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Idle Impacts
"Going to stop for more than ten seconds? Shut ‘er off." That's
how Kerr Center intern Erica Hellen sums up what she learned about
whether to leave her vehicle idling during her rounds on the ranch.
Her short report explains why.
Download report
Hoop House Drawings
At the hoop house workshop at their farm on Sept. 14, Tod and Jamie Hanley
handed out drawings illustrating the design and construction of their
low-cost hoop houses.
Future
Farms 2008
Information Online Now
Learn how to be innovative and make your farm sustainable in a
rapidly changing world! Presentations by many of the expert speakers at
this year’s Future Farms conference are now available. Farm tour photos and
info is also online.
More information
Fall
Newsletter
The fall edition of the Kerr Center newsletter, Field Notes, is
now online. Check out info on upcoming events and updates on sustainable
food and farming from around the state.
Read more
SARE
20/20:
Celebrating Our First 20 Years, Envisioning the Next
Check out SARE's newest publication, SARE 20/20: Celebrating Our First
20 Years, Envisioning the Next. This special 20th anniversary edition
chronicles 20 years of agricultural innovation – from SARE's beginning
in 1988 to present-day stories of farmers, ranchers, researchers
and
educators working across America to develop and implement sustainable
marketing and production practices. The publication is available
free
online, and print copies can be ordered from SARE.
More information
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Upcoming
Ongoing
2008 Marks Fifth Year for Land Legacy
Oklahoma's only statewide land trust, Land
Legacy, is celebrating five years of work conserving
and
enhancing rural and urban landscapes. The non-profit conservation
organization has conserved 14,000 acres of open space since
its
founding.
USDA Makes Organic Certification Cost-Share Available
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making $22 million in federal
funds available for organic certification cost assistance. The funds
are available for producers and handlers of organic agricultural products.
The
National Organic Certification Cost–Share Program, authorized
by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
6523), will allocate funds in proportion to the number of organic producers
and handlers within each state. The states in turn, will reimburse
each eligible producer or handler up to 75 percent of its organic certification
costs, not to exceed $750.
To be eligible for reimbursement, an organic production or handling
operation must be located within a qualified state, comply with the
USDA National Organic Program regulations for organic production or
handling and have received certification or continuation of certification
by a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
More information
Oklahoma Agritourism Map
Farms, ranches, wineries, and farmer's
markets across the state are opening their gates, barn doors and fences,
issuing a heartfelt invitation to sample the abundant bounty and natural
beauty found in Oklahoma's growing adventure.
The Oklahoma Agritourism Map features over 300 destinations across the
state with a synopsis of each place and phone number. Some
descriptions also have addresses, directions or web site addresses.
Since most agritourism destinations have seasonal operations, hours
and days, please call before traveling for their
particular operation times and exact locations.
Free copies of the map are available
online.
New Oklahoma Sustainable Agriculture Website
OSU and Langston University are collaborating on a new website that
acts as a central clearing point for resources on all aspects of
sustainable agriculture in Oklahoma. Sections include news and
events, producer's corner, training opportunities, projects and
research, and opportunities for funding.
The Oklahoma Sustainable Agriculture Program closely cooperates with
several broad-based sustainable agriculture programs such as the
Southern Region and National Sustainable Agriculture Research and
Education (SARE) programs funded by the USDA and EPA, related programs
of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, and the
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
Visit site
Talking to Kids About Farming
Learn about Oklahoma agriculture
from Oklahoma farmers! The Oklahoma Farmer Speakers' Bureau is
a list of farmers who are available to speak to school classes
and/or host tours of their farms.
See the list
Training
for Food Entrepreneurs
Every third Thursday of each month (excluding December) the OSU
Food and Agriculture Products Center located in Stillwater, OK,
holds a “Basic Training” workshop for food business
entrepreneurs. Topics covered include planning your business,
health regulations, product evaluation and marketing, labeling,
processing and co-packing, legalities, assistance available to
entrepreneurs. Call (405) 744-6071 for more information, or go
to www.fapc.okstate.edu/
PAGES/workshop.htm.
Check out the Kerr
Center's Community Foods pages
We invite you to explore these pages and learn
about the Kerr Center’s community foods initiatives.
Community food security is a relatively new concept
that encompasses three broad areas of concern: adequate food and
nutrition for all income levels; sustainable agricultural production;
and closer farmer-consumer connections through local markets.
Find
out more
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Short articles or news items may be used on another web site, if source
cited. If you want to use longer articles or publications, do not take
the material, but instead please link to our web page. All material is
protected by Kerr Center copyright. Direct questions about material use:
Maura McDermott, mailbox@kerrcenter.com
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