NEWSLETTER ARTICLES
Small Farms and Specialty Crops
April 1999:
STONE FRUIT VARIETIES FOR MILDER CLIMATES
Mark GaskellI recently ran on to an excellent listing of the varieties of apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, Asian plums, and European plums with low chilling requirement and adapted to mild climates. The article is by Andrew Mariani and is published by California Rare Fruit Growers on their web site
GROWING FOR MARKET NEWSLETTER
Mark GaskellI have written before recommending this valuable newsletter. It is published in Lawrence, Kansas, by Lynn Byczynski. Many of you are already familiar with this fine information resource for small-scale mixed fruit and vegetable growers. And they also do a nice job with field-grown cut flowers. It if filled with timely, practical and useful information, often written by growers. They also have a bookstore with additional valuable references. Subscriptions are $27 per year or $50 for two years. It is money well spent. It is published monthly. I recently renewed my subscription and thought it's time to again provide basic information on how to order. Order from: Growing for Market, P.O. Box 3747, Lawrence, KS 68047. Telephone: 800/307-8949.
Back issues are available.
HEIRLOOM VEGETABLE INFORMATION SOURCES
Mark GaskellA number of growers who market at farm stands and through Farmer's Markets have had success with specialty heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and other vegetables and some fruits. Several of the seed companies are now including an heirloom variety section in their catalogue. These seed catalogues often offer useful information on cultural practices and even marketing that is difficult to obtain elsewhere. Cornell University also offers a publication entitled "The Heirloom Vegetable Garden - Gardening in the 19th Century," available for $3.00 as Bulletin #177 from Distribution Center, 7 Research Park, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850.
It is important to remember that heirloom varieties should not always be judged by the criteria we are accustomed to using for garden vegetables. They often offer characteristics such as flavor, shape, and color that have endeared them to people, but they may also have negative characteristics, such as irregularity in shape, color, size, consistency, etc., as well as scarring, deformation, and non-uniform ripening. Still, they have a following, and they offer striking diversity in flavor, which isn't available from traditional, improved cultivars.
The following seed companies are among those that offer special heirloom seed catalogues, provide information on heirloom varieties, and/or identify heirloom varieties in their catalogue:
| Burpee Heirlooms | 800-888-1447 |
| Johnnys | 207-437-4395 |
| Ornamental Edibles | 408-946-SEED(7333) |
| Seeds of Change | 888-762-7333 |
| Shumway | 803-663-9771 |
| Territorial Seed Co. | 541-942-9547 |
| Totally Tomatoes | 803-663-0016 |
| Vermont Bean Seed | 888-500-7333 |
Call for a catalogue.
Heirloom varieties may also be referred to by other terms such as "heritage" or "old fashioned." Heirlooms offer an opportunity to add an additional product line to those already grown. These items should command a price premium to compensate for the special growing requirements. So get to know the market for these items. Also, take the time to become familiar witht the special characteristics and requirements of the individual heirloom varieties before committing to large plantings or volumes of production.
THE USDA SMALL FARM PROGRAM
Mark GaskellThe USDA Small Farm Program has a number of publications and other information available. They maintain a web site at
The following is a summary of information available from the USDA Small Farm Program:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cooperative State, Research, Education, and Extension Service
Stop 2220
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Small Farm Toll-Free Number:
1-800-583-3071
Introduction
The Small Farm Program at the Cooperative State, Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is committed to meeting the needs of the small farm community. The goal of the CSREES small farm program is to improve the income levels and the economic viability of the small farm enterprises through partnerships with the Land Grant System, public and private sectors by encouraging research, extension, and education programs that meet the specific needs of small farmers.
This toll-free number has been established by the Plant and Animal Systems Division of USDA-CSREES to give small farmers much easier access and quicker response time to their questions or information inquiries on small farm issues. There is no cost involved with calling this line.
The Small Farm mailing group (smallfarm@reeusda.gov) was established in 1995 under USDA-CSREES Plant and Animal Systems. This medium is used in exchanging small farm related information, request ideas, share success stories, send in activities' calendar of events, publications, and a whole lot more. Anyone with interests in small farm activities is welcome to subscribe.
To subscribe to the small farm mailing group, send an electronic mail message to: Majordomo@reeusda.gov
In the body, type
subscribe smallfarm
To unsubscribe from the small farm mailing group, send a message to: Majordomo@reeusda.gov
In the body, type
unsubscribe smallfarm
Planned Activities
Nine major issue areas were identified at the National Small Farm Conference that was held in Nashville, Tennessee, in September 1996. These areas are: Research and Extension Priorities, Program Impacts and Accountability, Technology Transfer, Environmental Issues, Program Delivery, Marketing Strategies, Economic Opportunities, Social Issues, and Small Farm Policy. In an effort to build a strong National Small Farm Program for USDA-CSREES and the Land Grant system, subcommittees, consisting of the public and private sectors including farmers and non-governmental organizations, are being formed to address the outlined issues in their entirety, and develop recommendations for the system.
Newsletter
The Small Scale Agriculture Today newsletter has been merged with the Small and Part-Time Farms newsletter to an entirely new stand-alone newsletter that will serve the readership needs of the Land Grant universities, public and private sectors, including the small farm communities nationwide (current readership is 25,000).
Call toll-free: 1-800-583-3071 to subscribe to the Small Farm Digest or write to:
Stop 2220
USDA-CSREES
868 Aerospace Center
901 D Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250
FAX: 202-401-5179
Publications
The series of publications Getting Started in Farming can be obtained upon request. The series are:
| Getting Started in Farming |
| Mostly on Your Own |
| Part-Time or Small Farms |
| So You Have Inherited a Farm |
| Via the Home Farm |
| Small is Bountiful |
| Getting Started in Farming on a Small Scale (USDA publication) |
| Overview of Small Farm Programs at the Land Grant Colleges and Universities |
| Directory of State Extension Small Farm Contacts |
| Small Farm Digest, a Quarterly Publication |
| Proceedings of the National Small Farm Conference (1996) |
| Getting Help for Your Small Farm from USDA |
| Brochure on Small Farm Program |
Factsheets on:
| Aquaculture | Asparagus | Beekeeping |
| Blueberries | Brambles | American Ginseng |
| Specialty Corn | Angora Goats | Cashmere Goats |
| Dairy and Meat Goats | Specialty Flowers | Foliage Plants |
| Earthworm Production | Exotic Fruits | Herbs |
| Exotic Livestock | Mushrooms | Northern Nuts |
| Organic Farming | Peppers | Plantains |
| Specialty Potatoes | Poultry | Pumpkins |
| Sheep | Strawberries | Specialty Vegetables |
| Wildflowers | Woodlots |
To obtain any of the listed items, write to: Small Farm Program, USDA-CSREES, Plant and Animal Systems, Stop 2220, 901 D Street, SW, 868 Aerospace Center, Washington, D.C. 20250. Toll-free: 1-800-583-3071; FAX: 202-401-5179.
Small Farm Web Site Links
| Small Farm Digest |
| Small Farm Contacts Directory |
| Upcoming Events Relating to Small Farms |
| National Commission on Small Farms |
| Proceedings of the National Small Farm Conference - 1996 |
| National Plan for Small Farms |
| Overview of Small Farm Programs at the Land Grant Colleges and Universities (coming soon) |
| Second National Small Farm Conference - Update |
| Small Farm Resource Guide |
| Funding Opportunities |
For any questions concerning the Small Farm Program in USDA-CSREES, please write or call:
National Program Leader - Small Farms
USDA-CSREES, Stop 2220
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Phone: 202-205-0467
FAX: 202-401-5179
E-mail: debodaghe@reeusda.gov
Program Assistant
USDA-CSREES, Stop 2220
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Phone: 202-401-6861
FAX: 202-401-5179
E-mail: bhodges@reeusda.gov
Stephanie Olson
Editor - Small Farm Digest
USDA-CSREES, Stop 2220
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Phone: 202-401-6544
FAX: 202-401-5179
E-mail: solson@reeusda.gov
LaTracey Lewis
Office Assistant
USDA-CSREES, Stop 2220
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Phone: 202-401-4587
FAX: 202-401-4888
E-mail: llewis@reeusda.gov
Nelson Escobar
IPA - Small Farms
USDA-CSREES, Stop 2220
Washington, D.C. 20250-2220
Phone: 202-401-6544
FAX: 202-401-5179
E-mail: nescobar@reeusda.gov