
The CART Before the Horse: Understanding Access to Federal Assistance for Conservation Solutions
By Jeff Schahczenski, NCAT Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist
If you had to allocate $3.3 billion of taxpayer dollars to farmers and ranchers who voluntarily wish to change how they farm and ranch so as to “deliver conservation…

Creating Habitat for Beneficials to Control Aphids
By Rex Dufour, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
Photo: Cover crop mix on April 28, 2020. Red crimson clover, mixed with orange California poppy, blue California Phacelia, and pink Persian clover (lower left). These flowers support…

Farm Equipment and Infrastructure
By Margo Hale, NCAT Southeast Regional Director, Armed to Farm Program Director, and Agriculture Specialist
Last week, I shared a few thoughts about getting started with livestock.
In the Getting Started with Livestock Podcast, NCAT Livestock…

Getting Started with Livestock
By Margo Hale, NCAT Southeast Regional Director, Armed to Farm Program Director, and Agriculture Specialist
My day begins with a hot cup of coffee and a quick check of our farm. What a thrill to find a new baby calf from our Belted Galloways,…

Project Promotes Solar Energy for Ag Land
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will launch an online information clearinghouse in 2021 to promote solar-energy development on agricultural lands while protecting — and even improving — those lands’ agricultural capacity.
NCAT…

Exploring the Garden for Beneficial Insects!
By Jamie Fanous, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
Like many, during these challenging times, I’ve turned to home gardening! I’ve used gardening as an opportunity to reconnect with nature and clear my head, all while staying close to…

Apples and Pears: How to Tell When They’re Ripe
By Guy K. Ames, NCAT Horticulture Specialist
It’s the time of year when apple and pear growers are watching their trees like hawks. . .because the crows are watching the trees, too—like, well, crows.
Ripening fruit becomes attractive…

Ready for Anything: Preparing for the Unexpected and the Inevitable
By Ann Baier, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
Foreword: After the recent passing of her mother, Ann reflects on some valuable lessons and preparations, especially relevant in the time of a pandemic.
Building resilience in agriculture…

Incubator Farm Project in its Second Season
By Luke Freeman, NCAT Horticulture Specialist
We are excited to announce that we have two new incubator farmers participating in the Woolsey Incubator Farm program in Fayetteville, AR! Their names are Lucy Capelle and Sandra Wesson, and they…