Archive for June 2019
How to Add Compost on Your Small Farm
Compost provides nutrients to plants, improves soil structure, increases water holding capacity, and suppresses root diseases by supporting benefi cial microorganisms in the soil. It also helps improve porosity and the friability or ability to work the soil. It also
The Farmers’ Marketing & Sales Notebook
A Post-Harvest Resource for California Specialty Crop Growers. Information, selling tips and internet links to the best informational sites for the eight major marketing channels. This notebook is designed to help the family farmer in his/her continued quest to provide
FSMA Diagrama de flujo Español
¿Me afectan Las Nuevas Normas de INOCUIDAD ALIMENTARIA según el ACTA DE MODERNIZACIÓN DE INOCUIDAD ALIMENTARIA? Un Diagrama de Flujo para Agricultores y Empresas de Alimentos.
The CSA Solutions Hub
The CSA Solutions Hub is everything we know about CSA farming. We want to share with you, so you can get better at what you do. Join our community of curious and successful CSA farmers.
California CSA Members
A simple infographic breaking down the basics of CSA members in California. Why do they join? Why do they leave?
Fire Survivor: David Kaisel, Capay Mills
David Kaisel of Capay Mills in Rumsey, CA David Kaisel first came to the Capay Valley in Northern California about 30 years ago to learn to paddle white water on Cache Creek. “I remember coming up here when the river’s
How to Bring EBT / SNAP to your CSA
Interested in bringing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) known as CalFresh in California, to your CSA? EBT is currently available at 600 authorized Farmer’s Markets, CSAs and Direct Marketing Farmers statewide providing clients’ access
My Digital Farmer
An online resource for CSA farmers by a CSA farmer, this website (videos, podcasts, etc.) is invaluable, offering marketing strategies that help CSAs clarify their message, find new customers, and increase sales.
Choosing the Right CSA Model for Your Farm
Before you decide on distribution, there are some fundamental questions to ask when you are designing your CSA program: How much risk do CSA members actually have? What happens if there is a bad crop year? How much flexibility do
Burned Oaks: Which Will Survive?
Each year fires burn thousands of acres where the predominant vegetation is oak tress and grass. Where fires burn intensely, trees can be totally consumed. In other places, leaves on trees can be scorched, but the trees remain standing. Where
Seeding After a Fire
After a fire many trees are weakened from burning around the base of the trunk. The trees can fall over or blow down without warning. Shallow-rooted trees can also fall. Therefore be extremely alert when around burned trees.
Planned Herbivory in the Management of Wildfire Fuels
Grazing is most effective at treating smaller diameter live fuels that can greatly impact the rate of spread of a fi re along with the flame height. Wildfires are increasing in number, intensity, and size. Five of the most significant
To Graze or Not To Graze
Determining when to graze livestock after a fire can be a controversial and sometimes difficult decision. Much of the post-fire consideration depends upon site characteristics (percent slope, soil type), plants that grew in the area burned, and intensity of the
Smoky Character in Wines
Smoke flavors in grapes and wine were a concern in the 2008 growing season following the Mendocino Lightning Fires of June 20-July 20. Most research has been done in Australia during the past decade. These are articles that you may want
Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies
Power Outages, Floods & Fire. Keep an appliance thermometer in both the refrigerator and freezer. Make sure the refrigerator temperature is at 40 °F or below and the freezer is at 0 °F or below. Group foods together in both
Coping with Disaster
This page offers disaster survivors information regarding dealing with the emotional effects of the event. Below you will find guidance on recognizing the signs of and minimizing the impact of disaster-caused stress. Please remember that reactions and risk response to disasters
Helping Children Cope with Disaster
This booklet offers parents, caregivers, and other adults suggestions on how to help children cope with the effects of disaster, as well as how to be prepared before a disaster strikes.
Small Business Disaster Loan Assistance
SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace the following items damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property,
Wildfire Insurance 101
Have you ever gone on a family vacation for more than two weeks, during which you lived out of a suitcase? If your family is anything like mine, it can get pretty stressful! Now imagine having to live in temporary
Wildfires: Flood Insurance
Floods are the most common and costly natural hazard in the nation. After a wildfire, the flood risk increases significantly. The time to buy flood insurance is now. Homeowners, renters and business owners need to protect themselves financially from the devastating losses flooding can
After the Fires: Hydrophobic Soils
Fire is a natural and important environmental factor that has affected virtually all western U.S. forests at one time or another. However, there are situations where fire can be catastrophic. Aside from property and aesthetic loss, this can include situations
Community Wildfire Protection Plans
This series offers a set of lessons learned concerning the collaborative processes that influence and guide the development of community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs) under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA 2003). The lessons learned are offered in relatively short
Communities at Risk
To help protect people and their property from potential catastrophic wildfire, the National Fire Plan directs funding to be provided for projects designed to reduce the fire risks to communities. A fundamental step in achieving this goal was the identification
Fire-Resistant Plants for Landscapes
As homeowners continue to build in the wild and urban interface, they must take special precautions to protect their homes. One way to do this is to create a defensible space around the home, and one important factor can be
Firewise USA
NFPA’s Firewise USA® program teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together and take action now to prevent losses. Join the growing network of more than 1,500 recognized Firewise USA® sites from across
A Land Manager’s Guide for Creating Fire-Resistant Forests
This publication provides an overview of how various silvicultural treatments affect fuel and fire behavior, and how to create fire-resistant forests. In properly treated, fire-resistant forests, fire intensity is reduced and overstory trees are more likely survive than in untreated
Recovering from Wildfire, Healing the Land
There’s a human impulse to rebuild, to resume life as it was. In nature, there is the cycle of regeneration that comes after a fire. While our instinct tells us to help and our hearts are in the right place,
Animals in Disaster online training course, FEMA
This course is intended to help animal owners, care providers, and industries to understand incident management. The objectives of this course are to increase awareness and preparedness among animal owners and care providers, and to describe how typical hazards affect
Guide to Disaster Preparedness: Ag & Natural Resources
When disasters strike, animals as well as people need to be safely relocated. This guide is intended to provide useful information about developing a disaster response plan, about disaster preparedness training and resources, and to stimulate your thoughts on how
Family Emergency Plan (en español)
Plan de Comunicaciones Familiares – Es probable que su familia no esté junta cuando ocurra un desastre, de modo que deben plani˜car cómo se van a comunicar y decidir de antemano lo que h arán en diferentes situaciones.
Family Emergency Communication Plan
This document outlines three steps to take to create your Family Emergency Communication Plan: collect contact information for your family and other important contacts; make sure everyone carries a copy of this information with them; and have regular household meetings
Farming with Food Safety and Conservation
Food-borne illness linked to pathogens in meat, processed food, and produce has led to increased attention to food safety issues at all points along the supply chain, including the farm. Farmers can produce safe food without sacrificing responsible on-farm conservation
Building Soils for Better Crops
Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color. It provides step-by-step information on soil-improving practices as well as in-depth background—from what soil is to the importance of organic matter.