We are certainly no experts, but these are a handful of books that have helped. Curtis Stone’s book is a good operator manual. He also has a comprehensive You Tube channel. Another stand out is the Compact Farms book. The author provides in depth interviews with a handful of the most successful small farms in […]
Farming
Rimol Eastpoint High Tunnel
We have purchased the BCS 749 and some implements. We picked up 14 chicks and are waiting on an energizer and 200 feet of electric poultry netting from Premier1. We still have to build a chicken coop. We have to run about 1500 feet of electric fencing around the fields and house. When we are […]
BCS 749 Tractor First Impressions
We picked up the BCS and four implements. The tractor and three of the implements fit in a 10′ x 5′ cargo trailer. We had to go back for the fourth implement, a utility trailer. The tractor and the implements are all equally heavy-duty and good construction. If you are not familiar with the BCS, […]
Farming and Covid-19
No doubt Covid has changed our lives. Whether it comes back in a second wave or just lingers on is anyone’s guess. One thing is certain. Some if not most people are more cautious. Fortunately farmers markets are considered an essential service and are being permitted to open (at least here in Alaska). The question […]
High Tunnel Decisions
The NRCS conservation planner came out to our place to check the location and the soil. The visit was useful as we walked the majority of our property and realized we can setup two more fields for production. We will be using 30″ raised beds with 15″ walkways on either side. Each bed will be […]
Multifunctional Trailer Purchase
We are in the “setup” phase of pulling our small farm together. With a goal to be in production by next summer, we have to hit certain milestones this year. Land prep is our highest priority but close behind are simple needs like equipment storage. A barn is another project for later this year. Until […]
BCS Tractors & Soil Prep
A tractor is arguably the most important machine on a small farm. It is also one of the larger purchases (land aside). We wanted something that would be reliable and trouble free. After considerable research of Kubota and John Deere, we ran into BCS tractors. These Italian tractors are top sellers throughout Europe. We have […]
Startup Considerations
Farm Layout What’s Next Overview We have been filling out forms and generating a game plan for this year. The coronavirus is a bit of a monkey wrench. I was originally going to try to have produce for sale in late summer and fall. I am not so sure that matters as much now. With […]
AFMA Conference Goes Online
The Alaska Farmers Market Conference will be held online due to Covid-19. Registration is now open. Following description per the AFMA. While all of the sessions will be awesome, if there is just a few sessions to attend, please take note of these two timely sessions: Friday, 12-1pm: State of Markets Nationwide & COVID-19: Lessons from […]
Open Food Network (OFN)
OFN is open source software from Australia. It is fueling Food Hub websites throughout Australia and Europe. Here is a definition from their site: The Open Food Network platform is designed to help farmers sell food. It aggregates food from multiple sources to sell through an online shopfront, and creates a transparent supply chain. https://about.openfoodnetwork.org.au/ […]