The Natural Farmer: History, NOFA Publisher, Content and Editors
Profile updated November 2026
The Natural Farmer is the quarterly publication of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, mailed on each solstice and equinox to members of all seven NOFA state chapters and to subscribers elsewhere. Nearly forty years old, it covers organic farming techniques, certification, environmental developments, food justice and national and international organic news for more than 6,000 households.
| Publisher | NOFA Interstate Council and the seven NOFA state chapters |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Quarterly: March, June, September and December |
| Circulation | More than 6,000 households |
| Chapters served | Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont |
| Editor | Liza Gabriel |
| ISSN | 1077-2294 |
| Official website | TheNaturalFarmer.org |
History of The Natural Farmer (NOFA)
The Northeast Organic Farming Association is a federation of state chapters in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, joined by an Interstate Council. The Natural Farmer became the shared newspaper of the chapters and the council, and it describes itself as nearly forty years old.
Jack Kittredge became editor in 1988, and reference sources list the paper's base as Barre, Massachusetts. Its ISSN, 1077-2294, and library records under OCLC 9569335 document its long run as a periodical.
Today The Natural Farmer is the only publication, print or electronic, that goes to members of all seven NOFA chapters.
The Natural Farmer (NOFA) Today
The Natural Farmer is a quarterly print magazine mailed in March, June, September and December, timed to the solstices and equinoxes. Editor Liza Gabriel in New York works with a compensated Advisory Committee of farmers, writers and advocates from across the region that guides editorial decisions, guidelines, equity efforts and outreach; a new committee term begins in April 2026.
The Advisory Committee includes Elizabeth Henderson, Omowale Adewale, Holli Cederholm and others from NOFA chapters in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont. Readers may submit articles, and reprint requests go to the editor.
What The Natural Farmer (NOFA) Is Publishing Now
Organic techniques
Practical articles on soil fertility, vegetables, grazing, orchards, seeds and pest management from working organic farmers.
Certification and policy
Organic certification, regulation and policy news from the Northeast, Washington and abroad.
Environment and food justice
Climate, biodiversity, farmworker rights, land access and food justice, reflecting NOFA's social mission.
The Natural Farmer (NOFA) Editors and Staff
The Natural Farmer's About page and reference sources name:
- Liza Gabriel - Editor
- Elizabeth Henderson - Advisory Committee member
- Omowale Adewale - Advisory Committee member
- Holli Cederholm - Advisory Committee member
- Jack Kittredge - Former editor (from 1988)
Submissions and reprint requests go to the editor at tnf@nofa.org, per the publication's site.
Who Reads The Natural Farmer (NOFA)
Readers are NOFA members across seven Northeast states: certified organic and ecological farmers, market gardeners, homesteaders, land care professionals and food activists, plus national and international subscribers. Many run small diversified operations that sell directly; the 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 116,617 U.S. farms with $3.3 billion in direct-to-consumer sales. NRCS offers assistance to organic farmers on soil health, a central TNF subject.
Natural Farmer readers mail their newspaper on the equinox, which shows an admirable commitment to cosmic timing. farm.FM matches that sincerity with farm satire about organic certification audits, farm humor about cover crops that refuse to winter-kill and ranch humor for the graziers in the hill towns. The farm jokes there arrive on no particular solstice.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
The Natural Farmer (NOFA) Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- The Natural Farmer: About - editor, advisory committee and distribution.
- Wikipedia: The Natural Farmer - reference overview.
- NOFA Interstate Council: The Natural Farmer - the publisher's page.
- USDA NRCS: Assistance for organic farmers - federal soil health support.
- USDA NASS: 2022 Census of Agriculture - direct sales and farm data.
The Natural Farmer (NOFA) FAQ
Who publishes The Natural Farmer?
The Northeast Organic Farming Association's Interstate Council and its seven state chapters.
How often is The Natural Farmer published?
Quarterly, mailed in March, June, September and December.
Who edits The Natural Farmer?
Liza Gabriel, with a regional Advisory Committee.
How many readers does The Natural Farmer have?
It reaches more than 6,000 households.
Nearly four decades on, The Natural Farmer remains the one publication every NOFA member in the Northeast shares.