Fluid milk sales have been declining for decades in the United States, while milk production has nearly doubled over the same time period. This has made it exceedingly challenging for small dairy farms to remain financially viable in today’s markets.

In response, many small dairies are looking toward diversifying their revenue streams with direct-market, value-added dairy product enterprises. This could be a promising strategy: Though fluid milk consumption in the United States has fallen, consumption of value-added dairy products like yogurt and cheese has risen.

In this brief, you’ll read the stories of three dairy farms that enlisted the help of a consultant to take a hard look at their proposed or existing creamery enterprises. By reading these stories, you’ll gain perspective on what might be accomplished through a similar creamery consulting process for your own dairy operation.

The post The Farmstead Creamery: Consulting for Success appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

By implementing IPM techniques, farmers can prevent problems before they happen and better control those that do.

This webinar addresses the key building blocks of an IPM approach to farm management, focusing on methods farmers can utilize in greenhouses and hoop houses, through the experience of Peace Tree Farm. It consists of portions of two popular sessions Lloyd hosted at recent Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Conferences, where he reviews techniques he feels are key to IPM success.

This webinar was offered free of charge through support from a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Speaker information

Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm: Lloyd is a Pasa board member, organic grower, and the 2005 U.S. National Grower of the Year: Greenhouse Grower. He is known as the “mad scientist” of Peace Tree Farm, and has grown herbs, vegetable transplants, and fine ornamental plants since 1983. As a supplier to botanical gardens, museums, and growers across North America, Peace Tree is known for its passion, innovation, and leadership in sustainable growing techniques and biocontrol systems.

More webinars from our Fundamentals of IPM series

Recognizing & Managing Disease in Vegetable Crops

Weed Management Panel

Perspectives from the Orchard

In the Field

Learn more

Check out our list of additional IPM resources!

The post Fundamentals of IPM: Greenhouses & Hoophouses appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.