Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Non-Timber Forest Products Webinar Series: Art from the Forest

October 29. Nontimber forest products include plants, lichens and mushrooms used for specialized art and craft practices: basketmaking, fiber dyeing, and more. Artisans who gather and use these species have specialized knowledge of their micro-habitats and require certain qualities in the material they use. In this one-hour webinar, Allaire Diamond M.S., Conservation Ecologist with the Vermont Land Trust, will discuss a variety of species used by master artisans and the unique opportunities for landowners to foster these species on their land and build relationships with artisan-gatherers. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=3b9mqeifumu5

Planning and Design of Stream Crossings Webinar

October 29. This webinar is presented by the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center. Participation in the webinar will build an understanding of the process and procedures required to successfully plan and design a stream crossing structure to meet the USDA NRCS Practice Standard, Code No. 578 - Stream Crossing. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/planning-and-design-of-stream-crossings

What are aquaponics?

October 29th. Aquaponics is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment. Learn about the aquaponic way of growing with Keith Knudson.  How does growing with aquaponics differ from gardening the way we know it. Presented by Keith Knudson.  https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/670358306351617537

Fall 2014 Biotechnology / Life Sciences Seminar Series

October 29.  4:00 pm–5:00 pm. “Honey Bee Health Risks of Acaricide Exposures: A Rationale for Alternative Chemistries for Varroa Mite Management,” will be presented by Dr. Troy Anderson, Virginia Tech. Beadle Center 1901 Vine Street. Lincoln. Lisa Vonfeldt,402-472-2635, BiotechPSIOffice@unl.edu. A reception will be held at 3:30 p.m. 

The event is open to the public.

Basics of Poultry Health and Management

October 30. Online. Veterinary Extension within The Ohio State University's Department of Veterinary Preventative Medicine and the OEFFA have joined together to provide a series of webinars and workshops for veterinarians, Extension educators, and other professionals who work with certified organic livestock herds and flocks. This free webinar will cover the basic concepts of poultry disease diagnosis and control in organic production systems, with a brief discussion of management conditions that will impact poultry health. This webinar is presented by Dr. Mohamed El-Gazzar, Poultry Extension Veterinarian with OSU's Department of Veterinary Preventative Medicine. http://www.oeffa.org/events.php

BioChar and Beyond

Friday, October 31 at 10:00 am. Presented by Matt Kieffer, Student, Iowa State University. Matt Kieffer is a student at Iowa State University who, along with fellow ISU students have started a biorenewable business. Matt will discuss biochar from production to end product and its uses and applications worldwide.  Their company ARTI can be found online at http://artichar.com/. Don't miss this presentation, you will be impressed with the enthusiasm and drive of these young bioenergy entrepreneurs. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/agenergy/

Haney and PLFA tests and soil health

October 31. 3:30 pm–5:00 pm. Lincoln. Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture, 402-472-2811, agrohort@unl.edu. Presented by Raymond Ward from Ward Laboratories, Inc. Ward will discuss the benefits and problems with these new tests for making fertilizer recommendations and to test for living microbes in soil both of which have the goal of the measuring soil health to refine fertilizer and pesticide applications each year.

Restoration Agriculture and Mob Grazing Workshop

October 31 – November 2. Clark, MO. In this 3-day, hands-on educational workshop, you will learn to merge the philosophies of restoration agriculture and mob grazing. This is not a permaculture design course, nor is it an introduction to Restoration Agriculture. This weekend will be the first time that Mark Shepard and Greg Judy will work together to synthesize the agriculture models of permaculture and mob grazing. The end result will be the installation of a permaculture swale system into Greg Judy's grazing system. 

Specialty Crop Workshop

October 31 - November 1. Wheatland, WY.  Specialty Crops & Topics Covered; Native seed production, Proso Millet, Markets & Marketing, Herbs, Quinoa. Location, Platte County Public Library 904 9th St. Wheatland, WY. Cost: $50.00 Registration limited to 60 people. To register contact, 57 Antelope Gap, Wheatland, WY 82201. Phone: 307-322-3667. Email: mmckinl2@uwyo.edu

Opportunity

Vegetable Operations Manager Position near Omaha

Vegetable/small fruit farm and nursery in Papillion has a full-time permanent vegetable operations manager position available. Tasks may include crop selection/scheduling, prep/planting, greenhouse management, construction/maintenance, and sales. Vegetable production experience helpful. The land has been farmed with organic practices for 30 years. Currently selling at local markets and planning to expand. On-farm housing may be negotiable. Also hiring full/part-time general laborer; farm or construction experience helpful. Send resume and cover letter to Lucena@MeristemFarmAndNursery.com or call Tom at 402-306-4500.

Vegetable Transplant Supplier Needed

The Community Crops plant sale sells plant starts and perennials to many Lincoln gardeners, and we also supply plants to our community gardeners.  We have outgrown the amount of plants our current supplier can produce and would like to find additional suppliers for 2015 to grow a variety of herb and vegetable transplants on contract.  All plants need to be grown using organic methods, using 32s and delivered in early May.  Please contact me to discuss details at ingrid@communitycrops.org or 402-474-9802.

Thanks! Ingrid

Chickens, Goats & Cattle Sale

Selling 25 +- chickens.  A colorful, diversified variety flock of _soon-to__-__be_ egg layers.  An Orschlen's *special* _"everything that could fly out of water tank"_ of white, orange, speckled, barredchicks beginning of May, 2014.  All hens except oneloud, white rooster (what a surprise). These chickens have forage with cattle in the pasture paddocks and housed in a portable coup. Spend time frolicking in the grass and forages eating whatever fits in the beak on an organic farm.  Supplemented with poultry mix for layers in "always available feeder". These birds would be a perfect starter egg layer flock because of the variety of different types of chickens the same age to try out; nearly 6 months old, free-range and trained to a coup at night.  Talk about your side by side test! Selling whole flock at $7.25 a chicken or willing to sell in smaller select choice groups at an adjusted price.  Delivery possible. Troy Kash-Brown,402-476-9616, please leave a message. Located west of Pioneers Park on West Van Dorn, Lincoln.

Quince

Does anyone know of anyone that is growing quince?! Amy, amy@edibleomaha.com

FarmTable Delivery is hiring

We really need a driver ASAP. Qualifications include: - Experience driving an 18ft vehicle - Experience driving a diesel vehicle - Good driving record - Familiar with driving in Omaha, Des Moines, Lincoln a plus! - Detailed orientated - good time management skills - a people person. Right now, 10-15 hours a week. Will increase as company grows. Will Train! SEND RESUMES with REFERENCES to farmtabledelivery@gmail.com 

Farm for Sale in Western Nebraska

We have operated a pastured poultry (including processing) operation and a direct beef operation.  This would be an excellent opportunity for someone who would like to start a small scale sustainable agricultural business. We are having an auction on October 21st which will have all of our equipment for the pastured poultry operation (including processing equipment) and livestock equipment. The link for the auction is: http://www.helbergnussauction.com/selected_auction.php?Auction_ID=18

(check back often as we are still adding items). We also have our cattle herd for sale.  We will only sell them all to one buyer to keep the herd together.  The herd consists of approximately 40 cows and 3 bulls.  The herd is comprised of Angus and Angus/Lowline cross. If you have any questions, please call or email myself or my husband Dan. Dan's cell phone is 308-631-6849. Email iskathi@openabar2ranch.com 

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

As you may know, we have been slowly growing our farm, Darby Springs, over the past several years. We have launched a crowdfunding campaign with Barnraiser and are asking you to join us in building a creamery barn to create farmstead ice cream, featuring local flavors, and space to learn and grow as a food community. Click here to skip the rest and get right to it: https://www.barnraiser.us/projects/building-the-barn-at-darby-springs-farm. We already sell pastured meat, milk, and eggs, but want to grow to bring you farmstead ice cream and opportunities to experience all our farm has to offer. To do this the Barn will have: The Loft: event and classroom space; Community Kitchen: a certified kitchen for use by all; Farm Store: featuring our ice cream and homemade baked goods as well as other area farmers & artists; Creamery: where the wonderful desserts are made; Milking parlor. Click here to check out our video, get full project details and support our project if you can, or spread the word to your friends: https://www.barnraiser.us/projects/building-the-barn-at-darby-springs-farm

News

Penalty flag for UNL leaders

I’m throwing a red penalty flag at UNL and calling out our purported land-grant university for flagrant ethical inconsistency. Earlier this year, UNL’s administration forced two of its employees, extension agents, to resign from the board of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society. The administration cited an obscure rule and decided it was a conflict of interest for a UNL employee to be volunteering with a group that supports and educates Nebraskans on clean family-scale farming, a group that has a long track record of integrity and accomplishment across the state with thousands of our Nebraska farm families and that provides education in a field UNL generally gives scant attention. Yet now, as reported by the Journal Star (Oct. 12), we learn that UNL’s administration is giving a glowing green light to a board appointment for another UNL employee: Vice Chancellor Ronnie Green. The vice chancellor has been appointed to the board of Neogen, a multinational ag pharmaceutical corporation based in Michigan, a corporation that’s also eyeballing UNL’s Innovation Campus. UNL’s administration apparently regards this as fine and dandy. The ultimate referees in this matter — NU's Board of Regents — must engage a basic question when considering this matter on Nov. 20. Why is it somehow a conflict of interest for UNL employees to serve on a volunteer board for a nonprofit group that supports farmers who grow clean, chemical-free food for Nebraskans, yet it is no conflict of interest for another UNL employee to serve on the board of a profit-driven multinational corporation?   Read the rest here

Upcoming

Internal Parasite Management in Pasture-Based Sheep and Goat Operations Webinar

November 3. Veterinary Extension within The Ohio State University's Department of Veterinary Preventative Medicine and the OEFFA have joined together to provide a series of webinars and workshops for veterinarians, Extension educators, and other professionals who work with certified organic livestock herds and flocks. This free webinar is presented by Wayne County OSU Extension Educator Rory Lewandowski. To register, go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6088907739364733953

Mechanical Farm Implements: Scale-Appropriate Technology for Specialty Crop Production

November 6. Onine. This free webinar from OEFFA will explore factors to consider in choosing equipment for a successful specialty crop farm, with presenter Jean-Paul Cortens of Roxbury Farm. Learn about the best equipment to use for tillage, weed control, mulching, planting, seeding, harvesting, and haymaking on a specialty crop farm. http://www.oeffa.org/

Kansas Rural Center Farm & Food Conference and 35th Anniversary Celebration

November 7-8. Manhattan, Kansas. "Sustainable Agriculture: A Once and Future Vision," will celebrate KRC's 35th Anniversary and focus on the future of agriculture, food, and community in Kansas and the region. A full two-day slate of conference workshops will provide inspiring ideas, helpful information and valuable connections for attendees, ranging from practical farm management, diversification and transition strategies, to community and food advocacy training. Keynote speakers will include Bryan Welch and Fred Kirschenmann. http://kansasruralcenter.org/calendar/conference-2014/