Podcasts about quivira coalition

Since the new administration took office, programs benefitting farmers have been slashed, frozen, paused, and canceled––and the effect is leaving agrarians in a tough position. Carolina Mueller, Associate Coalition Director of the National Young Farmers Coalition, and Leah Ricci, Interim Executive Director of Quivira Coalition join us on today's podcast to talk about what they're hearing from folks on the ground, what resources are available to help people navigate, and what ordinary citizens can do to make their voices heard.

Jesse Smith is the Director of Land Stewardship at the White Buffalo Land Trust, which is a global hub for regenerative land stewardship, ecological monitoring and research, education, and more. Jesse brings a unique perspective and a diverse set of experiences to his work in regenerative agriculture– his early interest in architecture led him to pursue an education in design, which then led to a career in product design and visual communication. But over time, he became interested in combining his artistic sensibilities with his love of the land, science, and permaculture, and soon thereafter began his journey in the world of family farming, food production, and education. Jesse is now a leader in the world of regenerative ag, and, as you'll hear, he has a real gift for communicating the art and science of land stewardship.  This conversation was recorded in November of 2024 on stage at the REGENERATE conference– one of the country's foremost gatherings of regenerative agriculture practitioners and thought leaders. REGENERATE is a collaboration between the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association, and the conference attracts fascinating people from all over the world to share knowledge, build community, and create a culture of resilience and regeneration.  Despite sitting on stage in front of an auditorium full of people, this conversation felt much more like a fun one-on-one discussion between two friends. We covered everything from Jesse's winding path into the world of agriculture to some of the more technical details around land monitoring and certifications. We discussed the natural disasters in Jesse's community that highlighted huge problems in the local food systems, which eventually led to the creation of the White Buffalo Land Trust. We discussed how Jesse prioritizes his work when there are so many urgent challenges to address, and he shares his experiences with big business's growing interest in regenerative ag. We talk about the Japanese concept of Ikigai, transforming inspiration into action, advice for building a career in regenerative ag, favorite books, and much more. We also allowed ample time for Q&A from the audience, which I know you'll enjoy. Jesse mentions tons of useful resources so be sure to visit the episode notes for a full list of topics we discussed and links to everything. A huge thanks to the team at REGENERATE for inviting me to the conference, thank you to Jesse for chatting with me and offering so much wisdom, and thanks to you for listening. The episode starts out with an introduction from Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, who is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition and a past Mountain & Prairie podcast guest. Hope you enjoy! --- Jesse Smith White Buffalo Land Trust Figure Ate Foods REGENERATE conference Quivira Coalition Holistic Management International American Grassfed Association Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/jesse-smith/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - An introduction from Quivira's Executive Director, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher 4:45 - Ed's introduction 8:00 - Jesse's early years and path into conservation 12:15 - Recognizing the community need that led to the creation of the White Buffalo Land Trust 16:00 - How does Jesse prioritize his work at the White Buffalo Land Trust 21:45 - Thoughts on big business's interest in regenerative agriculture 27:05 - The complexity of regenerative certifications 32:45 - Predictions about the future of regenerative certifications 35:30 - Advice for people who want to work in regenerative ag 41:00 - Translating inspiration into action 45:30 - Audience Q&A: How do stories and on-the-ground experiences help to change people's minds? 50:43 - Audience Q&A: Why is the burden on regenerative producers to get certifications to prove that they are doing it correctly? 54:15 - Audience Q&A: Thoughts on the new administration bringing regenerative practitioners into the FDA? 59:20 - Audience Q&A: How do we create more accessibility around regenerative ag? 1:03:10 - Audience Q&A: How does regenerative ag play a role in procurement by institutional buyers? 1:05:00 - Audience Q&A: What is the source of people's disconnection with food and what is one step to bridge that gap? 1:08:20 - Audience Q&A: What are some planning strategies to help balance stewardship and profitability 1:12:05 - Audience Q&A: What is the lay of the land when it comes to certifications across a broad range of markets? 1:16:15 - Jesse's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

In this conversation, host Taylor Muglia interviews Julie Sullivan, mentor training and support specialist (and program founder) here at Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program. Julie discusses the inspiration behind creating the program's first Manager Fellowship and how it aims to bridge the gap between apprenticeship and ranch management or entrepreneurship for the "not-so new agrarian." She walks through the requirements to apply, nuts and bolts of the program, and her greatest hopes for the first cohort.

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is executive director of Quivira Coalition. A native of South Dakota, she came to her work in agriculture and leadership via a circuitous path that included the creative arts, writing, community and regional planning, collective problem-solving. In this podcast we discuss everything from the purpose of scientific inquiry in regenerative agriculture, to Quivira's history and current programs, to her own work in farming. 

“Soil health can be complicated but it's also super simple and something that everybody can participate in.” —Sarah Wentzel Fisher Soil health is the foundation of our food systems and ecosystems. Yet many are disconnected from the living soil that sustains us. The soil is a complex web of microbial and ecological activity below our feet, working constantly to cycle nutrients, sequester carbon, and support plant life above and below ground. When soil health declines, it impacts water quality, biodiversity, our ability to grow nutritious food, and ultimately all living beings. In this episode, Justine interviews Sarah Wentzel Fisher about the transformative potential of getting more people involved in agriculture and stewarding soil health.  Sarah is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition and a regenerative farmer. Through her work with the Carbon Ranch Initiative, she aims to improve soil health on rangelands and educate farmers and ranchers on the importance of soil stewardship. Listen in as Justine and Sarah discuss the importance of soil health for functioning ecosystems and its central role in mitigating climate change, the impact of research in providing practical solutions, ways to inspire conversation around soil health, and more.    Meet Sarah:   Sarah has worked in food and agriculture planning for over a decade with a focus on supporting young and beginning farmers and ranchers. She was the editor of Edible Santa Fe from 2011 to 2017. From 2013 to 2015 she worked for the National Young Farmers Coalition as an organizer and is currently on the board of the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. She is a committed champion of the local food movement and of resilient and regenerative agriculture. In her free time, you can find her feeding pigs, turkeys, and cows, checking the compost pile, or possibly weeding a patch of beans at Polk's Folly Farm where she lives.   Website  Facebook X Instagram LinkedIn     Connect with NextGen Purpose: Website Facebook Instagram  LinkedIn YouTube Episode Highlights: 02:21 Creative Conveing and Food Systems  06:27 Soil Health and Its Impact on Ecosystems  10:40 The Importance of Understanding Soil Health 15:03 How Soil Health Impacts Climate  

Chase Hetler and Jessie Hook spent much of 2023 as Quivira Coalition interns through the Carbon Ranch Initiative, investigating the financial and ecological viability of compost application and erosion control structures on rangeland in the southwest. Host Taylor Muglia chats with both interns about their experiences and how their internships changed the way they see academia's role in ranching.

Anica Wong is Quivira Coalition's communications director and she had the idea for an "ask me anything" episode with Down to Earth host Mary-Charlotte Domandi ... and here it is! Listeners asked questions and we answered as best we could, in a wide-ranging discussion about everything from to Anica's urban farm to our favorite podcasts to Plato's Republic. We reference many episodes, books, people, and fun stuff, so see the timeline below for links.

Sarah Wentzel-Fischer is a farmer, a writer, a connector, an advocate. Officially, she wears several hats. She is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, an organization focused on building soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes. Sarah raises pigs and makes compost with her partner on Polk's Folly Farm in northern New Mexico. Farmers in New Mexico elected Sarah to represent them on the board of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. We talk a little bit about what that means for Sarah's involvement in farm bill negotiations and other advocacy work related to that role in our conversation. But most of our conversation focused on the upcoming Regenerate Conference. Quivira organizes the annual event together with American Grassfed and Holistic Management International. This year, it's taking place November 1st to 3rd in Santa Fe. Western Landowners Alliance is a sponsor of the event and the online podcast will be there. Recording content and sharing stories in a planned podcaster's corner. Sarah and I talked about the theme of this year's event and some of the highlights, for both of us, on the agenda. And, the first day of the conference this year is completely free to attend. See complete show notes, including links to references from the show, here: onland.westernlandowners.org/podcast/.

In this episode, Taylor Muglia shares her fascinating journey from a student to a mentor in the world of regenerative agriculture. Her path takes her across the globe, from the U.S. to Italy, where she honed her butchery skills and learned about food and safety regulations. Upon returning to the U.S., she adapted to a new community while managing a custom herd of cattle, sheep, and poultry. The discussion then shifts to Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program (where Taylor works as the NAP's Colorado Manager), aimed at empowering budding agrarians. She talks about the application process, mentor-apprentice matching, and the variety of operations the program supports. Taylor also shares the challenges and triumphs of building a community, the importance of mental health support, and the impact of their program on its alumni.Books/Resources Mentioned:For the Love of Soil: Strategies to Regenerate Our Food Production Systems by Nicole MastersSocial media:Website: https://quiviracoalition.org/newagrarian/Instagram: @quiviracoalitionFacebook: Quivira CoalitionX: @QuiviraAgRanchDiscover the wonders of regenerative agriculture with Noble Research Institute! Their practical solutions and extensive research help farmers and ranchers enhance soil health, increase grazing productivity, and uplift the entire ecosystem. They've just launched the Essentials of Regenerative Ranching course - a must for those eager to pioneer change in agriculture. Check them out at noble.org and pioneer a sustainable future today! Follow us on social media!Website: https://grazinggrass.com/Facebook: Grazing Grass PodcastInstagram: @grazinggrassTwitter: @grazing_grassAffiliate links:Riverside - Create professional-quality podcast episodes with ease using Riverside's seamless recording and editing tools.Podium - Unlock your podcast's potential with Podium, the AI copywriter for show notes, articles, social posts, and more!

Today's episode is a special guest in our podcast feed, from the Down to Earth: the Planet to Plate Podcast, presented by our friends at the Quivira Coalition and Radio Café. Working Wild U cohost Jared Beaver sat down with Down to Earth host Mary-Charlotte Domandi to discuss why we started Working Wild U, why we chose to wade into a season on wolves, and the important role working lands play in supporting people and wildlife in the American West. Thanks to Mary-Charlotte and the Quivira Coalition for welcoming Jared to their incredible interview lineup. Other recent guests on the show have included ranch manager Mark Biaggi, author Dan Flores and filmmaker John D. Liu! Check out Down to Earth: The Planet to Plate Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Find the show notes at workingwild.us  

Quivira Coalition's Taylor Muglia sits down with Michelle Hughes, the Operations and Impact Director at National Young Farmers Coalition. Michelle speaks about her background in farming and livestock production and how she transitioned to advocacy work, then became staff at NYFC. She talks about the challenges and successes of weaving racial equity into an agricultural organization, and how accountability must be a part of that system. Michelle also speaks about her experience on the Equity Commission at USDA and how each young farmer can find their voice. Instagram @youngfarmers  

We're releasing a new yarn named Graze! Listen to an interview with Jenya Schneider, the co-owner and operator of Cuyama Lamb. She and her team raised the sheep whose wool is used to make Graze. Located in Santa Barbara, California, her sheep's role is to graze along the hillside to help with wildfire mitigation - an effort we are very happy to support. SHOW NOTES Cuyama Lamb is a six member team including Jenya, Jack, Anthony, Cristian, Alex, and Dani. They currently have a 1000 head of sheep, 3 herding dogs Willie, Rocco, and Tres, and 5 guardian dogs Lucy, Yoreh, Bruno, Aya and Lutu. Follow Cuyama Lamb on Instagram to learn more about their daily activities. Emily Tzeng of Local Color Farm and Fiber Studio is the person who contacted us to be part of this collaboration. She has a wonderful farm. We asked Jenya for a few recommendations… For literature that has shaped her current ecological and agricultural thinking:+ Tending the Wild by M. Kat Anderson–integral in decolonizing my perceptions of "conservation" and ecological stewardship+ The Unlikely Peace at Cuchumaquic by Martín Prechtel+ A Growing Culture - a website which publishes essays about food sovereignty. Places / programs about how people can learn to care for animals: + Quivira Coalition – find an apprenticeship with a holistic livestock operation aligned with your interests+ New Cowgirl Camp – hosted by Beth Robinette and Alex Machado. An excellent entry point for aspiring cowgirls and gender nonconforming cow-wranglers (and sheep and goat herders too).+ Aldersprings Ranch – summer apprenticeships working cattle on horseback The name of the family she works with in Ventura:“We are working in collaboration with Porfirio Gutierrez, and incredible Zapotec weaver based in Ventura. His website is https://porfiriogutierrez.com/ and IG handle is @porfirio_gutierrez_studio. He is working with our wool (the same yarn that you are working with) to make blankets and ponchos. His work is rooted in his family and culture's textile traditions while also utilizing novel techniques to explore ideas of migration, indigeneity, and so much more.” We hope you will knit with Graze! Thank you so much for following along.  ========================================================================= Transcript available on our blog. For more episodes visit: https://www.averbforkeepingwarm.com/pages/reverberate If you are a new listener to Reverberate, please subscribe and share with your friends! Also don't forget to rate and review on Apple Podcasts.  

Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program Colorado Manager Taylor Muglia sits down with Akwese Mbendang Milene Majolie. Akwese was an intern this summer with Quivira's Carbon Ranch Initiative. Working remotely from Rwanda where she attended school at the African Leadership University Rwanda, she helped with biochar projects and educational guides, and expanded her knowledge of regenerative agriculture with Quivira staff located in New Mexico. Originally from Cameroon, Akwese is passionate about sharing regenerative techniques with smallholder farmers in her region and innovating ways to reduce post-harvest loss. In this episode, she shares her story and dreams for the future. Find Akwese on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. And her project Chakula Poda on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Bill Milton and his wife Dana run a cattle ranch just northeast of Roundup in Central Montana. Bill and Dana have always strived to find symbiotic relationships amongst all life on the land, and this means being involved in a lot of efforts that involve collaboration between agriculture, agency, and conservation interests. Bill will share with us about the realities of what ranchers are up against and ways he sees resiliency being built for people and place. He speaks to the value and urgency in working collaboratively, creatively, and having honest dialogue around the shared challenges and successes. He will speak specifically to his work with the Musselshell Watershed Coalition, Winnett ACES, and an exciting new project, the Rangeland Monitoring Group, which involves rancher guided research and data collection of the rangeland ecosystem. Bill has great information for fellow ranchers, agency, conservation groups, and those who may see themselves as distant to agricultural communities, expressing shared needs of humanity and resiliency. We will also hear from Natalie Berkman, apprentice at the Milton Ranch through Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program. LINKS: Musselshell Watershed Coalition Winnett ACES Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program Rangeland Monitoring Group Montana DEQ's Abandoned Mine Land Program Ranchers Stewardship Alliance Montana Conservation Districts BioRegions International WWF Sustainable Ranching Initiative The Nature Conservancy Montana Bird Conservancy of the Rockies Northern Great Plains Joint Venture This episode is part of the Life in the Land project, which is a series of films and podcasts produced by Stories for Action, which hears from folks that interact with the complexities of Montana's landscapes, speaking to the value of locally-led work and the holistic approaches needed for the health of communities and the ecosystems they're a part of. Find out more about the project and watch the films at LifeintheLand.org Stories for Action holds a mission to use the power of storytelling to create human connection and advance a thriving planet for all. StoriesforAction.org  Follow along on our Instagram and Facebook: @StoriesforAction #regenerative #regenerativeranching #ranching #ranchlife #drought #montana #resilience #collaborativeconservation

Sometimes raw talent is something that isn't discovered until we step out of our comfort zone and try something new! In today's podcast, Cheyenne interviews Erica Mannix, to discuss her time on the ranch and how she fills her time outside of ranchwork.Erica Mannix is one of 5 members of the 5th generation currently working on the Mannix Ranch in Helmville, MT. The ranch is currently managed by members of both the 4th and 5th generation and is currently working through the process of succession. It is largely a cow-calf and stocker operation in addition to growing a direct-to-consumer meat brand called Mannix Family Grass-Finished Beef. Erica moved back to the ranch two and a half years ago after years of attending undergrad and graduate school, working as an elementary teacher, training horses, and working as a Holistic Ranch Management intern. She now works about ¾ time for the family ranch, works part-time for the Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program doing workshop and education coordination, and fills her remaining hours with custom leatherwork.  Who is Cheyenne Wilson?Cheyenne was fortunate to grow up on her family's working cattle ranch in southeastern Montana. This is where her intense love of horses and cattle began. She also learned to love and respect the land from a very young age. She runs black Angus cattle and raises half-draft horses with her husband and son. Their place is known as the Lazy Six Nine Ranch. Cheyenne is also an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe. She and her family reside and ranch on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They also spend time in Montana in the Beartooth Mountains.Cheyenne strives daily to spread positivity and awareness of modern-day ranching. One of her passions is empowering women involved in agriculture to live life at a higher level. She strives to perpetuate the ever-evolving role of women in agriculture through her blog (The Native Cowgirl), public speaking, photography, and social media outlets.She loves helping rural entrepreneurs level up in what they are passionate about. This includes updating company branding, amplifying social media platforms, increasing website traffic, one-on-one coaching for business/personal growth, etc.She has been able to build her business from the ground up earning 7-figures in only three years -- in the middle of nowhere.She always says, "If I can do this, you can too!"Learn more about Cheyenne & sign up for her newsletter: https://www.thenativecowgirl.com/

The new episode of WGA's Out West podcast, Agricultural Workforce in the West, explores the challenges that communities face as more agricultural workers retire, the barriers that young people face when attempting to start a career in the industry and opportunities to address the issue by expanding apprenticeship programs on family farms and ranches. Listen in as WGA Policy Advisor, Kevin Moss, speaks with Kate Greenberg, the Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, and Sarah Wenzel-Fisher, the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, a non-profit organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico that is dedicated to building economic and ecological resilience on western working landscapes. Together they discuss effective workforce training programs and partnerships that can help young people develop the necessary tools for a successful career in agriculture. 

Quivira Coalition's Taylor Muglia sits down with Geoffrey Van, Program Director of the Changing Hands Program at Rogue Farm Corps. Geoffrey talks about a childhood surrounded by concrete in Hong Kong, then moving to the US and finding his passion in farming, first on a goji berry farm, and then in raising livestock. He found himself learning butchery in Brooklyn, New York for a bit, which solidified his love for soil and being outside in the countryside. He started his own operation with some friends called Spoon Full Farm in 2017, then decided to walk away from that venture and help other farmers develop business plans and navigate the resources for starting a farm through the Changing Hands Program. We talk business plans, dreaming smaller, and advocating for what you need for a healthy life balance.

Kate Mannix is a rancher who works alongside her family on the Mannix Ranch in Montana's Blackfoot Valley. The Mannix family has been ranching and stewarding their family ranch since 1882, back when Timothy Benjamin Mannix purchased the land from the Northern Pacific Railroad. For generations, the Mannix family has served as loyal caretakers of this spectacular landscape, and, over the years, they have evolved their business and land management approaches so as to continuously improve the ranch's soil, water, flora, and fauna. - Kate was born and raised in California, but moved to Montana for graduate school, where she fell in love with both ranching and the Rocky Mountains. A few years later, she was accepted as an apprentice into the Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program, a unique program that connects aspiring farmers and ranchers with experienced regenerative agriculture practitioners throughout the West. After a stint in New Mexico, she eventually found her way to the Mannix Ranch, where she fell in love with Bryan Mannix, who is now her husband. So today, Kate is officially a Mannix and is an invaluable part of this storied ranching family. - Kate and I connected virtually and chatted about everything from the business of ranching to her favorite books, with a lot of fascinating topics in between. We started out by discussing the history of the Mannix Ranch and how her family has managed to maintain such a successful family business for so many generations. We talk about challenges facing her ranch and the business of ranching, and the importance of land conservation and regenerative practices for the business's sustainability. We talk about her time with Quivira, her stint as a vegan, her current love of hunting, and her family's thoughts on her career path. She also shares some inspiring and instructive thoughts on her recent battle with cancer, and some of the lessons she learned from the scary, life-change experience. We discussed a lot, so please check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we covered. - I've wanted to have Kate on the podcast for quite some time now, so I greatly appreciate her making the time to chat. This was an educational and inspiring episode, so I hope you enjoy. --- Mannix Family Grass-Finished Beef Full Episode Notes and Links: https://mountainandprairie.com/kate-mannix/ --- This episode is brought to you thanks to the generous support of Ranchlands. Visit www.ranchlands.com to learn more about their top-notch vacations, leather goods and apparel, or to explore their excellent blog, the "Ranchlands Review." THANK YOU, Ranchlands! --- 5:10 - Kate walks us through the family genealogy related to the Mannix Ranch 7:40 - Kate describes the Mannix Ranch operations 9:40 - Kate explains why her family got involved in grass finishing their beef 14:10 - Kate talks about why she thinks the Mannix's have been so successful in managing a multigenerational family business 18:00 - Kate describes some of the challenges she expects the ranch will face in the coming years 23:00 - Kate directs us to resources about the relationships between grazing, grasslands, and climate change 27:30 - Kate explains how she fell in love with ranching  35:30 - Kate talks about moving from her ranch work with Quivira in New Mexico to Mannix Ranch in Montana 39:00 - Kate discusses what her family thinks about her career path 40:00 - Kate explains why she stopped being a vegan 45:30 - Kate talks about when she started hunting 51:00 - Kate explains her connection with Red Ants Pants, a women's workwear company 54:30 - Kate discusses cancer and chemotherapy 1:09:30 - Kate's book recommendations --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

At Virsylvia Farm in the high desert of New Mexico, Tyler Eshleman and his wife raise goats for dairy and fiber; sheep for dairy, meat and fiber; alpacas for fiber; laying hens; and some vegetables. Hear about the realities of regenerative farming at 8,000 feet above sea level, from the challenging growing and land conditions to the cooperative workings of fellow farmers. Learn about Tyler's innovative marketing means to get more local food into the hands of more people in his area: a year-round pay-what-you-can farmstand for his and other farmers' products, a multi-farm meat CSA, and a goat- and sheep-dairy herdshare. (Also, when you visit him at the farmers market, you can make your own goats-milk ice cream using a bicycle-powered ice cream churner!)  Listen in for Tyler's best advice for bringing dairy goats to your farm, from goat breeds to feed sourcing and knowing your state's raw-milk laws. Tyler also talks about his off-farm work with the Quivira Coalition and New Mexico Coalition to Enhance Working Lands, bringing together agricultural and conservation organizations to support farmers and ranchers who are contributing to healthy soils, clean waterways and vibrant communities. And stay tuned until the end to hear Tyler's favorite ways to eat goat cheese. Virsylvia Farm Virsylvia Farm on Instagram New Mexico Coalition to Enhance Working Lands NMCEWL on Instagram

In this episode, Taylor Muglia with Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program interviews Kate Mannix. She's a rancher, a natural dye/fiber artist, an employee at the Blackfoot Challenge, and former New Agrarian Program apprentice! Kate walks us through her path into ranching, her apprenticeship experience, and how she found her true community in Helmville, Montana. Along the way, she gives new agrarians some great advice about getting a foothold in regenerative ranching and finding a meaningful life doing it.

About a decade ago Tijinder and Juliana Ciano took over Reunity Resources' land from a centenarian veteran, and they've continued to honor his mission of feeding the community. Their work includes vegetable farming and a farm stand and food truck, soil and compost programs, the founding of a biodiesel program, educational programs, food donations, and community organizing. They're part of the Quivira Coalition's Carbon Ranch Initiative and have been working together on developing a model for rural communities in New Mexico to create compost systems to reduce landfill waste and to produce high qu Reunity Resources,compost,food waste,community agriculture,vegetable farming,regenerative agriculture,Ten Who Made A Difference, ality soil amendments for agriculture.  This week Juliana and Tijinder were honored with an award from the Santa Fe New Mexican as one of the "Ten Who Made a Difference."

Quivira Coalition occasionally hosts interns, often for summer projects and occasionally for longer-term projects. Meet two of Quivira's interns in this episode! Levi Shije is a Tribal member of Zia Pueblo and alum of the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, who conducted compost research at his family farm over the summer of 2021. And Luis Rodriguez weaves together sustainable agriculture and architecture while conducting research on the ground through his internship. Join host Leah Potter-Weight as she learns more about each of their lives, connection to land stewardship, goals for the future and advice for fellow land stewards.

Quivira Coalition's executive director Sarah Wentzel-Fisher talks with Meghan Filbert, the Livestock Program Manager at Practical Farmers of Iowa. In addition to supporting beginning farmers and ranchers through her work at Practical Farmers, Meghan has advice to share that stems from her own journey starting a livestock operation in central Iowa. Find Meghan on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.   Music attribution: Wanderlust by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In the first episode of Season 2 of Regeneration Rising, Quivira Coalition's Southwest Coordinator Tarryn Dixon, talks with apprentices Noelle McDonough and Sam Schmidt, both in their second year at San Juan Ranch in Saguache, Colorado. Noelle and Sam talk about their path into agriculture, why they sought out a New Agrarian apprenticeship, and the unexpected lessons they found in their first year of apprenticeship."   Find Sam and Noelle on Instagram: @nodeyoddle -Noelle  @punchin_sam -Sam   Also find them on the New Agrarian Voices Blog   Music attribution: Wanderlust by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition meets with Toner Mitchell from Trout Unlimited to share stories from his time bringing together collaborative conservation projects from around the state.

Off to New Mexico.  High desert all around, blue mountains behind, dry breezes, and the infamous sheep-pig.  All of that and more are found in this podcast, even if some parts of that last sentence sound less than plausible.  It was there that we met Zach and Ethan, two brothers who raise the rare but deliciously fatty Mangalitza (or Mangalica or Mangalitsa, depending on who you ask).  This is a Hungarian breed of pig that is well-known for hitting the top of the pork charts for taste.  It is also known for hitting the hairstyle charts as well, and looks – I kid you not – as if there was a poodle somewhere in its ancestry.  This is not a result of the fallout from neighboring White Sands missile range, as these pigs have looked this way since they arrived on the continent.All teasing about historical nuclear testing aside, this is a remote area.  Lonesome, beautiful, dramatic and still, this is not an area for the faint of heart to practice the art and science of agriculture.  Inputs and outputs can be somewhat limited and expensive, so there's a solution to that, which is big in this neck of the (non)woods of the Southwestern United States.  Sustainability.“Meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  That's the definition of “sustainability” used by many organizations, including the U.N., smart businesses, and well-known economists.  Sounds like the basic concept of intelligent agriculture, at least to us.  And to these hardworking farming brothers, the third-generation to live on this land, it's a way of life.  Especially if you raise the infamous Hungarian sheep-pig.  Okay, Mangalitza.  But we just like to say, “sheep pig.”  Bet you'll do that all day now.Links:https://www.mangalica.com/en/characteristics-of-the-mangalica-breed/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangalica https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/ https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp https://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/meet-mangalitsa-hairy-pig-thats-kobe-beef-pork/ https://web.archive.org/web/20120210223557/http://www.agroservice.hu/mangainfo1.htm https://quiviracoalition.org/regenerate2018/ https://conalma.org/usda-online-tool-marks-much-of-nm-as-a-food-desert/ https://gonm.biz/why-new-mexico/climate-geographySupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)

In today's episode, we hear from Kara Kroeger, Sustainable Agriculture specialist at NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. She interviews Mollie Walton, Land and Water Program Director for the Quivira Coalition in New Mexico. The Quivira Coalition works on biodiversity, building soil and resilience on western working landscapes. Mollie has a Texas ranching background and holds a PhD in biology from the University of Dayton in Ohio. She has been working in northern New Mexico since 2006.Kara and Mollie discuss methods of slowing and sinking water on hillsides, slowing erosion, building soil, mitigating floods, enhancing groundwater replenishment, and improving overall habitat. They also talk about how livestock grazing factors into land restoration and erosion mitigation.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroeger directly at karak@ncat.org. ATTRA Resources: Soil for Water, NCAT project website Other Resources Quivira Coalition, website Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, and Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels, by Bill Zeedyk and Van Clothier An Introduction to Erosion Control, by Bill Zeekyk and Jan-Willem Jansens A Good Road Lies Easy on the Land, by Bill Zeedyk Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website. You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page. Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website. Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages! Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook Gulf States Regional Office: Website / Facebook Southeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook Northeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

In today's episode, we hear from Kara Kroeger, Sustainable Agriculture specialist at NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. She interviews Mollie Walton, Land and Water Program Director for the Quivira Coalition in New Mexico. The Quivira Coalition works on biodiversity, building soil and resilience on western working landscapes. Mollie has a Texas ranching background and holds a PhD in biology from the University of Dayton in Ohio. She has been working in northern New Mexico since 2006.Kara and Mollie discuss methods of slowing and sinking water on hillsides, slowing erosion, building soil, mitigating floods, enhancing groundwater replenishment, and improving overall habitat. They also talk about how livestock grazing factors into land restoration and erosion mitigation.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroeger directly at karak@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:Soil for Water, NCAT project websiteOther ResourcesQuivira Coalition, websiteLet the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, and Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels, by Bill Zeedyk and Van ClothierAn Introduction to Erosion Control, by Bill Zeekyk and Jan-Willem JansensA Good Road Lies Easy on the Land, by Bill ZeedykPlease call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!Southwest Regional Office: Website / FacebookWestern Regional Office: Website / FacebookRocky Mountain West Regional Office: FacebookGulf States Regional Office: Website / FacebookSoutheast Regional Office: Website / FacebookNortheast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Whether or not you've heard, Albuquerque, New Mexico is one of the foodie centers in the U.S., and we can attest to that fact after our visit.  You may think the balloon festival is the big draw, but really, you need to stay for the vittles. Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm sits on 25 acres in the historic city of Albuquerque, and encapsulates the concept of sustainable ecotourism in the lovely Santa Fe Style of architecture.  This working organic farm includes beautiful accommodations, a lavender farm with artisan products, beautiful views of the Sandia Mountains, and gardens galore, all with a preservation mindset.  Unfortunately, we only were there for the shoot, not the stay (Though marital negotiations will occur in the future in that regard in the Bowman household).   Fortunately, we had the opportunity to speak with Jonathan Perno, Executive Chef at the on-site Campo restaurant.  His 10-year-plus tenure has helped to put Campo on the Good Food 100 list, which highlights restaurants that help to build more transparent and impactful food systems across the food chain.  Biological systems, farmers, ranchers, restaurants, purveyors, and the environment all win with this mentality, and it starts with chefs that practice their art with a higher purpose.  And a delicious one, from what Rick experienced. Jonathan has been nominated five times as a semi-finalist for a James Beard award.  He has a holistic mentality and understands the connection between the food he prepares and the soil from which it springs.  His menu planning and execution incorporate all parts of the process of creating food artistry, including the sourcing, treatment and husbandry of the plants and animals he uses in the kitchen.  And it's obviously working in a most delicious manner. Links:https://lospoblanos.com/about/los-poblanos https://lospoblanos.com/dining/our-team/ https://chefscollaborative.org/ https://chefscollaborative.org/join-us/business-members/ https://chefscollaborative.org/event/save-the-date-meat-matters-new-mexico/ https://quiviracoalition.org/butcher/ http://goodfood100restaurants.org/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/agriCulturePodcast)

This episode is the second of two featuring a conversation between Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, and Fred Provenza. Fred is a well-known author and expert on animal health, human health, plant health, and how they are related – as well as their role in the care of ecosystems.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. The conversation took place at the recent 2019 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association. There may be a bit of background noise, but the conversation is well worth it.In the last episode, Kara and Fred talked in-depth about the importance of the quality and diversity of foods for animals and humans, and how important the relationships between particular foods are. Be sure to check out that part of the conversation if you haven't yet. Today's episode begins with pasture management and covers a wide range of practical and philosophical areas.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroeger directly at karak@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:A Talk with Fred Provenza, Part OneSoil Health Innovations ConferenceLivestock and PastureOther Resources:Quivira Coalition websiteHolistic Management International websiteThe American Grassfed Association websiteBehavioral Education for Human Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Management websiteNourishmentThe Art and Science of ShepherdingIs Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health? Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!Southwest Regional Office: Website / FacebookWestern Regional Office: Website / FacebookRocky Mountain West Regional Office:

This episode is the first of two featuring a conversation between Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, and Fred Provenza. Fred is a well-known author and expert on animal health, human health, plant health, and how they are related – as well as their role in the care of ecosystems.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. The conversation took place at the recent 2019 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association. There may be a bit of background noise here and there, but the conversation is worth it.Kara and Fred talk in-depth about the importance of quality and diversity of foods for animals and humans, and how important the relationships between particular foods are.Be sure to come back next week for the second part of the conversation, when the discussion begins with pasture management and covers a wide range of practical and philosophical areas. You'll be sure to enjoy it.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroeger directly at karak@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:Livestock and PastureOther Resources:Quivira Coalition websiteHolistic Management International websiteThe American Grassfed Association websiteBehavioral Education for Human Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Management websiteNourishmentThe Art and Science of ShepherdingIs Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health? Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!Southwest Regional Office: Website / FacebookWestern Regional Office: Website / FacebookRocky Mountain West Regional Office: FacebookGulf States Regional Office: Website

In this episode, Andrew Coggins, NCAT's Rocky Mountain West Regional Director and a specialist based in Butte, Montana, with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, talks with Alexis Bonogofsky, Northern Coordinator of the Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian program.Alexis discusses the New Agrarian program, which supports apprenticeships and mentors in agriculture. The Quivira Coalition recently brought the program to Montana for the first time.For more information on this topic, you can contact Andrew Coggins directly at andrewc@ncat.org. Related ATTRA Resources: List of Internships Beginning Farmer Other Resources: Quivira Coalition website Quivira Coalition Facebook page Mannix Brothers Ranch website Vilicus Farms website Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website. You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page. Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website. Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages! Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook Gulf States Regional Office: Website / Facebook Southeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook Northeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

In this episode, Andrew Coggins, NCAT's Rocky Mountain West Regional Director and a specialist based in Butte, Montana, with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, talks with Alexis Bonogofsky, Northern Coordinator of the Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian program.Alexis discusses the New Agrarian program, which supports apprenticeships and mentors in agriculture. The Quivira Coalition recently brought the program to Montana for the first time.For more information on this topic, you can contact Andrew Coggins directly at andrewc@ncat.org.Related ATTRA Resources:List of InternshipsBeginning Farmer Other Resources:Quivira Coalition websiteQuivira Coalition Facebook pageMannix Brothers Ranch websiteVilicus Farms websitePlease call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!Southwest Regional Office: Website / FacebookWestern Regional Office: Website / FacebookRocky Mountain West Regional Office: FacebookGulf States Regional Office: Website / FacebookSoutheast Regional Office: Website / FacebookNortheast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

This episode is a little different—it's part one of a two-part series in which I'm the one in the hot seat. It's a repost of my recent appearance on the Quivira Coalition's excellent podcast named "Down to Earth - The Planet to Plate Podcast." They were nice enough to invite me on to discuss some of my conservation work at Palmer Land Trust, particularly around our focus of conserving irrigated farmland in southeastern Colorado. It's fascinating work that hits on many of the issues we've previously discussed here on Mountain & Prairie—water rights, pressures facing agricultural communities, holistic approaches to resource management, balancing the needs of agriculture with that of municipalities, and more. It's what I spend the vast majority of my time doing, and I hope you'll find it interesting and informative. Regardless of whether or not you listen to my episode, I highly encourage you to check out Down to Earth. The host Mary-Charlotte is a journalistic pro who likes to dive deep in the nuances of agriculture and has interviewed some of the most impressive people working in agriculture today (present company excluded). If you've enjoyed my past episodes with folks like Jim Howell, Pat O'Toole, Christine Su, and, of course, Quivira Executive Director Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, then I can guarantee you'll love the "Down to Earth" podcast. There's a link to Down to Earth in the episode notes, so be sure to check it out and give them a great iTunes review if you're so inclined. Thanks again to Down to Earth for being interested in my work, and thanks to you all for listening. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Hope you enjoy! http://downtoearth.media https://quiviracoalition.org  

Kate Greenberg has a broad background in regenerative agriculture. She serves as board chair of the Quivira Coalition, she worked with the National Young Farmers Coalition, and has extensive experience in farming and natural resources management. She was recently appointed Commissioner of Agriculture for the state of Colorado. We talk about the challenges facing the state, and ways to put the idea of the Radical Center into practice in government.  

Listen as Sarah teaches us about the Quivira Coalition and how they foster ecological, economic and social health through education, innovation and collaboration. About Sarah: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, an innovative conservation organization devoted to building soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes. Sarah, a committed champion of the local food movement and of resilient agriculture, has worked in food and agriculture planning for over a decade with a focus on supporting young and beginning farmers and ranchers. She was the editor of Edible Santa Fe from 2011 to 2017. From 2013 to 2015 she worked for the National Young Farmers Coalition as an organizer. She is currently on the boards of the Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust and the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance. In her free time she enjoys visiting farms and ranches, experimenting in her kitchen, and keeping chickens in her backyard. About Quivira: The Quivira Coalition builds soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes. We foster ecological, economic, and social health through education, innovation, and collaboration. The Land and Water program helps ranchers develop plans and management strategies for restoring and building resilience on slope wetlands, grasslands, and other working landscapes. The New Agrarian program helps to ensure that living and working knowledge of these practices, and the landscape itself, is stewarded into the future. The Education program, including the annual conference and open source publications, creates a space for the coalition to share ideas and resources, and for the general public to learn about the critical role working lands play in the health of our food systems, communities, and our planet. At the foundation of all the work is the concept that well managed working rangelands and forests are two of the most effective, efficient, and immediately viable paths to remedy the devastating impacts of climate change. Links: Website: www.quiviracoalition.org Podcast: www.downtoearth.media

Ann Adams, Executive Director, Holistic Management International (HMI) joins us to discuss regenerative agriculture, helping family farmers and ranchers become more prosperous, improving food quality, and how we all can do our part in improving the environment. Bio: Ann has worked in the nonprofit world for over 20 years, creating and directing national programs, collaborating with over 100 non-profit and government entities to create positive impact among producers and land stewards seeking to build & maintain sustainable farms, ranches and healthy land. Her fund development work has included raising over $1 million for national whole farm planning training for beginning farmer programming. In 2015, she was awarded the Quivira Coalition’s Leadership in Conservation Award. Ann has been a Holistic Management Certified Educator since 1998 and has practiced and taught Holistic Management® in multiple capacities for 20 years. She also has facilitated classes (onsite and distance learning), taught workshops and presented at conferences. She has written countless articles, helped develop agriculture-based software for financial and grazing planning and written a training handbook, At Home with Holistic Management: Creating a Life of Meaning. Ann also taught courses at Indiana University, Wittenberg University, and Antioch College. She earned her BSED from Ohio University and her PhD from Indiana University. When she isn’t serving as our Executive Director for HMI, Ann is Chief Goatherd on her small farm in the Manzano Mountains and Captain of her Earthship (a house made out of tires with photovoltaics, composting toilet and rainwater harvesting) southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Links: Website: www.holisticmanagement.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holisticmanagement/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hminternational YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HolisticManagement

If you're like me, you've read or heard of reports and news accounts talking about the negative consequences of producing beef, with greenhouse gas emissions, heavy water use and the welfare of the animals leading the list of concerns. But just when it seems like producing and consuming less beef might be a health and environmental bonanza, along comes an alternative way of doing things. One that uses a fundamentally different approach to things. About Nancy Ranney Nancy Ranney manages the Ranney Ranch in Corona, New Mexico. In 2003, she began a restorative grazing plan based on planned rotational grazing, and started the Ranney Ranch Grass Fed Beef Program and is committed to running the ranch on the soundest, most humane and the most ecologically resilient principles. Nancy works with Melvin Johnson, ranch manager, to develop grazing plans and conservation programs. She also coordinates ranch workshops and retreats. She is on the board of the Quivira Coalition and is president of the southwest grass fed livestock alliance. Nancy has a master's degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University and a background in land planning. Interview Summary I first learned of your work through your husband David Levy. He was dean of the Duke Law School. At the same time I was dean of the School of public policy at Duke. You mentioned the innovative work you were doing with your family ranch in New Mexico. And then when I looked into it I found out just how innovative your approach is and how you were ahead of your time. So you do regenerative agriculture. Can you explain what this means? Regenerative agriculture refers to those land management practices which build soil health, increase biodiversity, improve water cycles, and generally build nutrient density in soil. Keywords are regenerate, meaning bringing new life and vigor, and resilience, that capacity to survive and flourish even in difficult conditions. And of course, such practices do increase the productivity on the land and hence economic production. In my own world of ranching, generally these regenerative practices are linked to grazing practices on the land. And these do promote resilience and build soil and biodiversity. We have seen this happen over the past 18 years and interestingly, very much so during a period of deep drought in the southwest. From the mid-1990s to 2012 in Mexico. These practices are known variously as short-duration, high-intensity, rotational grazing. Another term is adaptive multi-paddock grazing, also holistic-managed grazing and perhaps my favorite Poop and Stomp. They promote nutrient cycling in the soil. But the real key is the need to have a grazing animal and in the West, that's the cow, to reinvigorate the landscape. So Nancy, explain how it works. So know I've seen pictures of your land and it's beautiful and lush and rich and right next to it is land that looks like complete desert. I mean, you can't imagine anything growing. So what happens that that makes this cycle occur? What do you actually do? Well, the key is a shift in management from continuous grazing - and most of the West has been grazed continuously - that means animals on the land all the time. And that's a very conventional approach. When I took over the ranch, when my family started managing it after my father died in 2002, the big shift was from running 18 herds in 18 pastures to condensing down to one herd. Now we move one herd across our ranch across 34 pastures as we've subdivided some of those pastors to get better usage. And it means that they are on the land, on each pasture for a much shorter period of time. And those grasses then have a chance to recover over a minimum of six months, sometimes up to a year or even more. And we have seen remarkable recovery with that change. So as I understand it the cows hooves churn the soil that allows the soil to retain water better. Then the grasses grow. The animals fertilize the soil, and you get this nice cycle going. But my knowledge about this is pretty naive. Is that kind of how it works? That's really basically how it works. What's interesting is that there is an incredible seed bank in the soil. And this is true really across the country and particularly in the semi-arid West that these seeds can survive for over a hundred years. And what we have discovered is that with this new form of grazing, with absolutely no artificial seeding, no extra fertilization except from the cows, no irrigation - we have seen the emergence of seeds that were in the ground. We had no idea. We went from a monoculture of a very nice grass, blue gamma grass, a very palatable and healthy for the animals. Nonetheless, a monoculture. Now we have close to 50 native grasses that have emerged. So if you began this process on some acreage next to yours, that now it doesn't look like much of anything could grow, would there be grasses that are there lying dormant? That would then take root and become like your property if you began this process? Yes, there would definitely be. How is this good for the environment? Well in many ways. Any biodiversity is excellent for creating resilience and productivity, really in all landscapes. What we have seen is much higher organic content in our soils. Greater potential for permeability of the rainfall, water storage, healthier root systems of our grasses. When we dig into our soils, we see that our roots go down 30 inches into the soil compared to two on our neighbors. And significantly increased soil organic carbon. In five years with this pasture management, we saw an increase of 25% increase in soil just on our ranch. Also they cools the soil temperatures, which inevitably cool the air temperatures. So when you mentioned the, carbon in the soil. From what I understand, the grasses sequester carbon into the soil and that helps offset the effect on greenhouse gas emissions cattle might otherwise have, is that right? That's correct. It's actually that the grasses are the conduit and the carbon is actually stored in the soil itself. But what has been found and increasingly, and this is really just in the last 10 years, that there has been more focused scientific analysis of what's going on here. There have been people talking about this for decades, but really most of the work has been dismissed as anecdotal. But just recently there's new evidence which really documents how much carbon has been sequestered and I have a few figures here if you're interested in them. It's impressive. This form of grazing accrues 1.4 to 2.4 tons of carbon per hectare per year over that accrued by continuous grazing. In fact, continuous grazing generally releases carbon into the atmosphere. And interestingly, it also is able to sequester the methane that is produced by cows grazing on the land. One might wonder why during the earlier centuries here in our own country with the vast herds of bison, why we weren't releasing more methane as a greenhouse gas. Which as far as scientists can tell, did not happen, with many more grazing animals than we have today. And that is because the methane actually is real-time sequestered in the soil when animals are out on grasslands. What does the history of how this model developed? Well, it's an age old pattern on the ground and an age old model. As I mentioned, the herds of bison in this country and the great migrating herds in Subsaharan Africa moved across the land in just this fashion. And they were responding to a seasonal variation, grow grass growth cycles and importantly the action of predators who keep herds moving. And in the 1950-60s, a young game biologist working in what was then called Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Allan Savory, noticed some of these patterns. And at that time, interestingly ,as a game warden, his project was to limit or reduce the herds of elephants in Rhodesia because they were seen as so destructive. But what he noticed was that where animals were allowed to move, to migrate, the numbers were not the problem. It was the amount of time that they stayed in any one place and that was destructive to the environment. So over the years he developed this approach, which he calls holistic planned grazing. This is essentially what we're doing on the ranch. A grazing model that mimics nature and, if done well, can reverse these really negative processes on the ground. For our listeners who might be interested in learning more about that history, I know that Allan Savory has a Ted talk on this. It's really quite good. But let me ask you another question. I know that you're interested in the intersection of soil health and human wellbeing. Can you explain this? Well, yes. I'm really fascinated by this. And obviously I'm not a soil scientist or a food scientist, but what I've seen over the last number of years is this really interesting intersection between soil health, or the health of our food, and the health of our own human gut, the microbiome. And it seems almost every week I read an article about new discoveries of what's going on in the microbiome and how important it is that we feed this in significant ways. And that all starts with having healthy microorganisms in the soil which is what we're seeing right here on the ground. Are there standards for best practices for this regenerative approach? Are there things like certifications? Well, that's a difficult question. We need lots of attention in this area. Currently there are no federal standards for these regenerative practices or grass fed production, and/or for healthy livestock products. Increasingly, our agricultural agencies and land grant universities are seeing that such approaches are helpful to both to land health, and to meat health, and are helping increasingly to recommend these practices. There are elective certifications and for those who are interested, they can look these up. Our ranch, for example, has three certifications. One is with the American Grass-fed Association. We have an annual visit with by an independent certifier and you are certified if you are a domestic USA producer using only grass and forage and no antibiotics or growth hormones. We also have a certification with Animal Welfare Approved administered by a Greener World. This is an independent nonprofit and consumer reports rates it as the really the best indication of animal welfare if you're interested in looking for that. And most recently we have a certification with the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program. We're certified. Our beef is certified as grazed on bird-friendly land and this focuses on healthy land management practices that encourage biodiversity and grassland bird habitat. Would consumers notice differences in taste with the meat products that are produced this way versus conventional agriculture? Well, interestingly meat products are very much like wine and there is a terroir associated with different products. So we will notice different tastes and textures between products all across the country. You will see that in general grass-fed product is leaner and what is produced from our conventional grain-fed system. Leaner and more tender. And in the early years of grass-fed, I think it developed a reputation of being tough and I believe that that was because people didn't know how tender it was and cooked it the same amount of time they were cooking conventional beef. It really only requires about half the amount of time. We market our beef as very young. This is not veal, but it is young beef. So it's particularly tender and we're very proud of that. And are you hopeful about how things look with future generations of farmers and ranchers? I am very hopeful. I'm really thrilled actually. I want to recognize this cadre of young people who are joining the world of agriculture. This includes farmers, ranchers, processors and marketers of healthy product. And I think it's precisely because they recognize agriculture as an entry into dealing with our environmental health and our human help and even their own personal health. There are some truly wonderful, beautiful writers among these young agrarians. And I think maybe it's because in our crazy world they have a contemplative space to think about relationship and write about it. I've been for many years on the board of the Quivira Coalition, which offers an apprenticeship program for young people coming into agriculture, both farming and ranching. We've had three apprentices at our ranch and just wonderful people from all across the country. And my sense is if anyone can heal our environment, it will be this next generation. They understand good land management and they're also very committed to developing the relational skills that we need to make all these things successful.

In this episode, Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with the NCAT ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, talks with Kate Greenberg – who at the time was the acting Western program director of the National Young Farmers Coalition and chair of the board of the Quivira Coalition.Kate has since left those positions to become the Colorado Agriculture Commissioner.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas.Their discussion was recorded during the recent "Regenerate" Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which was sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grass-Fed Association.Kara and Kate have a wide-ranging conversation about the demographics in American agriculture, including the growing number of young people who are interested in becoming farmers, their diversity, and the obstacles they face. Kate talks about the National Young Farmer's Coalition – how it works and some of the recent state-level policy changes it has been involved in.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroger directly at karak@ncat.orgRelated ATTRA ResourcesSustainable Farming Internships and ApprenticeshipsBeginning Farmer tutorialsFunding OpportunitiesOn-Farm Food Safety and FSMASocial Media Tools for Farm Product MarketingUsing Social Media to Grow Your Farm BusinessUsing Instagram to Grow Your Farm BusinessUsing Facebook to Grow Your Farm BusinessGetting Started in Farming: an Introduction to Farm Business PlanningOther Resources Mentioned in the PodcastNational Young Farmers CoalitionQuivira CoalitionHolistic Management InternationalAmerican Grassfed AssociationPlease call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!Southwest Regional Office: Website / FacebookWestern Re

In this episode, Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with the NCAT ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, talks with Kate Greenberg – who at the time was the acting Western program director of the National Young Farmers Coalition and chair of the board of the Quivira Coalition. Kate has since left those positions to become the Colorado Agriculture Commissioner. Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. Their discussion was recorded during the recent "Regenerate" Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which was sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grass-Fed Association. Kara and Kate have a wide-ranging conversation about the demographics in American agriculture, including the growing number of young people who are interested in becoming farmers, their diversity, and the obstacles they face. Kate talks about the National Young Farmer's Coalition – how it works and some of the recent state-level policy changes it has been involved in. For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroger directly at karak@ncat.org Related ATTRA Resources Sustainable Farming Internships and Apprenticeships Beginning Farmer tutorials Funding Opportunities On-Farm Food Safety and FSMA Social Media Tools for Farm Product Marketing Using Social Media to Grow Your Farm Business Using Instagram to Grow Your Farm Business Using Facebook to Grow Your Farm Business Getting Started in Farming: an Introduction to Farm Business Planning Other Resources Mentioned in the Podcast National Young Farmers Coalition Quivira Coalition Holistic Management International American Grassfed Association Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website. You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page. Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages! Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook Gulf States Regional Office: Website / Facebook Southeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook Northeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, a Non-Profit based in Santa Fe, NM. Sam Ryerson is a Rancher based in Central New Mexico and a 2010 graduate of Quivira Coalition's apprenticeship program.

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, a Non-Profit based in Santa Fe, NM. Sam Ryerson is a Rancher based in Central New Mexico and a 2010 graduate of Quivira Coalition’s apprenticeship program. They join me today to talk about the opportunities afforded to young ranchers by Quivira’s New Agrarians Apprenticeship Program....

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, an innovative conservation organization devoted to building soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes. Quivira was founded over twenty years ago by two conservationists and a rancher, all three of whom were exhausted by the divisive nature of the relationships between the agricultural and environmental communities. By putting their few differences aside and focusing on their many shared values, Quivira has led many of the West’s stakeholders toward collaborative, long-term solutions that improve western landscapes both ecologically and socially. • Sarah grew up in a small town in the Black Hills of South Dakota and learned the true value of community at an early age. As she grew older, she began to hone in on her interest in food—specifically how food and food production play such a huge role in the health and resilience of local communities. Her graduate work focused on the role of small-scale agriculture in New Mexico, and for six years she was the editor of Edible Santa Fe, a New Mexico-based magazine that covers the region’s local food scene. Her background made her a perfect fit for Quivira’s mission, and her creative mindset and understanding of agriculture have allowed her to successfully lead the organization into its next phase. • I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah here in Colorado Springs as she was on the tail end of a massive road trip through the West visiting with farmers, ranchers, and land managers. We had a fun conversation and touched on so many of the subjects that are of interest to me and to the podcast listeners. We chatted about the specifics of regenerative agriculture, and some of the misconceptions among well-meaning environmentalists around grazing as an effective method to fight climate change. Speaking of climate change, we talked about why Quivira does not hesitate to discuss climate change, even though that term can be a hot button issue among certain groups. We discussed the idea of rugged individualism, Quivira’s concept of the “Radical Center,” and the organization’s agricultural mentor program. She offered some advice for aspiring conservationists, and talked about how her creativity has served her well as a leader. And as usual, we covered books, films, favorite places in the West and more. • I encourage you to visit Quivira’s website and also to check out their podcast—it’s called Down To Earth: The Planet to Plate Podcast. If you’re a fan of this podcast, odds are you’ll enjoy that one, as well. You’ll probably like it better actually. Check the episode notes for links to everything we discuss, and enjoy! ••• http://mountainandprairie.com/sarah-wentzel-fisher/ ••• TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:20 - How Sarah describes her work 4:05 - Quivira Coalition explained 5:45 - Misconceptions of agriculture 7:15 - Sarah’s work in the local food movement 8:40 - Educational and professional background 12:30 - Sarah’s early years and appreciation for community 15:40 - The "Radical Center” 19:10 - Founding of the Quivira Coalition 21:55 - Increased collaboration on the ground 24:40 - Media portrayals of the West 26:00 - Use of the term "Climate Change” 29:55 - How Quivira measures success 30:55 - Apprenticeship program 33:30 - Quivira’s on-the-ground projects 35:00 - Comanche Creek project 41:40 - Transition from writer to conservation leader 43:30 - Creative practice translating into leadership 45:30 - Mentors and heroes 48:45 - Importance of being open-minded 49:30 - Best farming books 54:50 - Advice for aspiring conservationists 1:00:20 - Optimistic or pessimistic? 1:06:35 - Quivira’s annual conference 1:10:00 - Favorite books 1:12:30 - What Sarah does for fun 1:15:10 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:18:00 - Favorite location in the West 1:19:10 - Request of the listeners 1:20:15 - Connect with Quivira online and Down to Earth podcast

Jo Robinson is an investigative journalist whose book Eating on the Wild Side is all about the deep history of the human diet -- and how we can find nutritious food even in the plastic jungle of industrial agriculture and retail. She spoke at a Quivira Coalition conference several years ago.

Sandra Postel‘s new book is Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity. It’s about the world water cycle, and about real solutions to the problem of providing water for people and food, and at the same time for nature and wildlife. And it’s also about building coalitions, relationships, and partnerships among many different water users — which, if we’re committed and lucky, just might prevent major water shortages and crises in the not-very-distant future. Postel is author of several books on water; she’s director of the Global Water Policy Project, and co-founded Change The Course, a national water stewardship project that received the 2017 U.S. Water Prize for restoring water to rivers and wetlands. She’s been a freshwater fellow at National Geographic; she worked with the Worldwatch Institute; she’s was named one of the “Scientific American 50” for her contribution to science; she’s written for many publications like Science and Natural History; and her work formed the basis of a PBS documentary on water. This program is produced in collaboration with the Quivira Coalition.

This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is joined in the studio by Kate Greenberg, the Western Water Program Director for the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC). Kate organizes young farmers and ranchers across the West, advocates for supportive policy, and promotes land and water stewardship. Prior to joining NYFC, Kate worked on vegetable farms, managed Western environmental policy field programs, and restored riparian habitat in Mexico’s Colorado River Delta. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Quivira Coalition and the farmer-owned Southwest Farm Fresh Cooperative and lives in Durango, CO. Read the new western water report "Conservation Generation" here

Carbon has become synonymous with “the problem,” but all terrestrial life is based on carbon, and figuring out the carbon cycle is a prerequisite to taking effective climate action. As a continuation of our exploration of restoration agriculture with Mark Shepard, we discuss grassland ecosystems and their capacity to pull massive amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere and back into the ground—representing a real, promising solution to our planetary crisis. Globally, 99% of grasslands are drought-stricken, overgrazed, and weakened by exotic species invasions. With some subtle adjustments to cattle management and some basic awareness of the carbon cycle, we can make a large dent in greenhouse emissions. Imagine what we can do with some more radical changes!Courtney White, formerly a frontline environmental activist and author of Grass, Soil, Hope, is tapping this extraordinary potential by bringing “carbon ranching” to the American Southwest through his work with the Quivira Coalition.

How is farming tied to carbon and how does carbon keep life on earth possible? Find out on a very elemental and scientific episode of The Farm Report as host Erin Fairbanks is joined by Courtney White, the author of Grass, Soil, Hope. A former archaeologist and Sierra Club activist, White dropped out of the ‘conflict industry’ in 1997 to co-found the Quivira Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to building bridges between ranchers, conservationists, public land managers, scientists, and others around the idea of land health. On today’s show, Courtney explains what makes carbon such an essential part of the soil (and the earth) and introduces some alternative methods of farming that could help bring more carbon into our soil. The answer is biological farming – not chemical farming, and Courtney makes a clear case for out of the box thinking when it comes to our land and soil. Tune in and learn about the real issues in the ground and on the minds of sustainable agricultural thinkers everywhere. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “How carbon gets cycled is extremely important to maintaining life on this planet!” [02:45] “We want biological farming not chemical farming.” [05:16] “If we want to store more carbon we have to stop killing the fungi in the soil.” [07:36] “If you have a practice that increases plant vigor and makes plants happy, you’re storing more carbon in the soil.” [12:40] “Changes start in the margin, ideas start on the outside and move in over time…but how do you get them to speed up that journey to the center? That’s tough. We need policy changes and we have such a dysfunctional political system right now” [20:42] –Courtney White on The Farm Report

Neil Bertrando lives with his family in Reno, NV on the edge of the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada mountains on a 1.3 acre homestead. He is passionate about promoting and developing the synergies between resource production and regenerative land management. He is trained in Keyline Design and Permaculture, recently became a registered teacher with the Permaculture Research Institute, and studied Biology (BS) and Environmental Science (MS) in University. His passions are people, water, soil, and plants. To engage these passions he runs RT Permaculture–a consulting, design, and education business–and partners with Loping Coyote Farms–a local micro nursery and farming enterprise. He also collaborates with Permaculture Northern Nevada (a local community group), Urban Roots to implement an agroecology and Permaculture education program and Nevada Bugs and Butterflies which opened Northern Nevada’s first public butterfly house last year. Neil is excited about collaboration and has been honored to work with several groups over the past year including Mindful Generations, Holzer AgroEcology, Dryland Solutions, The Quivira Coalition, ABC Acres, Locavore Farm, Perennial Solutions, Owen Hablutzel, Cosmic Goat Creamery, and PRI Tipuana Farm in a wide range of climates and settings. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “That’s my larger goal, to really just get to know people, building on those relationships, and being as honest and truthful and generous as possible. [21:30] “We all really have the same goal, which is to create a positive impact on the land within our communities.” [26:30] Neil Bertrando on Greenhorns Radio

Round Table 2: Leopold's Legacy in Natural Resource Management. Moderated by Oswald Schmitz, Professor of Population and Community Ecology, Yale FES. Discussants: Harry Bader, Michael Bean, Pat Leavenworth, Zygmunt Plater, and Courtney White. The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies hosted a Symposium on April 3rd, 2009 honoring Aldo Leopold’s Graduation Centennial from the school and his acclaimed contributions to environmental conservation. Leopold became a leading and radical voice in American conservation, launching his land ethic in his celebrated book, A Sand County Almanac. The day-long symposium appraised Leopold’s legacy and examined how his land ethic might be reformulated for the global environmental and social challenges of the 21st century. This is Round Table II of the gathering, on Leopold’s legacy-actual and potential-in natural resource management. Gus Speth, retiring Dean, introduced the moderator, Os Schmitz, a Professor of Population and Community Ecology at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. The discussants were: Harry Bader, a private consultant and former federal lands manager; Michael Bean, a senior attorney with Environmental Defense; Pat Leavenworth, the State Conservationist for Wisconsin; Zygmunt Plater, Professor of Law at Boston College School of Law; and Courtney White, Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition in New Mexico.

This episode is the first of two featuring a conversation between Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, and Fred Provenza. Fred is a well-known author and expert on animal health, human health, plant health, and how they are related – as well as their role in the care of ecosystems.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. The conversation took place at the recent 2019 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association. There may be a bit of background noise here and there, but the conversation is worth it.Kara and Fred talk in-depth about the importance of quality and diversity of foods for animals and humans, and how important the relationships between particular foods are.Be sure to come back next week for the second part of the conversation, when the discussion begins with pasture management and covers a wide range of practical and philosophical areas. You'll be sure to enjoy it.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroeger directly at karak@ncat.org. ATTRA Resources: Livestock and Pasture Other Resources: Quivira Coalition website Holistic Management International website The American Grassfed Association website Behavioral Education for Human Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Management website Nourishment The Art and Science of Shepherding Is Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health? Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website. You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page. Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website. Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages! Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook Gulf States Regional Office: Website / Facebook Southeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook Northeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook

This episode is the second of two featuring a conversation between Kara Kroeger, a sustainable agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable-agriculture program, and Fred Provenza. Fred is a well-known author and expert on animal health, human health, plant health, and how they are related – as well as their role in the care of ecosystems.Kara works out of NCAT's Southwest Regional Office in San Antonio, Texas. The conversation took place at the recent 2019 Regenerate Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association. There may be a bit of background noise, but the conversation is well worth it.In the last episode, Kara and Fred talked in-depth about the importance of the quality and diversity of foods for animals and humans, and how important the relationships between particular foods are. Be sure to check out that part of the conversation if you haven't yet. Today's episode begins with pasture management and covers a wide range of practical and philosophical areas.For more information on this topic, you can contact Kara Kroeger directly at karak@ncat.org. ATTRA Resources: A Talk with Fred Provenza, Part One Soil Health Innovations Conference Livestock and Pasture Other Resources: Quivira Coalition website Holistic Management International website The American Grassfed Association website Behavioral Education for Human Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Management website Nourishment The Art and Science of Shepherding Is Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health? Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at askanag@ncat.org. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture. You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website. You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page. Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website. Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages! Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook Gulf States Regional Office: Website / Facebook Southeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook Northeast Regional Office: Website / Facebook