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www.sare.org news new-sare-video-managing-weeds-in-an-organic-almond-orchard

New SARE Video: Managing Weeds in an Organic Almond Orchard

Many organic and conventional farmers are seeking ways to eliminate or reduce their use of synthetic herbicides. Understanding weeds is the first step towards managing them efficiently and ecologically. Now, two new videos in SARE’s Manage Weeds on Your Farm series explore organic almond grove weed control on Burroughs Family Farm’s 1,200-acre orchard in Denair, […]

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Farmers: Share Your Thoughts on Cover Crops in the National Cover Crop Survey!

Farmers are invited to share their thoughts on cover crops in an online survey at bit.ly/CoverCrop23. Why do you plant cover crops...or why don't you? What do you want to know? Your insight will help guide research, communications, seed development, and more. This National Cover Crop Survey is the seventh since 2012 conducted by the USDA-NIFA […]

Scrabble tiles spelling out the word ANXIETYwww.sare.org news the-biggest-asset-is-you

The Biggest Asset Is You

Utah State University (USU) Extension professor Josh Dallin had just wrapped up a presentation about livestock before an audience of farmers and ranchers, and he asked if there was any other information his listeners needed. The response was surprisingly out of the ordinary. “One of our largest cattle producers raised his hand and said, ‘I’m […]

woman holding oyster mushroomswestern.sare.org news farmers-test-benefits-of-using-hemp-stalks-to-produce-mushrooms

Farmers Test Benefits of Using Hemp Stalks to Produce Mushrooms

When optimists are buried in proverbial lemons, they make lemonade. When the women who own Intentional Growth Farm in Utah had too many hemp stalks, they produced exceptionally large, tasty mushrooms. “We used the hemp stalks as the nutrient source for our oyster mushrooms, and customers said they were the best mushrooms they ever tasted,” […]

transitioning to organic production guidewww.sare.org news new-sare-bulletin-transitioning-to-organic-production

New SARE Bulletin: Transitioning to Organic Production

Since the 1990 Organic Foods Production Act passed, the market for organic products has steadily risen. In 2020, organic sales skyrocketed to an all-time high, motivating many farmers to consider transitioning their farms to organic production. While organic production can help farmers gain access to new markets, improve soil and increase profits, the transition process […]

the gamewestern.sare.org news playing-pest-friends

Playing Pest Friends

At their annual meeting this summer, Western SARE state coordinators came together and played an educational board game about managing pests. Their experience was similar to other groups who indicate that they learn more by doing than listening. Jason Thomas and Grant Loomis, extension educators at the University of Idaho, received a Western SARE grant […]

Gil Giese and farm manager in vineyardwestern.sare.org news reasons-to-like-wine

Reasons to Like Wine

Reasons to like wine Number 462: It can be good for New Mexico’s native bees and other pollinators. Even though grapevines are largely self pollinating and don’t need insects like bees or butterflies to produce fruit, vineyards themselves can provide habitat for native pollinators and other insect species, benefiting both the grower and the environment. […]

Sheep grazingwestern.sare.org news cheatgrass-eating-sheep

Cheatgrass-Eating Sheep

Wildfires in the West are inevitable and part of a natural, necessary ecological cycle, but invasive grasses like cheatgrass can make fires burn hotter, spread farther and cause more destruction. So, across the West, researchers, range managers, cattle ranchers and others are looking for ways to economically control cheatgrass and other invasive grasses on millions […]

farmer in truckwestern.sare.org news in-northern-colorado-building-soil-takes-time

In Northern Colorado, Building Soil Takes Time

For anyone focused on building or rebuilding healthy soils, it’s worth remembering that soil took eons to develop initially. Improving it doesn’t happen overnight. That’s a lesson farmers and ranchers are learning in northern Colorado through a Citizen Science Soil Health Project funded by Western SARE. The three-year, three-county project provides free soil testing and […]