ATTRA - Voices from the Field

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Audrey Kolde, an NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, talks with Iriel Edwards, the farmer and owner of The Dancing Radicle Farm in Alexandria, Louisiana. Iriel is also a Certifier and Regional Organizer with the Real Organic Project. 

Prior to starting her own farm, Iriel managed Jubilee Justice's 5-acre organic farm in Alexandria and worked with Black farming communities in the Southeast. 

Iriel and Audrey discuss the challenges and potential of farming small-scale grains, particularly Louisiana rice. They delve into the necessary components for small-scale success, including community involvement and cooperative models, inspiring us to embrace innovation and collaboration toward a brighter future. 

Related ATTRA Resources:

·         Disease and Insect Management in Organic Small Grains

·         Nutrient Management in Organic Small Grains

·         Weed Management in Organic Small Grains

·         The Real Story Behind the Real Organic Movement

Other Resources:

·         Real Organic Project

·         Jubilee Justice

·         Iriel Edwards: USDA Discrimination, Land Access, and Collective Liberation

Contact Iriel Edwards at [email protected]

Contact Audrey Kolde 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, Kandi Williams of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Small Farms Program talks with Hope, Arkansas, farmer Ernestine Maxfield about ways for limited-resource producers to manage risk in the Ark-La-Tex region. The Ark-La-Tex region is a socio-economic, tri-state region where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas meet.

Kandi also works with the Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation, which partnered in producing this podcast.

This podcast was also produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This podcast was also made possible in part by funding from the Southern Risk Management Education Center, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, through the University of Arkansas.

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Risk Management

·        Business and Marketing

·        Farmer Start-Up

Other Resources:

·        Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation

·        University of Arkansas Small Farm Program

·        Southern Risk Management Education Center

Contact Justin Duncan 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 episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.

 In this episode, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins dives into the world of chestnuts with Michelle Ajamian, who works with Rural Action as a network developer for Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative. 

 Michelle shares her experiences and insights from her work in southeastern Ohio as a project developer and advocate for small-scale farming. She discusses her efforts to establish a thriving market for chestnut growers in the region. 

 
Chestnuts are a sustainable and nutritious crop with deep roots in American agriculture. Michelle explores the success stories of cultivating chestnuts – from fostering community partnerships to promoting environmentally friendly practices.

Resources:

·        Demonstrating Higher Yields and Market Opportunities of Mixed Annual and Perennial Intensive Planting in Appalachian Ohio

·        Producing Culinary Chestnut Flour with Michelle Ajamian and Amy Miller

·        Consider Chestnuts: A Potential Perennial for Market Farms

·        Rural Action

·        Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative

Contact Tyler Jenkins 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 Tyler Jenkins introduces us to new NCAT staff member Tammy Barnes. Tammy, who is also a sustainable agriculture specialist, will be focusing on carbon planning from Kentucky. 

Tammy shares her wealth of experience and the insights garnered from an extensive career dedicated to sustainable agriculture, from equestrian and other livestock
management, to cropping systems and holistic farm management. She also shares
the story of her sustainable agriculture career and long history of farmer support and advocacy. She details the path that led her to NCAT – as well as her goals now that she is on the team. 

 ATTRA Resources: 

·        Livestock 

·        Crops 

·        Soil for Water 

·        Farmer Equity Project 

 
Other Resources: 

·        Accelerating Appalachia 

 
Contact Tyler Jenkins and Tammy Barnes at [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. 

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Milton and Diann Woods of Milliesbarn Veggie Farm in Eagle Lake, Texas, talk with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan about how they overcame various risks on their farm by choosing the right crops – both for their environment and in accordance with the needs of their clientele.  

This podcast is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This podcast was also made possible in part by funding from the Southern Risk Management Education Center, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, through the University of Arkansas.  

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Crop Resilience Through Diversification and Schedule Modification in Northeast Texas. Part 1 

·        Business and Marketing

·        Risk Management

Other Resources:

·        Milliesbarn Veggie Farm 

Contact Justin Duncan 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, Grace Brown, the founder of Uncle Paul’s Agritourism & Educational Farm in Tyler, Texas, talks with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan about how she overcame various risks on the farm by choosing the right crops – both for the local environment and in accordance with the needs of their clientele. 

This podcast is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This podcast was also made possible in part by funding from the Southern Risk Management Education Center, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, through the University of Arkansas.  

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Business and Marketing

·        Risk Management

Contact Justin Duncan 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 week’s episode of Voices from the Field is a conversation about Texas A&M University’s Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, hosted by NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus. 

The Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management is a coordinated, system-wide effort at Texas A&M aimed at safeguarding the ecologic and economic resiliency of grazing-land resources and ranching operations.

The episode features a conversation between the center’s director, Jeff Goodwin, and Peggy Sechrist, a longtime educator for Holistic Management International, about the work being done at Texas A&M and how it will help graziers make profitable decisions. 

Peggy is an organic beef pioneer in Texas. She and Darron are co-leaders of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s Soil for Water Texas Working Group.

 
Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Livestock

·        Pasture, Rangeland and Adaptive Management

·        Rangeland App: Modern Tool for Graziers

·        Keep Soil Covered

·        Minimize Soil Disturbance

·        Increase Biodiversity

·        Continuous Live Root

·        Integrate Livestock

 
Other Resources:

·        Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management

·        Understanding and Evaluating Carbon Contracts

Contact Darron Gaus 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 episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.

In this episode, NCAT Horticulture Specialist Guy Ames talks with Matthew Lebon, owner of Custom Foodscaping in St. Louis, Missouri.  

Guy and Matthew talk about “edible landscaping” – which includes plants that produce food in residential, business, and community landscapes. They also discuss the value of “uncommon” crops such as gooseberries, currants, and paw-paws that grow well in the region.

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Local Food Systems

·        How to Start Community Agroforesty Projects: Advice from 11 Forest Gardens

Other Resources:

·        Developing a Market for Locally Adapted Organic Fruiting Plants in St. Louis

·        Custom Foodscaping 

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 of Voices from the Field is an inspiring conversation with a trailblazer in ecological agriculture. In it, Gabriella Soto-Velez, an NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist  in the Gulf States Region, sits down with Christopher Sacco, who needs no introduction for those familiar with sustainable agriculture practices. In 2009, Christopher laid the foundation for Groundswell International, a groundbreaking organization dedicated to empowering small-scale farmers and championing sustainable agriculture methods worldwide.

Fast forward to 2024, and Christopher has stepped away from the helm of Groundswell, but his support and passion for the organization’s mission remains steadfast. Christopher’s journey post-Groundswell led him to establish Aegis Conservation Ecology and Regenerative Development, a consulting firm at the forefront of promoting ecological agriculture and regenerative development.

Christopher and Gabriella delve deep into the heart of ecological agriculture, exploring its transformative potential, evolution, challenges, and pivotal role in shaping sustainable farming practices through the invaluable insights Christopher’s journey has allowed him to bring to the field.

 Related ATTRA Resources:
·        Agroforestry
·        Quick Tips for Agroforestry
·        Agroforestry: An Overview

 Other Resources:
·        Groundswell International
·        Enabling Farmer-led Ecosystem Restoration

Contact Gabriella Soto-Velez 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 talks with beginning farmer Violet Keys about the journey that took her from a career in the military to beginning Synergy in the Garden, a 6-acre urban agriculture operation in Jackson, Mississippi.

Violet discusses overcoming her nervousness as she begins her farm – where she plans to grow medicinal herbs, cut flowers, and other crops. She and Felicia also talk about creating a business plan and utilizing USDA financial and planning assistance. Violet shares her dream of creating a “healing space” for veterans that is also an asset to her community.

Related ATTRA Resources:

·        Financing Your Farm: Guidance for Beginning Farmers

·        Selling to Local and Regional Markets: Barriers and Opportunities for Beginning Farmers

·        Veteran Resources

·        Farm Start-Up

·        Farmer Well-Being

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.