Resources
The following list contains many of the books and online resources that our farm has found useful over the past 25 years. It is far from exhaustive. There’s lots more out there.
Books
General
Maynard, Donald N., and George J. Hochmuth. Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers, 5th ed. Wiley, 2007.
Cover Crops
Baldwin, Keith R., and Nancy G. Creamer. Cover Crops for Organic Farms. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, 2006.
Clark, Andy, ed. Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd ed. Sustainable Agriculture Network, 2007.
Sarrantonio, Marianne. Northeast Cover Crop Handbook. Rodale, 1996.
Sullivan, Preston. Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, 2003.
Crop Rotation
Coleman, Eliot. The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 2nd ed. Chelsea Green, 1995.
Mohler, Charles L, and Sue Ellen Johnson, eds. Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual. Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, 2009.
Garlic
Bachmann, Janet, and Tammy Hinman. Garlic: Organic Production, rev ed. National Center for Appropriate Technology, 2008.
Crawford, Stanley. A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small New Mexico Farm. University of New Mexico Press, 1998.
Engeland, Ron L. Growing Great Garlic. Filaree Productions, 1991.
High Tunnels
Byczynski, Lynn, ed. The Hoophouse Handbook. Fairplain Publications, 2006.
Seed Starting
Bubel, Nancy. The New Seed Starters Handbook. Rodale, 1988
DeBaggio, Thomas. Growing Herbs from Seed, Cutting & Root, 2nd ed. Interweave Press, 2000.
Soils
Gershuny, Grace, and Joe Smillie. The Soul of the Soil: A Soil-Building Guide for Master Gardeners and Farmers, 4th ed. Chelsea Green, 1999.
Logan, William Bryant. Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth. W. W. Norton, 2007.
Magdoff, Fred, and Harold van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops, 3rd ed. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, 2010.
Wolfe, David W. Tales From The Underground: A Natural History of Subterranean Life. Basic Books, 2001.
Weeds and Weed Control
Bowman, Greg, ed. Steel in the Field: A Farmer’s Guide to Weed Management Tools, rev ed. Sustainable Agriculture Network, 2002.
Uva, Richard H., Joseph C. Neal, and Joseph M. DiTomaso. Weeds of the Northeast. Cornell University Press, 1997.
Online Resources
Compost Calculators
Klamath Green Welcome Wagon
- www.greenwelcomewagon.com
- Click on the “Tool Box” for the compost calculator.
Solid Waste Department
High Tunnels
Cornell High Tunnels
- Cornell University, Department of Horticulture
- www.hort.cornell.edu/hightunnel
Crop Tunnels and Plastic Mulch
- Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, Washington State University
- mtvernon.wsu.edu/hightunnels
High Tunnel Crop Production Project
- Mississippi State University Extension Service
- msucares.com/crops/hightunnels
High Tunnel Project
- Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension
- aesop.rutgers.edu/~horteng/hightunnels.htm
Hightunnels.org
- www.hightunnels.org
- A group of Extension specialists, professors, growers, technicians, and students sharing information about high tunnels
High Tunnels: Using Low Cost Technology to Increase Yields, Improve Quality, and Extend the Growing Season
- University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture
- www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/hightunnels.html
- Written by Ted Blomgren, Tracy Frisch, and Steve Moore
Ledgewood Farm Greenhouse Frames
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service — ATTRA
- National Center for Appropriate Technology
- https://attra.ncat.org
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.
What Is Plasticulture?
Pest Management
IPM Laboratories, Inc.
ipmPIPE
- Southern Region Integrated Pest Management Center
- cdm.ipmpipe.org
PestWatch
- Penn State University
- www.pestwatch.psu.edu
Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management
- Cornell University
- web.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/resourceguide
- Written by Brian Caldwell, Emily Brown, Rosen, Eric Sideman, Anthony M. Shelton, and Christine D. Smart, 2005.
USAblight
Seed Companies (My Favorites in the Northeast)
Fedco Seeds
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Soil Testing and Mapping
Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory
Cornell Soil Health
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
- soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu
Web Soil Survey
- Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture
- websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov
Supplies
Belle Terre Irrigation
- www.dripsupply.com
- Drip irrigation design and supplies
CT Farm & Country
- www.ctfarmonline.com
- Valu-Bilt tractor and equipment parts
DripWorks, Inc.
- www.dripworks.com
- Drip irrigation design and supplies
FarmTek
- www.farmtek.com
- Hoop structure and farm supplies
Gempler’s
- www.gemplers.com
- General farm supplies
Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery
- www.harmonyfarm.com
- Tools and organic farm supplies
Hubert Company
- www.hubert.com
- Marketing supplies
Kencove Farm Fence Supplies
- www.kencove.com
- Farm fence supplies
Market Farm Implement
- www.marketfarm.com
- Vegetable crop equipment
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, Inc.
- www.groworganic.com
- Tools and organic farm supplies
SharpeningSupplies.com
- www.sharpeningsupplies.com
- Knife sharpening supplies
Store It Cold, LLC
- www.storeitcold.com
- Manufactures the CoolBot, Ron Khosla’s invention for turning an air conditioning unit into a turbo-charged chiller.
Tractor Supply Company
- www.tractorsupply.com
- General farm supplies
TRICKLE-EEZ Company
- www.trickl-eez.com
- Irrigation design and supplies
Support for New Farmers
International Farm Transition Network
- www.farmtransition.org
- This organization holds seminars and publishes materials with the goal of fostering the next generation of farmers and assisting those who are making the transition away from farming. See their website to find Land Link and Farm Link programs that participate in their network.
National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
- www.ncat.org
- Listing of well over one thousand farms across the United States and Canada that offer apprenticeships and on-the-job learning opportunities.
New England Small Farm Institute
- www.smallfarm.org
- Provides information for organic farmers and publishes a list of farms in the Northeast that offer apprenticeships (Northeast Workers on Organic Farms).
Northeast Beginning Farmers Project
Miscellaneous Websites
American Academy of Dermatology
- www.aad.org
- More information about skin cancer
The Commerical Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks
- www.ba.ars.usda.gov/hb66
- Written by Ken Gross. Agriculture Handbook, 66. Agriculture Research Service, 2004. Contains a wealth of information and advice on the post-harvest handling of many different fruits and vegetables
Coolibar
- www.coolibar.com
- Sun protection hats and clothing
Coop Directory Service
- www.coopdirectory.org
- Lists food co-ops and other cooperative resources throughout the United States
Garlic Seed Foundation
LocalHarvest, Inc.
MyCorporation
- www.mycorporation.com
- Information on how to set up your new business
New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH)
Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
- www.omri.org
- Publishes the annual OMRI Products List that contains all the materials that are allowed for use in organic production, processing, and handling
Waterpenny Farm