In this episode, Andrew Coggins, the Sustainable Agriculture Project Coordinator with NCAT ATTRA's SIFT - Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training program - talks with John Wallace, who manages NCAT's SIFT farm.

Andrew and John are both specialists with NCAT's ATTRA - the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service – and work at NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana, where the SIFT farm is located.

Butte is in a USDA zone 3 area, and its cold climate and short growing season can be...let's just say challenging.

Starting in 2017, the SIFT farm began growing fruit bushes to see which would thrive best in Butte, including several varieties of cherries and a relatively new species in Montana — honeyberries.

Andrew and John talk about their plans for continuing the project and what they've learned so far.

For more information on this topic, you can contact Andrew Coggins and John Wallace directly at [email protected] and [email protected].

Resources Mentioned in the Podcast

NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm Website

Honeyberry USA

Some Related ATTRA Resources:

Cherries: Organic Production

ATTRA Identification Sheet: Cherry Insect Pests

ATTRA Identification Sheet: Cherry Diseases

High Tunnel Fruit and Grape Production for Eastern Growers

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.

You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.

Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!

Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook

Gulf States Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Southeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Northeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook