This is one way some businesses, organizations and even homeowners are making a positive impact on the environment.

Green Roof Benefits
The main benefit of green roofs, according to the Green Roof Research Program at Michigan State University, is to help reduce storm water runoff—especially beneficial in urban areas that offer less surface area for runoff to be absorbed.

Green roofs also:

• Cut energy costs by providing more insulation
• Last longer than conventional roofs because they’re protected from ultraviolet radiation and the extreme fluctuations in temperature that can cause deterioration
• Replace green spaces lost to urban development, thus improving the health of our environment as well as our well-being

   

• Offer a more aesthetically pleasing environment in which to work and live

Another big bonus: building and maintaining green roofs offer business opportunities for nurseries, landscape contractors, irrigation specialists and other green-industry members while addressing the issues of environmental stewardship, according to the university’s research program.

Examples of Green Roofs Growing
Among the growing numbers of examples is the rooftop at Northern Kentucky’s St. Elizabeth Medical Center’s new emergency department and outpatient building.

Installation of the roof is set to be completed in July, according to a report from the Kentucky Enquirer. Plants will include numerous varieties of sedum, a heat- and drought-tolerant plant; they require little maintenance and produce blooms in reds, whites, yellows and pinks.

The medical center is a 120,000-square-foot, three-story building visible from Interstate 71/75 near downtown Covington, Ky. The roof is roughly 18,000-square-feet and situated over the first floor emergency department.

According to Doug Chambers, senior vice president of facilities for St. Elizabeth, Joseph Gross, president and chief executive officer of the St. Elizabeth health system, was the main player behind the development of the green-roof project because he thought the hospital should be caring for the environment as well as its patients, reports the Enquirer.

Those interested in green roofs can benefit from seeing the green roofs put into practice.

Here are a few links to websites involved in green roof projects:

• Green Roofs
• Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

Or you could just swing by the St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

While not open to the public, the green roof, according to the Enquirer, will be visible from the building’s second and third floors and by the estimated 150,000 cars and trucks that travel the nearby stretch of I-71/75 each day.

Landowners whose contracts with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) are ending may want to consider haying their ground.

“Land enrolled in CRP is generally highly erodible. Maintaining these acres with a perennial grass cover [or hay] will reduce erosion, improve water quality, enhance wildlife and reduce sedimentation,” said Walt Fick, K-State Research and Extension range and pasture management specialist.

Aspects to consider when haying your land include burning, fertilizing and time of cutting.

Fick said it’s a good idea to conduct a prescribed burn on the land if it has not been burned for a few years.

“Burning will remove mulch and standing dead litter. Although this material will add yield when baled, forage quality will be reduced,” he said.

Fick does not recommend fertilizing warm-season native grasses with nitrogen or phosphorus because of potential changes in plant composition.

For cool-season grasses and broadleaf plants, he suggests conducting a soil test to determine the best fertilizer and encourages land owners to follow recommendations found in the Kansas State University Research and Extension publications: 
Smooth Brome Production and Utilization C-402 
Tall Fescue Production and Utilization C-729

The proper time to hay varies for different climates. He said cool-season grasses should be hayed during the nearly full bloom stage to optimize yield and quality.

More information is available by contacting Fick at 785-532-7223 or whfick@ksu.edu.

Does the idea of producing and selling your own fruits and vegetables sound appealing to you?

With more consumers demanding fresh local food, many communities and farmers are realizing it could be the perfect time to start a farmers market or expand an existing one–as a way to sell your produce.

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently reported the total number of farmers’ markets increased nearly 7 percent through August 2008, continuing an upward trend.

Before you take the plunge (or seek to attract more customers to your existing market), read these tips from the Ohio State University South Center’s Business Development Network.

OSU has launched a program called “Growing! Ohio Farmers Markets” to provide no-cost consulting to farmers’ market managers, vendors, producers and board members to aid in improving direct marketing efforts to the consumer.

1. Start with a Plan.
   Although farmers’ markets can be a significant source of income for local producers, starting and maintaining one can be hard, says Christie Welch, OSU Extension farmers’ market specialist.

   “The biggest mistake people make is not carefully thinking through the logistics of managing a farmers’ market,” Welch says.

   Staffing, marketing and location are three main factors that play an important role in the success of your farmers’ market.

2. Staff Your Farmers’ Market.
   Welch says most farmers markets are staffed by volunteers. Because it is time consuming, she says it’s important to find volunteers who are committed to the market.
3. Select a Location
   Your stand needs to be in a place visible and convenient for shoppers, ideally a high-traffic area, with adequate space and handicapped accessible.

   Welch suggests working with city, county and township officials, and local businesses to find a suitable location for the farmers’ market.

   “Some locations may charge rent, while other locations can be utilized free of charge,” she said. “Some communities will allow a street to be closed on certain days and certain times to accommodate the farmers market. Some businesses will also host farmers markets within their location.”

4. Sell Your Farmers’ Market.
   “Don’t overlook the benefit of marketing. Developing a mission and vision statement that outlines the market’s purpose and the types of products it allows is important for attracting consumers as well as vendors,” Welch says. “Then develop and implement your marketing plan based on the mission of the market.”

   While developing your market plan, don’t forget that developing a relationship with your customers if important–shoppers are not only looking for fresh, local foods, they also want to know the person behind the produce.

   Welch says to invest in attractive displays, such as brochures, signs, and fact sheets to attract customers. She also suggests offering recipes or nutritional information on the products you’re selling.

5. Be mindful of Your City’s Laws and Regulations.
   Welch says to invest in product and liability insurance and follow the rules and regulations set forth by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Also, remember the requirements set by your local health department.
6. Maintain Good Fruits and Veggies.
   Welch says most importantly, enforce a high quality for your produce.

   “As a producer, be sure to choose a farmers’ market that fits with your individual goal, but also meets the needs of the target customers,” Welch said.

Visit these sites for more helpful resources:

• Ohio MarketMaker — a free Web-based tool that connects farmers with consumers; 740-289-2071
• Growing! Ohio Farmers Markets Program; 740-289-2071, ext. 234

If you’re a producer certified through the National Organic Program or if you’re in the process of transitioning to organic production, you may qualify for $50 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to encourage greater production of organic food.

Applications for funding from eligible applicants are being accepted May 11 through May 29.

In keeping with the 2008 Farm Bill’s commitment to assisting organic producers, the funding is available as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan says, “The objective of this initiative is to make organic food producers eligible to compete for EQIP financial assistance.”

How to Get Started
To apply, producers must contact their state’s EQIP program office. The property that producers are interested in enrollowing must be located in that state.

Each state’s EQIP page will tell you about application ranking criteria, priority resource concerns, lists of eligible practices, payment rates, information about where you can submit applications, eligibility requirements and other program requirements, according to the USDA.

Visit the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service EQIP Web page to learn more about EQIP and find a link to each state’s EQIP program department.

Under the $50 million initiative, according to the USDA, new contracts for organic production are being offered for six core practices:

• Conservation crop rotation
• Cover crops
• Nutrient management
• Pest management
• Prescribed grazing
• Forage harvest management

Funding is capped at $20,000 per year.
 
States must consider using any appropriate practice that meets the resource concern on a particular operation, says the USDA.

Sales of both food and non-food organics in the United States grew more than 17 percent in 2008 according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

According to Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director, “Organic products represent value to consumers, who have shown continued resilience in seeking out these products.”

OTA’s survey measured the growth of U.S. sales of organic foods and beverages as well as non-food categories such as organic fibers, personal care products and pet foods during 2008, according to OTA.

Breaking the results down further, sales of organic foods alone grew nearly 16 percent in 2008, while organic non-food sales grew nearly 40 percent. By these findings, OTA reports that organic food sales now account for approximately 3.5 percent of all food product sales in the United States.

The survey indicates the increase may be due in part to increased use of coupons, the proliferation of private label brands and major organic brands promoting greater value for the money.

The final report of the Organic Trade Association’s 2009 Organic Industry Survey is now available for purchase.