Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Please see attached minutes and individual state reports.

Objective 1: Develop research-based production information about crops, systems, and production practices that have the potential to be profitable for small farms

Several participants have collaborated on a project involving winter squash variety trials. Annette Wszelaki (Tennessee) proposed this project at the 2019 SERA 45 annual meeting. Wszelaki, Wenjing Guan (Indiana), Rachel Rudolph (Kentucky), Melanie Stock (Utah) and Lewis Jett (West Virginia) have participated in variety trials of kabocha squash. Researchers indicated there was a great deal of disease and pest pressure. Several researchers encountered seed borne Fusarium in their trials. The project is looking not just at yield but also at storage ability of winter squash. Researchers will be storing fruit from each variety and each repetition for up to six months. One challenge has been determining when the squash is ready to harvest, as some of the researchers had not worked with kabocha squash before. Jett indicated there was a strong market for kabocha and other types of winter squash in West Virginia. The project is part of a squash hunger campaign that could benefit communities in food deserts through food pantries.

Tennessee (Wszelaki) was part of a Southern SARE-funded project with Kentucky (SERA 45 participants Krista Jacobsen, Rudolph and Tim Woods) and Georgia, Cover Crops Under Cover: Evaluating Costs, Benefits, and Ecosystem Services of Cover Crops in Year-Round High Tunnel Production Systems. Since our 2019 meeting, a final report on this project was posted at https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/ls16-272/.

SERA 45 participants from Kentucky (Jacobsen, Rudolph, Woods) and Tennessee (Wszelaki, Margarita Velandia) received a Specialty Crop Research Initiative planning grant for the project Reclaiming High Tunnel Soil Health for Sustained Specialty Crop Production (08/2020 – 08/2022).

Tennessee (Wszelaki) and Kentucky (Rudolph) participated in multi-state spring and fall beet variety trials.

Ajay Nair (Iowa) has been working on an Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) organic transition project in collaboration with the University of Kentucky, working with mesotunnels using Protek netting for season extension and microclimate modification. Acorn squash is among the crops being tested. Iowa State has developed a short video on installing the nets; it is available at https://www.cucurbit.plantpath.iastate.edu/virtual-field-day.

Objective 2: Coordinate research and extension activities among participants

The Cover Crops Under Cover: Evaluating Costs, Benefits, and Ecosystem Services of Cover Crops in Year-Round High Tunnel Production Systems project has led to development of several publications. The first of these publications, Covers Under Cover: Managing Cover Crops in High Tunnels (CCD-SP-16), was published in July, 2020 and is available on the University of Kentucky’s Center for Crop Diversification (CCD) website at https://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/CoversUnderCover1.pdf. Jacobsen, Rudolph and Wszelaki are among the authors of this publication, while SERA 45 participants Shawn Wright (Kentucky) and Jett (West Virginia) reviewed the publication.

Growers using high tunnels were surveyed in 2019 to identify high tunnel practices and use on farms in Kentucky and surrounding states as part of the Southern SARE project. Nearly three-fourths of 106 responding producers operated high tunnels in Kentucky. Illinois accounted for 10 percent of respondents and other states (Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama) accounted for 17 percent. The survey showed that growers in the region have used high tunnels to lengthen their season and expand farm production for established markets, while also entering smaller-volume wholesale markets with high tunnel products. The resulting publication, High Tunnel Production and Marketing Survey: Data Summary has undergone review, and will be posted on the Center for Crop Diversification (CCD) website soon. The authors are currently getting updated high tunnel numbers from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). SERA 45 participants Woods, Brett Wolff and Jacobsen are among the authors of this publication, while Tennessee’s Wszelaki contributed significantly to the survey design and implementation. SERA 45 participants Wright and Rudolph reviewed the publication. Two additional publications resulting from this project are undergoing final edits by the authors and will be published on the CCD website after undergoing review.

A co-branded publication, Extended Season Lettuce Production (CCD-WVU-FS-1, ANR-HORT-20-001), written by Jett (West Virginia), was published by the CCD (https://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/WVextendedseasonlettuce.pdf) in February 2020. SERA 45 participant Wright (Kentucky) was one of the reviewers of this publication. Jett and Christy Cassady (Kentucky) worked with their respective Ag Communications personnel to develop a co-branded fact sheet that includes Cooperative Extension Service logos from both universities, and publication numbers unique to both.

The CCD has been developing six “crop profiles” for Tennessee’s Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA) as part of a Tennessee Specialty Crop Block Grant. Two profiles, Culinary Herb Production in Tennessee (CCD-CPA-CP-1), and Garden Mum Production in Tennessee (CCD-CPA-CP-2) have been completed, reviewed and designed. The CPA is developing a website that will house these co-branded profiles. SERA 45 participants Jeanine Davis (North Carolina) and Wszelaki (Tennessee) reviewed the culinary herb publication, which Cassady (Kentucky) designed. Faculty at the University of Tennessee and the University of Kentucky reviewed the garden mums profile, which Cassady designed. SERA 45 participant Troy Dugger worked with UT’s Ag Communications personnel to develop a header design that features logos from UT and the University of Kentucky. Dugger and Woods participated in an agent in-service training November 19-20, 2019, “Sustaining Tennessee Farms with Value-Added Agriculture and Alternative Crops,” attended by 30 extension agents.

The CCD at the University of Kentucky has promoted activities in the participating states through its monthly newsletter, website and Facebook page. These include research projects, webinars, conferences, field days and workshops. SERA 45 participants from the University of Kentucky, the University of Tennessee and West Virginia University have reviewed specialty crop and marketing fact sheets for the CCD during the past year.

Objective 3: Develop farm market, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), on-farm retailing and other direct market information and decision aids that can be shared regionally

Participants from Purdue continued partnering with the CCD at the University of Kentucky to provide price reports from farmers markets in Indiana. The CCD continued coordinating price reporting from farmers markets and produce auctions around Kentucky. The Indiana Farmers Market Price Report is available online at https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/hortbusiness/price-reports/. Price reports from Kentucky, as well as a link to the Indiana price report, and a link to an Ohio produce auction price report, are available on the CCD website at http://www.uky.edu/ccd/pricereports. Challenges resulting from COVID-19 prevented other states from participating in price reporting in 2020. Kentucky developed a Farmers Market Price Reporting Tool in 2019 to streamline the process for aggregating and analyzing farmers market prices with the goal of expanding participation without adding additional labor to the aggregation process. The tool is a mobile responsive and intuitive website using Qualtrics survey software to collect basic geographic and economic data from program participants. The tool underwent beta testing in Kentucky in 2020, although participation was limited.

Objective 4: Continue market research in the participating states on consumer preferences and marketing channels that are most effective and profitable for small farms

Kentucky and Tennessee are involved in a Southern SARE-funded project, Extending Roots of Fresh Stop Markets across the Southeast Region. The project is looking at the economics of Fresh Stop Markets, which have had success in Kentucky, and the goal is to expand that success throughout the Southeast. Fresh Stop Markets allow higher income families to subsidize lower income families buying fresh food. Work still needs to be done to make the program successful from an economic perspective. A progress report including 2020 activities is available at https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/ls18-300/.

A large farm to restaurant marketing study was sidetracked by COVID-19, but is still considered to have a lot of potential. Woods and Wolff (Kentucky) have been involved in 2020 in a national Local Food Systems Response to COVID project (https://lfscovid.localfoodeconomics.com/) that includes 17 communities of practice. Woods and Wolff have been working with produce auctions, and the study also involves Farm to School, the National Farmers Market Coalition, National Co-op Grocers, National Grocers Association, the James Beard Foundation (restaurants) and the Wallace Center (food hubs), as well as other partners.

Plans for the coming year: The winter squash project will continue, with additional SERA 45 participants (Nair, Iowa and Maynard, Indiana) conducting variety trials. The group will work on a high tunnel marketing guide, either as part of a high tunnel production guide, or as a separate guide, as well as a one- to two-page checklist for high tunnel growers regarding marketing. The group will explore developing a high tunnel production guide, possibly building on an existing guide developed at Iowa State a few years ago. The group will explore possible funding options for such a guide, including multi-state Specialty Crop Block Grants, the North Central IPM Program and other regional IPM programs, the Risk Management Agency, and NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants. Participants Jacobsen, Rudolph and Woods (KY), and Wszelaki and Velandia (TN) will be involved in the Reclaiming High Tunnel Soil Health for Sustained Specialty Crop Production SCRI planning grant work. This grant will allow researchers to map out survey work, focus groups and case studies to help growers market their high tunnel crops, looking at ways to integrate high tunnels into small farm businesses. Work will continue on the Local Food Systems Response to COVID project. The CCD will complete its work for Tennessee’s CPA on additional crop profiles (Cut Flower Production in Tennessee, Mushroom Production Systems, High Tunnel Overview, and Cider Apple Production). The group plans to start an e-newsletter with articles on crop diversification topics that can be distributed to growers in each of the participating states.

Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers 2020 (ID-56). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ID/ID-56-W 2020.pdf

Midwest Vegetable Trial Report for 2019. https://ag.purdue.edu/hla/fruitveg/Pages/MVVTRB.aspx

2020 Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/southeastern-us-vegetable-crop-handbook

Coolong et al. (2020). Covers Under Cover: Managing Cover Crops in High Tunnels. CCD-SP-16. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/CoversUnderCover1.pdf

Ernst, M. (2020). Culinary Herb Production in Tennessee. CCD-CPA-CP-1. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Ernst, M. (2020). Garden Mum Production in Tennessee. CCD-CPA-CP-2. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Jett, L. (2020). Extended Season Lettuce Production. CCD-WVU-FS-1, ANR-HORT-20-001. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/WVextendedseasonlettuce.pdf