Virginia

2023–2024 Report from the Field

SARE grants havehelped our viabilityas a business anddemonstrated thatsmall businessescan make a positiveimpact on theenvironment when wedevelop relationshipswith each other forthe benefit of all. Jeanine SeabrookGlass Rooster Cannery Letter from the Director I have always appreciated the value of long-term research as well as the long-term impact of both applied and basic research. The core […]

Growing New Markets for Specialty Crops

Voices from the Field is a podcast series co-produced by ATTRA and SARE that explores the different ways farmers are working to create new local markets for specialty and niche crops. Each partner episode will address a different production system or crop–from endives to small-grain value chains–and will feature farmers sharing their production and marketing […]

Conservation Tillage Systems in the Southeast

This production manual provides comprehensive guidance on conservation tillage systems for farms in the southeastern United States. It covers the core components of conservation tillage systems and includes both regional considerations and producer experiences.

Community-Based Food System Assessment and Planning

This guide was created to help communities conduct their own food system assessment and provide them with guidance on planning the development of a local food system.

Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Systems for Organic Vegetable Production

This information sheet captures research by Virginia Tech and the Virginia Association for Biological Farming to develop cover crop-based, reduced-tillage systems for organic vegetable production.

Using Manually Operated Seeders for Precision Cover Crop Plantings on the Small Farm

This information sheet describes research in Virginia on using inexpensive, manually operated seeders to establish consistent cover crop stands.

Cover Crops for All Seasons

This Virginia Association for Biological Farming information sheet provides research-based information on a cover crop “toolbox” from which growers can select cover crops most suited to their regions and production systems.

Cover Cropping: On-Farm, Solar-Powered Soil Building

This information sheet gives an overview of how to use cover crops to maintain good levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil.