Howard Rotavator Models

The farm has to be profitable to stay in business, and this takes a lot of constant fine-tuning of crop mix, marketing, labor, production, etc. Biggest Challenge Chuck and Lynn Pugh Developing an economically sustainable business.

Honey (optional) Preparation In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine blueberries, chia seeds, lemon juice, water and sugar. The lodge was built in 2003 as a bed-and-breakfast and still today is operated as a retreat space, but the Marcell family,...

The new venture incorporates farming with several new business ventures ranging from sustainable agriculture to education to housing. Buena Vista, Co. Guidestone's new facility is located at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountain Collegiate Peaks on...

“As my herd grew so did my feed bill, so I got the idea that I could sell my dairy products to pay the feed bill,” she says. “And that was the start of Fiore di Capra, Inc.” The dairy drums up a lot of business from people who are allergic to...

It pushes us to adapt and perfect our growing regime to suit our environment. We offer tours and on-farm dinners out of our food truck, and group farm retreats. This makes the efficiency of our operation viable only if we continue to maintain and utilize...

We spoke with Trish Jenkins about the creative ways they use bicycles on their farm to keep things in motion. Tell us about those unique inventions. Also, delivering by bicycle offers us a chance to stop and visit with neighbors, something we wouldn't...

The Samutin family's love of cooking with fresh, quality ingredients led these former city-dwellers to move to the country full-time in order to raise their own livestock, produce and bees.

Using a combination of steer manure, bat guano, effective microorganisms (a microbial inoculant) and organic pest control methods, they're building up healthy soil in a place that's vastly inhospitable to farming culture.

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has an easily accessible website helping farmers to get a handle on rights and responsibilities. Tags aquaculture Bourne Jr. samples the varieties of aquaculture practiced in the world today.

Garden beds that the second owners planted with berry bushes, kiwi, figs, quince, Italian plums, and many perennials and shrubs in still encircle the house. This farmstay is positioned perfectly in Oregon's Coast Range, so that after a little sheep time,...

He financed his small-farm dream from his own funds and clever bargain shopping (a 1980 tractor for $7,500 is apparently a bargain), trial and error, and making the right connections over time.

Cultivating Local Business Cold Creek Ranch One reason Schwennesen continued on the ranching tradition was to correct the negative public perception of ranchers. But this way of life—and the communities based on it—is dying out fast.

Inspired by his mother's natural-foods business—the farm's namesake—Kaminsky launched Natural Trading Company , a 40-acre organic farm, in 1995. Kaminsky started small with what he knew, eventually adding a greenhouse and specialty products, including...

Lavender Labs: This two-month event held in June and July to celebrate lavender season includes various workshops, classes, tours and tastings. A mural on the wall of the Farm Shop depicts scenes of those days.

By 2007, they were growing and selling lettuce to a few customers in Winnipeg and, from there, the business took off simply through word of mouth. In Canada, some have turned to hydroponic greenhouses as the solution for year-round growing.

Maple syrup makes a perfect natural sweetener . “When folks are visiting the area they want to see the real deal, so we, as a working farm, are able to attract about 40,000 visitors each year to sample our products, learn about maple-syrup making through...

Some can't-miss activities include: Cheese and Yogurt Making: The Siemans offer cheesemaking classes, where you can learn to make simple cheeses, such as Chevre or mozzarella. Almond Joy Perhaps you, too, are considering almonds for your own orchard.

The price tag on our meat adequately reflects what it costs to raise the animal with a very modest profit for us, yet this price can't compete with the price of meat from factory farms.

Cyn Cady “That cheese has a real sweet grassiness that cow's milk doesn't have,” Schwartz says. She digs into the pocket of her barn coat and pulls it out with a smile: her trusty buffalo brush.

His mother was an avid gardener, and his father worked at a pipe and steel business that catered to local farms and ranches. “There has really been a change in the way organic farming is done,” Dumas says.

By 1964, he had 1,000 trees and began planting an even larger orchard. Specialty: Mandarin oranges and value-added products Welty Mandarins , a mandarin-orange orchard located in California's Sacramento Valley, got its start in the early 1960s with J.D

They had two mobile coops in their current laying hen pasture that day: one in sunny yellow and another in a cheery red. She was eight months pregnant and had her own young daughter, Molly Mae, toddling along.

Stacked-wood corral fences wind all around the property.The old windmill still stands as a landmark from another era. The installations feature soundscapes that can be triggered by motion.

These may include kidding/calving/lambing pens, sick-bay pens, quarantine pens for incoming animals, just to name a few and all with their own specific requirements. Despite that, David, with his culinary background, wanted to learn to make cheese and...

If your next farm trip leads you to Oregon, consider staying in one of these bed-and-breakfasts to get the full experience. Abbey Road B & B Carlton 503-852-6278 Barking Mad Farm Enterprise 541-26-0360 Bella Vista Hood River 541-386-1545 Clear Creek Inn...

Times were tough for all American apple farmers in the mid 1980s and prices were too low to make a profit. It's no surprise that families seem to be the majority of U-pick customers, as parents appreciate giving their children the opportunity to experience...

Assessing the time needed for harvesting, washing, packing, calling on and making connections with these restaurants against the return on investment for growing a smaller, more specific produce line made it clear that there might be other ways to grow...