• Basic Information
• Additional Info

Basic Information

• Project No. and Title: SERA45 : Crop diversification opportunities to enhance the viability of small farms
• Period Covered: 10/01/2021 to 09/30/2022
• Date of Report: 11/11/2022
• Annual Meeting Dates: 09/16/2022 to 09/16/2022

Participants

Rachel Rudolph (Chair, University of Kentucky), Shawn Wright (Vice-Chair, University of Kentucky), Melanie Stock (Utah State University), Ajay Nair (Iowa State University), Annette Wszelaki (University of Tennessee), Margarita Velandia (University of Tennessee), Troy Dugger (Center for Profitable Agriculture, Tennessee), Rob Holland (Center for Profitable Agriculture, Tennessee), Christy Cassady (University of Kentucky), Brett Wolff (University of Kentucky), Wenjing Guan (Purdue University), Liz Maynard (Purdue University), Miranda Purcell (Purdue University), Lewis Jett (West Virginia University), Mathieu Ngouajio (National Institute of Food and Agriculture)

Accomplishments

Impacts

1. Obj. 1.: The SERA 45 project will lead to the development of recommendations for management practices that lead to profitable production of high quality produce in an environmentally sound manner. This project is expected to result in increasing incomes among small farmers in the participating states, as well as enabling consumers seeking to increase their purchases of local foods to do so. A longer-term result would be an increase in the participating states’ capacity for growing and marketing produce, thereby reducing reliance on a few areas of concentrated production. The squash hunger trials project is expected to enable consumers in food deserts to have access to high quality produce during the fall and winter. The group is considering developing a multistate extension publication based on the squash trials, which would be published through the University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification (CCD). The OREI organic transition project has shown that Protek nets are three to four times more expensive than typical row covers but have extended shelf life and reduced temperature stress under low tunnels. Based on results so far, Protek net systems are performing well providing insect protection and microclimate modification for enhanced growth, yield, and quality in winter squash and muskmelon production systems. Results of the project are available at https://www.cucurbit.plantpath.iastate.edu.
2. Obj. 2:This activity has allowed for exchange of ideas and information among researchers and extension personnel in the participating states and has resulted in publication of multistate fact sheets and webinar presentations based on production and marketing research. Webinars have allowed growers and extension agents in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Utah to benefit from the expertise of SERA 45 participants. Live attendance figures and views of recordings of the Spring into Production webinar series were Equipment Considerations for Vegetable Production (15 people live, 72 views on YouTube), Tomato Grafting and Root-knot Nematode Management (14 people live, 42 views on YouTube), Ins and Outs of Organic Fertilizer (10 people live, 30 views on YouTube), and High Tunnel Crop Rotation (8 people live, 32 views on YouTube). Seventy people attended the Art and Science of Pricing cut flowers webinar, and the recording had been viewed 295 times through September 30, 2022.
3. Obj.2: Multistate fact sheets developed as part of this project have been widely utilized. A co-branded publication, Growing, Harvesting, Preserving Appalachian Heirloom Beans (CCD-WVU-FS-2, ANR-HORT-21-001), written by Jett (West Virginia) and published by the CCD in February 2021, had been downloaded 1,420 times by September 30, 2022. Extended Season Lettuce Production (CCD-WVU-FS-1, ANR-Hort-20-001), also written by Jett and published by the CCD in February 2020, was downloaded 129 times by September 30, 2022. The CCD developed six co-branded specialty crop profiles for Tennessee’s Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA), five of which have been posted on the CPA’s website thus far. The CPA’s specialty crop profiles page (https://cpa.tennessee.edu/specialty-crop-profiles/) has received 467 unique pageviews (the number of times the page was viewed at least once) since the first profile was posted in May of 2020. Ten meetings (in-person and virtual), attended by 262 people, have been held in Tennessee utilizing the profiles. Three webinars that were recorded and posted on the CPA website have received 697 total views. The profiles have been sent to extension agents across Tennessee and used in meetings and exhibits. The total number of profiles distributed has been Cider Apples in Tennessee: Basic Considerations (495 copies), High Tunnel Overview (575 copies), Cut Flower Production in Tennessee (750 copies), Culinary Herb Production in Tennessee (700 copies), and Garden Mum Production in Tennessee (600 copies). The crop profiles from the CPA-CCD collaboration will provide a strong learning foundation for specialty crop growers who are considering the production of alternative crops and alternative production systems. The project also expands opportunities for marketing success of specialty crops in Tennessee.
4. Obj.2: A Southern SARE Cover Crops Under Cover: Evaluating Costs, Benefits, and Ecosystem Services of Cover Crops in Year-Round High Tunnel Production Systems project involving SERA 45 participants from Kentucky and Tennessee led to the development of several publications in 2020 and 2021, Covers Under Cover: Managing Cover Crops in High Tunnels (CCD-SP-16), Cool-Season Cover Crops for High Tunnels in the Southeast (CCD-SP-18), and Warm-Season Cover Crops for High Tunnels in the Southeast (CCD-SP-19). These publications were downloaded 84, 48, and 40 times, respectively, through September 30, 2022. A fourth publication developed as part of the Southern SARE project, High Tunnel Production and Marketing Survey: Data Summary (CCD-SP-17) was published in November 2020. It had been downloaded 893 times by September 30, 2022.
5. Obj. 3: Price information gathered from farmers markets and produce auctions will help farmers in the region determine how to price their products. From mid-May when the first 2022 Tennessee price report was posted through September 30, 2022, the Tennessee Farmers Market Price Report page received 518 pageviews, with individual reports being downloaded as many as 292 times. The 2022 Arthur Produce Auction Price Report page received 398 pageviews through September 30, with individual reports being downloaded as many as 57 times. Reporting resulting from this project will help fulfill the need for direct market prices for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). Publications developed by SERA 45 participants will help growers make decisions about marketing channels. A publication developed by Savannah Columbia of the CCD and Stock, Cut Flowers for Community Supported Agriculture Production (CCD-MR-2), was downloaded 188 times between September 2021, when it was posted online, and September 30, 2022.
6. Obj. 4: Research on consumer preferences and marketing channels will help farmers in the states involved in this project determine the most appropriate channels for selling their products

Publications