Shows
ATTRA - Voices from the FieldBiochar and NCAT’s SIFT FarmIn this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists Andrew Coggins and John Wallace talk about biochar and NCAT’s use of biochar in its Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training (SIFT) program. John runs NCAT’s SIFT farm at the nonprofit’s headquarters in Butte, Montana.SIFT does sustainable agriculture trials at the farm, including some that have focusedon biochar. John and Andrew talk about renewed interest in biochar as a meansof sequestering carbon and as a soil amendment and even a possible soil enhancement. Related ATTRA Resource...
2023-07-2628 minATTRA - Voices from the FieldFlexibility in an Unexpected Growing SeasonIn this episode of Voices from the Field, two agriculture specialists who work out of NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana, talk about responding to the unexpectedly dry and hot conditions of this year's growing season.NCAT's Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training program (SIFT) operates a high-altitude urban demonstration farm in Butte. Farm manager John Wallace and NCAT Rocky Mountain West Regional Director Andrew Coggins give an update on the changes in crops, pest management, and growing strategies the season brought, and their efforts to work with, not against, the changes.Related ATTRA Resources:SIFT...
2021-08-2625 minATTRA - Voices from the FieldHydroponic Trials at NCAT's SIFT FarmToday's episode is about hydroponic systems NCAT has used at its Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training Program (SIFT) demonstration farm. Lilianna Bento, Energy Corps Intern at NCAT, interviews Andrew Coggins, Director of NCAT's Rocky Mountain West regional office in Butte, Montana, about innovations and simplifications made to their hydroponic system since 2016.For more information on this topic, you can contact Andrew Coggins directly at andrewc@ncat.org.ATTRA Resources:SIFT 2018: Lessons from a Small-Scale Urban Intensive FarmSIFT 2019: Continuing Lessons from a Small-Scale Urban Intensive FarmSIFT Blogs:
2020-07-1610 minATTRA - Voices from the FieldQuivira Comes to MontanaIn 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 R...
2019-10-2413 minATTRA - Voices from the FieldCherries and Honeyberries in a Cold ClimateIn this episode, Andrew Coggins, the Sustainable Agriculture Project Coordinator with NCAT ATTRA's SIFT - Small-Scale Intensive Farm Training program - talks with John Wallace, who manages NCAT's SIFT farm.Andrew and John are both specialists with NCAT's ATTRA - the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service – and work at NCAT's headquarters in Butte, Montana, where the SIFT farm is located.Butte is in a USDA zone 3 area, and its cold climate and short growing season can be...let's just say challenging.Starting in 2017, the SIFT farm began growing fruit bushes to see which wo...
2019-02-1921 min