All Issues

Abstract Not Available – First paragraph follows: In the Sierra Nevada foothills, new farmers learn to use cover crops and biological pest controls to protect the organic produce they grow for farmers' markets, upscale restaurants and grocery stores.

Abstract Not Available – First paragraph follows: The most conspicuous characteristic of agriculture in San Diego's coastal north is not the farms. It is urban encroachment. Housing developments. Golf courses. Shopping centers.

Small farms contribute new crops and new practices to agricultural production, and to achieve efficiency, some use resources as successfully as do much larger operations. Small farms, it is hoped, will continue their vital role in U.S. agriculture—even as major changes occur today in international trade.

Credit availability is a common constraint for small farmers. The biggest problem is that the cost of making loans does not vary much with the size of the loan. Therefore, the earnings potential for the lender is much greater from a large loan than a small loan. There are other problems such as lack of collateral or high risk of specialty crops that limit access to credit for many small farmers. Despite these difficulties, the Farmers Home Administration, the Farm Credit System and several innovative lenders in the private sector have developed programs to improve the credit environment for small borrowers.

The Asian specialty vegetables bitter melon, fuzzy melon, luffa and yard-long bean require good temperature management during postharvest handling to reduce deterioration and to avoid chilling injury. These vegetables can be successfully marketed for 1 to 2 weeks if kept at 10° to 12.5°C (50° to 55°F).

As a result of the dramatically increasing popularity of farmers' markets, some markets have reached capacity and have been obliged to establish policies about who has priority to sell. Small, part-time, hobby farmers feel particularly vulnerable as rules are established. The best way for them to go: Reserve market space far in advance and offer unique produce.