Practical Skills Handbooks
Organic agriculture is knowledge-intensive. It requires a new way of thinking about food production. Instead of focusing on crop and animal yields, organic farmers think about the entire agro eco-system. As a result, organically managed soils have more organic matter, a greater abundance and diversity of microorganisms and better soil tilth. Outside inputs such as synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizer, genetically modified organisms, growth hormones, and antibiotics are eliminated.
The Practical Skills Handbooks are resources for organic, transitioning and conventional farmers – anyone who wishes to reduce improve soil fertility, reduce chemical usage and practice more sustainable agriculture.
With a focus on practical methods, the latest scientific research, and profiles of successful organic farming operations, the Practical Skills series aims to help farmers expand their technical expertise for specific crops, livestock, and management practices, and become more proficient at production and marketing.
Practical Skills Handbooks assume a working knowledge of farming. Each book in the Practical Skills series addresses a specific challenge for organic growers. If you’re new to organic farming, you may want to check out COG’s other books.
COG is looking for sponsors for our Practical Skills books. More information is available:
Planned release dates are indicated below the handbook titles. Check back to order as they become available!Crop Planning for the Organic Vegetable Grower
expected publication date: December 2009
Concept:
"Buy local" is the current mantra, and there are many new growers enthused about growing for local consumers. But the biggest challenge is knowing how much and when to plant what for those farmgate, market or subscription customers. This book is for all small scale market gardeners growing for local market - not just organic farmers.
Table of Contents:
- varieties, quantities, planting dates and frequencies, safety margins, yields
- crop rotation, soil-building, field layout
- organic methods and regulations
- monitoring and adapting the plan
Living with Worms in Organic Sheep Production
Sheep are a natural fit with organic principles and do well in forage-based systems. However, they are susceptible to internal parasites and treatment with chemical wormers is the norm throughout the industry. Increasingly, parasitic nematodes are becoming resistant to chemical treatments and producers are seeking alternative approaches.
Peter Stockdale, a sheep farmer and retired veterinary parasitologist, maintains that resistance and resilience can be built up in flock of sheep so that, when parasites are inevitably present, there is no loss of productivity. Low levels of infection promote natural immunity rather than producing disease.
His recommendations in Living with Worms based on nutrition, selection, and grazing management are good news for those interested in raising sheep organically.
Growing Potatoes Organically – from Market Garden to Field Crop
Concept:
Potatoes are one of the most heavily pesticide-dependent field crops. Written by a potato farmer with input and profiles on potato farmers across Canada, practical information details organic production methods and management strategies.
Table of Contents:
- varietal selection & potato breeding
- soil fertility on the organic potato farm
- organic seed potato production
- planting & cultivation
- pests
- diseases
- harvesting & storage
- marketing
Record-Keeping for Organic Farmers: How to Get and Stay Certified
expected publication date: December 2009
Concept:
More consumers want to know how their food was grown and processed and organic standards require evidence in the forms of records that producers are following the organic standards. This new book will help you understand the legal language of the organic standards and regulations, and take you step by step through the process of setting up a field to table audit trail making both your customers and your inspector happy! This book is a must read even if you're not certified organic. All farmers will benefit from an efficient and well organized record keeping system.
Table of Contents:
- reasons to certify
- flowchart of Canada ’s organic system
- how to choose and work with a Certifying Body
- how to set up an organic audit trail; record-keeping templates and examples
- marketing and labelling: when and how the Canada Organic label can be used
- on-farm processing: food safety and other regulations and record-keeping
Scaling Up Organically
expected publication date: February 2010
Concept:
What do Canada's best organic farmers have in common? How do they overcome challenges like labour costs, obtaining efficiencies even at the small-scale, dealing with specialized equipment, etc. while at the same time maintaining product quality, biodiversity? In this new publication from COG, we interview some of Canada's best organic farmers for a number of different crops and bring you their wisdom.
Table of Contents:
- specialized equipment for production value-added processing
- soil preparation and fertility
- harvesting, post harvest handling and storage
- weed, disease and pest management
- finding markets
Growing Strawberries Organically
planned for December 2009
Concept:
A Canadian organic jam/spread producer has commented on the difficulty of finding enough organic fruit grown in Canada to fulfil production demands. Specific growing information would enable growers to better satisfy this need as well as serve the consumer fruit market.
Table of Contents:
- planning
- technical production and season-extension techniques
- allowable inputs
- post harvest handling and storage
- value-added processing
- marketing
Be a Practical Skills Sponsor
Why be a partner?
Businesses and associations benefit from increased exposure to organic and transitioning farmers and market gardeners through association with Canadian Organic Growers’ publications.
Your investment in the Practical Skills series will give you :
• Your logo and contact info at the front of the book(s) (size/colour by contribution level)
• Listing in our annual recognition of sponsors in our magazine
• Your promotional material in resource packages for Practical Skills workshop participants
• Access to targeted audiences - the people who can use your specific product or service
• Longer active life than other print advertising
• Charitable donation receipt
Choose your level of participation…
• Series Partner $7000 ($1000 per title for 7 titles over 3 years)
• Book Sponsor $1200 for a specific book
• Supporter $500 for a specific book
You are invited to be part of the Practical Skills team! For more information, contact:
Project Manager: Kristine Swaren – kristine-at-cog.ca
Executive Director: Laura Telford – laura-at-cog.ca
Partner with us for the series with an annual donation, or choose one or more titles by publication date.
Acknowledgement:
The Practical Skills handbooks are funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program. We wish to acknowledge the support of the following organizations for making this publication possible: the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia, the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, the New Brunswick Agriculture Council / Conseil Agricole Nouveau-Brunswick, the Territorial Farmers Association and the Yukon Agricultural Association.
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