Education and Outreach | Organic Farming Research Foundation

Increasing Organic Farmer Access to Relevant and Practical Research-Based Information

The principal objective of this project was to make a greater proportion of relevant and practical research-based information available to organic farmers. Experienced organic farmers were specifically targeted. In the original proposal, NCAT planned to create a quarterly publication featuring abstracts of relevant research gleaned from the literature. Emphasis was to be placed on recent, cutting-edge research on a broad range of topics pertinent to organic production and marketing.

Organic Seed Production and Improvement Training Program for Vermont

There is an ever-increasing need for sources of organic seed and an interest by farmers and seed companies to build a local and regional supply of seed. This project addresses that need, and builds on a collaborative project conducted by Northeast Organic Farming Association-Vermont (NOFA-VT) and High Mowing Organic Seeds (HMOS) from 2002 to 2005, called the Organic Seed Production Technical Assistance Program.

Farm Made: A Guide to On-Farm Processing for Organic Producers

There are two obvious barriers organic producers face when they consider on-farm processing. The first is psychological. On-farm processing can appear intimidating and beyond reach, on one hand; on the other, it may seem unnecessary to someone who is already “adding value” by raising crops or livestock organically. The second barrier—a more pragmatic one—is the lack of good, producer-friendly information on small-scale organic processing and handling.

"Contamination Avoidance and Testing Protocols” Project

Minnesota Reports Provide Real-World Data on Organic Farm Performance

Summary

Project title: Organic Farm Performance in Minnesota Report
Coordinator: Meg Moynihan, Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Stakeholder location: Minnesota and greater U.S.

Midwest Apple Producers Receive Season-long Mentoring Via Conference Calls

Summary

The Apple Grower Hour

Coordinator: Lisa DiPietro, The Wisconsin Eco Apple Project, University of Wisconsin Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
Stakeholders: Eastern U.S. and in particular Upper Midwest organic apple producers

Organic Seed Production Guides Help Fill Knowledge Gap

Summary

Production guides for organic carrot, lettuce and beet seed

Coordinator: Micaela Colley, Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend, Washington
Stakeholders: U.S. organic vegetable producers interested in producing organic vegetable seed

Organic Farmers Flock to Farm Walk Series

Summary

Tilth Producers of Washington Farm Walks

Coordinator: Nancy Allen, Tilth Producers of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Stakeholder location: Washington State

Developing web resources for organic production in high tunnels

Summary

Investigator: Kimberly Williams, Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry and Rec. Res., Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Project location: Kansas

Organic producers are relying increasingly on high tunnels (unheated poly-covered greenhouse structures) for season extension and crop protection. Organic production in high tunnels is significantly different compared to organic field production in several ways, including soil and pest management. We propose to develop web-based

Organic Vegetable Manual Adds to Slate of Quality Production Guides from Canadian Organic Growers

Summary

Coordinator: Kristine Swaren, Canadian Organic Growers, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Stakeholders: North American organic vegetable producers
Project title: Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Producers: A Practical Skills Handbook