…However, frequent mechanical tillage can reduce soil integrity, which increases costs for farmers and negatively impacts future crop growth. Now, Montana State University (MSU) researchers are studying an alternate technique…
Water, Markets Complicate Farms’ Planting Plans
…about each crop’s water needs based on locations, soil conditions, age and varieties of the trees,” he said. Federal and state water projects, and a number of local water agencies,…
Worms Make Winery More Sustainable
…in spite of seasonal fluctuations in wastewater flow like those seen in the wine industry, and generates compost-enhancing castings from worm digestion, returning nutrients to the soil. Working with Worms…
Veteran Serves Escondido Ag Community
…farming systems rely on preventative practices to control weeds, insects and disease and uses natural methods to manage problems if they arise. Organic methods also help improve soil and water…
Climate Change Bill Moves Forward
…Soils Program to support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural operations and increase carbon sequestration, or storage, in agricultural soil. Benefits to increased health of agricultural soils include…
Unique Gardens
…installed with lightweight soil, a bit of mulch, and voila. It does take some effort to get the ball rolling on these things — checking rental regulations, investigating the building’s…
High Tunnel System Initiative
The High Tunnel System is a conservation practice available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This practice helps producers: Extend the growing season Improve plant quality and soil quality…
Near Normal Snowpack in Most of the West
…mitigate the effects of drought and prepare against future weather events. These practices enable farmers and ranchers to use water more efficiently as well as boost the health of soil,…
Agri View: Foreign Vegetables
…with the exception of the Red River Valley, for example, generally has poor soil conditions. The region is hilly with thin topsoil, and the land is quite fragile. The only…
Treatments to Begin for the Japanese Beetle
…cells two to four inches below the soil surface. Each female may lay 40 to 60 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs hatch in 10 to 14 days. Larvae feed on…
National Beer Day
…find a place to settle where the farmland would be rich and the climate congenial. Instead, they found themselves struggling with the stony soil and harsh winters of New England…
The Western View: Carbon Farming
…the soil. it holds nutrients for the plants and retains water, among other things. Carbon farming is an intentional maximizing of the amount of carbon placed in the soil. It’s…
Keyhole Garden
…next a bit of compost, next petroleum-free newspaper, manure, worms, wood ash, straw, topsoil. Repeat, compost, straw, topsoil or some such combination until you reach desired height. The Keyhole Design…
Agri View: Farmland Value
…can affect the financial well-being of agricultural producers. This report examines both macroeconomic (interest rates, prices of alternative investments) and parcel-specific (soil quality, government payments, proximity to urban areas) factors…