Modern Farmer

Get the farm ready for spring with March soil amendments and field prep that boost yields and improve the farm long-term. Always start with a soil test and add organic materials every year to keep things healthy and productive.

Tomatoes are the premier summer veggie, and the number of varieties available is a testament to their beloved nature. Here are a few extra tricks you can use to start tomato seeds so you can have tons for eating, canning, and bringing to market.

This year, bring these open-pollinated heirloom tomato varieties onto your land and into the market stand. Be a part of the legacy that heirlooms offer, and choose a few that thrive in your climate.

Interseeding is a combinative practice that often involves planting a cover crop within another cropping system. The benefits of doing so are much more than space-saving, and they effectively change the farm's function and its output.

As spring arrives, it's time to kill cover crop plantings and either incorporate the plant matter into the soil or use it as mulch. In this article, I share the best methods for your farm's specific crop and conditions.

A good April seed-starting regimen can make all the difference for a farm's revenue or the food it provides to a family. With the local climate in mind, there are many plants you can start this month. However, whether April weather is warm or still cool in your region determines which seeds you should sow outdoors or start inside.

What do sheep, regeneration of Maine farmland, and indigenous knowledge have to do with one another? Quite a bit, when it comes to Melissa Schneider, shepherd and landowner of Casa Portal. Along with herding and sustainable land management, Melissa is one of many women farmers who are staking their place.

Both small farms and home gardens are perfect for the principles of permaculture. Brandy Hall is proof of this, and with her landscaping company, Shades of Green, she's making the permaculture way of life possible for people even in the most urban settings.

Even in warm climates, farmers can still plant in May. While the weather largely determines what should be next, using extensional techniques provides a buffer that makes growing almost anything possible, as long as day length conditions are appropriate. Grow these crops this month.

Succession sowing is a great way for farmers to maximize their productivity. By continuously sowing seeds throughout the season, you can grow significantly more than by just planting one crop, and that means more goes toward revenue. It's an easy process when bolstered by the right timing.