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Once you get over the fear it can save lots of time When I first saw tine weeders more than 25 years ago, I couldn’t really understand how they worked. A tine weeder is essentially a rake, and I often do use rakes as tine weeders on my tiny farm. The first tine weeder I […]

How do you decide what tools to spend money on and whether they will be a good investment for your farm? I think a lot of us go with our gut feelings for smaller tool purchases and base the decision largely on our perception of how much “pain” the tool will relieve, whether that be

There are only two ways to increase the profits of your flower products: increasing the price of the product or decreasing the cost of production. When increasing our prices is not feasible, we can decrease the cost of production by being more efficient with our time and resources. By improving our efficiency, we minimize our

Selling vegetables to chefs can either be very satisfying or turn into a nightmare: isolated orders, outstanding invoices, and last-minute calls. Still, when it works, restaurants and caterers can be a stable and interesting way to increase farming incomes. Here are some essential ingredients to make the most of it based on my experiences and

Farming in rural Eastern Oregon is rewarding, but it’s not without risk. Amid the satisfaction of a good harvest lies a stark reality: medical emergencies can happen when we least expect them. As farmers, we spend long hours in fields, working with machinery, navigating harsh weather, and encountering wildlife.   The reality of farm life

How to manage these critical and often misunderstood nutrients   There are some topics that we never seem to tire of investigating, celebrating, or arguing over. You know, in all of humanity, from fertility goddesses painted on cave walls to the newest Cardi B song, there is always more to say about love. While (perhaps)

The following is an excerpt from Sam Knapp’s new book Beyond the Root Cellar (Chelsea Green Publishing December 2024) and is printed with permission from the publisher. You can purchase a copy in our store (subscribers always get 20% off all books).    Postharvest handling Pulling crops from the field isn’t the end of the

Farmers can submit comments until December 30 “Even in the 7 years since I’ve done this work, I can feel how much hotter it is. And one thing about heat exhaustion is that the heat is cumulative. That starts to sit in your body. So, three days in the 90s – not too bad. Three

Gather to learn, share, and grow in the off-season Every January for the past six years, a group of 12 to 16 experienced farmers has gathered at Dripping Springs Garden, nestled in the Ozark hills, to reconnect, share knowledge, and support one another. What started as a modest gathering of growers seeking camaraderie has grown