Monday, December 15, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 15th. Multiple locations.  Hastings at the Fairgrounds. Scribiner at the Mohr Auditorium. Leigh at the Fairgrounds. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Agricultural Working Lands: Meeting the Needs of Spring-migrating Waterfowl in the Intermountain West on Working Ranches

December 16. Online. Participants in this 1.5-hour NRCS webinar will learn about opportunities to manage irrigated haylands and pasturelands in the Intermountain West for wetland birds during spring migration. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/meeting-the-needs-of-spring-migrating-waterfowl-in-the-intermountain-west-on-working-ranches

Haney & PLFA Soil Tests: What, How? Why?

December 16th. 7pm. Do you wonder how soil tests can be used to help improve your soil management? Learn the basics of two increasingly popular tests – the Haney and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) soil tests – from soil microbiologist Lance Gunderson, including how the results are determined and how to interpret these results. Farmer and grazier Fred Abels will then describe how he’s used the Haney test on his farm to inform his management. They will both discuss the results of tests taken on Fred’s farm. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/farminar

Farm Financial Planning "Give Yourself a Financial Check-Up"

Tuesday, December 16 at 9:00 am. This webinar will discuss 20 ways that people can assess their personal financial progress and identify areas of their financial life that need improvement. Topics covered include financial quizzes, financial goal-setting, income and expense statements, net worth, debt ratios, marginal income tax brackets, retirement planning, investment performance metrics, investment risk tolerance, insurance needs, estate planning, government financial statistics, and more.  The program will conclude with suggested action steps to put the workshop content into practice. http://tinyurl.com/krtxvn4

Heart of the Farm – Why Women’s Unique Family and Farm Business Roles Matter

Tuesday, December 16 at 11:00 am. Women bring different perspectives, values and priorities to the table. This webinar will focus on what aspects of rural life are important to women, how they learn, and how that influences decision-making with regard to production, marketing and land management practices. Angie Carter is a Sociology PhD candidate co-majoring in ISU's Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA). She is currently studying women farmland owners in Iowa and how they make decisions about conservation on their farmland. She also serves as a board member of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network. Angie will be joined by Jenny Barker-Devine, an assistant professor of history at Illinois College, and Sara Shepherd, owner of Sara Shepherd Farms. Join us for a webinar that highlights and celebrates the unique contributions that women bring to agriculture. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag

Estate and Transition Workshop

Tuesday, December 16. Concord. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

A Certified Organic Winter Nursery for Corn Breeding

Tuesday, December 16 at 1:00 pm. Join eOrganic for a webinar on running a certified organic winter nursery for corn breeding in Puerto Rico! http://www.extension.org/pages/71860

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 16th. Multiple locations.  Geneva at the Fairgrounds. Clay Center at the Activities Building. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Why Cooperative Extension? A New Century for Food and Ag Engagement

Wednesday, December 17 at 8:30 am. Attention ‘CUSTOMERS’ Who Use the Cooperative Extension System!  This is YOUR Opportunity to Provide Feedback! The National Coalition for Food & Agricultural Research invites members and all interested stakeholders to a dialogue with Cooperative Extension Directors. While the meeting is being held in Washington ( National Council of Farmer Cooperatives , 50 F Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC), the discussion will be broadcast as a webinar. These directors will be leading the discussion.  Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of Extension, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture; NC-FAR Board Member. Dr. Michael Ouart, Vice Provost for Extension and Professor of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri; NC-FAR Research Outreach Committee Member. Please register to attend in person or by webinar at: http://bit.ly/1uTmfrk

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 17th. Multiple locations.  Minden at the Fairgrounds. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

How to Use Fruit and Vegetable Market News

December 18. Online. The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites you to take part in a free, interactive webinar on how to use its Fruit and Vegetable Market News to your benefit. This webinar is free and available to anyone with Internet access, however you must register and space is limited. Produce buyers and receivers use Market News when planning purchases to ensure they are paying a reasonable price for product. If you purchase or receive shipments of fruits and vegetables for a school, food bank, hospital, other institution, food hub, or farmers market, this webinar is for you. http://bit.ly/1CZRFCr

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday, December 18. Lexington. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 18th. Multiple locations.  Osceola at the Fairgrounds. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Learning from Our Observations of Pastures & Livestock: Preventing Pasture Problems on the Organic Dairy Webinar

December 18. Join eOrganic for a webinar on preventing pasture problems on the organic dairy farm by Sarah Flack. This webinar will review the key grazing principles that help your cattle maximize dry matter intake from pastures and avoid potential problems. It will also look at examples of how to observe the livestock, their manure, soils, and pasture plants to determine how well your pasture management system is working. http://www.extension.org/pages/71819/

New Year’s Resolution for Direct Marketing

December 19th. 12pm. The webinar will be led by Christie Welch, director of the South Centers’ Ohio Cooperative Development Center and farmers market program, and will focus on tips farmers and producers can take to set a good marketing business foundation for the new year. https://carmenconnect.osu.edu/r59accaqtk2

Direct-Marketing Grain-Finished Beef

December 23rd. 7pm. Shanen and Beau Ebersole, of Ebersole Cattle Co., will share their expertise raising grain-finished beef cattle with no hormones or antibiotics. Learn about issues from production to marketing methods, then listen in as the Ebersoles answer beginning farmer Dave Hill’s questions on starting up this type of enterprise. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/farminar


Opportunity

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

Deadline Friday December 19th. 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




Upcoming

Hosting Safe, Legally Secure Farm Events

January 5, 2015. Online. Make sure your farm isn’t left with the short end of the stick after a good-intentioned event goes bad. From zoning compliance to guest injuries and serving prepared food, this Farm Commons webinar will work through a checklist of things a farm should address before hosting an event. http://farmcommons.org/hosting-safe-legally-secure-farm-events-0

Farm Commons Webinar: Adding Value Without Adding Legal Liability to Farm Products

January 6. Online. Although starting a processing operation, improving packaging, and developing new products are great ways to make the farm more profitable, these activities have a huge legal impact, says this Farm Commons webinar. Employment laws, liability potential, state/federal regulations, and tax factors all change when a farm begins to process product. Farms relying on cottage food laws should make sure to attend- this webinar will talk about what these laws do not do to protect farms.http://www.farmcommons.org/adding-value-without-adding-legal-liability-farm-products

Health problems with the digestive system of poultry

Tuesday, January 6 at 1:00 pm. As the first in a four part webinar series on poultry health, Dr. Frame will start this webinar with an introduction to chicken health programs. The remainder of the webinar with discuss problems with the digestive system. The digestive system of poultry is exposed to a variety of pathogens on a daily basis. Dr. Frame will be discussing how some of these digestive-related diseases are manifested in poultry. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

Building the Capacity of Small Meat Processors:

January 7. The Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network presents this free one-hour webinar at 10am PST / 1pm EST. NC Choices, an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems at North Carolina State University, spent two years working with a set of small processors in North Carolina, providing a range of technical assistance and support. On this webinar, NC Choices and three processors who participated in the project will tell us how they did it, what they accomplished, and why it matters. To attend: Go tohttps://connect.extension.iastate.edu/nichemeat 5-10 minutes before start time and log in as a guest.

Great Plains Growers Conference

January 8-10. St. Joseph, Missouri. This three-day conference for beginning and experienced growers features presentations by knowledgeable speakers from throughout the nation. The conference showcases educational information from all five states: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, along with vegetable specialists and growers from those states. There is also a trade show with more than 50 exhibitors. http://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org/

Specialty Crop Producer Workshops – Farmer Training

January 13, 14, 15, 16: GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) Level 1: GAPs are production and farm level approaches to ensure the safety of fresh produce for human consumption. GAPs Level 1 will cover education training in preparation for a self-audit and on farm food safety plan.  A USB Drive will be provided with the materials needed for the training. Our Farmer Training series will consist of training in 5 Nebraska Cities: Grand Island, Norfolk, Lincoln, Scottsbluff (Via Video Conference) and Omaha.  We will be using local producers as well as national trainers to offer a unique farmer training program that is unlike anything NeFU has done before.  Our goal is to help producers move to the next level of production by providing the skills necessary to increase efficiency and profitability.  These trainings are open to any speciality crops producers, beginning or experienced,  that are producing for markets. http://Nebraskafarmersunion.org/farmertraining 

Organic Production Round Table Discussion

January 10th @ 1:30pm. Learn More about Organic Agriculture and Marketing: If you want to learn more about organic farming, here is the opportunity where you will get farmer to farmer answers and information. A panel of certified organic Nebraska farmers and grain elevators managers will answer questions about the following topics. The event is free and open to the public.  No registration is needed, refreshments will be provided.  Location: Columbus Community College, Columbus. For more information contact: Kim Mosel @ 402-620-2701  ociane1@yahoo.com

Monday, December 8, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

The Beginning Farmer’s Introduction to Farm Law

December 8. Online. In this Farm Commons webinar, beginning farmers will get a preview of the many legal issues they should consider when just starting out with farming. What business entity should a farmer choose? Which insurance policies are really important? What about that farmland lease--when should it be written down and what should it say? Is there anything to know about farmers market sales, volunteers, or working with family members? This webinar will touch on all of these questions and more.http://farmcommons.org/beginning-farmer%E2%80%99s-introduction-farm-law-0

Legal and Financial Clinic

Monday, December 8. Elm Creek. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 8th. Multiple locations.  Central City at the City Hall. Aurora at the Leadership Center. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Entomology Seminar on Impacts of Instructional Methods and Conservation Awareness on Pollinator Cons

December 9. 4:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union in Lincoln. “Impacts of Instructional Methods and Conservation Awareness on Pollinator Conservation Practices to Gain Knowledge of Native Nebraska Urban Bee Populations” presented by Natalia Bjorklund, entomology graduate student.  Jeri Cunningham, 402-472-8678jcunningham1@unl.edu

Permaculture on Organic Farms: The State of Play

Tuesday, December 9 at 1:00 pm. Join eOrganic for a webinar on Permaculture on Organic Farms. The webinar is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required. Register now at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4679132623284812802

Put Your CSA on Strong Legal Footing

December 9. Online. This Farm Commons webinar provides an opportunity to learn how an attorney sees CSA and what you can do to protect your farm. This webinar will also discuss risks with farm volunteer programs and buying the right insurance.http://farmcommons.org/put-your-csa-strong-legal-footing

Webinar on NOP Organic Integrity Database

December 9. The AMS National Organic Program (NOP) and Information Technology Service (ITS) will host an interactive webinar regarding the development of the Organic Integrity Database. The NOP will open with a short presentation about the database development project, including its goals, current development priorities, and timeline. They will then invite feedback from the group about the database priorities, and any additional requirements that are critical to the organic community and consumers. Step 1: Dial In by Phone, Toll-Free (U.S. & Canada) 866-740-1260. Access Code: 7202000. Step 2: Access the meeting URLhttp://www.readytalk.com 
On the left side of the screen, enter Participant Access Code 7202000

Kansas Forage and Grassland Council Winter Conference and Annual Meeting

December 9. Manhattan, Kansas. The agenda includes sessions on integrating livestock with crops, managed intensive grazing, managing nitrates, and grazing grasslands. http://ksfgc.org/

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 9th. Multiple locations.  Fullerton at the Eagles Club. Norfolk at the Norfolk Community College. Tecumseh at the Baptist Center. Pierce at the White House. Alma with the location TBA. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

A discussion of trade agreements and the threat to food

December 10th. 3:00–4:30 p.m. EST / 2:00–3:30 p.m. CST. Join us on Twitter for #FoodTradeFail, a discussion with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and a host of other experts and organizations to get your questions answered. Two trade agreements are set to threaten years of work supporting family farmers, good food and building a more just food system in favor of corporate profits. As negotiations continue in secret and the President seeks to secure Fast Track authority to avoid working with Congress, it is essential that those who care about our food system weigh in. What do those interested in fighting for a better food and farm system need to know to influence the debate? http://iatp.org/event/foodtradefail-a-discussion-of-trade-agreements-and-the-threat-to-food

Feeds and Feeding of Pullets and Layers Webinar

December 10. In this eXtension webinar, Dr. Paul Patterson from Penn State University will be discussing the feeding of replacement pullets and laying hens. Dr. Patterson is a nutritionist. The central theme of his extension and research programs is environmental poultry management. Efforts focus on discovering and promoting efficient poultry production systems that place minimum burden on the environment. https://learn.extension.org/events/1749

Grazing Guides for Dairy Systems Webinar Series: Tall Grass Grazing for Dairies

December 10. Online. Tall grass grazing has become a popular management practice for beef cattle in recent years. Learn how this practice is being applied to dairy grazing. This webinar is presented by Mena Hautau, Penn State Extension. This session is part of a monthly webinar series that will cover current research and basic management issues of interest to experienced, novice, conventional and/or organic, dairy grazers and industry representatives that support them. http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/events/grazing-guides-for-dairy-systems-webinar-series-tall-grass-grazing-for-dairies

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 10th. Multiple locations.  Wayne at the Wayne Fire Hall. Imperial at the Crossroads Wesleyan Church. Stanton at the Community Building. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Holistic Management Workshop

December 11 and 12. Central Community College, Hastings. For Anyone interested in conserving and enhancing our precious land and water resources. Why Holistic Management: Holistic management decision making concepts were developed by Alan Savory. Whether you are a beginning farmer, a third generation rancher or a public land manager, you can learn how to apply Holistic Management principles to enhance the health of your land, and increase productivity while reducing operating costs. To learn more about Holistic Management visit: www.holisticmanagement.org. This program is being presented independently by Bob Shields, Paul Swanson and Ralph Tate who assume full responsibility for its content and all related financial, contractual and other obligations. Who to contact: Bob Shields—phone (308) 379-1361 or email bob.shields01@gmail.com

The Economics of Generating Your Own Solar Electricity

December 11th. 7pm. Speaker: Jared Friesen, Renewable Energy Specialist at Morrissey Engineering. Where: UNO’s Community Engagement Center, 64th & Dodge, Room 201.  With the developing PV industry in mind, this presentation will cover:  What is the "value of solar" as it relates to the electric utility and electric user  What is net metering, is it fair, and what are its pitfalls Performance and economic metrics a potential solar owner should understand The attainable levelized cost of solar-electric energy that can be compared directly to current OPPD energy prices for residential and small commercial customers Steps that must be taken to realize an attractive levelized cost of solar electricity. 
The workshop is free & open to the public, so please join us and bring a friend!  Contact Helen for more information, hdeffenbacher@cox.net

December 10th. Multiple locations.  Beatrice at the Fairgrounds. Benkelman at the Fairgrounds. Arlington at the Fairgrounds. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday, December 11. North Platte. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

Water + Energy Progress Bus Tour

December 12. Manhattan, Kansas. Join Water + Energy Progress Award winners Lucinda Stuenkel, Dale Strickler, Gail Fuller, and Ted Alexander for tours featuring Stuenkel and Strickler's farms in Palmer and Courtland. The tour will focus on water conservation and energy efficiency using no-till, subsurface drip irrigation, cover crops, and perennial grasses for forage and soil health. Presenters will discuss ways that renewable energy systems, like solar water pumping and fencing, can enhance operations.http://climateandenergy.org/blog.1050059.water-energy-progress-bus-tour-rsvp-today?act=view

Forest Botanicals: Deep and Tangled Roots

December 12. Online. This webinar is the last in a series on non-timber forest products, presented by the National Agroforestry Center, NIFA, the American Tree Farm System, and others. In this webinar, Eric Burkhart, faculty instructor at Pennsylvania State University, will share insights from his studies and involvement with native plant species on eastern U.S. forestlands that are wild-harvested for the domestic and international plant trade. Quality-control, profitability, and sustainability within this industry will be discussed. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=sodq9sgrbjol

Legal and Financial Clinic

Friday, December 12. Fairbury. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.


Opportunity

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

Deadline Extended. 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

Farm Beginnings Nebraska

Farm Beginnings® is an educational training and support program designed to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise.  Farm Beginnings® participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers; attend practical, high quality seminars, field days and conferences.  Classes begin January 3, 2015, and conclude on April 25, 2015.  They will be held at the Douglas/Sarpy Extension Office in Omaha.  For more information about the class and how to register can be found in the brochure at:

Sustainable Farm Manager Needed

Boone County, Nebraska. My name is Ann Nore. I own but do not operate a farm in Boone County, Nebraska. My current manager is with Farmers National and  is not enthusiastic about sustainable farming practices. If interested please contact Ann at, annnore1951@aol.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 




Upcoming


Agricultural Working Lands: Meeting the Needs of Spring-migrating Waterfowl in the Intermountain West on Working Ranches

December 16. Online. Participants in this 1.5-hour NRCS webinar will learn about opportunities to manage irrigated haylands and pasturelands in the Intermountain West for wetland birds during spring migration. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/meeting-the-needs-of-spring-migrating-waterfowl-in-the-intermountain-west-on-working-ranches

Farm Financial Planning "Give Yourself a Financial Check-Up"

Tuesday, December 16 at 9:00 am. This webinar will discuss 20 ways that people can assess their personal financial progress and identify areas of their financial life that need improvement. Topics covered include financial quizzes, financial goal-setting, income and expense statements, net worth, debt ratios, marginal income tax brackets, retirement planning, investment performance metrics, investment risk tolerance, insurance needs, estate planning, government financial statistics, and more.  The program will conclude with suggested action steps to put the workshop content into practice. http://tinyurl.com/krtxvn4

Heart of the Farm – Why Women’s Unique Family and Farm Business Roles Matter

Tuesday, December 16 at 11:00 am. Women bring different perspectives, values and priorities to the table. This webinar will focus on what aspects of rural life are important to women, how they learn, and how that influences decision-making with regard to production, marketing and land management practices. Angie Carter is a Sociology PhD candidate co-majoring in ISU's Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA). She is currently studying women farmland owners in Iowa and how they make decisions about conservation on their farmland. She also serves as a board member of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network. Angie will be joined by Jenny Barker-Devine, an assistant professor of history at Illinois College, and Sara Shepherd, owner of Sara Shepherd Farms. Join us for a webinar that highlights and celebrates the unique contributions that women bring to agriculture. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag

A Certified Organic Winter Nursery for Corn Breeding

Tuesday, December 16 at 1:00 pm. Join eOrganic for a webinar on running a certified organic winter nursery for corn breeding in Puerto Rico! http://www.extension.org/pages/71860

Why Cooperative Extension? A New Century for Food and Ag Engagement

Wednesday, December 17 at 8:30 am. Attention ‘CUSTOMERS’ Who Use the Cooperative Extension System!  This is YOUR Opportunity to Provide Feedback! The National Coalition for Food & Agricultural Research invites members and all interested stakeholders to a dialogue with Cooperative Extension Directors. While the meeting is being held in Washington ( National Council of Farmer Cooperatives , 50 F Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC), the discussion will be broadcast as a webinar. These directors will be leading the discussion.  Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of Extension, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture; NC-FAR Board Member. Dr. Michael Ouart, Vice Provost for Extension and Professor of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri; NC-FAR Research Outreach Committee Member. Please register to attend in person or by webinar at: http://bit.ly/1uTmfrk

Learning from Our Observations of Pastures & Livestock: Preventing Pasture Problems on the Organic Dairy Webinar

December 18. Join eOrganic for a webinar on preventing pasture problems on the organic dairy farm by Sarah Flack. This webinar will review the key grazing principles that help your cattle maximize dry matter intake from pastures and avoid potential problems. It will also look at examples of how to observe the livestock, their manure, soils, and pasture plants to determine how well your pasture management system is working. http://www.extension.org/pages/71819/

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Giving Tuesday is Today! Support Sustainable Agriculture in Nebraska!

Dear Friends and Supporters of NSAS, 

             Today is Giving Tuesday. We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. Today charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity & to give. On this day, we would like to share a little bit about NSAS & sustainable agriculture.
                Probably the most often asked question I get about sustainable agriculture is “what is it?”  The questioners, usually prepared to defend their approach to agriculture, are often surprised to hear my answer.  First I believe that most farmers have the desire to be sustainable; that is they wish to be able to continue what they are doing indefinitely.  To do so indefinitely means that sustainability needs to be exemplified not only environmentally, but also in terms of productivity, economically, and socially in terms of health and well-being of the farmers and their communities.  Further, sustainability in agriculture is better described as a journey than a destination.  No one can be sure what practices will be sustainable in the long run.  However, there are concepts that need to be addressed.

                Sustainable agriculture begins with a set of values that include such things as productive soil, clean water, a reasonable income, healthy lifestyle, nutritious food, a diverse environment, and an appreciation of biological systems, community, and future generations.  The journey to sustainability is determined to increase the positive impacts to these values and decrease the negatives.

Let’s consider the human factor.  Sustainable agriculture has a high regard for the health and happiness of the farmer, the health of the consumer, the viability of passing a farming operation to the next generation, and the impact to the community.  These values set the parameters as to how food is produced and the quality of that food.  Probably the first step in the journey towards sustainability in this area is the recognition that we are producing food as opposed to commodities.  Even further we might consider that we are producing human nutrition.

In 2014 the journey with NSAS continued and expanded.  We held numerous workshops, meetings, and events to provide a helping hand on this journey.  We celebrated our 38th anniversary at the annual meeting in February.  Over 300 people attended the 2 day conference held in Kearney.  We also completed our 6th Farm Beginnings Nebraska course.  In the spring we once again began our Nebraska Young Farmer Nights. We held the Young Farmer Nights across Nebraska. From Gering to Omaha we held over 20 Young Farmer Nights and had over 850 people attend.  We held our first Producers Choice Chef Award in Omaha featuring #5LocalChefs who have been recognized by you, the farmers and advocates for local foods as being exemplary in promoting local foods.

NSAS also participated in numerous activities on a regional and national scale including participation in farmer fly-ins to Washington D.C. to talk farm bill with our elected representatives.  This also included working with the Women, Food and Agriculture Network on workshops geared for women landowners in Nebraska. We have had the NSAS booth at numerous events including, National Young Farmers conference, Farmer Veteran Coalition, Rivers and Wildlife Celebration, and Slow Food Nebraska to name a few; organized a Western Nebraska sustainable agriculture conference; worked with the Nebraska Farmers Union, Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska, Slow Food Nebraska, University of Nebraska Organic Project, the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center, the Land Stewardship Project, the Center for Rural Affairs and Nebraska SARE. 

Support for sustainable agriculture is increasing.  The reach of NSAS continues to grow and expand.  Our membership is state wide. For over 40 years we have relied on our members and supporters to carry on these tools for the journey and the good fight.  As you consider giving this Giving Tuesday and this Holiday season please consider contributing to the work of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society.

Please visit, http://nebsusag.org/join.shtml to find out how, as well as to join or renew your membership

  Thank you for your support!


The Board and Staff of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society

Monday, December 1, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Grassland Studies 2014 Fall Seminar Series
 
December 1.  3:00 pm–4:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union. Ctr for Grassland Studies, 402-472-4101grassland@unl.edu. David Wedin, School of Natural Resources, and the sod house team, will present “A sod house autopsy: Insights into prairies and homesteading a century ago.” Free and open to the public. http://grassland.unl.edu/upcoming-seminars

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 1st. Multiple locations.  Loup City at the Sherman County Community Center. Hartington at the Knights of Columbus Hall.Bloomfield at the Community Center.
For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

True Cost of Food

December 2nd, Urban Alley in Omaha. Watch the “True Cost of Food” video followed by a discussion on supporting alternatives to industrialized agriculture.  Co-sponsored by The Big Garden and the Humane Society of the United States. There will be an opportunity to make a free-will donation to support the on-going work of the Big Garden. https://www.facebook.com/events/948187555209361/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

IPM in Crucifer Crops: Focus on the Yellowmargined Leaf Beetle

December 2. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar on the organic management of the yellowmargined leaf beetle, presented by Rammohan Balusu and Ayanava Majumdar of Auburn University, and Ron Cave of the University of Florida. In this webinar, the presenters will discuss the identification and crop damage of the yellowmargined leaf beetle, as well as trap cropping, attractants, and biological control. They will share relevant outcomes from a NIFA-OREI funded project and highlight IPM resources for producers and educators. The webinar is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. http://www.extension.org/pages/71270/

Entomology Seminar on Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks
 
December 2.  4:00 pm–5:00 pm. Lincoln.  Jeri Cunningham, 402-472-8678jcunningham1@unl.edu. “Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks” presented by Zachary Rystrom, entomology graduate student.

Nutrient Budgeting: Organic Considerations for Implementing 590 Webinar

December 2. This webinar is part of the series of organic webinars presented by NRCS East National Technology Support Center and Oregon Tilth. This session will equip participants with knowledge and resources to complete a nutrient budget to describe the application of nutrients to meet crop needs and improve soil health. The following will be covered: determining a crop’s nutrient needs; crediting sources of nutrients in the system including the contribution of cover crops and past soil management decisions; and determining the target nutrient application rate. The webinar will include a discussion of inputs commonly used in organic systems.http://www.conservationwebinars.net

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 2nd. Multiple locations.  Pender at the Pender Fire Hall. Fairbury at the Fairgrounds. Dakote City at the Extension Office. Broken Bow
For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Webinar: By the Numbers: What the Census of Ag Tells us About Women Operators

Tuesday, December 2. One of a 3-part series focuses on women's influence on agriculture and food security.  More information can be found at: 

The Value of Consumer Coops

December 3rd. Heidi Demars will update participants on current coop work as well as inform about the benefits of consumer coop purchasing. https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/4241252115500571650

Acres U.S.A. Conference & Trade Show and Eco-Ag U

December 3-6. Columbus, Ohio. Acres U.S.A. presents Eco-Ag U Advanced Learning on December 3-4, with two-day or whole-day educational sessions. The conference and trade show on December 4-6 brings farmers and consultants from every side of eco-farming who come together to share their experience and expertise. http://www.acresusa.com/events

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 3rd. Multiple locations.  Seward at the Fairgrounds. Columbus at Ag park. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Introducing Radishes into the Organic Pasture Webinar

December 4. Join eOrganic for a webinar on considerations for introducing radishes into the organic pasture by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Fay Benson and Liz Burrichter. Radishes can provide two benefits to the organic dairy pasture: 1) to extend the grazing season with a high energy feedstock, and 2) to provide "bio-drills" by utilizing the tap roots of these plants to address soil compaction. In this webinar, Fay Benson and Liz Burrichter will describe their on-farm research with brassicas, including no-till seeding Daikon Radish into grazing swards. The webinar is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. http://www.extension.org/pages/71820/

Geography General Seminar

Geographic perspectives of Human Trafficking in the Great Plains. December 5. 2:00 pm. Lincoln. Jim Merchant,jmerchant1@unl.edu. Rebecca Buller, UNL geography lecturer, will present “Geographic Perspectives of Human Trafficking in the Great Plains.”

Recent advancements in switchgrass for bioenergy

December 5.  3:30 pm–5:00 pm. Lincoln. Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture, 402-472-2811agrohort@unl.edu. Presented by Robert Mitchell, USDA Research Agronomist and Adjunct Professor, UNL Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture. Mitchell will provide updates on the bioenergy research conducted by USDA-ARS in Lincoln, discuss recent developments in the multi-location NIFA-CAP grant, and address potential pathways to commercialization.

2014 KFU Convention and Beginning Farmer Workshop

Manhattan. Convention: Thursday, December 4 – Friday, December 5. Join the Kansas Farmers Union Board of Directors and National Farmers Union Historian Tom Giessel for lunch and some early NFU history while learning how it developed into a modern-day ag organization. Day 2 begins with key findings from KRC’s Feeding Kansas report; an exploration of a potential Kansas aqueduct; and the nuts & bolts of starting a local food co-op. Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition Day: Saturday, December 6. Join the Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition for its 3rd annual Beginning Farmers Day. Featured presenter Cody Holmes of Rockin H Ranch. Complete details about both can be found at, http://www.kansasfarmersunion.com/convention/


Opportunity

Farm Beginnings Nebraska

Farm Beginnings® is an educational training and support program designed to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise.  Farm Beginnings® participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers; attend practical, high quality seminars, field days and conferences.  Classes begin January 3, 2015, and conclude on April 25, 2015.  They will be held at the Douglas/Sarpy Extension Office in Omaha.  For more information about the class and how to register can be found in the brochure at:

Non GMO Yellow Corn

I have approximately 900 bushels of non-gmo yellow corn available now. It was grown in a field transitioning to organic and it was the control against a field of red corn. It has been tested and is 99.4% non-gmo. This is some really good non-gmo corn. It is still standing in the field since I don't have anymore storage available. Located at Utica (between Seward and York). Please call me at 402-617-1718 if you are interested. 

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

Local View: City dwellers can grow food in a risky climate

By TIM RINNE. It’s been a year of bad news for the security of our food supply. In March, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that “Throughout the 21st century, climate-change impacts are projected to further erode food security — particularly in urban areas and emerging hot spots of hunger.” All aspects of food security, the report stated, are potentially affected by climate change, “including food access, utilization and price stability.”

Then in May, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Agricultural Development Initiative (co-chaired by former Nebraska Congressman Doug Bereuter) issued a report warning that “Climate change will bring hotter temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and more frequent natural disasters. Farmers everywhere will be affected.” If these challenges are not addressed, “consumers will need to be prepared for higher food prices and potential food shortages.”

Read the rest!
Upcoming

The Beginning Farmer’s Introduction to Farm Law

December 8. Online. In this Farm Commons webinar, beginning farmers will get a preview of the many legal issues they should consider when just starting out with farming. What business entity should a farmer choose? Which insurance policies are really important? What about that farmland lease--when should it be written down and what should it say? Is there anything to know about farmers market sales, volunteers, or working with family members? This webinar will touch on all of these questions and more.http://farmcommons.org/beginning-farmer%E2%80%99s-introduction-farm-law-0

Put Your CSA on Strong Legal Footing

December 9. Online. This Farm Commons webinar provides an opportunity to learn how an attorney sees CSA and what you can do to protect your farm. This webinar will also discuss risks with farm volunteer programs and buying the right insurance.http://farmcommons.org/put-your-csa-strong-legal-footing

Webinar on NOP Organic Integrity Database

December 9. The AMS National Organic Program (NOP) and Information Technology Service (ITS) will host an interactive webinar regarding the development of the Organic Integrity Database. The NOP will open with a short presentation about the database development project, including its goals, current development priorities, and timeline. They will then invite feedback from the group about the database priorities, and any additional requirements that are critical to the organic community and consumers. Step 1: Dial In by Phone, Toll-Free (U.S. & Canada) 866-740-1260. Access Code: 7202000. Step 2: Access the meeting URLhttp://www.readytalk.com 
On the left side of the screen, enter Participant Access Code 7202000

Kansas Forage and Grassland Council Winter Conference and Annual Meeting

December 9. Manhattan, Kansas. The agenda includes sessions on integrating livestock with crops, managed intensive grazing, managing nitrates, and grazing grasslands. http://ksfgc.org/

Feeds and Feeding of Pullets and Layers Webinar

December 10. In this eXtension webinar, Dr. Paul Patterson from Penn State University will be discussing the feeding of replacement pullets and laying hens. Dr. Patterson is a nutritionist. The central theme of his extension and research programs is environmental poultry management. Efforts focus on discovering and promoting efficient poultry production systems that place minimum burden on the environment. https://learn.extension.org/events/1749

Grazing Guides for Dairy Systems Webinar Series: Tall Grass Grazing for Dairies

December 10. Online. Tall grass grazing has become a popular management practice for beef cattle in recent years. Learn how this practice is being applied to dairy grazing. This webinar is presented by Mena Hautau, Penn State Extension. This session is part of a monthly webinar series that will cover current research and basic management issues of interest to experienced, novice, conventional and/or organic, dairy grazers and industry representatives that support them. http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/events/grazing-guides-for-dairy-systems-webinar-series-tall-grass-grazing-for-dairies

Forest Botanicals: Deep and Tangled Roots

December 12. Online. This webinar is the last in a series on non-timber forest products, presented by the National Agroforestry Center, NIFA, the American Tree Farm System, and others. In this webinar, Eric Burkhart, faculty instructor at Pennsylvania State University, will share insights from his studies and involvement with native plant species on eastern U.S. forestlands that are wild-harvested for the domestic and international plant trade. Quality-control, profitability, and sustainability within this industry will be discussed. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=sodq9sgrbjol