Virtual Farm Tours
Southern
SAWG's video series titled Natural Farming Systems in the South
provides an easy, economical way to take a virtual tour of some
highly successful farming operations in the region. Compiled
in partnership with the USDA's Risk Management Agency, these broadcast-quality
videos focus on featured farmers who relate in detailed, plain-spoken
terms the whole farming system and each component unique to their
particular operation.
Videos in the series include:
* two small-scale organic vegetable farms
* a farm practicing management intensive grazing of beef cattle
* a pastured turkey operation
* a fresh cut flower production and marketing farm
* a family farm involved in meat goat production
* pastured broiler production on a limited budget
* artisan cheese production and marketing
* pasture-based dairy farming - our latest video, released in November 2007
These
broadcast-quality videos in VHS or DVD can be purchased for $15.00 by clicking here.
View
Video Clips using
Quicktime Player or Real Media Player.
Get
free QuickTime player or
Get
free RealPlayer.
Estimated
download times and download recommendations:
Real
Media Small Screen, 10-20 min. PC with dial-up
Real
Media Large Screen, 2-3 min. PC with broadband
Quicktime
Small Screen, 8-15 min. MAC with dial-up
Quicktime
Large Screen, 1-2 min. MAC with broadband
Video
#1: Organic Horticulture & Marketing
This 18
minute video demonstrates the successful farming system Ken Dawson
has developed in North Carolina. It provides a general overview
of the farming system and highlights two key components: plasticulture
and hired labor. This video has already won two prestigious national
video awards. It won first place in the Media Communication Association International
Golden Reel competition and, from over 10,000 entries, this video
placed second in the Telly Awards.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.2 Mb) Real
Media Large (16.2 Mb)
Quick Time Small (3.4 Mb)
Quick Time Large (16.1 Mb)
Video
Teaching Guide for Organic Horticulture Production
#1.
The
Maple Springs Gardens farm profile
provides basic background information, such as how Ken got started,
as well as primary information about the farm, such as acreage in
production, number of years using practices, equipment, facilities,
and markets.
Click
here to see photos from the Maple Springs Gardens. These
photos provide a snapshot of the 2003 growing season and highlight
some of the farms' unique crops, practices, or equipment.
Organic
Horticulture Production Enterprise Resource List. This
electronic folder contains links to a select group of easy to download
information packets on organic horticulture production and marketing,
along with referrals to funding opportunities and related web sites
and periodicals to assist producers.
Video
#2: Organic Horticulture & Marketing
This 18
minute video demonstrates the successful farming system Paul and
Alison Wiediger have developed in Kentucky. It provides a general
overview of the farming system and highlights two key components:
high tunnel or hoophouse production and electronic communication
to market their products.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (2.3 Mb)
Real Media Large (5.9
Mb)
Quick Time Small (2.6 Mb)
Quick Time Large (11.9
Mb)
Video
Teaching Guide for Organic Horticulture
Production #2.
The
Au Naturel Farm profile provides
basic background information, such as how the Wiedigers got started,
as well as primary information about the farm, such as acreage in
production, number of years using practices, equipment, facilities,
and markets.
Click
here to see photos from the Wiediger's farm. These photos
provide a snapshot of the 2003 growing season and highlight some
of the farm's unique crops, practices, or equipment.
Click
here to open the Organic Horticulture Production Enterprise Resource
List. This electronic folder contains links to a select group
of easy to download information packets on organic horticulture
production and marketing, along with referrals to funding opportunities
and related web sites and periodicals to assist producers.
Video
#3: Management Intensive Grazing
In
this video, ranchers LeVonna and Tony Uekman give viewers a guided
tour of their 80-acre farm at Quitman, Arkansas, where they run
stocker cattle. Technical topics, such as special fencing and watering
systems, are comprehensively discussed as the veteran MIG producers
show step-by-step the process they followed in creating a highly
successful beef production operation using MIG principals.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.9 Mb)
Real Media Large (19.1 Mb
Quick Time Small (4.5 Mb)
Quick Time Large (18.2 Mb)
Video
Teaching Guide for Management Intensive Grazing
This profile
describes how the Tony & LeVonna
Uekman and their son, Trey, use management intensive
grazing to increase profits on their stocker cattle operation, improve
the environment of their farm and enhance their own quality of life.
Management
Intensive Grazing Enterprise Resource List. This electronic
folder contains links to a select group of easy to download information
packets on management intensive grazing and sustainable livestock
production, along with referrals to helpful web sites and periodicals.
Video
#4: Pastured Turkey Production
This
video featuring poultry producer Mike Walters of Stilwell, Oklahoma,
covers a gamut of topics including hatching and raising birds on
pasture, managing pastures and related facilities for peak production,
and marketing the final product.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.2 Mb)
Real Media Large (16.2
Mb)
Quick
Time Small (3.2 Mb)
Quick Time Large (17.2
Mb)
Video
Teaching Guide for the Pastured Turkey video.
Beginning
commercial production in 1995, Mike Walters of Mike
Walters Hatchery has become one of the leading growers
and marketers of heritage turkeys and processed products in America.
The profile describes his successful production and marketing systems.
View a
list of processors that can process pastured turkeys by clicking
here.
Video
#5: Cut Flowers
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.1 Mb)
Real Media Large (15.5 Mb)
Quick Time Small (3.6 Mb)
Quick Time Large (15.1 Mb)
Video
Teaching Guide for the Cut Flower video. The
guide features additional details on processes, equipment, and other
aspects of Dripping Springs Gardens.
View the
farm profile for Mark Cain and Michael
Crane, of Dripping Springs Garden in Huntsville, Arkansas.
Their five-acre organic flower, vegetable and fruit farm is featured
in the cut flower video and Enterprise Manual.
Also featured
is Vicki Stambeck's Bear Creek Farms
in Stillwater, Oklahoma, which produces thirteen acres of greenhouse
and field grown specialty cut flowers and ornamentals for sale at
regional florists.
Cut
Flower Enterprise Manual This document contains valuable information
developed exclusively for Southern SAWG, plus links to selected
information on specialty cut flower production and marketing.
Video
#6: Pastured Meat Goat Production
This video
illustrates the story of Bill Legg's pastured meat goat operation,
within the setting of his diverse Tennessee farm. The practical
information includes goat breeds and breeding tips, pasture management,
pest control, marketing, and more - as told by the farmer.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.0 Mb)
Real Media Large (14.8 Mb)
Quick Time Small (3.0 Mb)
Quick Time Large (14.4 Mb)
With over
30 years of farming experience and 12 years in meat goat production,
the story of Ben Anthony's
Arkansas farm provides valuable insight into raising goats on a
diversified operation that also includes a variety of vegetables
plus beef cattle and hogs.
Neil
Hoffman's Farm in Kentucky focuses on meat goats on
14 acres, plus 8 additional acres for mixed vegetable production.
This profile offers a range of information from production to marketing.
Legg
Land and Livestock operated by Bill
Legg together with his wife Peggy and his father in Tennessee
is the subject of Southern SAWG's Meat Goat video. The
farm profile features even more details on Legg's operation.
Meat
Goat Enterprise Resource List Selected
information on meat goat production and links organizations, web
based information, and other online production and marketing resources
are included in this resource listing.
Video
#7: Pastured Broilers on a Limited Budget
This video
provides insight into all aspects of Beth Tillery's diverse and
sustainable operation in Mckee, KY, from buying chicks to processing
and marketing. Beth shares her tips on housing, feeding and watering,
and pasture rotation with limited resources. She also explains how
the poultry operation fits into the management and economics of
a diversified farm that includes grass fed beef, dairy cows, specialty
flowers, and fruits and vegetables.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.1 Mb)
Real Media Large (15.4
Mb)
Quick Time Small (3.5 Mb)
Quick Time Large (15.9
Mb)
Video
Teaching Guide for pastured broiler production.
Beth
Tillery's farm is featured in the broiler video, and
is profiled in our farm stories section. Click the link to
read more details about her sustainable and successful operation.
Download
the pastured poultry enterprise resource list here.
Video #8: Artisan Cheese Production and Marketing
This video featuring Jessica and Jeremy
Little, owners of Sweet Grass Dairy, provides information about
start-up and development of a handcrafted cheese enterprise. It
highlights the importance and value of milk production practices, use
of refurbished and adapted equipment, and a diversified marketing
strategy. It provides an overview of everything from cheese
making regulations and techniques to financial accounting and business
management.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real
Media Small (3.1 Mb)
Real Media Large (15.4
Mb)
Quick Time Small (3.5 Mb)
Quick Time Large (15.9
Mb)
Video #9: Pasture-Based Dairy Farming
Blair and Kim Sanders, owners of Black
Hollow Dairy near Dublin, VA,decided about 7 years ago to switch from a
conventional system to a pasture-based seasonal grazing system. In this
video they share their knowledge and expertise on many aspects of their
seasonal grazing system including calving, milking, feeding, breeding,
fencing, pasture management, equipment, and recordkeeping. For the
Sanders, the advantages of this type of operation far outweigh any
challenges. They have been able to stay in business, be profitable, and
enjoy a high quality of life.
To
view a 2-minute clip, click on the player of your choice below:
Real Media Small (3.3 Mb) Real Media Large (16.2 Mb)
Quick Time Small (3.5 Mb) Quick Time Large (16.3 Mb)
Videos
may be purchased in VHS or DVD for $15 each by clicking here.
To comment on these materials or
for questions about this project, contact Jean Mills at jean@ssawg.org
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