Since 2003, Carandale Farm has been evaluating 42 unusual fruits for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The goal is to find nutrient-rich fruits that can be grown easily, without a lot of labor or chemicals. The fruits must provide economic viability for the farm. Carandale owners Dale and Cindy Secher are developing a “short list” [...more]

What makes specialty cheese special? More specifically, what taste characteristics make cheese from pastured cows unique? These are important questions for farmers and milk processors wanting to create specialty dairy products from the milk of pastured cows. Preliminary research from UW-Madison shows that cheese from the milk of pastured cows tastes significantly different from other cheese. This study was not able to identify the chemical compounds causing the flavor differences. A consumer panel preferred the cheese made from the milk of cows fed pasture and grain, similar to the milk produced on most Wisconsin grazing dairy farms. [...more]

The market for specialty cheese, including pastured cheese, is growing rapidly. Graziers, cheesemakers and marketers need to know how pastured cheese is unique. This report describes research comparing the taste, texture and color of cheese made from the milk of exclusively pastured cows, cows that are pastured and given a grain supplement, and cows fed [...more]

The specialty cheese industry is one arena in the Upper Midwest where some dairy farmers can earn more than commodity prices for their milk. But like any business venture, making, marketing and distributing specialty cheese is not easy. Commodity cheese production in Wisconsin attracts most of the attention and resources. This report examines and describes [...more]

Farmers Tony and Dela Ends want their farm to sustain the land and their family. They began selling subscriptions to their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in 1994. They also wanted to successfully integrate livestock production into their farm through a value-added, direct marketing enterprise. Their goal was to do this in ways that respect the scale of a small family farm, satisfy their commitments to stewardship, and eliminate the need for off-farm income. [...more]

Printer-friendly version (PDF) Grain farmers can help the environment by expanding their corn-soybean rotations to include additional crops. Research has shown that expanded rotations can reduce the need for pesticide and herbicide applications by breaking the life cycles of insects, weeds and diseases specific to corn and soybeans. In addition, grain yields often increase in the [...more]

A small but growing group of consumers is paying attention to the health benefits of milk and meat from animals raised on pasture. Meat and milk from grazed ruminants have higher levels of "good fat" than ruminants fed stored feeds. Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is one of those "good fats." Some people claim that CLA can inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors, enhance immunity, reduce cholesterol, and replace fat with muscle. Can dairy farmers raising cows on pasture capitalize on these health claims with specialty cheese? [...more]

It can be tough to make a living from commodity crops, but Wisconsin farmers may be in an ideal position to reap profits from value-added food processing. A wide variety of agricultural products are raised in Wisconsin. And many people living in nearby large urban centers are willing to pay more for unique and sustainably [...more]

Many Wisconsin tobacco farmers are looking for alternative crops following the ongoing reductions in tobacco allotments and tobacco markets. Allotment reductions mean lower production levels and lower incomes for tobacco farmers. One crop proposed as an alternative to tobacco is echinacea (pronounced ek-in-a-sha), or purple coneflower, grown mainly for its medicinal root. Echinacea has enjoyed [...more]

Tobacco farmers in Wisconsin have been losing base acreage and income in recent years. Because Echinacea and tobacco production share many similarities, Echinacea has been suggested as an alternative crop for tobacco farmers. Making $3,766 per acre with Angustifolia Echinacea looks better than any corn or soybean budget. But there are risks to consider, mainly [...more]