Green Options » small farm

New Biogas Effort Launched in Manure Wars

Tina Casey — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:56:28 +0000

When it comes to methane gas emissions and the impact on global warming, one’s thoughts naturally turn to the barrage of untreated manure unleashed by factory farms. Methane is also an issue for small farms, especially the growing number of start-ups with little spare cash to invest in equipment. To the rescue: a new breakthrough in biogas treatment that promises to pour some much needed cold water on methane emissions from factory farms, while giving the small-farm sector a chance to have their cake and eat it, too.

Locavores: Get to Know Your Local Farms

Brian Baughan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:47:17 +0000

The local food movement is gathering steam. To keep locavores informed about best farming practices, one organization spreads the word about what sustainable farmers are achieving under the radar.

Formed as a coalition of schools, Mid-Atlantic-based nonprofit organizations, and the USDA, the Small Farm Success Project is “dedicated to helping small and emerging farmers improve their financial success.” Project researchers keep raising that million-dollar question: How does a small farmer committed to sustainability find success?

Nude Kona Coffee Farmers Make Their Point, Naturally

Beth Bader — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:50:43 +0000

While they don’t normally farm naked, eleven of Kona’s farmers dared and bared it all to raise awareness about false advertising on coffee labels. The tasteful and fun photos of these mature women grace the pages of a 2009 calendar, reminiscent of the Alternate WI Calendar, the inspiration for the movie Calendar Girls. While the calendar was a bit of light-hearted humor, these farmers are serious about protecting the trademark of Kona coffee. And they should be.

Currently, coffee labels are allowed to use terms like “Kona blend,” “Kona style,” or even “Kona coffee,” even if the package contains only ten percent Kona beans. The remaining 90 percent of the beans come from other regions like Brazil or Columbia.

Kona farmers are concerned that the mislabeling dilutes the integrity of this unique variety. That integrity does have value when you examine how the coffee is produced and the Kona Coffee Farmers mission to protect Kona farmers’ economic interests in 100% Kona coffee, to protect the Kona coffee heritage, and to seek greater legal protection of the Kona coffee name.

I contacted Christine Sheppard of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association to find out more about this unique variety. Interview follows the jump.