Resources

Print Publications

Two new SAREP publications on farm-to-school lunch programs and direct marketing value-added products are now available

• CRUNCH LUNCH MANUAL: A case study of the Davis Joint Unified School District Farmers Market Salad Bar Pilot Program and A Fiscal Analysis Model, by Renata Brillinger, Jeri Ohmart and Gail Feenstra, UC SAREP, 54 pages, 2003. This manual is part of an effort to support other school districts interested in piloting a salad bar project. It describes the Davis, Calif. case in detail, including the planning, fundraising and organizing phase, the implementation phase, the expansion and institutionalization phase and modifications to move toward sustainability. Appendices offer practical information such as an equipment list, weekly produce demand lists, a guideline for daily food quantities ordered, sample menus, etc. The manual also includes a fiscal analysis model including an overview of nutrition services finances, sources of revenue, a profit/loss analysis, and calculating the break-even point. Each section offers lessons learned from the Davis experience. The manual also includes a list of resources for farm-to-school efforts in California and nationwide.
Printed copies of the manual are available from SAREP and Occidental College.

At SAREP contact Gail Feenstra, gwfeenstra@ucdavis.edu, or Jeri Ohmart, jlohmart@ucdavis.edu. At Occidental contact Mark Wall, mwall@oxy.edu, at the Center for Food and Justice. The manual will be available on SAREP’s Web site (www.sarep.ucdavis.edu) in PDF format by June 2003.

• Direct Marketing with Value-Added Products (or “give me the biggest one of those berry tarts!”), by Jeri Ohmart, is now available on SAREP’s Web site at http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu /CDPP/valueadded.htm. This case study is one of six cases (three of farmers markets and three of direct marketing strategies) included in a tri-state study (California, New York and Iowa) examining the ways farmers markets encourage rural enterprises and small farm businesses. This particular case showcases a variety of farmers who use value-added products to enhance their businesses at farmers markets.

Organic dairies
The Organic Decision: Making the Transition to Organic Dairy Production, 40 pages, 2002, Cornell University Small Farms Program. A new workbook is available to help farmers develop a plan for making the transition from conventional dairy farming to organic production. Cornell Cooperative Extension specialists in consultation with the Northeast Dairy Producers Alliance developed the workbook, which examines the stability and trends of organic milk market, the cost of making the transition (includes budget worksheets), forage yield reductions (includes an inventory balance calculator), and herd health considerations (cull rate, disease incidence, veterinary costs). Those completing the workbook will have a business plan, a budget, and an action plan for the transition. To order, contact Faye Butts at (607) 254-7412 or email fsb1@cornell.edu. The cost is $12.

California farms/businesses profiled
Fruits of Progress: Growing Sustainable Farming and Food Systems, by Ann Thrupp, World Resources Institute, 85 pages, April 2002. This study examines the benefits of the “green” transformation in farming and food systems, including certified organic practices and many sustainable approaches. The study is based on case studies in the western region of the U.S., including studies of Del Cabo Farms, Durst Growers, Fetzer Vineyards, Frog’s Leap, Full Belly Farm, Lagier Ranches, Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, Lundberg Family Farms, Natural Selection Foods, Robert Mondavi Winery, Sherman Thomas Ranch, and Small Planet Foods. The studies reveal how ecologically based practices can generate profits while contributing to the broader goals of sustainable development. $20. Contact the World Resources Institute, 10 G Street N.E., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20002; www.wri.org.

Community-based food, ag
Growing Home: A Guide to Reconnecting Agriculture, Food and Communities, Joanna Green and Duncan Hilchey, Community, Food and Agriculture Program, Cornell University, 151 pages, 2003. Recognizing the economic, ecological and social benefits of food and agriculture systems initiatives, Growing Home is designed to provide agriculture development specialists, economic developers, planners, Extension educators, community development advocates, and others interested in strengthening communities with the tools they will need to turn visions into realities. To order the $25 book ($17.50 bulk rate), contact Gretchen Gilbert at (607) 255-9832 or gcg4@cornell.edu or visit the program Web site at: http://www.CFAP.org

Sustainability in Oregon
Looking for Oregon’s Future: What is Sustainability? Oregon State University Extension Service Publication EM 8784. This award-winning, free, tabloid-format publication uses 33 newspaper-style stories to explore issues and examine citizen efforts linked to Oregon’s future. Peter Bloome, associate director of the OSU Extension Service said the events of September 11 helped underscore the importance of all dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental and social. The publication is available free of charge for multiple copies, including shipping and handling. To order, call (800) 561-6719, email puborders@orst.edu, or write to Publication Orders, Extension & Station Communications, OSU, 422 Kerr Administration, Corvallis, OR 97331-2119. A brief study guide also is available.