ATTRA - Voices from the Field

This episode is a conversation between NCAT Energy Program Director Stacie Peterson and Iain Ward, a farmer and founder of Solar Agricultural Services.

It is the sixth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.

Stacie and Iain discuss the potential of agrisolar as way to remove barriers to entry into farming, how agrisolar is shifting the solar industry to consider regenerative agriculture, practical considerations for getting started in agrisolar, Iain’s connection with Wendell Berry, and Wendell’s thoughts on co-locating solar and agriculture.

 Related NCAT Resources:

• AgriSolar Clearinghouse
• AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 1: Growing Crops Among the Solar Panels in Colorado 
• AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 2: Keeping Family Farms in Family Hands with AgriSolar in Massachusetts
• AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 3: Lexie Hain — Sheep and Solar a Match 
• AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 4: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies – Solar Pollinator Habitat
• AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 5: Sharing the Journey with AgriSolar Consulting

 Other Resources:

•  Solar Agricultural Services
• Poetry Foundation: Wendell Berry
• University of Massachusetts Dual-Use Solar & Agriculture
•  Rutgers Agrivolatics Program
•  Farmer’s Footprint
•  ReNourish Studio
• American Farmland Trust Smart Solar
• The Land Institute
• Savory Institute
•  Brown’s Ranch 
•  Regenerative Agriculture Meets Solar Farm in New Partnership
•  Polyface Farm
• Spade Agrivoltaics Design and Development

Contact Stacie Peterson at [email protected].

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Solar Energy Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE000937. Legal Disclaimer: The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.

This episode of Voices from the Field is the second of a two-part conversation between Maryrose Livingston of Northland Sheep Dairy in New York and NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole. It is part of the podcast’s occasional “She’s Raising Sheep” series.

Maryrose and Linda give advice for those considering starting a sheep dairy, including ways to improve the bottom line by saving money whenever possible.

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Episode 305. She’s Raising Sheep: Maryrose Livingston of New York

·        Episode 244. She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana’s Denice Rackley

·        Episode 246. She’s Raising Sheep: New Zealand Shepherd Bev Trowbridge

·        Episode 247. She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Becky Weed

·        Episode 251. She’s Raising Sheep: California Shepherd Lani Estill

·        Episode 272. She’s Raising Sheep: Minnesota Shepherd Janet McNally

·        Episode 282. She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Maloi Lannan

·        Episode 299. She’s Raising Sheep: Wendy Auzqui of Wyoming

·        Tips for Marketing Sheep and Goat Products: Dairy

·        Tipsheet: Organic Cattle, Sheep, and Goats for Dairy

·        Dairy Production on Pasture: An Introduction to Grass-Based and Seasonal Dairying

Other Resources:

·        Northland Sheep Dairy

·        Georgis’ Parasitology for Veterinarians

Contact Linda Poole at [email protected].

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

Despite a centuries-long tradition of sheep dairying in Eurasia, sheep dairies are rare in the United States. But burgeoning demand for artisanal sheep cheeses is prompting more shepherds launching dairy enterprises. 

This episode of Voices from the Field is the first of a two-part conversation between Maryrose Livingston of Northland Sheep Dairy in New York — America's oldest sheep dairy — and NCAT Regenerative Grazing Specialist Linda Poole. It is part of the podcast’s occasional “She’s Raising Sheep” series.

Maryrose shares useful, funny, and sometimes painful lessons in her journey from suburban Detroit schoolgirl to being the shepherd and cheesemaker at what may be America's only certified 100-percent grassfed, organic sheep dairy. 

Among the subjects Maryrose and Linda discuss are evasive grazing to control parasites, the question of nutritional wisdom of sheep, and how raising grassfed livestock is Maryrose's answer to creating a beautiful life while helping heal the land. 

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Episode 244. She’s Raising Sheep: Indiana’s Denice Rackley

·        Episode 246. She’s Raising Sheep: New Zealand Shepherd Bev Trowbridge

·        Episode 247. She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Becky Weed

·        Episode 251. She’s Raising Sheep: California Shepherd Lani Estill

·        Episode 272. She’s Raising Sheep: Minnesota Shepherd Janet McNally

·        Episode 282. She’s Raising Sheep: Montana Shepherd Maloi Lannan

·        Episode 299. She’s Raising Sheep: Wendy Auzqui of Wyoming

·        Tips for Marketing Sheep and Goat Products: Dairy

·        Tipsheet: Organic Cattle, Sheep, and Goats for Dairy

·        Dairy Production on Pasture: An Introduction to Grass-Based and Seasonal Dairying
 
 Other Resources:

·        Northland Sheep Dairy

·        Georgis’ Parasitology for Veterinarians

 Contact Linda Poole at [email protected].

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialists Nina Prater, Guy Ames, and Lee Rinehart explore the balancing act of managing phosphorus – a macro-nutrient essential for life.  

Getting just the right amount of phosphorus without over-applying it is a tricky balance because of the unique way phosphorus interacts with the soil. Getting phosphorus fertilization right is also important for farm profitability since the price of phosphorus fertilizer has almost doubled in recent years. 

And phosphorus can have highly detrimental effects if it runs off fields into lakes and streams, making managing phosphorus a critical problem for producers to solve.  

Using nature as a model, farmers and ranchers can manage phosphorus on their farm to maintain productivity while reducing their reliance on inputs of synthetic forms of this expensive, non-renewable resource.  

ATTRA Resources: 

·         Toolkit: How to Reduce Synthetic Fertilizer Use 

·         Rising Fertilizer Costs: Look to History for Answers  

·         Nutrient Management Plan (590) for Organic Systems  

·         Nutrient Management in Organic Small Grains  

Other Resources: 

·         It All Turns on Affection  

·         The Nature and Properties of Soils 

·         Fertilizer Prices  

·         The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance  

·         Mycorrhizal Fungi Factsheet  

Contact Nina Prater, Guy Ames, and Lee Rinehart at [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]. 

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. 

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG. 

This episode is a conversation between NCAT Energy Program Director Stacie Peterson and Alexis Pascaris, executive director of AgriSolar Consulting.

It is the fifth in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast. 

Alexis is a consultant and a stakeholder in the AgriSolar Clearinghouse. She and Stacie discuss the social aspects of agrisolar, including the concept of energy as a social matter with technological components, the importance of the cultural landscapes around agrisolar operations, and the “social license” to operate them. Alexis and Stacie also address the stacked benefits of agrisolar itself and agrisolar projects around the country.

Related NCAT Resources:
 
 ·        AgriSolar Clearinghouse

·        Agrisolar Policy Guide

·        AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 1: Growing Crops Among the Solar Panels in Colorado

·        AgriSolar Podcasts Ep. 2: Keeping Family Farms in Family Hands with AgriSolar in Massachusetts

·        AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 3: Lexie Hain — Sheep and Solar a Match

·        AgriSolar Podcast Ep. 4: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies – Solar Pollinator Habitat

·        Case Study: Summit Plant Labs

Other Resources:

·        AgriSolar Consulting

·        Do Agrivoltaics Improve Public Support for Solar? A Survey on Perceptions, Preferences, and Priorities

·        Smart Solar in Connecticut: Farmer Survey Findings and Initial Recommendations

·        Building a Resilient Future: Connecticut’s Smart Solar Opportunities

·        SCAPES

·        SPADE Agrivoltaic Design and Development 

 Contact Stacie Peterson at [email protected].  

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.  

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.  

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Solar Energy Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE000937. Legal Disclaimer: The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.  

This episode of Voices from the Field is a conversation with John Coleman, the manager of Alcorn State University’s demonstration farm. John and Rockiell Woods, director of NCAT’s Gulf States Office in Jackson, Mississippi, talk about the idea of beginning farmers modeling their operation after demonstration farms. They discuss labor costs, recordkeeping and GAP certification, choosing equipment, and selecting crops. 

Related ATTRA Resources: 

·         Farm Start Up 

·         Beginning Farmer Tutorials 

 
Other Resources: 

·         Alcorn State University 

·         USDA Agricultural Research Service 

·         USDA Farm Service Agency 

 Contact Rockiell Woods at [email protected]. 

Please complete a brief surveysto let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. 

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG. 

This episode of Voices from the Field is the second half of a conversation between Latrice Tatsey, a soil scientist, the cultural science lead, and the intern supervisor for the Piikani Lodge Health Institute of the Blackfeet Nation and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole. 

Latrice focuses in this episode on the management practices her research has suggested and how she measures their success. You will find the link to the first half of the conversation in the notes below.

A rancher herself on the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, Latrice — whose Piikani name is Buffalo Stone Woman — works with cattle and bison producers to improve the health of the land, the water, and the people where her relatives have lived since time immemorial. 

Related ATTRA Resources:

·         Episode 301. Learning from the Amskapi Piikani — Latrice Tatsey on Soils, Climate, and Culture, Part 1

·         Indigenous Perspectives on Soil and Water

·         Indigenous and Traditional Soil Health Practices with Mila Berhane

Other Resources:

·         Piikani Lodge Health Institute

·         The Deep Roots of Regenerative Agriculture are Found in Communities of Color

·         Healing Grounds: Climate, Justice, and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming

·         A Return to Native Agriculture

Contact Linda Poole at [email protected].

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

Latrice Tatsey is a soil scientist, the cultural science lead, and the intern supervisor for the Piikani Lodge Health Institute of the Blackfeet Nation. A rancher herself on the spectacular Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, Latrice — whose Piikani name is Buffalo Stone Woman — works with cattle and bison producers to improve the health of the land, the water, and the people where her relatives have lived since time immemorial.  

This episode of Voices from the Field is the first half of a conversation Latrice has with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole about regenerative grazing, traditional knowledge, and both the utility and limitations of reductionistic science in guiding us to climate solutions. 

Related ATTRA Resources: 

·         Indigenous Perspectives on Soil and Water 

·         Indigenous and Traditional Soil Health Practices with Mila Berhane 

Other Resources: 

·         Piikani Lodge Health Institute 

·         The Deep Roots of Regenerative Agriculture are Found in Communities of Color 

·         Healing Grounds: Climate, Justice, and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming 

·         A Return to Native Agriculture 

Contact Linda Poole at [email protected]. 

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast. 

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG. 

What are the secrets to success in raising sheep? For Wyoming rancher, shepherd, and world champion stockdog trainer Wendy Auzqui, the answers lie in our attitudes, our powers of observation and communication, and our willingness to cooperate with nature rather than battle against it. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Wendy has a conversation with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Linda Poole, focusing on raising Rambouillets on an integrated cattle, sheep, and hay ranch in the Northern Great Plains. They also talk about why our minds are like puppies, tell a story about the power of Pop-Tarts in creativity, and offer lots of deep wisdom about living a life of joy and meaning in today's world. 

Related ATTRA Resources: 

·         Wisdom from SHEperd: ATTRA’s She’s Raising Sheep Podcast Series, Episodes 1-5

·         What Your Stockdog Can Teach You About Livestock

 Other Resources: 

·         Creekside Stockdogs

·         Wyoming PBS: Wendy Auzqui and Quirt 

·         Wyoming Woman Trains World Champion Border Collie Stock Dogs

 Contact Linda Poole at [email protected].  

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.  

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.  

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Felicia Bell continues her “Weekly Wednesday Workshop” webinar and podcast series by spotlighting the grants available from Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). 

Felicia enlists the help of Southern SARE’s 1890 Land Grant Institution Liaison Brennan Washington. He lays out the production and research grants producers could be eligible for, as well as other funding Southern SARE offers. Felicia and Brennan also give some tips about preparing to write a grant proposal and discuss other resources Southern SARE has available. 

Related ATTRA Resources: 

·         Grant Programs

·         Federal Working Lands Conservation Resources for Sustainable Farming and Ranching 
 
Other Resources: 

·         Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities: A Guide to Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Entrepreneurship, Conservation, Food Systems, and Community Development    

·         SARE Resources and Learning 

Contact Felicia Bell at [email protected].  

Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.  

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.