Monday, March 28, 2016

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!


Climate Impacts on Water Management in the North Central Region

Monday, March 28 at 1:00 pm CDT. Speakers will be Jonathan Aguilar from Kansas State and Jane Frankenberger from Purdue. Register at our website atclimateagwater.wordpress.com. Links to the archived webinars are also available at this website. 

Regulations and Best Practices for Value Added-Products

March 29th. Nicole Saville from Spiritus Vitae Botanicals in Lincoln, NE will discuss how to navigate the legal requirements for value-added products. Nicole has experience getting regulatory approval for several types of value-added products including infusions, herbal teas, syrups and more! https://communitycrops.z2systems.com/eventReg.jsp?event=996&

Webinar: Trialing No-Till Systems in the Market Garden

March 29. Online. This free, one-hour, evening webinar from NOFA Massachusetts will be presented by Liz Joseph, Heifer International. Learn tips for managing a no-till, one acre garden from Liz, who has been managing her market garden with no-till and hand-tillage systems for five years. http://www.nofamass.org/events/webinar-trialing-no-till-systems-market-garden

How to Assess a Horse's Health and Welfare

Tuesday, March 29 at 6:00 pm CDT. This webcast is intended to help participants learn and apply equine welfare principles that will lead to improvements in the care and management of horses. The importance of equine welfare and definitions of welfare will be presented. Participants will also be introduced to current advances in equine welfare science and to valuable resources relevant to the welfare of horses.http://myhorseuniversity.com/resources/webcasts/health_welfare

Entomology Seminar on Variations in Insect Mating

March 29.  4:00 pm. UNL's Nebraska East Union. Contact, Jeri Cunningham, 402-472-8678jcunningham1@unl.eduKatie Keller, a graduate student in the entomology department at UNL, will present the seminar, “Variations in Insect Mating.”

Impacts of the Food Safety Modernization Act on Diversified Organic Vegetable Farms

March 29. Online. Join eOrganic for a free webinar on the impacts of the Food Safety Modernization Act on Diversified Organic Vegetable Farms, by Erin Silva of the University of Wisconsin. While it still remains unclear as to how many aspects of the regulation will look "on the ground," this webinar will address what diversified organic vegetable farmers need to begin thinking about with respect to moving forward toward compliance. Advance registration is required. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8892256681358029570

Getting started with meat goats

Wednesday, March 30 at 6:00 pm CDT
​. 
The focus of this Webinar will be raising Meat Goats and will include such topics as health, housing, nutrition and management of the different phases of production.
​ 
http://events.anr.msu.edu/BegFrmrWeb2016/

Savanna-Based Restoration Agriculture

March 30
​. 
Online
​. 
This event is part of the Agroforestry in Action Webinar Series, a production of the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri. Presentations in this webinar series explore topics in agroforestry from North America and around the globe, showcasing examples of excellence in practice and research. Live webinars are presented on a monthly basis and are free and open to all.

Conservation Planning Considerations for Outdoor Swine Operations

March 30
​. 
Online
​. 
This webinar is presented by the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center. This webinar will introduce participants to conservation practices and strategies that can be considered when assisting producers with their outdoor swine operations. The presenter is James T. Green, Jr., Ph.D., North Carolina State University. Participants will have a better understanding of the unique difficulties presented and the opportunities provided to solve resource concerns on outdoor swine operations. 

Waste Management at the Processing Plant

March 30
​. 
Online
​. 
This free, one-hour webinar from the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network begins at 1 p.m. Eastern. For those new to meat processing, or those looking for new ideas for their plant, this webinar will provide a general overview on waste management for both solid waste and wastewater. The webinar will discuss wastewater management, basic systems and pre-treatment options, and regulations. It will also cover solid waste streams (things like manure, bones, trim, etc.) and solutions for dealing with those various waste streams.

Identifying Disease and Pest Problems on the Farm

March 30th. Tom Creswell, director of the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab.https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmBrd3hIYREwlWB

Webinar: Planning for Farm to School Success

Thursday, March 31, 1pm – 2pm. Hear about the different ways to incorporate school gardens into your farm to school program as well as how schools are successfully procuring school garden produce for their meal programs. Join Bob Gorman, the Farm to School Regional Lead in the Food and Nutrition Services' Mountain Plains Regional Office, as he moderates this webinar. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=q4mdwam7hrx5

Setting Up a Grazing System on a Small Farm

March 31
​. 
Online
​. 
This event concludes the Small Farms Winter Webinar Series presented by University of Illinois Extension. This free, one-hour webinar with Jay Solomon, University of Illinois Extension Energy and Environmental Stewardship Educator, begins at noon CT.

First Friday: “We, The Heartland”

April 1st. 5:00 pm.  Great Plains Art Museum. Contact, Katie Nieland, 402-472-3965,knieland2@unl.edu. “We, The Heartland” is a love letter to the cultural landscape of the prairies. Photographs by Kate Schneider portraying the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route in Nebraska and South Dakota are paired with handwritten letters to President Obama from landowners and Lakota natives. The landscapes address the unseen threat the proposed pipeline poses to the land, and the accompanying letters address the indexical relationship between the land and those who seek to preserve it. Also up now:
- “From This Grass Earth,” photography and poetry from the Northern Great Plains, - “Denizens: Wildlife on the Western Frontier, an exhibition of vintage engravings, 1770-1902” (lower level), - 75 Iconic Covers from the University of Nebraska Press (lower level lobby). http://www.unl.edu/plains/schedule-exhibitions

All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Help pollinators cope with pesticides

April 1
​. 
Online
​. 
Pollinating insects are at risk when pesticides are used carelessly. Learn practical tips for preventing polliniator deaths from pesticides by Jack Rowe, Dr. James Tew, Sallie Lee, and Dani Carroll from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. https://learn.extension.org/events/2317

Farm to School Opportunity

April 2. North Platte Public Schools. Join the Center for Rural Affairs, in partnership with UNL, at a farm to school training. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the farmer and school connection, and to spend face-to-face time with school food service staff. Workshops & Lunch are free. ​Please register via email or phone, ​sarahs@cfra.org402-783-1183.

Composting Demonstration

April 2. 2:00 pm.  Pioneers Park Nature Center’s backyard composting demonstration area in LNK. Contact,  Sarah Browning, Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, 402-441-7180sbrowning2@unl.edu



Opportunities

Organic Custom Grazing

I have 150 acres of grass that is certified Organic. I'd potentially be interested in custom grazing pairs/cows/yearlings. I also have an additional 250 acres of grass that can be certified. I've been custom grazing 50 pairs the last few years on non-certified ground. Please let me know if you're interested or know of someone who might be. Jon Yoachim, 402-309-4088

Facility Manager Position at Prairie Hill

PRAIRIE HILL Learning Center, a Montessori farm - school located on HWY 77 seven miles south of Lincoln, seeks a Facility Manager beginning in May. 20-30 hours per week, with daily hours beginning at 6:45am. Position involves being knowledgeable and handy with maintenance of buildings and grounds on our 12 acre farm. Good communication and organizational skills are required. Respect for and appreciation of children is crucial.  E-mail: Send a resume to prairiehillschool@yahoo.com Mail: PRAIRIE HILL Learning Center, 17705 S. 12 St., Roca, NE 68430, Telephone: 402-438-6668 and ask to speak to our Executive Director, Mandie Schadwinkel. 

Robinette Farms Apprenticeship

We're looking for one more addition to our farm for 2016. If you or someone you know wants to learn about small-scale vegetable production, CSA management, management-intensive grazing and pastured poultry, please get in touch! Testimonials from former Apprentices can be found here: http://www.robinettefarms.com/apprentice-testimonials 
Details about the Apprenticeship here: http://www.robinettefarms.com/apprenticeship/info

Positions Available

I wanted to let you know that we are still trying to fill multiple positions on both our farm, New Earth Farm & Goods, and with our non-profit, Keipos. Here are the positions available: 1) Farm Apprentice at New Earth Farm & Goods, which includes food, housing, and pay. 2) Internships positions with Keipos, a 12-week program working at our heart and in the city, which includes a PDC certificate. Jonathan Dodd,  Keipos, Inc. http://keipos.orghttp://negoods.com,  jonathan@keipos.org

Dryland Farming Opportunity

I have + or - 6 acres that I am transitioning to organic status. It has not had any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers applied to it for five years. It is currently in alfalfa that has reached the end of its productivity. It does not have access to irrigation. Anyone out there want to farm it organically on a sharecrop or cash rent basis? I also have 10 acres of prairie grass (never sprayed with anything) that will need to be harvested - usually sometime between June 25 and July 10. Will do that on a sharecrop or cash basis as well. I do not have the necessary large farming equipment, but have access to some on a rental basis. Interested?  Please email me at gene@heartlandorganics.net. Gene Gage, Heartland Organics

Ducks, Geese & Guineas

We are looking for baby ducks and geese available this Spring.  We are interested in Cayuga, Khaki Campbell or other breeds for egg production.  The geese we are looking for are Chinese or African for guard animals.  Guineas for bug control. 

Summer Garden Educators

Big Garden in Omaha is hiring. WE ARE HIRING for our 2016 Summer Garden Educators. Know 19+ young adults looking for a full-time summer job gardening & working with youth? Contact Cait at ccaughey@bigmuddyumc.org for more information.

Fund a Truck, Fund Local Foods!

Nebraska Food Cooperative is asking for your help to raise capital for loan repayment and truck repairs.  Our delivery trucks put on a lot of miles to deliver fresh food across our state.  We had to replace one of our vehicles and make extensive repairs on another. As a grassroots community to help small farms and build local economies, we are asking for your contribution so that the money tied up in these expenses can be freed to go toward running the co-op and making our network stronger.  We believe in the value of the co-op, and we believe in you, our community of co-op members! Read more, and support NFC today!



Upcoming


Getting started with the basics of insect morphology

Monday, April 4 at 6:00 pm CDT. Understanding an insect’s form and features will help you tell friends from enemies and determine how to best deal with them. This session will deepen your understanding of insects, both pests and beneficials.http://events.anr.msu.edu/BegFrmrWeb2016/

Transitioning to Organic Production

April 5. Online. This webinar will explore the challenges producers face when transitioning part or all of their operation to organic certification. Case studies will be used to profile and discuss different producer groups that are successful in the transition from conventional production to organic. This presentation will introduce participants to Making the Transition to Organic: Ten Farmer Profiles, a publication from the University of Minnesota that features both crop and livestock producers. In the Understanding Organic Agriculture series, this free, one-hour webinar is presented by USDA NRCS Science and Technology. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/transitioning-to-organic-production

Avoiding Disease in Dairy Calves

Tuesday, April 5 at 12:00 pm CDT. Location: https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/dairexnetwebinar/. Presenter: Dr. Geof Smith, North Carolina State University

An Introduction to the Anaerobic Digestion System Enterprise Budget Calculator

April 6. Online. This event is part of the Anaerobic Digestion Systems Webinar Series presented by Washington State University researchers and their collaborators. Join Dr. Greg Astill, the creator of the Anaerobic Digester (AD) System Enterprise Budget Calculator, for a walk-through of the basic operations of the budget calculator and a demonstration of the results it produces. The Budget Calculator is intended for dairy owners, AD system industry experts, and AD researchers to be able to easily calculate the net present value of investment under a variety of technology and price scenarios for an AD system. http://csanr.wsu.edu/anaerobic-digestion-systems-webinar-series2016/

Overview of poultry related equipment

Wednesday, April 6 at 10:30 am CDT. Location: https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

Irrigation Options for Market Gardens and Small Farms

April 6th. Lyndon Kelley, irrigation. https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmBrd3hIYREwlWB

Grazing Guides for Dairy Systems Webinar Series: Gaining Control of Parasite Issues in Grazing Systems

April 6. Online. In this free webinar, Dr. Robert Van Saun of Penn State University will provide an overview of the challenges internal parasites pose for grazing dairies as now the host and parasite are both in the same environment. He will discuss fundamentals to approaching a sustainable and appropriate parasite control program and detail practical recommendations for developing a farm-specific control program. http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/events/grazing-guides-for-dairy-system-gaining-control-of-parasite-issues-in-grazing-systems

Evaluating Sprouted Grains on Grazing Dairy Farms

April 7. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar focused on research that is evaluating fodder systems on grazing dairy farms. To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and challenges of sprouted grain systems on dairy farms in the Northeast, Dr. Kathy Soder is conducting a research and outreach project with funding from Northeast SARE. Dr. Soder has been collecting farm data (animal productivity, feed information, economic data) to develop science-based, objective recommendations that can be used by farmers, consultants and researchers in making educated decisions on a case-by-case basis on whether to implement a sprouted grain system on the farm. This free, one-hour webinar beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern will report project findings thus far. http://articles.extension.org/pages/73431/evaluating-sprouted-grains-on-grazing-dairy-farms-webinar-by-eorganic


Monday, March 21, 2016

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!


USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development Memorandum of Understanding, Coordination of Programs, and the Ability to Stack REAP and EQIP Funding for Energy Programs

March 22. In this free, one-hour webinar at 2 p.m. ET, participants will learn about the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Rural Development (RD) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed in 2015 to allow the USDA agencies to mutually support on-farm energy efficiency programs and initiatives to achieve desired outcomes. The webinar will look at on-farm energy efficiency projects from both NRCS and RD and the use of funding sources from both the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP, NRCS) and Rural Energy for America Program (REAP, RD) to leverage on-farm projects. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/nrcs-and-rd-mou-coordination-of-energy-funding

Tree Care Workshop – Hastings

 8:30 am–3:30 pm. Hastings Community College Campus Room: Cedar and Fir Room. 550 S. Technical Blvd.
 Graham Herbst, 402-444-7875gherbt2@unl.edu

Emerald Ash Borer Town Hall

March 22.  1:00 pm–2:00 pm. Broadcasted and Streaming Live. Contact,  Kyle Martens, kmartens3@unl.eduhttp://www.eabne.info/

Genetic Engineering: What you need to know about the science and current policy issues. 

Tuesday, March 22, 1pm – 2pm. Online. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been the subject of scientific and social debate for three decades and remain so today. But what exactly is a GMO? What is the underlying science behind GMOs? How has genetic engineering been used in various commodities, and what future tools are currently in development? These are important questions, and to begin to assess how this issue may affect the produce industry, it is important to have an understanding of the underlying science and how it is currently evolving. One of the direct results of the GMO debate is the current legislative battle over GMO labeling. This webinar will also lay out the various positions in the legislative part of the GMO debate and examine likely outcomes. http://eventcenter.commpartners.com/se/Rd/Rg.aspx?673644

MidAtlantic Women in Agriculture Webinar- Estimating and Tracking Production Costs

Wednesday, March 23 at 11:00 am CDT. The ability to effectively estimate and track production costs is essential to farm business decision making.  This session will discuss methods for estimating costs and how to manage expenses. For more information and to register: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/wednesday-webinars-registration-11452674257

Getting started with getting your land ready to grow organically - certified or not

Wednesday, March 23 at 6:00 pm CDT. This program is part of a 23-webinar Michigan State University Extension 2016 Beginning Farmer Webinar Series. A descriptive flyer and on-line registration and payment for any or all of the webinars is available athttp://events.anr.msu.edu/BegFrmrWeb2016/  

Webinar: Ginseng

March 23rd. 1pm. Topics: • Folklore and history • Products and usage • Where it grows • Policy: international, U.S., states’ programs, • Stewardship and reasons for policies • Commercial production versus Kentucky woods production • Ginseng from seedling to maturity • Ginseng marketing • Good harvest, washing, drying • Harvest pressures (other than man). To register, contact Christy Cassady at cgcass0@uky.edu.http://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/ginseng_webinar_flyer.pdf

Landscapes for Butterfly Conservation

March 23. Participants in this free, one-hour webinar sponsored by the USDA NRCS National Wildlife Team will learn best management practices for butterflies at site and landscape scales. The webinar will focus on: 1) habitat components that have positive or negative associations with butterfly abundance, 2) best management practices for grasslands relative to grazing and burning, 3) differences in butterfly use of block versus linear habitats, and 4) responses to habitat edges and landscape context. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/landscapes-for-butterfly-conservation

Tree Care Workshop – Lincoln

March 23rd. 8:30 am–3:30 pm.  Jayne Snyder Trails Center, 228 N 21st St. Lincoln. Graham Herbst, 402-444-7875gherbt2@unl.edu

Unique Fly Control Methods for Organic Dairy Production

March 24. Join eOrganic for a free webinar about fly control options on certified organic dairy farms at 2 p.m. ET. In this webinar, Drs. Brad Heins and Roger Moon will describe practical options for fly control on lactating cows and growing dairy animals. The discussion will include a comparison of the Bruce Fly Trap and Spalding Cow-Vac, two control options that were researched at the University of Minnesota through a project funded by the USDA Organic Research and Extension Initiative. Advance registration is required. http://articles.extension.org/pages/73359/unique-fly-control-methods-for-organic-dairy-production-webinar-by-eorganic

Apple Video Conference with Jim Flore from Michigan State University

Jim will be leading another discussion managing spring frosts including methods for delaying bloom. The webinar is scheduled for Thursday March 24th from 9:00 to 10:00 am. Commercial orchard farmers can access the Zoom video conference at https://iastate.zoom.us/j/511821805.

Birds on the Move: Mobile Housing for Poultry on Pasture

March 24. Online. Join Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) for a free webinar on improving access to pasture for poultry on your farm, at 3 p.m. Eastern. The three presenters are former Fund-a-Farmer grant recipients who have real-life experience in raising sustainable & humane poultry: Terrell "Spence" Spencer of Across the Creek Farm; Homer Walden of Sunnyside Farm; and Christine Deck of Deck Family Farm. They will cover their farms' approaches to mobile poultry housing designed for pasture-based operations and answer questions from the audience.https://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EC54DD8483473C

Small Farms Winter Webinar: Growing Great Blackberries

March 24. The University of Illinois Extension presents a weekly educational series for the small farm community. This series provides practical knowledge on emerging topics that advance local food production. Webinars are held from noon -1:00 p.m. on Thursdays and are free. https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=13379

Tree Care Workshop – Bellevue

March 24th. 8:30 am–3:30 pm. Fontenelle Forest, 1111 Bellevue Blvd N. Bellevue.  Graham Herbst, 402-444-7875gherbt2@unl.edu

Antibiotic Resistance and Animal Agriculture

Friday, March 25 at 1:30 pm CDT. Nearly every day the media bombards us with information on antibiotics and resistance to them. This webcast will examine the veterinary feed directive and how it impacts animal agriculture as well as discuss the state of the science as it relates to antibiotic resistance. Finally, we’ll bust some myths and review “facts” to keep in mind when chatting with livestock producers and the general public. http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/lpelc

Low Tunnels & Cold Frames

March 26th. Extend your season using low tunnels and cold frames. Participants will get to see a variety of low tunnel and cold frames in action and get information about basic use and construction to get your garden started earlier in the season! Instructors Erin Schoenberg and Margaret Milligan run The Darlin' Reds farm. Growing on three acres, just northwest of Lincoln, NE. From head lettuce to leeks, sweet peppers and heirloom tomatoes, to all those wonderful storage crops (and much much more), The Reds grow enough to stock their own produce section of any local market! Register here.




Opportunities

Organic Custom Grazing

I have 150 acres of grass that is certified Organic. I'd potentially be interested in custom grazing pairs/cows/yearlings. I also have an additional 250 acres of grass that can be certified. I've been custom grazing 50 pairs the last few years on non-certified ground. Please let me know if you're interested or know of someone who might be. Jon Yoachim, 402-309-4088

Facility Manager Position at Prairie Hill

PRAIRIE HILL Learning Center, a Montessori farm - school located on HWY 77 seven miles south of Lincoln, seeks a Facility Manager beginning in May. 20-30 hours per week, with daily hours beginning at 6:45am. Position involves being knowledgeable and handy with maintenance of buildings and grounds on our 12 acre farm. Good communication and organizational skills are required. Respect for and appreciation of children is crucial.  E-mail: Send a resume to prairiehillschool@yahoo.com Mail: PRAIRIE HILL Learning Center, 17705 S. 12 St., Roca, NE 68430, Telephone: 402-438-6668 and ask to speak to our Executive Director, Mandie Schadwinkel. 

Robinette Farms Apprenticeship

We're looking for one more addition to our farm for 2016. If you or someone you know wants to learn about small-scale vegetable production, CSA management, management-intensive grazing and pastured poultry, please get in touch! Testimonials from former Apprentices can be found here: http://www.robinettefarms.com/apprentice-testimonials 
Details about the Apprenticeship here: http://www.robinettefarms.com/apprenticeship/info

Positions Available

I wanted to let you know that we are still trying to fill multiple positions on both our farm, New Earth Farm & Goods, and with our non-profit, Keipos. Here are the positions available: 1) Farm Apprentice at New Earth Farm & Goods, which includes food, housing, and pay. 2) Internships positions with Keipos, a 12-week program working at our heart and in the city, which includes a PDC certificate. Jonathan Dodd

Dryland Farming Opportunity

I have + or - 6 acres that I am transitioning to organic status. It has not had any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers applied to it for five years. It is currently in alfalfa that has reached the end of its productivity. It does not have access to irrigation. Anyone out there want to farm it organically on a sharecrop or cash rent basis? I also have 10 acres of prairie grass (never sprayed with anything) that will need to be harvested - usually sometime between June 25 and July 10. Will do that on a sharecrop or cash basis as well. I do not have the necessary large farming equipment, but have access to some on a rental basis. Interested?  Please email me at gene@heartlandorganics.net. Gene Gage, Heartland Organics

GM Position at Open Harvest 

Open Harvest Co-op Grocery has been serving Lincoln, NE as a leader in the organic and natural foods market for 40 years. We are seeking a General Manager to steer us through the increasingly competitive market and lead the success and continued growth of our store. We are looking for a candidate that embraces Cooperative Principles, is passionate about local food and economies, and has a strong work ethic and personal integrity. If you have questions, please email Brande Payne, Board Chair at openharvestboard@gmail.com. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Ducks, Geese & Guineas

We are looking for baby ducks and geese available this Spring.  We are interested in Cayuga, Khaki Campbell or other breeds for egg production.  The geese we are looking for are Chinese or African for guard animals.  Guineas for bug control. 

Summer Garden Educators

Big Garden in Omaha is hiring. WE ARE HIRING for our 2016 Summer Garden Educators. Know 19+ young adults looking for a full-time summer job gardening & working with youth? Contact Cait at ccaughey@bigmuddyumc.org for more information.

Registered Milking Devons

I have two registered milking Devons, 1 six year old bred cow who had been milked before and one bred heifer. The cow is a1/a2 and the heifer has not been tested but has a 25% chance of being a2/a2. Both bred to a low birthweight belted Galloway bull. Makes some good beef calves. Their are only 1500 or so in the U.S. And they don't really fit my herd. I would like them to go to someone who would use them for what they were bred for. I am asking $1500 a piece. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Eric Lanik, Johnson Hill Farm, 402-480-2485

Fund a Truck, Fund Local Foods!

Nebraska Food Cooperative is asking for your help to raise capital for loan repayment and truck repairs.  Our delivery trucks put on a lot of miles to deliver fresh food across our state.  We had to replace one of our vehicles and make extensive repairs on another. As a grassroots community to help small farms and build local economies, we are asking for your contribution so that the money tied up in these expenses can be freed to go toward running the co-op and making our network stronger.  We believe in the value of the co-op, and we believe in you, our community of co-op members! Read more, and support NFC today!



Upcoming



Webinar: Trialing No-Till Systems in the Market Garden

March 29. Online. This free, one-hour, evening webinar from NOFA Massachusetts will be presented by Liz Joseph, Heifer International. Learn tips for managing a no-till, one acre garden from Liz, who has been managing her market garden with no-till and hand-tillage systems for five years. http://www.nofamass.org/events/webinar-trialing-no-till-systems-market-garden

How to Assess a Horse's Health and Welfare

Tuesday, March 29 at 6:00 pm CDT. This webcast is intended to help participants learn and apply equine welfare principles that will lead to improvements in the care and management of horses. The importance of equine welfare and definitions of welfare will be presented. Participants will also be introduced to current advances in equine welfare science and to valuable resources relevant to the welfare of horses.http://myhorseuniversity.com/resources/webcasts/health_welfare

Impacts of the Food Safety Modernization Act on Diversified Organic Vegetable Farms

March 29. Online. Join eOrganic for a free webinar on the impacts of the Food Safety Modernization Act on Diversified Organic Vegetable Farms, by Erin Silva of the University of Wisconsin. While it still remains unclear as to how many aspects of the regulation will look "on the ground," this webinar will address what diversified organic vegetable farmers need to begin thinking about with respect to moving forward toward compliance. Advance registration is required. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8892256681358029570

Getting started with meat goats

Wednesday, March 30 at 6:00 pm CDT​. ​The focus of this Webinar will be raising Meat Goats and will include such topics as health, housing, nutrition and management of the different phases of production.​ ​http://events.anr.msu.edu/BegFrmrWeb2016/

Savanna-Based Restoration Agriculture

March 30
​. 
Online
​. 
This event is part of the Agroforestry in Action Webinar Series, a production of the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri. Presentations in this webinar series explore topics in agroforestry from North America and around the globe, showcasing examples of excellence in practice and research. Live webinars are presented on a monthly basis and are free and open to all.

Conservation Planning Considerations for Outdoor Swine Operations

March 30
​. 
Online
​. 
This webinar is presented by the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center. This webinar will introduce participants to conservation practices and strategies that can be considered when assisting producers with their outdoor swine operations. The presenter is James T. Green, Jr., Ph.D., North Carolina State University. Participants will have a better understanding of the unique difficulties presented and the opportunities provided to solve resource concerns on outdoor swine operations. 

Waste Management at the Processing Plant

March 30
​. 
Online
​. 
This free, one-hour webinar from the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network begins at 1 p.m. Eastern. For those new to meat processing, or those looking for new ideas for their plant, this webinar will provide a general overview on waste management for both solid waste and wastewater. The webinar will discuss wastewater management, basic systems and pre-treatment options, and regulations. It will also cover solid waste streams (things like manure, bones, trim, etc.) and solutions for dealing with those various waste streams.

Setting Up a Grazing System on a Small Farm

March 31
​. 
Online
​. 
This event concludes the Small Farms Winter Webinar Series presented by University of Illinois Extension. This free, one-hour webinar with Jay Solomon, University of Illinois Extension Energy and Environmental Stewardship Educator, begins at noon CT.

All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Help pollinators cope with pesticides

April 1
​. 
Online
​. 
Pollinating insects are at risk when pesticides are used carelessly. Learn practical tips for preventing polliniator deaths from pesticides by Jack Rowe, Dr. James Tew, Sallie Lee, and Dani Carroll from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. https://learn.extension.org/events/2317