Rural Resources Guide

Rural Resources Guide PDF Author: John R. Block
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Administrative agencies
Languages : en
Pages : 584

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Book Description

Small Farm Handbook, 2nd Edition

Small Farm Handbook, 2nd Edition PDF Author: Laura Tourte
Publisher: UCANR Publications
ISBN: 1601076983
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Since its publication in 1994, the Small Farm Handbook has been an essential resource for California’s small farmers and the agricultural professionals advising them – selling over 4300 copies. Now this invaluable reference has been updated and expanded for today’s small-scale producers. The handbook covers three essential areas: Background skills and knowledge, the business side, and the farming side Within these broad areas you’ll find specific chapters on: Requirements for Successful Farming Growing Crops Raising Animals Farm and Financial Management Marketing and Product Sales Labor Management Also included are profiles of six small farm operators representing a sample of California’s diverse agriculture. Throughout you’ll get a look at emerging trends and issues for California agriculture and innovative methods for better production and management, all of which can lead to better farm performance. Drawing upon the knowledge of 32 experts from the University of California, No other publication covers the topics, issues, and facets of California’s small-scale agriculture with this depth or level of expertise. From the basics to risk management, specialty crops to marketing and product sales, this guide covers the gamut.

Pests of the Garden and Small Farm

Pests of the Garden and Small Farm PDF Author: Mary Louise Flint
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520218108
Category : Agricultural pests
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
Authoritative text enables readers to identify pests quickly and to prevent, correct, or live with most common pest problems. 250 color photos, 100 drawings.

A Small Farm Future

A Small Farm Future PDF Author: Chris Smaje
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
ISBN: 1603589031
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
A modern classic of the new agrarianism "Chris Smaje...shows that the choice is clear. Either we have a small farm future, or we face collapse and extinction."—Vandana Shiva "Every young person should read this book."—Richard Heinberg In a groundbreaking debut, farmer and social scientist Chris Smaje argues that organizing society around small-scale farming offers the soundest, sanest and most reasonable response to climate change and other crises of civilisation—and will yield humanity’s best chance at survival. Drawing on a vast range of sources from across a multitude of disciplines, A Small Farm Future analyses the complex forces that make societal change inevitable; explains how low-carbon, locally self-reliant agrarian communities can empower us to successfully confront these changes head on; and explores the pathways for delivering this vision politically. Challenging both conventional wisdom and utopian blueprints, A Small Farm Future offers rigorous original analysis of wicked problems and hidden opportunities in a way that illuminates the path toward functional local economies, effective self-provisioning, agricultural diversity and a shared earth. Perfect for readers of both Wendell Berry and Thomas Piketty, A Small Farm Future is a refreshing, new outlook on a way forward for society—and a vital resource for activists, students, policy makers, and anyone looking to enact change.

Build Your Own Farm Tools

Build Your Own Farm Tools PDF Author: Josh Volk
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 1635863201
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
Josh Volk, author of the best-selling Compact Farms, offers small-scale farmers an in-depth guide to building customized equipment that will save time and money and introduce much-needed efficiencies to their operations. Volk begins with the basics, such as setting up a workshop and understanding design principles, mechanical principles, and materials properties, then presents plans for making 15 tools suited to small-farm tasks and processes. Each project includes an explanation of the tool’s purpose and use, as well as the time commitment, skill level, and equipment required to build it. Projects range from the super-simple (requiring a half-day to build) to the more complex, and include how-to photographs and illustrations with variations for customizing the finished implement. Along with instructions for building items such as simple seedling benches, a mini barrel washer, a DIY germination chamber, and a rolling pack table, Volk addresses systems design for farm efficiency, including how to design an effective drip irrigation system and how to set up spreadsheets for collecting important planning, planting, and market data.

Farming While Black

Farming While Black PDF Author: Leah Penniman
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
ISBN: 1603587616
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 369

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Book Description
Farming While Black is the first comprehensive "how to" guide for aspiring African-heritage growers to reclaim their dignity as agriculturists and for all farmers to understand the distinct, technical contributions of African-heritage people to sustainable agriculture. At Soul Fire Farm, author Leah Penniman co-created the Black and Latino Farmers Immersion (BLFI) program as a container for new farmers to share growing skills in a culturally relevant and supportive environment led by people of color. Farming While Black organizes and expands upon the curriculum of the BLFI to provide readers with a concise guide to all aspects of small-scale farming, from business planning to preserving the harvest. Throughout the chapters Penniman uplifts the wisdom of the African diasporic farmers and activists whose work informs the techniques described--from whole farm planning, soil fertility, seed selection, and agroecology, to using whole foods in culturally appropriate recipes, sharing stories of ancestors, and tools for healing from the trauma associated with slavery and economic exploitation on the land. Woven throughout the book is the story of Soul Fire Farm, a national leader in the food justice movement.--AMAZON.

The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables

The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables PDF Author: Ben Hartman
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
ISBN: 1603586997
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 274

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Book Description
At Clay Bottom Farm, author Ben Hartman and staff practice kaizen, or continuous improvement, cutting out more waste--of time, labor, space, money, and more--every year and aligning their organic production more tightly with customer demand. Applied alongside other lean principles originally developed by the Japanese auto industry, the end result has been increased profits and less work. In this field-guide companion to his award-winning first book, The Lean Farm, Hartman shows market vegetable growers in even more detail how Clay Bottom Farm implements lean thinking in every area of their work, including using kanbans, or replacement signals, to maximize land use; germination chambers to reduce defect waste; and right-sized machinery to save money and labor and increase efficiency. From finding land and assessing infrastructure needs to selling perfect produce at the farmers market, The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables digs deeper into specific, tested methods for waste-free farming that not only help farmers become more successful but make the work more enjoyable. These methods include: Using Japanese paper pot transplanters Building your own germinating chambers Leaning up your greenhouse Making and applying simple composts Using lean techniques for pest and weed control Creating Heijunka, or load-leveling calendars for efficient planning Farming is not static, and improvement requires constant change. The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables offers strategies for farmers to stay flexible and profitable even in the face of changing weather and markets. Much more than a simple exercise in cost-cutting, lean farming is about growing better, not cheaper, food--the food your customers want.

Rural Resources Guide

Rural Resources Guide PDF Author: John R. Block
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Administrative agencies
Languages : en
Pages : 584

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Book Description


The Complete Illustrated Guide to Farming

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Farming PDF Author: Philip Hasheider
Publisher: Voyageur Press
ISBN: 1627881379
Category : House & Home
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Farming is a comprehensive, one-stop encyclopedic guide for the beginning farmer, hobby farmer, and small-scale family farmer. Are you interested in the country lifestyle or becoming more self-reliant? Do you think about someday raising livestock or growing crops? If you’re ready to make these thoughts a reality, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Farming is the perfect place to start. Farming experts Philip Hasheider and Samantha Johnson explain farming from start to finish: build your own fence, repair your own machinery, and know what to look for when you’re buying a tractor. Instead of buying a book on each subject area, you need just this one, which condenses the most important and relevant information on every aspect of running a farm into a single handy volume. And unlike other books, it’s designed specifically for the owner of a working farm. This practical illustrated guide provides hard-won expert advice on raising livestock and growing crops, making repairs, harvesting and butchering, managing a woodlot, and more. It’s everything you need to know to establish and maintain your farm.

Resource Guide to Educational Materials about Agriculture

Resource Guide to Educational Materials about Agriculture PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Book Description


The Small Farm Handbook

The Small Farm Handbook PDF Author: Barrett Williams
Publisher: Barrett Williams
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 122

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Book Description
Discover the golden road to sustainable agriculture with "The Small Farm Handbook," a comprehensive guide that invites you into a world where self-sufficiency and eco-consciousness converge to create flourishing small farms. This essential read is for anyone looking to unlock the secrets of building and managing a successful small-scale farm in today's world. Embark on a journey through meticulously organized chapters that lay the foundation of understanding sustainable agriculture, addressing both the idyllic visions and gritty realities of small-scale farming. This handbook provides a penetrating look into the modern small farmer's life, weaving through the rich tapestry of knowledge necessary to cultivate a thriving agricultural enterprise. Gain strategic insight into selecting your farm's focus, aligning your personal aspirations with market needs to chart a course for success. Delve into the nuances of land acquisition and management, mastering the stewardship of soil, water, and biodiversity to create an estate that respects natural resources and yields abundant rewards. Setting up your farm business is demystified with a step-by-step approach to crafting business plans, grasping farm economics, funding, and navigating legal waters. Learn how to build sustainable farm infrastructure using eco-friendly design, energy efficiency, and sustainable building materials to establish an operation that stands the test of time. "The Small Farm Handbook" also serves as your all-encompassing guide to tools, equipment, expert techniques for soil fertility, crop management, and sustainably raising livestock. It doesn't stop there; you'll explore market gardening and the art of producing and selling value-added products, diving deep into marketing strategies that will make your farm a household name. From laying out sales channels and community engagement to addressing labor, volunteering, and environmental conservation, the book leaves no stone unturned. You're also offered a forward-thinking perspective, covering the role of technology in farming, tackling challenges, and planning for the future to ensure the longevity and continued innovation of your small farm. Above all, this handbook is a manifesto on the ethical and moral dimensions of farming, encouraging you to cultivate not just crops but also a legacy that positively impacts the community and environment. Ready to transform your agricultural dreams into reality? "The Small Farm Handbook" is your indispensable partner as you sow the seeds of a sustainable, profitable, and ethically-driven farming future.