Beginning Farms Programs

Programs for Beginning Farmers.

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Biodiversity and Pest Management Resources for Small Farms

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (B Franklin, 1706-1790). Pest prevention is a central component of integrated pest management and organic pest management strategies. Crop rotation and crop planning (i.e. timing and spacing), good nutrient and water management, enhancing natural enemies and choosing disease or insect resistant varieties will enhance the resilience of your farm. When these methods are insufficient it is sometimes necessary to use natural or synthetic pesticides to manage pests well enough to produce high quality crops.

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Additional Livestock Resources for Small Farms

This collection provides information about additional livestock resources available for small farm livestock producers.

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Soil Improvement and Cover Crop Resources for Small Farms

Even though different soils have some properties that cannot be changed, such as texture, soil quality can be improved by implementing good management strategies. Soils can be improved for water holding capacity, drainage, structure, and even the ability for plant roots to penetrate through the soil.

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Soil Nutrient Management Resources for Small Farms

Nutrient Management, Managing nutrients, whether it is synthetic fertilizer or manure and other organic fertilizers requires planning. Determining which type of fertilizer to apply, the application rate and timing are key factors in managing soil to improve crop yield and quality, reduce fertilizer costs and help protect the environment.

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Agricultural Composting Resources for Small Farms

This content collection covers various composting resources such as: introductory composting information, environmental considerations, using composted organic wastes on farms, composting at livestock operations, regulatory information for Oregon, detailed technical information, and compost organizations.

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Soil Survey Resources for Small Farms

Learning about the different types of soils on a farm is invaluable. Oregon alone has nearly 1,000 different kinds of soil, ranging from deep to shallow, clayey to sandy, nearly level to steeply sloping. These differences are important, because different soils require different kind of management practices.

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