Dry Farming in the News

Start your Monday off with some fresh off the press news!

People who eat more sustainably have 25 per cent lower risk of death – new research by Noa Leach of the BBC Science Focus

Eat Sustainably to sustain life!

When in Drought, Plan It Out: Rain Harvesting by Stephanie Kasper, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Program Manager, writing for ATTRA

Learn about collecting, storing and using rain water on your farm to help mitigate drought conditions.

Does an electric tractor have a place on your farm? by Holly Spangler of the PrairieFarmer

Learn about electric tractors and how they can help reduce your carbon footprint.

To save water, start with irrigating less by Tory Moore of UF/IFAS

Dry farming starts at home.

Water in the International News

Satellites unveil the far-reaching impact of irrigation by the European Space Agency

Explore the damage done to the Earth's surface due to freshwater extraction for irrigation.

Photo Time: USAID's 2023 Water-Secure World Photo Contest Winners

Check out winners and runners up here!

As the demand for water rises, we need to re-think global water storage by Matthew McCartney of the IWMI

Learn about storage needs as the world approaches a drinking water crisis.

25 Countries, Housing One-quarter of the Population, Face Extremely High Water Stress by Samantha Kuzma, Liz Saccoccia and Marlena Chertock of the World Resources Institute

The news is devastating, but a must read.

Here’s where water is running out in the world — and why by Veronica Penney and John Muyskens of the Washington Post

This is an in-depth analysis of the above WRI report.

Sunburned grapes in the vineyard.

If You Must, Do It Well

ATTRA released a comprehensive field guide to irrigation and water management, available here. Learn about best practices and answer general maintenance and troubleshooting questions. Need a hard copy? It’s waterproof!

ATTRA is a knowledge source for sustainable agriculture, created by the US Dept of Agriculture Rural Development and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).

Them's Fighting Words: Research Into How To Irrigate Vineyards Better

Let's say you had to irrigate your vineyard because you haven't discovered or implemented dry farming yet (don't get stuck in the establishment phase!). What's the best way to irrigate? Washington State University's Pete Jacoby released his decade-long research into best practices for application. The Western Farm Press and FarmProgress published an overview of his results. Read on here for his conclusions on how to do the dirty deed better.

FarmProgress is a multi-brand farmer news and marketing group owned by Informa that covers national, regional, and state-level organizations and represents multiple ag shows. The Western Farm Press is a subsidiary focusing on agriculture in the Western US.

Dry Farming in the News

Start your Monday off with some fresh off the press news! Check out these recently published articles discussing the dry farming of winegrapes in Oregon.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Vines by Greg Norton of the Oregon Wine Press

This is a deep dive into Dr. Alexander Levin’s work and history in researching vineyard management techniques, including water and irrigation.

Growing Pains: Winemakers Reflect on a Changing Climate by Laura Ness of the Wine Industry Advisor

Check out quotes from Evan Martin, owner and winemaker of Martin Woods in McMinnville, who reflects on the positives and negatives of dry farmed vines.

Walking The Rows: Résonance Vineyard And The Fool’s Errand Plot by Jill Barth of Forbes Magazine

A focused look at the Résonance Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, one of the Willamette Valley’s oldest dry farmed and own-rooted vineyards.