AgOPP Vol 19, No 7 July 2008 Passive Solar Greenhouses Store Sun's Heat in Barrels of Water by Robert Thomas University of Missouri Cooperative Media Group Inexpensive passive solar greenhouses heated only by sunlight falling on 55-gallon barrels of water are effective for growing plants year-round, said a University of Missouri Extension specialist. Heat from sunlight is stored in water-filled barrels during the day and radiates at night, replacing use of fossil fuel, said Eric Lawman, an agronomy research specialist at the Bradford Research and Extension Center (BREC) near Columbia. "Passive solar greenhouses extend the growing season and allow plant production year-round," Lawman said. Temperatures inside an experimental passive solar greenhouse at BREC did not fall below freezing during the past two winters, Lawman said, while daytime temperatures have reached into the 80s. There is a similar greenhouse at the MU Southwest Center in Mt. Vernon. The greenhouses measure 24 feet long, 12 feet wide and 12 feet high. The 2-1-1 ratio is important for such greenhouses to be effective. "It allows adequate surface area for sunlight and minimal inside area to lessen heat dissipation during dark hours," Lawman said. To capture as much sunlight as possible, the greenhouse has an east-west orientation, with a sloped south-facing wall. Geographic latitude determines the ideal slope angle; for central Missouri, the south-wall glazing should be about 45 degrees. The sloped wall consists of two layers of clear plastic spaced 6 inches apart. A small inflator fan pushes air between the sheets, creating a zone of dead air that serves as additional insulation. The other walls contain fiberglass insulation sandwiched between metal siding on the outside and particleboard on the inside. The white, waterproof particleboard reflects heat into the barrels. To extend the growing season, the greenhouse needs 2.5 gallons of water per square foot of glazing, Lawman said. For all-season growing, the requirement is 5 gallons per square foot. Thermostat-controlled shutters and exhaust fans remove excess heat as needed. The greenhouse at BREC cost about $3,000 to build. "If you can build a shed, you can build one of these greenhouses," Lawman said. Throughout winter, growers can produce cold-season crops such as lettuce, carrots and strawberries. Some plants can be started from seedlings, he said. Construction details and photographs are online at http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/education/solar-greenhouse/solar-gree nhouse.php. (Source: Eric Lawman, 573-884-7945) ********************************************************************** New Farm Bill Expands Opportunities for Missouri's Beginning Farmers The recent authorization of the 2008 Federal Farm Bill included changes in the Aggie Bond program that will make Missouri's Beginning Farmer Loan Program more beneficial to agricultural producers wishing to make their first major farmland purchase. The Farm Bill has increased the maximum amount available to beginning farmers through the Beginning Farmer Loan Program to $450,000. The program is designed to encourage lenders to offer lower interest rate financing to those starting a career in production agriculture. The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA), housed at the Missouri Department of Agriculture, administers the farmer loan program which, in cooperation with local lenders, assists beginning farmers across the state in acquiring agricultural property at reduced interest rates. "With the increase in the value of farmland in recent years, this change will greatly benefit young people wishing to purchase their own ground," said Katie Smith, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. "A lower interest rate results in a more positive cash flow, which is critical for young people facing the challenges of entering production agriculture. We must continue to do everything we can to encourage young farmers to choose careers in agriculture." The program enables lenders to receive federally tax-exempt interest on loans made to beginning farmers. The tax savings are passed on to beginning farmers in the form of lower interest rates. The new Farm Bill increases the maximum bond amount from $250,000 to $450,000, enabling lenders to make larger loans utilizing the lower interest rate. Since the program's inception in 1985, MASBDA has participated with Missouri lenders in 260 loans totaling $31.4 million. To qualify as a beginning farmer, an applicant must meet the following criteria: The borrower must be a Missouri resident. The proposed projects must be located within Missouri. The borrower must be at least 18 years old. The borrower's net worth must not exceed $200,000 and he/she must have adequate working capital and experience in the type of farming operations for which the loan is sought. The borrower cannot have owned agricultural real estate of more than 30 percent of the median size farm in the county where the farm is being purchased. After the loan is closed, the borrower's chief occupation must be farming or ranching. (This requirement does not prohibit off-farm employment, but gross farm income must exceed any off-farm income.) For additional information about the Beginning Farmer Loan Program, please contact MASBDA at 573- 751-2129 or visit the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Web site at www.mda.mo.gov to download a complete set of program guidelines and application. ********************************************************************** Farmfoody.org Farmfoody.org is a social networking tool to connect local farms and customers (foodies).˙ Farms tag what they have; Foodies tag what they want.˙ The site operates somewhat like the Internet dating site www.match.com -- only instead of matching by sex and age, Farmfoody matches by location (zip) and tags like peaches or tomatoes or beef. The site will be useful to Foodies searching for Pick-Your-Own farms and orchards, vineyards, CSAs, and Farmers Markets.˙˙ Also it will useful for local gardeners who want to trade produce and ideas.˙ Just like Facebook and Myspace, foodies and farms can become "friends".˙ Once a friend, the foody can receive up-to-date bulletins about what is available and ready to pick from the farm friend. Farmfoody is a social networking site.˙ Internet social networking is like word of mouth, but much more powerful.˙ Young people use social networking like fish swim in water.˙ Farmers will find the site much easier to use and maintain than a traditional web site. For more information contact˙ programmer Steve Knockblock at http://www.farmfoody.org/contact or farmer Tom Davenport at tdaven@crosslink.net˙ or call Tom at 540-592-3701. ********************************************************************** IN PRINT/ON-LINE *The New Agritourism* Provides practical information on how to increase farm revenue and build support for local agriculture by hosting communities and tourists on your farm.˙ You can find out about it at www.nwpub.net *Farmers Guide to Disaster Assistance* includes an easy-to-use chart that provides an overview of federal disaster assistance for farmers. Individual chapters provide detailed descriptions of programs offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (including housing assistance and disaster unemployment), federal crop insurance, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), disaster assistance programs for livestock producers, Emergency Loans from the Farm Service Agency, the Disaster Set-Aside program for existing loans from Farm Service Agency, Small Business Administration disaster loans (including both home and business loans), as well as brief discussions of bankruptcy and federal income tax issues as they relate to losses caused by natural disaster. A new appendix addresses considerations unique to organic farmers. ˙The book uses clear language and detailed citations to applicable laws to help farmers and their advisors understand and obtain federal disaster assistance. Updated information is posted at http://www.flaginc.org/topics/disaster/index.php *SARE 20/20: Celebrating Our First 20 Years, Envisioning the Next* This special 20th anniversary edition chronicles 20 years of agricultural innovation-from SARE's beginning in 1988 to present-day stories of farmers, ranchers, researchers and educators working across America to develop and implement sustainable marketing and production practices. Available online at http://www.sare.org/highlights/2008/2008ar.pdf *2008 SARE Conference Proceedings* Many of the posters, breakout session presentations, and handouts from the 2008 SARE Conference are now available online. Just visit http://www.sare.org/2008Conference/index.htm to browse the files that have been provided by speakers and poster presenters. *Basics of Avian Flu* (http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/poultry/g08909.htm) and *Avian Influenza Biosecurity for Small Flock Owners* (http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/poultry/g08910.htm) are two new publications from the University of Missouri Extension. *Missouri Farmers' Market Start-Up Handbook* The purpose of this manual is to provide a reference for those wanting to start a new farmers' market in Missouri or re-organize a current market. Available online at http://www.mda.mo.gov/Market/fmmanual.htm *Assessing Fuel Efficiency and CO2 Emissions of Two Local Food Distribution Options in Iowa* As fuel prices continue to rise along with interest in local foods, consumers and farmers alike are looking for options that will decrease their fuel use. A new study from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture looked at which transportation option consumed less fuel and emitted less carbon dioxide: farmer delivery or customer pick-up of food products for an Iowa Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) enterprise. According to the report, weekly farmer distribution (using a four-door hybrid compact car) used 2.77 times less fuel than customer pick-up using average U.S. passenger vehicle efficiency. If all customers were to drive a similar hybrid compact car to pick up their food, farmer distribution would still use 1.35 times less fuel. Findings are at http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/files/fuel0608.pdf *Nutrient Management in No-till and Minimum Till Systems* Details on similarities and differences in recommended fertilizer management practices among tillage systems. "Research has shown that no-till and minimum till systems affect water infiltration, soil moisture, soil temperature, nutrient accumulation in certain areas of the soil profile, soil aeration and microbial populations and activity," says Kent McVay, the MSU Extension cropping systems specialist at the Southern Agricultural Research Center. Because these factors all affect soil fertility, "understanding differences among tillage systems should assist in optimizing fertilizer use and crop yields," he adds. The publication is available http://www.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/EB0182. pdf ********************************************************************** IN THE NEWS The National Agricultural Law Center has recently completed a "Reading Room" for local food systems. The reading room features a comprehensive compilation of electronic resources and articles on law topics that pertain to local food systems. The web site features readings on major statutes, regulations, law decisions, research reports, and other resources. The Center's website is http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/ The Missouri Department of Conservation has recently added educational videos on Youtube.com. Check out their Private Land Care videos on the Youtube.com website. Type in the words 'MO landowners' in the search line. High speed internet will make the viewing much faster and easier. Click the button in the lower right hand of the actual video window to make the video run full screen. Some of the many videos you can view are: * Food Plots * Important Plants for Quail * Edge Feathering * Prairie Burn Tips * Quail Habitat * And more. Understanding the Link Between Farmers' Market Size and Management Organization examines the relationship between the size of farmers' markets and the type of management organization they use. The report compares four market size categories to the management tools and resources commonly used by farmers' markets. There are significant differences in management tools used by markets of differing size. Four categories for farmers' markets size were created using research data: Micro (8 or fewer vendors), Small (9 to 25 vendors), Medium (26 to 55 vendors), Large (over 55 vendors). The analysis of market size and management tools revealed an increase in number of management tools and an increase in management complexity as markets increase in size. Some key findings were: Markets of different sizes use different management tools. As they grow, smaller markets add structures like the use of site maps and boards of directors. Larger markets add management complexity as they grow such as additional employees and sophisticated planning and budgeting. Matching management tools to current or anticipated market size makes best use of valuable resources and may reduce internal management problems. There is an important transition between small-sized markets and medium-sized markets. Small markets anticipating growth into medium size should be prepared. A key feature of this transition is the addition of a salaried manager (rather than a volunteer) to handle market operations. The report is available online for at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/sr/sr1082.pdf. ********************************************************************** ON THE CALENDAR July 17-18-Subsurface Drainage Field Day, Columbia, MO. Call 573-884-7945 or hubbardv@missouri.edu July 26-Walnut Farm Tour, Shamrock, MO. Call 573-882-1402 or email palmh@missouri.edu July 28-Viticulture Field Day, Lexington, MO. Call 573-882-8802 or e-mail HarrisJac@missouri.edu Aug 1-3-Camelid Community, Kansas City, MO. Call 715-246-5837, bsfugina@pressenter.com Aug 2-First Annual Tomato Days Festival, Lexington, MO. Aug 3-5-MO Young Farmers/Young Farm Wives Summer Tour, Kirksville, MO. Call 660-626-1476. Aug. 3-6-Walnut Council Annual Meeting, Columbia, Mo. Contact 573-875- 5341 ext. 233, coggeshallm@missouri.edu or 573-884-1777. Aug 7-17-2008 Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO. Aug 15-From Recipe to Reality, Chicago, IL. Call 402-472-2819, http://fpc.unl.edu/Entrepreneur/recipe.shtml Aug 22-23-Management Intensive Grazing School, Novelty, MO. Aug 28-Alternative Fruit Crops Field Day, Mountain Grove, MO. Call 417-547-7533, or PMayer@MissouriState.edu Sept 4-Tomato Festival, Columbia, MO. Call 573-884-7945 Sept 9-Ozark Rain Gardens Field Day, Mountain Grove MO. Email PMayer@missouristate.edu Sept 13-Fall Poultry Fest, Silex, MO. Call 573-485-7261 or 573-384-5859. Oct 18-6th Annual Missouri Chestnut Roast, University of Missouri Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center, New Franklin, MO. Visit www.centerforagroforestry.org, Rhoadsj@missouri.edu or call 573-882-3234. Oct 31-Nov 1-MO State Beekeepers Conference, Lake Ozark, MO. Call 636-394-5395. Nov 6-8-16th National Small Farm Trade Show & Conference, Columbia, MO. Call 800-633-2535, smallfarm@socket.net, www.smallfarmtoday.com/tradeshow Dec 4-6-2008 Acres U.S.A. Conference, St Louis, MO. Call 1-800-355-5313. Dec 5-6-Missouri Livestock Symposium, Kirksville, MO, http://missourilivestock.com Feb 26-29-Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, La Cross, WI. Call 715-772-3153 or info@mosesorganic.org May 31-June 3-North American Agroforestry Conference, Columbia, MO. http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/events/afta/index.asp Field Day Dates Set for MU Ag Experiment Station Aug. 7 - Greenley Memorial Research Center, Novelty, Mo.; field day; Randall Smoot, 660-739-4410 Aug. 26 - Graves-Chapple Farm, Corning, Mo.; field day; Jim Crawford, 660-744-6231 Aug. 27 - Hundley-Whaley Farm, Albany, Mo.; field day; Bruce Burdick, 660-726-5610 Sept. 2 - Delta Research Center, Portageville, Mo.; field day; Jake Fisher, 573-379-5431 Sept. 4 - Bradford, Columbia; Tomato Festival; Reinbott Sept. 12 - Southwest Research Center, Mount Vernon, Mo.; field day; Richard Crawford, 417-466-2148 Sept. 18 - South Farm, Columbia; Beef Production Field Day; Bob Weaber, 573-882-5479 Sept. 27 - South Farm, Columbia; Showcase; John Poehlmann, 573-882-4450 Oct. 3 - Wurdack Farm, Cook Station, Mo.; field day; Poehlmann Oct. 18 - Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC), New Franklin, Mo.; Missouri Chestnut Roast; Nancy Bishop, 660-848-2268 2008 Grazing Schools Aug 19, 20 & 21 (daytime); Cassville, MO, First Baptist Church Family Life Center; Tina Mills (417) 847-4309 ext 3 Sep 8, 9, 11, 16 & 18 (evenings) Taneyville, MO; Aaron Hoefer (417) 581- 2719 ext 3 Sep 30, Oct 1 & 2 (daytime); Mt. Vernon, MO, Southwest Center; Richard Crawford or Carla Rathmann (417) 466- 2148 Oct 21, 22 & 23 (daytime); Bois d'Arc, MO, MDC Dalton Shooting Range & Outdoor Education Center; Mark Green (417) 831-5246 ext 3 Growing Growers Workshops For more information, call 816-805-0362, email growers@ksu.edu or visit http://www.growinggrowers.org/. There is a small fee for each workshop. July 14-Taste & Nutrition of Local Vegetables, Lawrence, KS Aug 17-Pests, Disease and Weeds, St Joseph, MO Sept 15-Tree Fruit Production, Williamsburg, KS Oct-Business Planning and Management for Small Farms, Kearney, MO Nov-The Organic Certification Process, TBA Green Hills Farm Project Farm Walks Green Hills Farm Project welcomes all families to our open farm walks. Always bring your children! Please call ahead to advise the host family of the number attending and to get directions. The host family provides main meat course and drinks. Please bring lawn chairs and covered dish. Come on out and join us for a great time of fellowship and sharing on our farms! Aug 21-Tom & Paula Parker, Richmond, MO at 5pm. Call 816-470-3276. Sept 18-Doug & Diane Peterson, Ridgeway, MO at 5 pm. Call 660-824-4276. Oct 16-Jordan & Anne Bentley, Brookfield, MO. Call 660-412-3399. Nov 22-Ben & Nancy Coleman, Callao. MO. Call 660-768-5743.