Small Dairy Resource Book is a thorough collection of resources for farm families interested in capitalizing on value-added dairy products. The pros and cons of 150+ resources – books, periodicals, videos, Web sites and others are discussed by categories including cheesemaking, ice cream, butter, food safety, and must more. Updated in 2010. Download free at www.sare.org/publications/dairyresource.htm
Guidance for Operating a Multifarm CSA
Local Harvest: A Multifarm CSA Handbook is a 126-page book detailing how farmers cas use community supported agriculture cooperatives to best market their produce. Advice from former CSA growers and members on staffing, volunteer boards, distribution, legal topics, crop selection, calculating shares and adjusting to seasonal change. Profiles from around the country on multifarm CSAs. Download a free publication at www.sare.org/publications/csa.htm or order a print copy at www.sare.org/webstore or call 301-374-9696.
Staying Connected to Farm Credit Services of Mid-America
Stay in touch with information FCS makes available on low interest loans for Beginning Farmers and Ohio farmland for sale. Subscribe to their enewsletter http://www.e-farmcredit.com/News/enewsletter/tabid/677/Default.aspx or follow them on twitter.com/farmcreditserv or become a fan on facebook.com/farmcreditservices.
Ten Agricultural Publications
Quickly learn about ten popular agricultural publications including Farm and Dairy, Fruit Growers News, Ohio Farmer, Vegetable Growers News, Agricultural Outlook. Preview them all on one site to see if any could be useful to you as you learn more about farming. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation posts info on theses resources at http://ofbf.org/news-and-events/resources/
Review Conservation Program Enrollment Trends by Targeted Farmers, Including Beginning Operators
The USDA Economic Research Service recently released a 41pp Information Bulletin that compares the natural resource characteristics, resource issues, and conservation treatment costs on farms operated by beginning, limited-resource, and socially disadvantaged operators with those of other participants in the largest U.S. working-lands and land retirement conservation programs. A report summary and the entire report is available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib62/
Want to know more about the policy positions of Ohio Farm Bureau?
Ohio Farm Bureau members define the position OFBF takes on issues affecting farmers and rural residents. These policy positions guide the legislative and regulatory action of OFBF on these important issues. To view the current policies go to http://ofbf.org/policy-and-politics/policy-development/ and see the pdf titled 2009 Ohio Farm Bureau Approved Policy Resolutions.
Food Safety Begins on the Farm, A Grower’s Guide
Good agricultural practices for fresh fruits and vegetables are reviewed in this helpful 30-page booklet published in 2000 by Cornell Good Agricultural Practices Program. It is availabe as a PDF at http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/handle/1813/2209
New Publication – Finding Land to Farm, Six Ways to Secure Farmland
A new 12-page publication published by ATTRA-National Sustainable Agriculture Information Services that reviews various agreements for leasing and owning land, discusses elements of a good lease and consultants you may need, and reviews Land Linking Programs and resources for farmers seeking land tenure. Go to www.attra.ncat.org and Search finding land.
Farmer’s Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program is now available online!
Published by The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s, this seventeen-page guide gives farmers the basic eligibility requirements, an overview of the enrollment process, and application steps. The guide also includes answers to frequently asked questions with information specific to beginning farmers, organic farmers, farmers participating in the EQIP organic initiative, and tips for all farmers on how to maximize their points and payments. Go to http://sustainableagriculture.net/publications/
Free Publications to Help You Conserve Natural Resources
The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides a variety of agency forms and free publications about conserving our natural resources. Check out LANDCARE, the NRCS National Publications and Forms Distribution Center by going to http://landcare.sc.egov.usda.gov/ To browse the list of available items, enter the title, a keyword (such as “water” or “soil”), or the publication/form number in the ‘Search’ box below. To view the entire list, click on “Browse All”. You can order on-line or call 1-888-LANDCARE (888-526-3227) or e-mail, landcare@usda.gov.