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Agricultural Alternatives Publication Series

Lynn Kime

Summary

Since its inception in 1992, the Penn State Small-scale and Part-time Farming Project has provided educational materials to assist producers through the complexities of enterprise selection. Originally developed in response to a need for agricultural diversification information by an underserved audience often unable to access Extension information through traditional workshops and meetings (because of time limitations), Agricultural Alternatives publication series now contains 64 publications. By using this comprehensive series of fact sheets, producers on small-scale and part-time farms are better able to analyze production alternatives, choosing the best “fit” from a balanced assessment of crop and livestock enterprises. All publications in the series are available through electronic media and in hard copy format. In addition to enterprise-specific fact sheets, a more generic set of publications were written covering agricultural business management topics including planning, financing, fruit and vegetable marketing, cooperatives, diversification, insurance, enterprise budgeting, and managing a roadside stand. Two publications on irrigation and one on organic vegetable production were also developed as supporting materials. The series has also expanded beyond traditional agricultural production, to farmstead management by way of a publication covering managing the woodlot (applicable to many small farms). Session participants will learn how to access the publications, be provided with ideas about methods of incorporating Agricultural Alternatives publications in meetings and individual consultations, and see demonstrations of the features of the on-line versions, including recently added interactive PDF budgets and producer videos.

Details

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