The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend our week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) training. ATF allows veterans and their spouses to experience sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and explore agriculture as a viable career. About Armed to Farm ATF’s engaging blend of farm tours,… Read More >
The following blog is an excerpt from a soon-to-be completed publication on pruning fruit trees by NCAT Horticulture Specialist Guy Ames (right). Given the season—time to prune!—we wanted to get this out to our clients. You can contact Guy or our other horticulture specialists with questions about fruit tree production by emailing askanag@ncat.org or calling… Read More >
NCAT Southeast agriculture specialists Margo Hale, Linda Coffey, Guy Ames, Nina Prater, and Luke Freeman made the (relatively) short trip from Fayetteville to Little Rock, Arkansas, last month for the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) Conference. Following is a reflection on their experience at this popular annual event. The SSAWG Conference draws a very… Read More >
As agriculture specialists, we tend to spend a lot of our time at the front of the room teaching at workshops or conferences but this winter we’ve had a chance to listen and take notes ourselves. In January, NCAT Gulf States staff Rockiell Woods, Felicia Bell, Liz Broussard, and Sam Humphrey organized the first two… Read More >
Internal parasites are the worst health problem for small ruminants, and can be devastating to a flock or herd. It is possible to combat this persistent enemy, though! ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture and Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) are teaming up to offer a three-part webinar series that will teach producers tools and strategies to… Read More >
Applications due February 28th, 2019 The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend our Armed to Farm (ATF) training in Bozeman, Montana, set for April 8 through 12. The week-long ATF training gives veterans and their spouses an opportunity to see sustainable, profitable, small-scale farming… Read More >
High tunnel production had top billing at the recent Arkansas-Oklahoma Horticulture Industries Show held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in January. NCAT’s Horticulture Specialist Luke Freeman helped lead a pre-conference tour of high tunnels at the University of Arkansas Research Farm on Thursday, January 3. Several presenters discussed high tunnel fruit and vegetable production during the conference… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is excited to announce that applications are open for incubator farm plots through our Woolsey Farm Project! Spearheaded by NCAT Southeast’s Luke Freeman, the Woolsey Farm Project is a collaboration between NCAT, Cobblestone Farms, and the City of Fayetteville. The project aims to provide beginning farmers with access… Read More >
2018 was a full year for us. Join NCAT Northeast Regional Director Andy Pressman as he takes a short look at some of our major successes and what we have in store for the coming years. Read More >
Are you headed to the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s (SSAWG) annual conference in Little Rock, Arkansas later this week? Almost all of the NCAT Southeast staff will be there! Margo Hale, Linda Coffey, Guy Ames, and Luke Freeman will speak at concurrent general conference sessions on Friday. On Saturday, Margo and Linda will facilitate… Read More >
For the past 43 years, NCAT has helped Americans develop sustainable agriculture, build community food systems, and create local energy solutions. Now we’re looking to the future, and we want to hear from you. Please help us help you more effectively! NCAT is working with an independent communications firm to conduct a short survey to… Read More >
Thinking ahead to your New Year’s resolutions? Add attending the Oklahoma & Arkansas Horticulture Industries Show (HIS) in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to the list! Join NCAT Horticulture Specialists Guy Ames and Luke Freeman at this popular event on January 4 and 5, 2019. Each year, HIS brings dozens of speakers together to provide regionally-appropriate information on specialty… Read More >
NCAT Southeast Livestock Specialist Linda Coffey traveled to Kirksville, Missouri, last week for the very popular Missouri Livestock Symposium, which draws thousands of attendees from across the U.S. Linda shares her reflections on the trip below. Friday Evening Activities and Keynote I enjoyed representing NCAT at the Missouri Livestock Symposium. As usual, a great crowd… Read More >
NCAT Southeast Regional Director Margo Hale and Armed to Farm Coordinator Robyn Metzger recently traveled to Kansas City for the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) Stakeholders Conference. Following is their report on the trip. From November 14-17, we joined hundreds of farmer-veterans, representatives from government agencies, and other support organizations at the FVC Stakeholders Conference. These… Read More >
Local farms play a critical role in increasing healthy food access for urban and rural communities alike. An upcoming workshop in Jackson, MS, will be highlighting opportunities in urban farming, backyard production, and marketing direct to consumers and restaurants, as well as other related topics. The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), with the support… Read More >
Farm Manager Sam Humphrey has been transitioning from summer crops to fall crops for weeks now. It is a slow process as summer crops gradually taper off. Meanwhile the fall crops that thrive in cooler weather make the journey from seed to transplant to field. Sam has pulled out the tomatoes that he painstakingly grew… Read More >
Our Energy Services team is working with the Montana Facility Finance Authority (MFFA) to help nonprofit hospitals, clinics, senior living facilities, group homes, and pre-release centers become more energy efficient. MFFA is providing grants of up to $15,000 to these nonprofits so that our professional staff can conduct an energy audit of your facility. NCAT… Read More >
Producers can add value to raw agricultural products in a multitude of ways such as drying or canning, but often this requires an upfront investment in materials, processing equipment, or marketing that can be difficult to fund. This is where a USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) can help, but the application process can be daunting. … Read More >
Back in the heat of August, around 30 farmers convened at the 34th Street Wholistic Garden & Education Center in Gulfport, MS, for a hands-on workshop titled “Growing in the City.” Gulf States Regional Director Rock Woods and Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell joined with 34th Street’s Executive Director, Mr. James Franklin, to lead this one-day workshop,… Read More >
Farms come in all types and sizes, from hundreds of acres to tens of square feet. Knowing what tools are the best fit for your purpose, scale of operation, and budget can be hard. An upcoming workshop in Mound Bayou, MS, will be focused on how to select the right equipment for a wide range… Read More >
NCAT’s own Jeff Schahczenski, agriculture and economics specialist, published an article about biochar and organic agriculture that was featured in the Organic Farmer magazine. Jeff writes that biochar in agriculture has become a “movement” but points out the difficulties in even establishing a definition for it. “The range of topics and issues surrounding biochar are… Read More >
NCAT Horticulture Specialist Guy Ames has operated Ames Orchard & Nursery since 1983. In this guest post, he shares his hard-earned wisdom on strategies for dealing with apple tree borers. ORGANIC APPLE PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES has many challenges, and controlling trunk borers is one of the most serious. Left unchallenged, borers can… Read More >
Steve Thompson has been named the new Executive Director for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Thompson replaces Kathleen Hadley, who has served as the organization’s leader since 1997 and on staff for over 30 years. Ms. Hadley, who is retiring, will remain in an advisory role for the organization for the near future.… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the University of Arkansas are teaming up to offer a workshop for beginning livestock farmers on Thursday, October 18, 2018. The workshop will take place at The Farm at Barefoot Bend in Lonsdale, Arkansas, which is located between Little Rock and Hot Springs. NCAT Southeast Regional Director Margo Hale and… Read More >
Are you ready to take your farm to the next level? The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from farmers who would like to participate in the “Taking Your Farm to the Next Level” training course. This six-part course will equip farmers and ranchers with the business and financial management skills… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology’s Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative – which includes Mileston Cooperative, Choctaw Fresh Produce, Mississippi Farm to School Network, FoodCorps, and the Steps Coalition – hosted a two-day gathering of current and emerging leaders who are passionate about further building equitable Mississippi food systems. On June 27-28, a cohort of 36… Read More >
On Wednesday, October 10, NCAT agriculture specialists Luke Freeman and Andy Pressman will team up with educators from the University of Arkansas and Heifer USA to present Scaling up Your Produce Farm: Postharvest Handling for Intermediated Markets. This one-day workshop is designed to help fruit and vegetable growers enter new markets. Workshop Details This on-farm workshop will… Read More >
In partnership with the United States Botanic Garden (USBG), NCAT is bringing the week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) training to Washington, D.C., for a special event focused on urban farming. Armed to Urban Farm will give veterans an opportunity to see sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and learn about urban farming as a viable career.… Read More >
Spring is well underway at the Mississippi NCAT Demonstration Farm! New to our operation this year is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. This is basically a subscription program: Customers sign up for a weekly veggie box delivery, lasting 12-weeks. Sam Humphrey, farm manager, has delivered this to customers for four weeks so far, and… Read More >
Wondering how to get started with social media on your farm? Looking for ways to improve your social media skills? Join Lauren Manning, partner at Ozark Pasture Beef in Fayetteville, AR, and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Luke Freeman as they present a FREE webinar on social media marketing for farms. This hour-long webinar begins at 12:00… Read More >
We are recruiting now for members to begin service in October 2018. We invite you to check out our Available Positions, page. There you’ll find several open opportunities that we hope will inspire you. The Energy Corps AmeriCorps program was created to address unmet community energy needs by promoting sustainable energy consumption and education, fostering… Read More >
Join us for an exclusive screening, hosted by NCAT, of the Sundance Films documentary LOOK & SEE, a cinematic portrait of American farmer and writer Wendell Berry, on Tuesday, June 5, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Star Theater in Whitehall, Montana. Wendell Berry is one of America’s most significant living writers. The documentary captures… Read More >
At a Small Ruminants workshop NCAT held in 2016, Mississippi goat producer Mr. Dewayne Smith spoke to the attendees about the learning curve for farming. He said, “No matter what we’re talking about, you cannot skip a step, you cannot find a shortcut. A shortcut will cost you in the end. You have got to… Read More >
NCAT’s Armed to Farm program gives military veterans and their partners an opportunity to explore the realities of profitable, small-scale, regenerative farming as a viable career. These intensive trainings bring veterans to the farm to get their hands dirty and feel what it’s like to operate diverse agricultural enterprises. Since 2010, NCAT has partnered with… Read More >
Published every Wednesday, the Weekly Harvest e-newsletter is a Web digest of sustainable agriculture news, resources, events and funding opportunities gleaned from the Internet. It has all the news you need to keep your operation sustainable and profitable. You can check out past issues on our ATTRA Sustainable Ag site, and sign up to receive… Read More >
More than 900 people made it to the “Our Farms, Our Future” conference in St. Louis – a celebration of the 30th anniversaries of both NCAT’s ATTRA Sustainable Ag program and USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). And the crowd included a hearty sprinkling of NCAT folks: Guy Ames, Devona Bell, Felicia Bell, Linda… Read More >
Deadline to Apply is April 27 The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is bringing its Armed to Farm training to New Hampshire. Armed to Farm gives military veterans an opportunity to learn about transitioning to a farming life. Armed to Farm combines engaging classroom sessions with farm tours and hands-on activities. Participants learn about… Read More >
A Beginning Farmer Training NCAT Northeast Regional Office Director Andy Pressman is teaming up with Growing Warriors, the Kentucky AgrAbility Project, and Kentucky State University (KSU) to present Cultivating Accessible Opportunities for Veterans in Agriculture. This FREE, one-day workshop will take place April 14 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the KSU Research Farm,… Read More >
FoodCorps Mississippi service members participated in National Day of Service events across Mississippi on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and at one service site, 34th Street Wholistic Gardens and Education Center, over fifty volunteers rallied to make major headway on increasing available growing space. There were raised garden beds to be filled and a hoop… Read More >
NCAT was excited to partner with the Alliance of Sustainable Farms to host a workshop at our demonstration farm at The Piney Woods School (PWS) on Friday, December 15. Approximately 35 farmers attended this one-day workshop to learn about small farm equipment, cover crops, hoop house production, and farm to school programs. Sam Humphrey, NCAT’s demonstration… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is bringing the week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) training to California for the first time. ATF gives veterans an opportunity to see sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and examine farming as a viable career. ATF combines engaging classroom sessions with farm tours and hands-on activities. Participants learn about… Read More >
NCAT Southeast staff members Linda Coffey and Margo Hale teamed up with Ozark Pasture Beef (OPB) business partners Ann Wells and Ron Morrow to host a Producing and Marketing Grass-finished Beef and Lamb workshop on Thursday, October 19, in Fayetteville, AR. Ron was state grazing lands specialist with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in… Read More >
A crew of NCAT energy engineers, program specialists, and Energy Corps AmeriCorps members headed to the University of Montana Western campus in Dillon, Montana, recently to conduct a campus-wide audit of lighting. The team members assessed interior and exterior lighting in more than 20 buildings and common areas. The goal of the project is to… Read More >
Annual Southern SAWG conference focuses on practical advice for farmers. Limited scholarships are available for military veterans who would like to attend Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s (SAWG) annual Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference. Learn more → Read More >
Eleven FoodCorps Arkansas service members are serving in 19 schools in the state during the 2017-2018 school year. The group came together, along with FoodCorps Arkansas Fellow Amy Joens and NCAT staff members, for a state orientation September 18-20, 2017. One Part Classroom, One Part Kitchen The group spent their first day of training at… Read More >
Calling Mississippi Farmers! The Mississippi Farm to Cafeteria Conference is almost here, and NCAT invites farmers to a special pre-conference event. The evening before the conference, October 11th, from 4 to 7 p.m., NCAT is hosting a pre-conference mini-workshop and reception for farmers. The event, held at Foot Print Farms, 4945 South Drive, Jackson, MS… Read More >
Join NCAT and the farmers of Ozark Pasture Beef for a one-day workshop focused on producing and marketing grass-finished beef and lamb. Business partners Ron Morrow and Ann Wells of Ozark Pasture Beef are highly experienced farmers, grazing managers, animal handlers, marketers, and educators, and will share a wealth of information with participants. Activities will… Read More >
NCAT Southeast’s Regional Director Margo Hale had a busy August traveling to the Northeast, where she joined NCAT’s Northeast Regional Director Andy Pressman in facilitating two Armed to Farm events. Read on for Margo’s report about how she spent part of her summer. Queensbury, New York, July 31-August 4 Twenty-five attendees from all over New… Read More >
Interested in a career in residential energy efficiency and building performance? Here’s your chance to learn about energy-related design elements and equipment for an energy-efficient home and prepare to become a certified Home Energy Rater (HERS). NCAT is offering a week-long comprehensive residential energy efficiency and building performance training based on RESNET Home Energy Rater… Read More >
Gulf States Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell stepped out of the field and into the kitchen on August 12 to teach a class on healthy cooking. Her students were farmers from the Mileston Cooperative as well as local families, who joined Felicia to learn some cooking techniques to prepare fresh, simple, healthy meals. This event, arranged… Read More >
NCAT’s Gulf States demonstration farm has been producing a bumper crop of different varieties of peppers this summer, and on September 7, the students of The Piney Woods School got to enjoy some for lunch in their cafeteria. This all came together because of the work of FoodCorps alumna, Sara Hazelnis, who has been hired as… Read More >
Guest Post by NCAT Horticulture Specialist Luke Freeman In August I visited Caston’s Blueberry Farm in Onia, Arkansas, for a food safety training that focused on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification and preparing farmers for a GAP audit. Many produce growers in the state are becoming interested in GAP certification as large buyers are starting… Read More >
The NCAT Gulf States team has been working hard to establish the demonstration farm this year, so we added another member to our team for the season. NCAT intern Lashayda Sandifer, senior at Tougaloo College in Jackson, MS, has been helping farm manager Sam Humphrey keep up with the many summer tasks that need to… Read More >
Read the original story and see the video here. Story by Alyssa Thurlow of WABI. MONROE, Maine (WABI) “We have a saying in our family, better be lucky than good because we didn’t know half of what Maine does for it’s farmers.” From the military to farming, you could say the owners of Chase Stream… Read More >
Calling all growers: Help create a more level crop insurance playing field by taking a 20-minute survey at www.ncat.org/cropinsurance. Background: Crop insurance not only helps farms and ranches survive weather-related losses, but is required for many loans. The 2014 Farm Bill required the USDA to create new insurance products tailored to the needs of organic,… Read More >
Thanks to a financial contribution from an anonymous donor, we recently purchased a pickup truck for use on our small-scale demonstration farm behind our headquarters in Butte, Montana. We bought a used but well-kept Ford Ranger as well as a flatbed trailer. According to John Wallace, our demonstration farm manager, the truck is a most… Read More >
Please Note: Applications are no longer being accepted. The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend our week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) Training. ATF allows veterans and their spouses to experience sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and explore agriculture as a viable career. ATF’s engaging… Read More >
An Energy Corps AmeriCorps member can bring vitality and enthusiasm to your clean energy or environmental project, and NCAT is now accepting applications from organizations in Montana interested in hosting a member. Energy Corps members are motivated and committed individuals who help with projects involving energy education and outreach, hands-on energy assistance, and community energy… Read More >
Welcome to the summer edition of NCAT Southeast’s newsletter, The Dirt! We hope you’re enjoying this season of garden-fresh veggies and fruit, longer days, and bright sunshine. We’ve been busy in the office producing podcasts, publications, and tutorials, but we’ve also had a chance to get outside for some fun workshops—read about them below. You… Read More >
We recently trained our largest Armed to Farm class since the program began in 2013: 30 veterans from 15 states spent June 12-16 in Fayetteville, AR, learning about small-scale sustainable farming. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what we do all week, check out our detailed recap below! Monday: We spent the morning in the classroom,… Read More >
In 2011, Eric Grandon was searching his land for an answer. Eric served nearly 20 years in the Army, completing six deployments to the Middle East including combat tours during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom II. In 2011, Eric found himself in the middle of a PTSD flashback that left him unable to… Read More >
After a busy spring of preparations, demonstration farm manager Sam Humphrey got to enjoy the satisfaction of a harvest this week. He picked the first of his crop of banana peppers and says they tasted delicious! He is closely watching the tomatoes as they set fruit and the other varieties of peppers he planted, anticipating… Read More >
Regional Director Rockiell Woods is finishing up a series of workshops for Mississippi farmers and ranchers this month, teaching producers about financial opportunities that they might have been unaware of, or that might have seemed unattainable. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers financial assistance to farmers nationwide, but many farmers are either unaware of… Read More >
Let Energy Corps help! NCAT is now accepting applications from organizations in Montana interested in hosting an Energy Corps AmeriCorps member. An Energy Corps member can bring energy and enthusiasm to your clean energy or environmental project. Here are some of the ways Energy Corps members can make it happen: Help Low-Income Folks with Weatherization… Read More >
Fresh Updates From NCAT’s Sustainable Agriculture and Energy Staff It’s going to be another lovely summer in Montana, and our staff at the National Center for Appropriate Technology are making the most of the sunshine and long hours to promote healthy, local foods and energy efficiency for all of the state. Read on to catch… Read More >
The 2017 Census of Agriculture, a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches, and those who operate them, will be mailed at the end of this year. The Census is conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Producers who are new to farming or did not receive a… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology will hold its Annual Spring Plant Sale Thursday, June 8th in the NCAT’s North parking lot from 3pm to 5:30pm. Healing Waters will be joining us again this year with flowers and more selection. Available Varieties Tomatoes: Cherry Golden Nugget (56 days) Produces a very mild and sweet flavor… Read More >
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 10:00am to 6:00pm NCAT Headquarters 3040 Continental Drive Butte Montana NCAT will host its annual electronics recycling event. It will be held in the parking lot on the north side of our building, located at 3040 Continental Drive in Butte. [map] New for 2017 All CRT (tube-type, non-flatscreen) computer monitors and… Read More >
Good News from NCAT’s Gulf States Region! We were given a truck! A huge thank you to Patty Peck Honda for donating a truck to be used at the demonstration farm! Their generosity will help our team get things rolling on the farm this spring! NCAT Demonstration Farm Anticipation, hope, and determination are in the… Read More >
World seafood production is increasing, with a large percentage coming from the harvest of fish and shellfish in both wild caught fisheries and aquaculture. As human population increases more pressure will be placed on our oceans for seafood protein. To meet this need, it is crucial that we foster ecological and regenerative systems to produce… Read More >
Fresh-produce farmers will be able to see and experience practical on-farm solutions to developing their food safety plans this summer at two farm-based food safety trainings. These workshops are designed for fresh-produce growers who want to enter into wholesale markets that may require a food safety plan, or for producers who are curious about the… Read More >
With support from the Southern Extension Risk Management Center and Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, NCAT and Heifer International are offering a double-header of workshops for vegetable producers. These events will help you hone your production and business management skills to improve your operation’s efficiency and profitability. Day 1 — Planning for Success: Sustainable… Read More >
LIHEAP was designed to address energy crises and target vulnerable populations most susceptible to extreme heat and cold. In 2016, the program served more than 6 million households with home heating and cooling assistance, weatherization, and/or energy-related low-cost home repairs or replacements. More than 70 percent of LIHEAP households had at least one person that… Read More >
The 3rd Annual Latino Farmer Conference will be held Tuesday, November 7, 2017, in Palm Desert, California. NCAT and NRCS are excited to hold this unique event in Southern California, and we look forward to seeing you there! Please check our Facebook page and website for more details as they become available. Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend our week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) Training. ATF allows veterans and their spouses to experience sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and explore agriculture as a viable career. ATF’s engaging blend of farm tours, hands-on experience, and interactive… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend our week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) Training. ATF allows veterans and their spouses to experience sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and explore agriculture as a viable career. Armed to Farm will take place June 12-16, 2017, in… Read More >
Great Advertising for Producers The Farm to Cafeteria Network maintains a database on our webpage of both producers and institutions that are engaged in local procurement. Currently, we’re working in collaboration with Alternative Energy Resource Organization’s (AERO) Abundant Montana project to combine our mapping efforts and generate one comprehensive service. A go-to resource for farmer’s… Read More >
NCAT is a Seed-Sharer level co-sponsor of the Earth Day Expo in Helena. Sunday, April 23 11am – 3pm Carroll College PE Center Community workshops Interactive displays, educational materials, and giveaways from 40+ local organizations and businesses Food truck and live music Electronics recycling Activities for kids and adults Visit aeromt.org/earthday/ for more information. Read More >
Register Now for Arkansas Farm to School Summit NCAT and FoodCorps Arkansas, with support from Van Buren Public Schools, are hosting “Arkansas Farm to School Summit: Growing Together” on March 15, 2017 at King Elementary School in Van Buren, Arkansas. The event will last from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arkansas teachers, school nutrition staff,… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) hosted a free, one-hour webinar for farmers and ranchers about selling to schools, hospitals, and other institutions. The webinar may be viewed here. Institutions in Montana represent a huge, but largely untapped market for our farmers and ranchers. The webinar will address the major concerns about working with… Read More >
Certificates are now available upon successful completion of several of ATTRA Project’s tutorials. Topics include Scaling Up for Regional Markets and Farm Energy Efficiency. We will be adding more titles so check back frequently. Take a look. Read More >
Gulf States Activities Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative: Establishing Partnership Fourteen people representing the six groups that form the Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative gathered for their first in-person meeting in Jackson on December 13. The groups that make up the Collaborative include the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Asian Americans for Change, FoodCorps, Mileston Cooperative… Read More >
Arkansas teachers, school nutrition staff, farmers, and parents, would you like to: Learn about using garden activities to teach your students? Serve local food in the school cafeteria? Sell your farm products to a school? Help your school adopt a healthy environment? Then this training is for you! The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)… Read More >
Fourteen people representing the six groups that form the Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative gathered for their first in-person meeting in Jackson, Mississippi on December 13, 2016. The groups that make up the Collaborative include the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Asian Americans for Change, FoodCorps, Mileston Cooperative Association, Mississippi Farm to School Network, and… Read More >
This spring, we’ll be getting our hands dirty as we start the first growing season at the Gulf States Region Demonstration Farm, and NCAT welcomes Sam Humphrey, who has been hired to manage this new project. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, much of Sam’s childhood was spent playing in the outdoors (i.e., following the great… Read More >
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that extreme cold weather caused more than 13,400 hypothermia deaths between 2003 and 2013. The people most at risk for weather related deaths include populations identified as vulnerable populations by LIHEAP – the elderly, disabled, and young children. The flexibility provided by LIHEAP’s block-grant structure can be… Read More >
Montana FoodCorps member Graham Schreiber had a once-in-a-lifetime experience last month when he joined members of the Blackfeet tribe in Browning to harvest a bison. As Graham writes, bison were a primary food source for many Northern Plains Native Americans, including the Blackfoot Confederacy. Referred to as iinníí in the Blackfeet language, bison also provided… Read More >
Excerpt taken from The Dirt Southwest Newsletter Now in its second year, NCAT’s Soil for Water initiative has already taught over 150 people, mostly landowners, how to build healthy soils that catch and hold more rainwater. In the late spring and summer our research team, led by students and faculty from Texas State University, set… Read More >
Join NCAT Agriculture Specialists Lee Rinehart and Andy Pressman at the Kentucky State University Third Thursday Thing to learn farm planning strategies that can lower risks, increase profits, and improve production. The workshop will take place on Jan. 19 in Frankfort, KY, and will partially coincide with a workshop scheduled on growing grapes. Attendees at… Read More >
The National Center for Appropriate Technology’s video, A Culture of Health: Farm to Hospital in Montana, will premiere at the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest on January 21 in Polson, Montana. Read More >
University of Montana students Douglas Simpson and James Drysdale talk with Gov. Steve Bullock and other attendees about goals and strategies for boosting the state’s economy through sustainable and value-added ag production during the Governor’s Local Food and Agriculture Summit at Montana State University in October 2016. Watch the video here. Read More >
View the webinar here. Scaling up to meet the demands of wholesale or institutional markets requires careful planning and recordkeeping. NCAT Agriculture Specialist Luke Freeman will present a webinar on Dec. 14 to introduce strategies for crop planning. The free webinar will begin at noon EST/11 a.m. CST and will last one hour. The webinar… Read More >
Gulf States Regional Office Director Rockiell Woods spent the day with elementary school students at the 4-H National Youth Science Day on October 5th at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The theme this year was “Drone Discovery” Engineering Design Challenge. This annual event is designed to “spark an early youth interest and leadership” in topics… Read More >
The ATTRAGRAM photo contest, held in conjunction with NCAT’s 40th anniversary celebrations, is over and the winners have been chosen. Award-winning photojournalist Walter Hinick and NCAT staff judged the contest, and the public was invited to vote on the photos as well for a “People’s Choice” award. The winning photo in each category was awarded… Read More >
NCAT has released a new report, Who Are the Organic Farmers of Texas? The report reviews all USDA data, including newly available reports and tools, to arrive at an accurate picture of the number, location, and types of organic farms in Texas. Although Texas is a national leader in organic cotton, rice, and peanut production,… Read More >
NCAT agriculture specialists Pame Wolfe and Thea Rittenhouse co-taught a workshop in August about organic certification for crops and livestock at the Center for Land Based Learning in Winters, CA. Approximately 20 beginning farmer apprentices learned how to become a certified organic farm operation. This workshop was taught as a component of the Growing Roots Project,… Read More >
NCAT’s Gulf States Regional Office Director Rock Woods and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell have had the opportunity to discuss an important but often overlooked aspect of agriculture with farmers throughout the south this spring and summer: risk management. While not as flashy a topic as the latest and greatest seed variety or tractor model,… Read More >
NCAT specialist Rex Dufour traveled to Stockton, CA to the Boggs Tract Community Farm on April 18 and April 20 to conduct 2 part classroom and field course on Pest & Beneficial Identification and Management. For the classroom component, Rex focused on talking about basic approaches to pest management—understanding the types of damage that chewing… Read More >
Monday, August 08, 2016 – Friday, August 12, 2016 NCAT’s week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) Training gives military veterans and their spouses an opportunity to see sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and examine farming as a viable career. To be held in Hamilton, New York, this training is free to military veterans and their spouses.… Read More >
Farm Foundations: Planning for Success Southeast Regional Director Margo Hale traveled to Kentucky to help conduct a workshop for beginning farmers on Saturday, May 21. Margo teamed up with Program Specialist Andy Pressman from NCAT’s Northeast office, Mike Lewis of Growing Warriors, and Dr. Shawn Lucas of St. Catharine College’s Berry Farming Program to present… Read More >