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 >
As part of our 40th anniversary celebration, we held a photo contest celebrating the beauty of sustainable agriculture. See the photos here. Read More >
May is always the beginning of the farm season in Northern California. NCAT tries to visit different farms this time of the year to provide technical assistance and training for many different types of farmers. These visits help us understand more and learn about current trends in sustainable agriculture. Recently, Pamela Wolfe, NCAT livestock specialist,… Read More >
The NCAT western regional office is currently working on USDA funded Beginning Farmer/Rancher Development grant titled, “ Growing Roots”, a collaborative effort among 5 partner organizations to increase networking among beginning farmers and ranchers and to offer training and technical assistance at 12 “agricultural learning hub” locations. Over the course of the next two years,… 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 in Fayetteville, AR. The event will take place June 6-10, 2016. ATF gives veterans and their spouses an opportunity to see sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and examine farming as… Read More >
For FoodCorps Arkansas, wintertime was a whirlwind of community events, taste tests, and celebrations. Hellstern Middle School service member Noa Borkan attended the grand opening of the Whole Foods Market in Fayetteville, AR, to speak on behalf of her school and accept a Whole Kids Grant of $2,000. Several service members in Springdale organized a Family… Read More >
Have you heard? Changing the way you manage your grazing animals can change the condition of your land and finances for the better. Our new tutorial spells out how you can manage your livestock to improve your soil health, your pasture condition and your bottom line. And it’s free! Get started today. Read More >
As 2015 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on what we’ve accomplished through our programs such as FoodCorps, Armed to Farm, and ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture. It was a busy year at NCAT Southeast! FoodCorps Arkansas in Action The 2015-2016 service term began September 1, 2015. In just three and a half months, our 10 FoodCorps… Read More >
In October, the Southeast office staff was delighted to host one of our former interns, Chelsey Ahrens, for a day of training and resource-sharing. Chelsey interned with us back in the summer of 2009, when she was an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She helped produce several resources for the ATTRA… Read More >
About Armed to Farm Armed to Farm is a sustainable agriculture training program for military veterans developed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). The program consists of a week-long training that includes a mix of educational classes, farm tours, and hands-on activities at successful livestock, crop, and agritourism operations. In July 2015 we… Read More >
Limited scholarships are available for military veterans who would like to attend Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s (SSAWG) annual conference. The popular conference, which is being held January 27 through January 30 in Lexington, Kentucky, focuses on practical tools and solutions to build the necessary bridges between farmers, marketers, ag professionals, and local-food system advocates.… Read More >