discuss other resources Southern SARE has available.
Related ATTRA Re...
Duration: 01:01:42Digging into Texas' First Carbon Farm Plan
Mar 29, 2023Episode 297. Digging into Texas' First Carbon Farm Plan
In this episode of Voices from the Field, we dig into Texas’ first Carbon Farm Plan with New Leaf Agriculture Farm Director Matt Simon, NCAT Climate and Agriculture Program Manager Elise Haschke, and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus.
Matt shares his “aha” moments in farming and his vision for ecological restoration and community-building on New Leaf’s 21-acre farm in Elgin, Texas.
Carbon Farm Planning is a comprehensive conservation planning framework that centers carbon as the organizing principle on working lands. With generous funding from a Sout...
Duration: 00:55:48Exploring the Rye Revival with Gary Zimmer
Mar 22, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis talks with Gary Zimmer, co-owner of Otter Creek Organic Farm in south-central Wisconsin and founder of Midwestern BioAg, a fertilizer company focused on biological and organic farming methods.
Gary is also a co-founder of Rye Revival, an organization that aims to bolster the use of rye. Gary and Mike talk about rye’s health benefits and its use as an animal feed and a cover crop.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Organic Small Grain Production Overview
· No-Till Case Study...
Duration: 00:27:30In the Pigpen with Mike and Linda, 20 Questions about Pastured Hogs
Mar 15, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis talks about pastured hogs based on his experience on his Kentucky farm, where he raises farrow-to-finish heritage hogs on pasture and in the woods.
NCAT Livestock Specialist Linda Coffey poses questions to Mike asked by her beginning farmer son, John, who plans to raise pastured hogs in Arkansas. Mike shares valuable tips about reducing feed cost, making the enterprise labor efficient, taking good care of the land, and starting small to figure out what your niche will be.
Many other practical topics ar...
Duration: 00:43:51Organic Production and the Climate
Mar 08, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist Jeff Schahczenski discusses the climate benefits of certified organic production systems with Dr. Amber Sciligo, Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center.
With training in systems-based research, Dr. Sciligo has worked closely with researchers, industry, farmers, and policymakers to identify organic research needs, and she has collaborated on a diverse range of research programs.
Some of those research topics include mitigating climate change, increasing the feasibility of integrating livestock into produce cropping systems, increasing the accessibility of equitable agricultural technology f...
Duration: 00:36:23AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 4: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies – Solar Pollinator Habitat
Mar 01, 2023This episode features a conversation between Stacie Peterson, NCAT’s Energy Program Director and Manager of the AgriSolar Clearinghouse, and Pete Berthelsen, Executive Director of The Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund and President of Conservation Blueprint.
It is the fourth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.
Pete and Stacie discuss the benefits of pollinator habitat at solar energy sites, pollinator habitat design, seed mixes, pollinator health and quality, and what anyone can do to help pollinators in their own backyard.
AgriS...
Duration: 00:34:00Don’t Leave It to Beavers, Dam It Yourself
Feb 22, 2023Here’s a fun fact. Before European settlement, as much as 10% of the continental U.S. was influenced by the presence of beaver dams. Although beavers have been displaced from much of their historic range, land managers don't have to be high and dry in their absence. More and more people are rehydrating their land by mimicking beavers to catch and hold more water.
In this episode of Voices from the Field, Aaron Clausen of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Montana rancher Amber Smith chat with NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole about constructing do-it-yourself beaver dam...
Duration: 00:55:53Una conversación sobre suelo con Patricio O'Neil
Feb 15, 2023En este episodio de Voices from the Field, Martin Guerena, especialista en agricultura sostenible de la oficina regional occidental de NCAT en Davis, California, habla con Patricio O'Neil de Soil Health Services en Alamosa, Colorado. Su conversación describe los cultivos característicos de la región del valle de San Luis Colorado, la sequía de la región y sus desafíos, prácticas para mejorar la salud del suelo y el secuestro de carbono por medio de cultivos de cobertura, la composta dominada por hongos y la rotación de cultivos. También habla sobre el Parque Ag...
Duration: 00:38:49Highlights from the Field, 2022
Feb 08, 2023This special edition of Voices from the Field takes a look back at some highlights from the podcast during 2022. It was a great year for Voices from the Field, with 50 interesting conversations and loads of practical information running the gamut of sustainable-agriculture topics.
We’re honored that Voices from the Field has become a trusted source of information about sustainable agriculture and renewable energy since it began more than five years ago, with thousands of subscribers adding it to their weekly downloads.
Featured Podcasts:
· Episode 258. Everything Old is New Again, Exploring Indigenous...
Duration: 00:51:40AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 3: Lexie Hain — Sheep and Solar a Match
Feb 01, 2023This episode features a conversation between Stacie Peterson, NCAT’s Energy Program Director and Manager of the AgriSolar Clearinghouse, and Lexie Hain, the country’s leading solar grazing expert.
It is the third in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.
Lexie is a farmer, solar grazer, and the Director of Agrivoltaics at Lightsource BP. She co-founded the American Solar Grazing Association and is a stakeholder in the AgriSolar Clearinghouse. She also coined the term solar grazing.
Lexie and Stacie discuss th...
Using the Abundant Montana Local Food Directory as a Marketing Strategy
Jan 25, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Horticulture Specialist Tammy Howard talks with Drew Shanafelt, Director of Abundant Montana. Abundant Montana has been a local foods directory staple in Montana since the 1990s. In recent years, it has evolved from being a static directory to a dynamic multimedia resource for consumers, food suppliers, and producers. In this conversation, Tammy and Drew talk about how producers can use Abundant Montana as a resource in their marketing and outreach to consumers.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Tips for Selling at Farmers Markets
· Farm Branding: Selli...
Duration: 00:36:29Uber for Tomatoes: Could 'Crowdshipping' Solve Food Transportation Problems for Small Farms?
Jan 18, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, we meet Dr. Carolyn Krejci, an industrial engineer and expert on supply-chain management at the University of Texas at Arlington who is designing surprising new ways of supporting local and regional food systems.
She and NCAT Southwest Regional Director Mike Morris sit down to discuss her pioneering research on food transportation and the ingenious new “crowdshipping” phone app she and her team recently created for matching small farms with drivers who are willing to deliver farm products to urban markets. Could a ride-sharing system for food products expand markets and i...
Duration: 00:55:10What is Biochar?
Jan 11, 2023In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Luz Ballesteros talks with Michael Navarro of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley about his biochar research. Michael, working with biochar created from grapefruit peels, is examining its ability to remediate soils that have been contaminated with heavy metals.
Luz and Michael also talk about the ways biochar is used in agriculture, such as water filtration and seed coating, and other ways it may be used in the future. They also discuss nuts-and-bolt issues such as its availability for producers.
...
AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 2: Keeping Family Farms in Family Hands with AgriSolar in Massachusetts
Jan 04, 2023This episode is a conversation between Stacie Peterson, NCAT’s Energy Program Director and Manager of the AgriSolar Clearinghouse, and Nate Tassinari, the owner of Million Little Sunbeams, a third-generation hay farm in Monson, Massachusetts.
It is the second in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.
Nate’s hay operation is a 1-acre farm co-located with a solar array that generates 250 kilowatts of power. It is centrally located among a network of family farms and has solar panels that are elevated 10 feet above th...
Carbon Farm Planning
Dec 28, 2022Lynette Niebrugge, Associate Director of Education and Training at the Carbon Cycle Institute (CCI), and Loren Poncia, co-owner of Stemple Creek Ranch in Tomales, California, broke new ground with one of CCI’s first Carbon Farm Plans almost a decade ago.
In this episode of Voices from the Field, Lynette and Loren speak with NCAT Climate and Agriculture Program Manager Elise Haschke about what it means to approach conservation planning through a carbon lens. They also share the process for developing a Carbon Farm Plan for individual farms and ranches, as well as the many co-benefits associated with...
Duration: 00:32:46The Real Story Behind the Real Organic Project
Dec 14, 2022How is organic farming changing in America? Should soil-free hydroponic produce be certified as organic? And why have 1,100 certified-organic farms started adding a Real Organic label to the familiar green USDA Organic label? In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Southwest Regional Director Mike Morris sits down with Linley Dixon, Co-Director of the Real Organic Project, for a conversation about integrity, soil, transparency, and changes happening within the organic movement.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· Takeaways from the Real Organic Symposium
· Organic Farming
· Organic Regulations
· Organic Certification
Other Resources: ...