Practical Skills Handbooks
In Production...
Organic agriculture is knowledge-intensive. It requires a new way of thinking about food production. Instead of focusing on crop and animal yields, organic farmers think about the entire agro eco-system. As a result, organically managed soils have more organic matter and microorganisms. Outside inputs such as synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizer, genetically modified organisms, growth hormones, and antibiotics are eliminated.
The Practical Skills Handbooks are resources for organic, transitioning and conventional farmers – anyone who wishes to reduce chemical usage and practice sustainable agriculture.
With a focus on practical methods, the latest scientific research, and profiles of successful organic farming operations, t he Practical Skills series aims to help farmers expand their technical expertise for specific crops, livestock, and management practices, and become more proficient at production and marketing.
Practical Skills Handbooks assume a working knowledge of farming. Each book in the Practical Skills series addresses a specific challenge for organic growers. If you’re new to organic farming, you may want to check out COG’s other books.
COG is looking for writers and sponsors for our Practical Skil ls books. More information is available:
Planned release dates are indicated below the handbook titles. Check back to order as they become available!Crop Planning Handbook for Diversified Organic Vegetable Farmers
expected publication date: June 2009
Concept:
"Buy local" is the current mantra, and there are many new growers enthused about growing for local consumers. But the biggest challenge is knowing how much and when to plant what for those farmgate, market or subscription customers.
Table of Contents:
- varieties, quantities, planting dates and frequencies, safety margins, yields
- crop rotation, soil-building, field layout
- organic methods and regulations
- monitoring and adapting the plan
Living with Worms in Organic Sheep Production
released January 2008
Sheep are a natural fit with organic principles and do well in forage-based systems.
However, they are susceptible to internal parasites and treatment with chemical wormers is the norm throughout the industry. Increasingly, parasitic nematodes are becoming resistant to chemical treatments and producers are seeking alternative approaches.
Peter Stockdale, a sheep farmer and retired veterinary parasitologist, maintains that resistance and resilience can be built up in flock of sheep so that, when parasites are inevitably present, there is no loss of productivity. Low levels of infection promote natural immunity rather than producing disease.
His recommendations in Living with Worms based on nutrition, selection, and grazing management are good news for those interested in raising sheep organically.
Growing Potatoes Organically – from Market Garden to Field Crop
expected publication date: December 2008
Concept:
Potatoes are one of the most heavily pesticide-dependent field crops. Written by a potato farmer with input from other potato farmers, practical information details organic production methods and management strategies for:
Table of Contents:
- varietal selection & potato breeding
- soil fertility on the organic potato farm
- organic seed potato production
- planting & cultivation
- pests
- diseases
- harvesting & storage
- marketing
Record-Keeping for Organic Farmers: how to get and stay certified
expected publication date: February 2009
Concept:
Cutting through the legal language of the new policies in the organic standard and regulation, this handbook will present what the policies mean at the farm level in terms of planning and record-keeping.
Table of Contents:
- reasons to certify
- flowchart of Canada ’s organic system
- how to choose and work with a Certifying Body
- how to set up an organic audit trail; record-keeping templates and examples
- marketing and labelling: when and how the Canada Organic label can be used
- on-farm processing: food safety and other regulations and record-keeping
The non-farmer’s guide to starting an organic market garden
expected publication date: March 2009
Concept:
COG regularly receives phone calls from people wanting to start a 1-2 acre organic market garden. The profile of the new organic farmer is very different from the transitional farmer and few resources are targeted to this audience. Unlike the transitional farmer, the new organic farmer generally does not have access to land and lacks farming experience.
Table of Contents:
- skills needed to be an organic farmer
- business planning
- finding land
- equipment and infrastructure
- managing labour – family, volunteers and apprentices
- costs and pricing
- record keeping for organic certification
- marketing schemes, focusing on direct marketing opportunities such as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), farm gate sales and farmers’ markets
Scaling Up Organically
expected publication date: March 2009
Concept:
How do small-scale farmers move to the next level of production: maintaining product quality, biodiversity and efficiency while increasing acreage, mechanization, production and marketing. The goal: enable growers to expand capacity, extend the growing season and increase market share with good returns.
Table of Contents:
- planning and management for regulations and for profit
- record-keeping
- specialized equipment for production
- harvesting, post harvest handling and storage
- value-added processing
- soil preparation and fertility
- weed, disease and pest management
- finding markets
Growing Small Fruit Organically
planned for January 2010
Concept:
A Canadian organic jam/spread producer has commented on the difficulty of finding enough organic fruit grown in Canada to fulfil production demands. Specific growing information would enable growers to better satisfy this need as well as serve the consumer fruit market.
Table of Contents:
- planning
- technical production and season-extension techniques
- allowable inputs
- post harvest handling and storage
- value-added processing
- marketing
Be a Practical Skills Writer
...we’re looking for Writers
If you have expertise and experience to share in any of the topics planned, or other topics, we would love to discuss your proposal.
The Practical Skills handbooks continue the COG tradition of combining the author’s expertise with current research and working farm profiles.
Each handbook will be about 100 pages, with text, worksheets, diagrams, photos, checklists, resource lists, experiential stories and farm profiles. Handbooks may form the basis of future workshops, so the presentation of material in each book should be easily adaptable to that purpose. Information that is subject to frequent update will be maintained as supplementary material on the COG website.
Writers & Researchers Proposal Guidelines
Include your CV (résumé). Proposals may be submitted by a partnership or team – include all CVs.
If you are a farmer with experience to share but are hesitant about writing, we can match you with a writer.
Production is ongoing, 2-3 titles per year, so contact us anytime with your proposals. Titles other than those listed here will be considered. Keep in mind that writing needs to be complete at least three months ahead of the publication dates listed.
Your proposal should include:
- your expertise and experience that is relevant to the title you wish to work on
- your approach to the title/topic – how you might engage other experts, how you would write the book or solicit contributions/chapters by sub-topic experts, what research and reference sources would you use
- your expected start and end-dates and percentage of time available during that period
- your payment expectations
Send queries and proposals to Project Manager Kristine Swaren, kristine-at-cog.ca.
Be a Practical Skills Sponsor
Why be a partner?
Businesses and associations benefit from increased exposure to organic and transitioning farmers and market gardeners through association with Canadian Organic Growers’ publications.
Your investment in the Practical Skills series will give you :
• Your logo and contact info at the front of the book(s) (size/colour by contribution level)
• Listing in our annual recognition of sponsors in our magazine
• Your promotional material in resource packages for Practical Skills workshop participants
• Access to targeted audiences - the people who can use your specific product or service
• Longer active life than other print advertising
• Charitable donation receipt
Choose your level of participation…
• Series Partner $7000 ($1000 per title for 7 titles over 3 years)
• Book Sponsor $1200 for a specific book
• Supporter $500 for a specific book
You are invited to be part of the Practical Skills team! For more information, contact:
Project Manager: Kristine Swaren – kristine-at-cog.ca
Executive Director: Laura Telford – laura-at-cog.ca
Partner with us for the series with an annual donation, or choose one or more titles by publication date.
Acknowledgement:
The Practical Skills handbooks are funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program. We wish to acknowledge the support of the following organizations for making this publication possible: the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia, the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, the New Brunswick Agriculture Council / Conseil Agricole Nouveau-Brunswick, the Territorial Farmers Association and the Yukon Agricultural Association.
