Applications of sustainability on the farm Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching

Examples of sustainable practices on the farm:  Practices which protect and improve soils, conserve, recycle and improve the availability of crop nutrients, such as: Crop rotations, cover cropping, green manures, composting, intercropping and conservation tillage

 Animal systems which effectively use nutrients from animal manures - Intensive rotational grazing, composting, systems for manure collection & stabilization, proper application

 Pest management aimed at reducing or eliminating use of synthetic pesticides and supporting beneficial insects. IPM strategies that emphasize cultural, biological, and physical control methods such as: Timing of field operations, pest resistant varieties, sanitation, scouting, etc.

 Emphasize reliance on on-farm resources Integrating animals with cropping systems allows use of manures to supply nutrients back to fields.

Planting mixed cover crop species in orchard rows adds an incredible diversity of plant species to promote populations of beneficial insect species to an orchard.  Greater diversity in biological systems

 Particular emphasis in soil quality Tilling in cover crops as a source of green manure; applications of compost; and reduced tillage systems with living mulches.

 Increase economic diversity to enhance and stabilize farm income Have multiple enterprises to reduce your economic risks – choose them to compliment each other for cash flow throughout the year or growing season.

Example: Small acreage – vegetables/flowers  Five acres  Vegetables, fruits and flowers  In-town location  Selling direct to consumer  Follows organic practices (but not certified)

Example: Small acreage farming at Meadowlark Farms, Idaho Click on image to start video

Pest management  Long crop rotations  Crop diversity  Row covers for some insects (leaf miners, flea beetles)  Weed management by cultivation and hand tools  Few disease problems

Irrigation Drip irrigation - reduces water use and also reduces spread of diseases

Season Extension Longer growing season increases sales - early spring and later into fall Hoop houses and floating row covers

Season Extension Click on image to start video

Labor – Weekly transplanting and weeding by hand = intensive physical labor

Soil building -  Cover crops and green manures – buckwheat, rye, hairy vetch  Makes compost – has a horse for manure and plenty of yard and garden waste. Improved soil structure, water holding, will benefit through long term nutrient availability

Fertilizing  Uses the compost and nitrogen from tilled-in cover crops  Occasional fish emulsion  Some producers use fish meal, greensand

Equipment Small walk behind tiller $3000 Garden cart $200 Tiller used extensively in the rows to plant succession crops – every two weeks

Marketing – Direct to Consumer  Multiple venues: Farmer’s markets Direct to Coop CSA (subscription sales) Click on image to start video

 Demands special skill, time and labor.  Must have high quality produce.  Producer captures more of the consumer dollar. Marketing – Direct to Consumer

Quality of Life  Love what they do  Personal connection to people eating their food  They are doing their part in reducing use of world’s limited fossil fuels by selling local foods  Grow their own food

Credits  Presentation developed by Cultivating Success TM : Sustainable Small Farms Education.  Photos provided by Cultivating Success TM staff unless otherwise noted.  Video segments taken from: “Meadowlark Farm: A Case Study of a Small-Acreage Farm” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2005, University of Idaho. “Affinity Farm: A Small-Acreage Farm Shares Strategies” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2005, University of Idaho.