Test your soil in early winter for a happy, organic, spring garden. You’ve harvested your garden and composted any leftover debris. Aside from maybe a rake, you’ve put away your tools for the winter and are enjoying a cup of hot chocolate on the couch. But hold up a minute. There are a few tasks you might have missed that will help you out in the spring and will eliminate the need for synthetic fertilizers and weed killers. Continue reading

Giving Thanks for a Community Leader: Lotte Streisinger, 1927-2017 by Kristi Johnson, NCAP We here at NCAP owe a debt of gratitude to Lotte, but you may not realize that you do, too. Let me introduce you to this artist and community activist. Continue reading

The weather change from warm to cooler weather can often bring pests from the outside into your home. Preparing your home, garage or workplace for the temperature change can reduce costs by saving energy and electricity. Simple maintenance and improvements can exclude pests, which eliminates the need for pesticides such as insecticides or rodenticides. Continue reading

(By Megan Dunn & Sharon Selvaggio, NCAP Program Directors) In the 1960s the bald eagle almost went extinct because of the pesticide DDT. Thankfully, scientists like Rachel Carson shared compelling evidence that linked the decline of bird populations with the use of certain pesticides. Local residents advocated for change, and over the years we’ve advanced new policies and restrictions that protect community and environmental health. The bald eagle has soared back from the brink of extinction. Continue reading

We put together some resources, using publications from our work and our partners' work, to help growers manage the risks inherent in farming and ranching. Although it's just a jumping off point into topics of soil health, business structure, consumer demand, pesticide exposure, and other important topics, we hope it will help with assessing risks and planning accordingly. Continue reading