From the Field
The Fincabout Blog
Stories from the soil, science behind the seeds, and hard-won wisdom from farmers who've been there. Grab your coffee and dig in.
No-Till Vegetable Farming: Permanent Beds and Mulch Guide
No-till vegetable farming is less about never disturbing soil and more about building a steady system of permanent beds, mulch, roots, and biology. This guide walks through bed layout, compost safety, irrigation, weed control, and a practical three-season transition plan.
Small-Scale Mushroom Farming for Oysters and Shiitakes
Small-scale mushroom farming can fit into a shed, barn corner, shady woodland, or spare room, making it a flexible specialty crop for homesteads and small farms. This guide walks through species choice, beginner setups, fruiting care, contamination troubleshooting, harvest, storage, and local sales.
Seed Saving for Beginners: A Practical Farm Guide
Seed saving is one of the most practical skills a grower can learn, especially when you start with forgiving crops and a simple plan. This guide walks through choosing parent plants, preventing crosses, harvesting mature seed, drying it well, and storing it so next season starts strong.
Frost Protection for Crops: Covers, Tunnels, and Sprinklers
Frost protection for crops starts with knowing what kind of cold you are facing, then matching the method to the crop, field, and forecast. This guide walks through row covers, tunnels, sprinklers, and smarter site design so you can protect plants with a calmer plan.
Weed Management in Vegetable Farming: Practical Guide
Good weed control starts before the first pigweed shows its face. This guide covers stale seedbeds, mulch, cultivation tools, crop spacing, and a weekly routine for cleaner vegetable fields.
Vegetable Variety Selection for Climate, Market, and Disease
Good vegetable variety selection is part seed shopping, part weather planning, and part knowing your customers. This guide walks through climate fit, disease resistance, market needs, seed types, and simple on-farm trials so you can build a dependable variety list season by season.
Small Orchard Planning: Site Selection, Tree Spacing, Varieties, and the First Five Years
A small orchard can feed a household, support a farm stand, fill a cider press, or anchor a mixed homestead system for decades. Good planning before you plant is what separates a productive orchard from a patch of frustrated trees.
Seed Starting Calendar: When to Start Vegetables Indoors and Transplant Outside
A good seed starting calendar is built around frost dates, crop timing, and local growing conditions, not one-size-fits-all calendar dates. Learn when to start vegetables indoors, which crops are better direct seeded, and how to time spring, fall, and succession plantings with more confidence.
High Tunnel vs Greenhouse: Which Fits Your Farm?
High tunnels and greenhouses both extend the growing season, but they differ in cost, labor, permits, climate control, and crop fit. This guide gives you a practical side-by-side comparison, worksheets, and maintenance tasks to help choose the right structure for your farm.
Crop Rotation Planning: How to Build a Rotation That Improves Soil and Reduces Pest Pressure
Good crop rotation planning is less about making a perfect chart and more about giving soil, pests, and plant families enough time and variety to stay in balance. This guide walks through practical rotation models for raised beds, market gardens, and field blocks, with cover crops and recordkeeping built in.
Understanding Soil pH and How It Affects Every Crop You Grow
Learn how soil pH controls nutrient availability, why most gardens need adjustment, and exactly how to fix it for optimal crop growth.
Succession Planting: How to Harvest Continuously All Season
Master succession planting techniques to eliminate feast-or-famine harvests and deliver a steady supply of produce from spring through fall.