Thursday, June 26, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Sustainable Benson

Friday, June 27th. Beginning at 4pm. Join foodies, farmers, gardeners and more as the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society hosts Sustainable Benson! We'll begin with a Nebraska Young Farmer Night at Benson Plant Rescue. Growing Community, Not Just Plants!! We'll get an in depth insight into how Benson Plant Rescue is building community and revitalizing culture, one seed, one plant and one gardener at a time! At 6pm we'll walk to Benson Brewery for an extended NYFN! And we'll combine it with a Sustainability Happy Hour! We'll get a short tour from the brewmaster and will sample and dine on lively, locally sourced foods and brews! For more details and to rsvp please visit, https://www.facebook.com/events/1433731900225528/

Panhandle Dryland No-Till Field Day

Monday, June 23rd. Chadron. Dawes County, south of Chadron. Questions to Mark Watson at 308.760.5259.

On-Farm Health Audit Webinar
 

June 23. Led by OSU Extension veterinarian Dr. Gustavo Schuenemann, this webinar, "CSI for Dairy: On-Farm Audits to Assess Risk," will cover information on transition cow management with an emphasis on prevention of calving-related diseases and on-farm risk assessment. This webinar is conducted as part of a partnership between OEFFA, Ohio State University's Department of Preventative Veterinary Medicine, and the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), funded by a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) professional development grant. http://www.oeffa.org/events.php

Field Day: Developing the Right Pasture Lease

Tuesday, June 24. Whitman. See bit.ly/SohoyK for more information

Webinar: Soil Fauna: Animals of the Soil and the Role They Play in Soil Health

Tuesday, June 24. Webinar: Soil Fauna: Animals of the Soil and the Role They Play in Soil Health, one of a six-part webinar series on Soil Health. See http://bit.ly/1kAP5s9 for more information.  Contact Charles Shapiro at 402 584 3803 for information on cost-share scholarships available for qualified Nebraska farmers.

Community Gardens

Wednesday, June 25 at 11:30 am. Gardening with Benefits: How Belonging to a Garden Network Can Help Your Own Garden Thrive. Susan Sides, Diana McCall, Adam Bigelow, The Western NC Alliance for Gardens that Give. The more diversity something has, the more stability, strength, resiliency and beauty it possesses. That’s true of such things as microorganisms, flowers, herbs, insects, and birds and it’s also true for gardens that are connected to their broader community. In Western North Carolina, gardens that grow food and give it away have come together to form a network that gives each garden the stability, strength, resiliency and beauty that would be impossible had they remained disconnected. This webinar will cover topics such as management of a garden network, how much time is involved, and keeping group momentum as well as benefits of and planning for garden tours. Anyone who is thinking about starting a garden network (big or small!), who is already part of a garden network or who wants to be inspired by what can happen when people come together to grow good food will benefit from this conversation! http://goo.gl/fQKN7

Panhandle Dryland and Irrigated No-Till Field Day

Wednesday, June 25. Alliance. Box Butte County, near Alliance. RSVP to Mark Watson at 308.760.5259.

NMPAN Webinar: The Business of Dry Curing

June 25. This webinar from the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network will cover the Business of Dry Curing: the growth of artisan cured meats, the basics of the business, and talking to two charcuterie processors about how they got started, their day-to-day operations and the costs and revenue for dry curing. This webinar will focus specifically on the business side of adding dry-cured processing to your operation: the economics of charcuterie. To attend this one-hour webinar, go to https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/nichemeat 5-10 minutes before start time 1pm Eastern (12 Central, 11am Mountain, 10am Pacific) and log in as a guest.

Using Diverse Cover Crop Mixes to Improve Soil Health and Livestock Nutrition on Grazing Lands

June 25. This webinar is part of an ongoing series of webinars presented by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service East National Technology Support Center. As a leader in livestock extension and a practitioner on his own farm, Matt Poore, Ph.D. will discuss early findings from using cover crop mixes planted and grazed on his and others' farms. Participate in this free one-hour webinar to learn the reasons behind choosing different cover crop mixes for soil health and livestock nutrition and the short term effects of these mixes on soil, plants, and livestock. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/

The Soil that Feeds Us – Cultivating healthier food and a healthier environment on the farm

Join Healthy Food Action and the Izaak Walton League of America on Thursday, June 26 at 11am for a free webinar! "The Soil that Feeds Us – Cultivating healthier food and a healthier environment on the farm" will bring together emerging perspectives from farming, soil science and public health to talk about steps farmers take to improve soil health and resiliency, and the ways in which healthier soil produces healthier food. Webinar presenters will also discuss how a broad constituency from farming, public health and the food movement can influence federal conservation programs. Register here:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6085491554063313921

Landowner Habitat Tour

Thursday, June 26. Curtis. Benefits of Prescribed Fire. See NebraskaPF.com or call 308-850-8395

Panhandle No-Till Field Day

Thursday, June 26. Kimball. Banner County, North of Kimball. RSVP to Mark Watson at 308.760.5259.

Landowner Habitat Tour

Thursday, June 26. Lexington. Pollinator Habitat Past & Present. See NebraskaPF.com or call 308-850-8395

Climate Change, Air Emissions, and Energy Use

June 26. 1 p.m. Sustainable Food Trade Association presents leaders from Annie’s and GloryBee. More Information, http://www.sustainablefoodtrade.org/webinars/

Monthly Marketing Webinar: Farmers Markets

June 26. This webinar is part of a series of free monthly webinars offered by food and agriculture marketing experts from Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. This webinar on farmers markets is presented by hristie Welch, a farmers market specialist at Ohio State University South Centers at Piketon. http://www.oardc.osu.edu/7396/Monthly-Webinars-to-Help-Growers-and-Producers-Enhance-Marketing-Improve-and-Expand-Sales.htm

Pasture Conversion and Renovation

June 28. Red Oak, Iowa. This Practical Farmers of Iowa field day visits David and Leslie Carbaugh at Noble Pastures. The day will start with field walks and evaluating two of the Carbaugh’s pastures – one an older pasture they are renovating, and the other a piece of crop ground being converted to pasture. Along with experienced graziers Ron Dunphy and Paul Ackley, the group will evaluate the pastures and discuss other possible forage options, fencing ideas and general management. http://practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/

Scaling Up: Machines, Markets and Moths

June 29. Crescent, Iowa. Join Terry Troxel at this Practical Farmers of Iowa field day for a discussion of Iowana Farm's machinery, marketing strategies and pest management trials. Chuck Troxel and neighbor Merle Osborn will showcase vegetable-specific adaptations to farm machinery. Terry will share her strategies for building alternative markets around her CSA, including pricing for wholesale. Terry and Chuck will also lead a tour of the farm and discuss pest management strategies for cabbage moths on brassicas. http://practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/



Opportunity

Poultry Range Feeders and Transport Cages Needed

I'm looking to buy range feeders for my flock, and am also in the market for stackable transport cages so that I can have the ability to take them to a processor. Dan Hromas, 402-217-2797

Farm Help Needed

We are looking for part-time or occasional help on our organic farm near Omaha. Mowing weeds and general maintenance that requires some muscle. Also someone to help with vegetable planting, weeding, harvest. Experience preferred. We are located at the east edge of Papillion. Meristem Farm and Nursery, LLC. Tom Lundahl (402) 306-4500. Lucena Morse (402) 297-2324. Tom@MeristemFarmAndNursery.com, Lucena@MeristemFarmAndNursery.com. www.MeristemFarmAndNursery.com

Heritage Chickens

I am looking for heritage chicken producers in Nebraska that might be willing to sell me live birds that I can butcher myself.  I am looking to buy young heritage birds but would be most interested in buying a mix of young and old birds. I live in Kearney and am either looking to process in Grand Island or near North Platte so if I can find a farmer in central Nebraska that would be optimal. Jed, yadidyamg@gmail.com


Upcoming


Farm Planning, Marketing and Management Online

July 7. Online. This online course from the University of Massachusetts is designed for students who foresee starting a farming operation in the future or who currently own/manage/work on one. The complexity of whole farm planning is covered in the course through agricultural business planning, organizational design, decision making, leadership and management (employees, systems and record keeping).http://sustfoodfarm.org/online-classes/farm-planning/

Managing for Soil Health when Raising Potatoes

July 8. Online. This free webinar is part of the Soil Health Webinar Series presented by NRCS. It will present a farmer's perspective on managing soil health. Colorado farmer Brendon Rockey will discuss how using a systems approach has improved soil health and biological activity of his soils. Raising 30 varieties of potatoes, his farming system includes the use of green manures, multi-species cover crops, and compost balanced with inorganic materials. This webinar will provide participants an opportunity to hear how soil health can be improved and soil functions enhanced even when raising crops that require a lot of soil disturbance for harvest. http://conservationwebinars.net/

Grain Place Tour

July 12. 8 a.m. Marquette. This seminar is for anyone interested in organic farming, the organic food industry, and sustainable agriculture in general. Participants are guided by  farm manager Mike Herman on a tour of the farm, learning and sharing ideas about various organic growing practices. Grain Place Foods President Dave Vetter leads the tour through the plant, showing how all the various certified organic grains and seeds are processed and packaged. http://grainplacefoods.com/in-the-news/grain-place-news/latest-news/2014-farm-tour-summer-seminar/

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