Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. azP I ayp a ay on: \/ \\ oy Small-Scale i Agriculture Today VU Office for Small-Scale Agriculture FALL 19965 U.S. Department of Agriculture - Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Agricultural Research For A Better Tomorrow AT ISSUE. .. BOOKISH “As the author makes plain, there’s a battle going on between the proponents of the capital-intensive factory, farms and the smaller family farms. Since New Deal days, when agricultural On a sultry summer day in 1984, a deluge of mail arrived on authority first shifted from labor to capital,g overnment policy my desk. Opening a package I discovered the book Gaining has favored the bigger players. Today, however, new ingredi- Ground: The Renewal of America’s Small Farms. 1 was ents are creeping into the battle plan. One example is the delighted that someone had written a book focusing on a topic Greenmarket movement and the growing public awareness of of particular interest to me. Reading the author’s name, J. good food—locally grown leaf lettuces alongside the iceberg. Tevere MacFadyen, I recalled his 1-day visit to my USDA Flexibility in response to changing market conditions is office 2 years earlier. He had come unannounced, and we dis- another strength of the diversified small farm. Nonetheless, in cussed the current and future status of small farms. I did not the Great Plains both the prairie and the small farm have all but perceive that the visit was to obtain material for a book! disappeared, displace by the fragile monocultures of wheat, corn, and soybeans. In California, less than ten percent of the More than a decade has passed and America is still in search of farms run to fewer than one thousand acres, and the biggest a future course for agriculture. It is, therefore, appropriate that private factory farmer in the Central Valley lists holdings of a the synopsis on the book jacket be shared with readers of million acres. Small-Scale Agriculture Today. (Howard W. “Bud” Kerr, Jr. USDA-OSSA, Washington, DC 20250) “Even though the odds against small-farm survival seem impossibly high, Gaining Ground offers some cause for opti- “This is the story of American farms—from the patchwork mism, and it lies with the men and women who are the subject hillsides of New England, through the wheat country of the of this absorbing book. The rich cast of independent-thinking Great Plains, to the factory farms of California’s rich Central pioneers whose stories enliven these pages are a remarkable Valley. For three years Tevere MacFadyen crisscrossed this and diverse lot. What they share is the belief that decentral- vast land, talking with farmers—often working alongside the ized, locally responsive, and self-reliant farms can stand up to men and women this book describes—to learn what he could agribusiness. Equipped with the right tools and working on a about the condition of American agriculture and its probable small scale, they also believe responsible farmers can eventu- future. ally restore even the most badly abused land to productivity. “He found that the economic miracle of industrial agriculture As one small-farm advocate puts it, “If the family farm repre- has just about run its course, leaving both the farmer and the sents anything, it’s the intimate and fundamental relationship land impoverished. Agricultural indebtedness has tripled in between people and resources. the last ten years, and fifty percent of our farmers are now flirt- “Gaining Ground is a richly detailed portrait not simply of ing with bankruptcy. What’s more worrisome is the swelling farms and farmers but, in a larger sense, of a nation in transi- biological deficit. Topsoil erosion is now worse than it was tion—in search of a future that will be both bountiful and sus- during Dust Bow] days. tainable.” The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, reli- gion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of Communications at (202) 720-2791. To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250 or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer. nesses ee ee ee ee ee eer reer reer (Copyright 1984 by J. Tevere MacFadyen. Reprinted from nurseries, experiment stations and arboreta. Wholesale nurser- Gaining Ground, ISBN 0-03- 069563, with permission from ies will propagate the trees for sale by late 1997 or 1998; retail Don Congdon Associates. Gaining Ground is out of print and nurseries should have them by 1999." (Quarterly Report you may have to go to a book search service, a library, or a (USDA-ARS) April to June 1996, p.2) used book store to obtain it.) Holiday Reading - Just in time for Halloween and Christmas: * Ghostly Tales of Iowa, by Ruth Heim and Vickey L. Hin- TOPICS AND TECHNOLOGY senbrock, 160 pages, $18.95. * Living With Cows, by Bob Artley, 96 pages, $18.95. * Country Christmas (1994), by Bob Artley, 40 pages, Strawberries and Fish - Strawberry production in the green- $18.95. house using a new hydroponic technique that relies on waste- Contact: Beverly Fisher, Iowa State University Press; 2121 water from trout production can substantially increase yields. South State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300; telephone: Contact: Fumiomi Takeda, USDA-ARS, Appalachian Fruit 1-800-862-6657. Research Laboratory, 45 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV The Beat Goes On - "Debate over a Commerce Department 25430; telephone: 304-725-3451 Ext 351; fax: 304-728-2340. proposal to change the definition of a farm—farm operations Cashmere Goat Manual - Started as a project for the El Paso with gross annual sales of $1,000 and over to those with County 4-H Club, the 53-page reference manual (cost is $10) $10,000 or more in sales—has been temporarily settled. is an excellent source for beginners and adults. Contact: 4-H USDA recently decided to keep the status quo in effect. How- Cashmere Goat Project, c/o Jim Osborn, 3585 Spaatz Road, ever, discussion is still going on as to whether that definition is Monument, CO 80132; telephone: 719-488-8860. appropriate." (Farm Bureau News, July 15, 1996, p.2) Little Book - Rebirth of the Small Family Farm is a 64-page Question - There are approximately how many "squirts" in a handbook for starting a successful organic farm based on the gallon of milk? (A) 350 (B) 650 (C) 950. The answer is community-supported agriculture concept. The cost is $9.95 somewhere in this newsletter. per copy. Contact: Bob and Bonnie Gregson, IMF Associates, Veggie Popularity - According to an article in USA Today, P.O. Box 2542, Vashon Island, WA 98070; telephone: May 5, 1996, a survey of adults indicated that broccoli is the 206-463-9065. favorite vegetable of adults (19.7 percent), followed by corn Small vs. Large - According to the Equipment Manufacturers (15.1 percent), beans (11.9 percent), carrots (10.0 percent), Institute, 1996 tractor sales in the United States are up nearly 7 and potatoes (8.8 percent). percent—and the largest increase in sales are in small tractors Winterizing - Freezing and thawing causes the soil to heave, (under 40 horsepower) and 4-wheel-drive tractors. pushing shallow-rooted plants like strawberries out of the Agriculture - "Most of California's rural economy relies on ground, exposing roots and crown. To eliminate this problem, agricultural production, an $18 billion industry annually. One mulch the crop with straw after the ground freezes. in ten California residents is employed in agriculture, from farm to market." (Agricultural Research, August 1996, p.20). Never, Never - When removing poison ivy, never burn it. The smoke can carry the toxic oils and cause sensitive people Pine Straw - Some people in the South are harvesting pine downwind a lot of anguish. needles for extra cash from sales to landscapers and builders. Compelling - Victor Davis Hanson, author of Fields Without For more information contact: Catalino A. Blanche, Dreams, is a scholar. However, more importantly, he is a USDA-ARS, South Central Family Farms Research Center, Highway 23 South, Booneville, AR 72927-9214; telephone: Sth-generation vine and fruit grower defending the agrarian idea. The 289-page book costs $23 plus shipping and tax. 501-675-3834, fax: 501-675-2940. Contact: Simon & Shuster Order Department, 200 Old Tappan Money - Do you track and manage your savings bond invest- Road, Old Tappan, NJ 07675; telephone: 1-800-223-2336. ments? The 210-page book, U.S. Savings Bonds: A Compre- hensive Guide for Bond Owners and Financial Professionals, Recalling - "In the past 50 years, our society has migrated costs $27.95 and is extremely helpful. Contact: Sara Meri- from family farms and rural communities. We have become a culture of refugees from the land, and for many the taste of weather, The Savings Bond Informer, Inc., P.O. Box 09249, summer tomatoes is all that's left of a living memory." Detroit, MI 48209; telephone: 313-843-1910; fax: 313-843-1912. (National Gardening, July/August '96, p.20) However. . . - "According to a study coauthored by Calvin Trees - Good News! "Two new American elms with high lev- els of tolerance to the fungus that causes Dutch elm disease Beale, USDA's longtime rural demographer, the country's non- could restore the American elm to the Main Street USA of ear- metro communities gained 1.25 million residents in the years lier days. Over a hundred rooted cuttings of 'Valley Forge’ and 1990 to 1995." (Progress Farmer, August 1996, p.9) "New Harmony' were distributed over the last 2 years to tree Mention of commercial enterprises or brand names does not constitute endorsement or imply preference by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Numbers - There are 2.06 million farms in the Nation Oh Deer—More - "Monofilament fishing line (heavy), with today—a drop of less than | percent from 1995. 6-8 strands spaced vertically, supposedly repels deer grazing. Even one line at 2-3 feet supposedly provides some protection. Ups and Downs - The five States with the largest decrease in They can't see it and are surprised when they run into it." farm numbers are Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio. The largest farmland increase occurred in Louisiana. (Green Mountain Grower - Issue 171, Summer 1996, p.71). F.Y.I. - Interesting videos for your kids and grandparents: Five-to-One - There are five farms with sales of less than $100,000 for each farm having sales of more than $100,000, ¢ Tractors, Cotton Pickers, and Stuff Kids Wear, 30 minutes; according to a Census Bureau Report. costs $23.90. Checks payable to: Just Our Size Videos. Herb Information - Two books that are helpful for beginners Contact: Patty Schindler, 14010 Falls Road, Cockeysville, MD and veterans in the business of growing and enjoying herbs: 21030; telephone: 410-584-7053 or 1-800-808-3276. ¢ The Herb Gardener: A Guide for all Seasons, 236 pages, ¢ Skills for Kids Nature Art from Herbs, Flowers and Trees, 32.90 (hardcover) 60 minutes; costs 19.95. * Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends, 156 pages, $17.95 (paper- * Little Medicine: The Wisdom to Avoid Big Medicine; 60 back) $19.95 (hardcover) minutes, costs $19.95. Contact: Storey Communications, P.O. Box 445, Pownell, VT Contact: Jim Meuninck, Media Methods, 24047 North Shore 05261-9988; telephone: 1-800- 441-5700. Drive, Edwardsbourg, MI 49112; telephone/ fax: 616-699-7061. Chores - "As long as the grass shows growth it should be cut back, because a lawn left long invites a bacterial infection in ¢ Vegetable Farmers and Their Weed Control Machines, 75 winter just as the unmowed orchard provides sanctuary to minutes; costs $10.00. Contact: University of Vermont rodents which chew upon bark and roots" (Rural New England Extension, Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 590 Main Magazine, October 1991, p.4) Street, Burlington, VT 05405-0059; telephone: 802-656-0037; fax: 802-656-8874. In Print - American Small Farm's Fourth Annual Source ¢ Beekeeping in Northern Climates (includes 68-page man- Book provides resource information, product listings and ual), 40 minutes; costs $45. Ask for item EP-6684 and product providers. The cost is $5. Contact: American Small contact: Minnesota Extension Service Distribution Center, Farms Magazine, 21882 Sherman Way, Suite 200, Canoga 20 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, MN Park, CA 91303; telephone: 818-716-3131; fax: 55108-6069; telephone: 1-800-876-8636. 818-716-3171. Growing - Worldwide demand for sunflower oil and seeds is Answer - (A) 350 "squirts" in 1 gallon. And, by the way--the gaining at about 3 percent a year. average cow produces 5 to 6 gallons of milk each day. Thank goodness for milking machines! Herbaceous Perennials - The Professional Plant Growers Association (PPGA) has developed the Professional Guide to Do It - Now is the time to plant cover crops such as winter Herbaceous Perennials, a 28-page, full color booklet that costs rye, hairy vetch, alfalfa, or buckwheat. $2.60. Contact: Dana Taggert PPGA, P.O. Box 27517, Lan- Observed- Some crops this past growing season, e.g., apple, sing, MI 48909-0517; telephone: 1-800- 647-7742. cucumbers, and melons, were misshapen due to Pooy pollina- Coming - Reserve your 1997 copy of the Scented Geranium tion because of the lack of honeybees. Reference Guide and Catalog for $5. Contact: Mary Peddie, One More Time - Turn the compost pile before cold weather Rutland of Kentucky, P.O. Box 182, Washington, KY 41096; sets in. telephone: 606-759-7815; fax: 606-759-5745. Also - With cold weather coming, be sure to move liquid materials that may freeze to an area that does not freeze. THIS FALL Heading South? - Three books about Florida gardens and landscape may help you ease the transition: * Florida Gardening: The Newcomer's Survival Manual, 87 Many tasks can be accomplished that will make your 1997 pages, $11. spring garden burst with color. For example: * A Cutting Garden for Florida, 96 pages, $10. * plant spring-flowering bulbs * Herbs and Spices for Florida Gardens, 250 pages, $16. * re-seed or establish a new lawn Contact: Betty Mackey, B. B. Mackey Books, P.O. Box 475, ¢ plant perennial plants Wayne, PA 19087-0475; telephone 610-971-9409. * plant ornamental and fruit trees Growing - Cash receipts from the greenhouse and nursery ¢ plant shrubs industry increased 80 percent from 1984 to 1993. Those sales * even some cold-tolerant annual flowers can be planted to were almost $26 billion in 1994. be in place for the first rays of spring 1997! sepeel et ce ag rti CALENDAR OF EVENTS October 5-6, 1996 - Denver Alternative Livestock Seminar, November 13 - 15, 1996 - The Composting Council's Seventh Denver Trade Center - Holiday Inn. Contact: Bill Lowe, Annual Conference "Mapping the Future," Sheraton National 1611 Park Avenue, Canon City, CO 81212; telephone: Hotel, Arlington, VA. Contact: Rebecca Roe, The Composting 719-275-0296, 719- 275-8650. Council, 1214 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; tele- phone: 703-739-2401; fax: 703-739-2407. October 5-6, 1996 - The World's Largest Gourd Show, Mor- row County Fair Grounds, Mt. Gilead, OH. Contact: Jean November 14-15, 1996 -1996 Southeastern Strawberry Expo, McClintonck, The American Gourd Society, Inc., P.O. Box Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Research Triangle Park, NC. Con- 274, Mt. Gilead, OH 43338-0724; telephone/fax: tact: Sarah Slover, N.C. Strawberry Association, Box 7609, 419-362-6446. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; tele- phone: 919-515-1221. October 21-23, 1996 - New England Greenhouse Confer- ence, Sturbridge Host Hotel, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Con- November 15-18, 1996 - Stockman Grass Farmers (SGF) tact: Richard J. Shaw, Department of Plant Sciences, North American Grazing Conference, the Harvey Hotel, Dal- University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881; telephone: las, TX. Contact: Diane Dickens SGF, P.O. Box 9607, Jack- 401-874-5996. son, MS 39286-9607; telephone: 1-800-748-9808, fax: 601-981-8558. October 30-31, 1996 - North Carolina Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Annual Meeting, Stanly County Agri-Civic Center, November 18, 1996 - Appalachian Small Business Expo, Albemarle, NC. Contact: Sarah Slover, NCGVGA, P.O. Box Regional Trade Show & Business Development Workshops, 7609, NCSU, Raleigh, NC 27695; telephone: 919-515-1221. Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, WV, Contact: Ivy Wal- lace, Center for Economic Options, 601 Delaware Avenue, November 1-2, 1996, 1996 Small Farm Trade Show & Semi- Charleston, WV 25302; telephone: 304- 345-1298. nars, Midway Exposition Center, Columbia, Missouri. Con- tact: Chuck DeCourley, 3903 West Ridge Trail Road, Clark, November 21-23, 1996 - Georgia Vegetable and Small Fruit MO 65243; telephone: 1-800-633-2535; fax: 573-687-3048. Conference and Trade Show (including the 8th Biennial South- east Blueberry Conference and Trade Show), The University of November 11 & 12, 1996 - Hydroponic Seminar "Vertical Georgia Rural Development Center, Tifton, GA. Contact: Growing Systems", Tampa, FL. Contact: Hydro-Gardens, Conference Office, Rural Development Center, P.O. Box 1209, Inc., P.O. Box 25845, Colorado Springs, CO 80936; tele- phone: 1-800- 634-6367. Tifton, GA 31793; telephone: 912-386-3416; fax: 912-386-3822. USDA/CSREES 32 Office for Small-Scale Agriculture Ag Box 2244 Washington, DC 20250-2244 96