PULLMAN, Wash. – The Organic Center, a national non-profit organization supporting research and education on the consumer and environmental health benefits of organic food and farming, has donated another $30,000 to support organic agriculture research and programming at Washington State University. This latest donation brings the total in gifts and grants to WSU from the […]
SULTAN, Wash. – Whether your forest is a backyard with just a few trees or hundreds of acres, growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms can be a satisfying and profitable venture. In the Pacific Northwest there are about a dozen commercially viable species including oyster, shiitake, and maiitake that can be grown using many of our […]
EVERETT, Wash. – The downturn in housing starts has resulted in a marked decrease in ornamental nursery production, while vegetable plant sales and the demand for local fresh fruit and vegetables remains steady. With centralized food production jeopardized by contamination and transportation issues, year-round regionally based greenhouse production is again becoming cost-effective and profitable. Structures […]
PORT ANGELES, Wash. – Exploring how a new generation of small farmers and other community members with an interest in developing a more sustainable farm and food system might better connect through local granges is the topic of an upcoming meeting in Sequim. Sponsored by Washington State University Clallam County Extension and the Sequim Prairie […]
Learn the latest information about how to start or sustain a small or mid-sized farm. The Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching class, part of the Cultivating Success series by Washington State University, the University of Idaho, and Rural Roots, will be offered in several counties in both states. Topics include whole-farm planning, ecologically based, diversified […]
EVERETT, Wash. – Small- and mid-sized family farms have unique advantages that larger-scale operations do not enjoy. They can adapt quickly to new markets. They tend to be viewed positively by their neighbors. And they can meet growing consumer demand for sustainably raised products. But how do smaller farms identify and use the advantages of […]
EVERETT, Wash. — From wheel hoes, seeders, and cultivators to binders, thrashers, walk-behinds and spaders, the tools available to modern farmers can be overwhelming. What do you need? What size? Is that rusting cultivator behind the barn worth refurbishing? What about hay-fueled horsepower? A Washington State University Snohomish County Extension workshop will focus on the […]
PULLMAN, Wash. — Drought conditions in Washington, especially irrigation rationing in the Yakima Valley, are leading to hard choices for area growers, according to two Washington State University Extension educators.
PUYALLUP, Wash. — Specialty and gourmet foods generate retail revenues of $30 billion annually in the United States. Northwest farmers will have a chance to tap into this growing market at an upcoming conference on value-added processing. The New Food Entrepreneur Conference will be presented by Washington State University’s Small Farms Team on April 1 […]
SPOKANE, Wash. — Income protection with streamlined record keeping for most farm-raised crops, animals and animal products is available under newly approved insurance called Adjusted Gross Revenue Lite (AGR-Lite). AGR-Lite provides whole-farm revenue protection against low returns due to unavoidable natural disasters and market fluctuations that affect income from commodities produced during the insurance year, […]