Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!

Webinar: How New USDA Risk Management Tools Can Help Diversified/Specialty Crop Growers

January 11, 10:00am – 11:30am. Online. The 2014 Farm Bill directed USDA's Risk Management Agency to develop tools that support farm diversification. The new Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program offers important new protections which provide a financial safety net to cover economic losses due to weather or low market prices. By tying coverage to revenue and diversification, the streamlined application and whole farm coverage is more attractive to farms of all sizes, both organic and non-organic, as well as specialty crop producers, including those who grow canning crops or direct-market. This program is also useful for all types of diversified cash grain and/or livestock producers. Questions we will address include: What crops and livestock enterprises does Whole Farm Revenue Protection insurance cover? What losses are covered? How much revenue does it cover? How much does it cost? What yield or income records are required? How do I decide if this is worthwhile for my operation? Register

Heuermann Lecture

January 12th. 7pm. Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center Room, 2012 Transformation Drive, Lincoln. A dialogue on the history and vision for the future of international trade for US Agriculture. Panelist Lecturers: Dr. Clayton V. Yeutter, Former U.S. Trade Representative & U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Darci Vetter, Chief Trade Negotiator, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For additional information: http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu/

Introduction to Video Editing: Mobile Apps and Beyond

Do you want to branch out to include simple video production in your skillset? Want to be able to use your laptop, iPhone, or iPad to edit short, simple, but effective videos?   If so, this webinar is for you. We’ll share the basics of video editing that are applicable across all platforms, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. We’ll discuss tips for beginners on capturing good video, “shooting for the edit” to build a more powerful visual story, and demonstrate the actual editing process including iMovie (for iPhone, mac, and iPad) Windows Moviemaker, and the basics of Adobe Premiere Pro. 

The New NRCS Division of Soil Health: Approach and Benefits

January 12th. Online. In this webinar, participants will be provided an overview of the new USDA NRCS Division of Soil Health and how it will function to leverage partnerships, ensure science-based conservation planning, evaluate economic outcomes, and quantify soil health benefits. This webinar is presented by the USDA NRCS Division of Soil Health. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/the-new-division-of-soil-health-approach-and-benefits

Nuts and Bolts of Small Grains Production

January 12th. Klaas Martens and his partner, Mary-Howell farm 1,400 acres in Penn Yan, New York, where they grow certified organic corn, soybeans, spelt, barley, wheat, triticale, oats, rye, red kidney beans and hay. They also raise livestock; own and operate an organic feed and seed business; sit on numerous boards and committees; speak at conferences across the U.S.; and conduct on-farm research. Klaas will talk about growing small grains as part of his operation in New York, and is eager to have a discussion on growing small grains in Iowa. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/farminar

Estate and Transition Planning Workshop

January 13. ARDC near Mead, The addess is 1071 County Road G. Ithaca, Nebraska. Contact Keith Glewen, 402-624-8000, kglewen1@unl.edu. Learn more at:http://www.nextgen.nebraska.gov/succession.pdf

Multi-species Grazing: Determining management keys for grazing multiple livestock species together

January 14. Online. The Targeted Grazing Committee of the Society for Range Management presents another in its series of online workshops to see how the principles of targeted grazing are applied on the ground. The facilitator for this session is Dr. John Walker, Texas A&M University. https://targetedgrazing.wordpress.com/training/

Soil Water Sensors for Agriculture - Theory and Issues

January 14. Online. This webinar is presented by the USDA NRCS West National Technology Support Center. Participants will learn about the types of soil water sensors available for on farm use and their advantages and limitations for irrigation water management. The presentation will cover the types of sensors available, the operational theory of each sensor type, and explanations, with examples, of how the physical theory of operation dictates the limits of sensor calibration and performance, and of sensor representativeness in given soils. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/soil-water-sensors-for-agriculture-theory-and-issues

Great Lakes Hops Working Group 

Thursday, January 14 at 11:00 am CST. This webinar will provide an overview of the formation of the Great Lakes Hops Working Group, a collaborative consisting of hop educators and researchers working in the Midwest and Canada under similar climatic conditions. Presented by Dr. Rob Sirrine, Michigan State University Extension.  Dr. Sirrine is a Community Food Systems Educator with MSU Extension. He provides statewide leadership for hops research, education, and outreach.http://ncrcrd.adobeconnect.com/ncrcrd

Connections between Biodiversity and Livestock Well-being Webinar

January 14. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar focused on research that is exploring the connections between biodiversity and livestock well-being at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. In 2012, a University of Vermont research team began a multidisciplinary, long-term study to learn if managing farms for increased diversity at different “community” levels (from rumen microbes to forage composition) in Northeast pasture-based dairy production systems positively contributes to improved livestock well-being, health and productivity, and creates an ecological service feedback loop that benefits soil and natural resource diversity. In this webinar, Dr. Juan Alvez will describe the overall project and its goals as well as research results to date. The webinar is free and open to the public; advance registration is required. http://articles.extension.org/pages/73405/connections-between-biodiversity-and-livestock-well-being-webinar-by-eorganic

Small Farms Winter Webinar Series: Lean Farming

January 14. Online. The University of Illinois Extension kicks off its free, weekly educational series for the small farm community with this one-hour webinar. Zack Grant, University of Illinois Extension Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator, will address Cutting Waste and Maximizing Efficiency on Small Farms.https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=13379

CropClimate Seminar

January 15th.  4:00 pm–5:00 pm.  Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center Room in Lincoln. Dr. Guillermo Baigorria will provide information on the new CropClimate initiative, available at www.cropclimate.org. CropClimate is an interactive tool that uses state-of-the-art knowledge in climate-, soil- and crop-modeling to link the effects of environmental conditions and field management to develop more sustainable crop production systems. It will also be live-streamed on the Water for Food Institute’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/WaterForFood. This seminar is free and open to the public. Contact Dana Ludvik with questions: dludvik@nebraska.edu,402.472.9510.

Workshop: What is Your Pregnant Cow Worth?

January 15. 9:00 am–3:30 pm. Lifelong Learning Center, Northeast Community College in Norfolk. Visit: http://igrow.org/events/i-29-dairy-conference/ for more details and to register

Alternative Growers Group Conference

January 16th. Featuring Summer Miller! St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun. 9am. “Grow It, Preserve It, Consume It”. The conference will include concurrent talks by local alternative agriculture entrepreneurs, State Forest Health Specialist and area wide sustainable agriculture. The keynote speaker will be Summer Miller. Her topic is the purpose of our plates and experts. why local food matters. Informational and vendor booths will be a part of the conference. Early Registration is available. For a registration form Contact Sandy & Jerry Grove, wildflower@abbnebraska.com, 402-468-5598

Kansas Graziers Association Winter Conference

January 16. Salina, Kansas. "Grass, Soil, and Hope" is the theme for this conference featuring speaker Courtney White, author and Quivira Coalition co-founder. http://www.kansasfarmersunion.com/events/amazing-grazing-events/

Opportunities

Oats & Barley

Looking for 600 bu. of feed-grade oats or barley available?  First choice is certified organic, but not required. Thx, Randy Wattermann, West Point, wattermann@skyww.net

Cass County Farming / Agriculture Waste and Recycling Survey

Cass County seeking input from farmers on Waste & Recycling Survey. Details here,https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q25L9NT

Cropland

I have 150 irrigated acres in Western Douglas County that I will be available for cash rent spring of 2016. Jeaniffr Snide, G&J Snide Farms LLC,  Jeaniffr5@aol.com

Survey seeks opinions of women livestock farmers

USDA Small Business Innovation Research grant to study the tool- and equipment-related needs of women livestock farmers. To assist Green Heron in designing better tools and equipment, women who raise or care for livestock of any kind are invited to complete a brief survey.   The survey will be open through September, and respondents who complete it will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Green Heron Tools gift certificate. Begun by two small-scale farmers with backgrounds in nursing and public health, Green Heron is the first company in the world to focus on scientifically designing agricultural tools and equipment that work well for women. For more information please visit www.greenherontools.com. Complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/greenherontools_women_livestock_farmers.

Upcoming

Building a Legally Sound Intern and Volunteer Program for Farm Work

January 19. Online. By now, most farmers are aware that doing farm work with interns and volunteers can be legally complicated, and many farms have faced steep fines for doing it wrong. Get ahead of the curve and learn ways to build a legally compliant intern or volunteer program for your farm in this free webinar from Farm Commons.https://farmcommons.org/building-legally-sound-intern-and-volunteer-program-farm-work

Hyperketonemia Treatment at the Individual Cow and Herd Level

Tuesday, January 19 at 12:00 pm CST. Presented by: Dr. Jessica McArt, Cornell University. In this webinar, Dr. McArt will briefly review the physiology of hyperketonemia development as well as β-hydroxybutyrate concentration cut points to use in treatment decision making. Dr. McArt will discuss common treatments, including: medication, method of action, dose, duration, effect. Herd-level testing and treatment strategies will be presented as well as action recommendations following herd prevalence estimation. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/dairexnetwebinar/

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Workshop

January 20-21. Online. The USDA Southeast Regional Climate Hub hosts this workshop on Agricultural Solutions: adapting to and mitigating climate change on farms and forests in the southeastern United States. The workshop will focus on adaptive strategies that make working lands more resilient to an increasingly variable climate, while at the same time mitigating greenhouse emissions. State and federal programs that support these efforts will be highlighted, along with tools for improving resilience and communication methods. http://www.ncsu-feop.org/GHG/

"The Power of the Web: Free Internet Legal Research"

Wednesday, January 20 at 11:00 am CST. Join us in our continuing webinar series sponsored by the Agricultural & Food Law Consortium. Our January webinar, entitled, The Power of the Web: Free Internet Legal Research, focuses on getting the most out of free legal materials on the internet. This program is designed to be useful to attorneys and non-attorneys seeking to learn more about free legal research materials. For additional information about the program, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center website here. No pre-registration is required and this webinar is offered free of charge, but limited to the first 100 registrants. https://uaag.adobeconnect.com/research/

Grazing Strategies for Riparian and Wet Meadow Improvement in the Sagebrush Steppe

January 20. Online. This webinar is presented by USDA NRCS West National Technology Support Center. Participants will understand the effects of grazing riparian and wet meadow areas during each season and how to manage grazing to initiate improvement of ecological functions. This webinar will review key principles of grazing management in riparian and meadow areas, describe common grazing strategies and typical vegetation response, and showcase examples from around the sage steppe. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/grazing-strategies-for-riparian-and-wet-meadow-improvement-in-the-sagebrush-steppe

NGFN Webinar: Group GAP

January 20. Online. GroupGAP is a new service (available Spring 2016) from USDA to audit farmers to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Small farmers are feeling the pressure to get third-party certified as more buyers are requiring GAP certification, and as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) puts them under new regulatory oversight. In this free National Good Food Network webinar, hear the experience of a few of the trailblazers--groups who have already received GroupGAP certification. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6529838299388868097

NPSAS Winter Conference

January 21-23. Aberdeen, South Dakota. The 37th winter conference of the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society is titled "Growing for the Future." Keynote speakers are Organic Valley Veterinarian Dr. Paul Detloff and Founder and Executive Director of Food & Water Watch Wenonah Hauter. The schedule includes half-day workshops and a variety of conference sessions on soil, production, livestock, and business topics. http://npsas.org/component/eventbooking/?task=view_event&event_id=69&Itemid=355

IOIA Webinar: Maple Syrup Inspection

January 21. Online. This International Organic Inspectors Association webinar will prepare inspectors and certifiers to understand the requirements of the standards being used in Canada and the United States for organic maple syrup (and birch syrup) production. It will provide tools for use by inspectors in the woods and sugar camps, as well as in more industrial maple syrup-processing situations. IOIA Maple Syrup Inspection Webinar is an advanced 300-level course. This webinar will be presented in one, three-hour session. http://www.ioia.net/schedule_web.html#jan21

Healthy Farms Conference Breakout Sessions III

A. Marketing Opportunities for New (and not so new) Sustainable Farmers  

A general summary of the marketing opportunities that any young farmer/producer could/should consider as they develop their enterprise. All of the opportunities – or at least as many as we have time to present. Our goal with this session is A “just the facts, ma’m” approach.

Tyler Magnuson, Cait Caughey; are young & beginning farmers at Botna Burrow in Hancock, Iowa, which is in its third year. They operate a diverse vegetable farm (Certified Naturally Grown) and collaborative CSA (Loess Hills cCSA). They are passionate about healthy food, organic practices, soil health, and family-friendly farm events (like Contra Dancing!). Cait also works as the Education Coordinator at Big Garden in Omaha.www.botnaburrow.com

B. The Native Spirit, Pollinators & Diversity  

It seems like every day now brings another media report about the enormous environmental challenges facing our species. Climate change, biodiversity collapse, plant & animal extinctions, water scarcity, and soil degradation come to mind, among others. It’s hard to be optimistic some days. But there are several things people can do in their own yards and landscapes to address these challenges. One of the best things we can do for insect and animal biodiversity is to plant and celebrate regionally native plants. This session will highlight several woody and prairie plant species for attracting and sustaining biodiversity, including pollinator. 

Justin Evertson; has been involved with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and the Nebraska Forest Service since 1990. Since 2010 he has been Green Infrastructure Coordinator for the Community Forestry and Sustainable Landscapes unit of NFS/NSA.  Justin oversees programs that provide funding, technical assistance and educational outreach for sustainable landscape enhancements in communities across the state.  Justin has authored many publications with an emphasis on woody plant selections. He earned his architecture and community and regional planning degrees from UNL (1988/92). Justin grew up on a farm in Kimball County (far western Nebraska) where he learned an appreciation for shortgrass prairie and Nebraska’s wide-open spaces. Justin is passionate about trees, the native landscape, biodiversity and sustainable  landscape development.  He lives in Waverly where he plants many trees and works to enhance landscapes throughout the community.

C.  Nebraska Permaculture Design 

If you saw last year's presentation, you may still want to see this one. Gus has improved upon the same theme with more perspective for the Nebraskan farmstead. Gus makes the case for using every inch of your Nebraskan land to improve your efficiency, safety, community, maintenance, management, wildlife, productivity and enjoyment. Through permaculture practices and ethics, Gus demonstrates easy ways to get into farming resourcefully with practical design improvements that allow you to achieve success more easily.  Using climate change as an opportunity, he will also advocate for new ways to diversify the farm so the proverbial eggs are placed in many baskets. If you could use a different perspective on land management to improve your farm or to eventually purchase a farm, please check out Gus's presentation.

Gus Von Roenn; Gus is an advocate for permaculture and sustainable practices throughout Nebraska. He works through many organizations like the Nebraska Farmers Union, the Sierra Club, Nebraskans for Solar, Nebraska Sustainable Agricultural Society, the Metro Omaha Food Policy Council and Omaha Permaculture to elevate the discussion of issues surrounding healthy food accessibility, land stewardship and entrepreneurship in low-income communities. His academic background is in anthropology, sociology, archaeology and permaculture while working in landscaping, photography and home remodeling to pay off school. Currently, Gus is a certified permaculture designer with his own Permaculture design consulting firm and landscaping crew to install the designs. He is also the founder of a nonprofit called Omaha Permaculture that accepts degraded, vacant land for restoration while providing space to incubate agriculture-related entrepreneurial opportunities.  As an advocate for everything Permaculture and sustainability in Nebraska, he likes to help many organizations teach their constituents the limitless opportunities that create abundance in all of our communities for all of us to share. 

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Healthy Farms Conference Breakout Sessions II

Panel: Pesticide Drift & Organic Farms

This will be a panel of farmers presenting their experiences with pesticide drift onto their organic crops. Each farmer will review their own experience, and then will field questions from the floor for the entire panel.

Marnie Jensen; Partner at Husch Blackwell specializing in Food & Agribusiness Litigation. Marnie provides effective and efficient advice to companies in the food and agribusiness industries. Her clients include organic agriculture trade associations and food producers, manufacturers and distributors. Marnie is also on the board of directors for NSAS. 

Paul Swanson; is a Certified Educator in Holistic Management, Organic Farmer and Re-careered Extension Educator. Paul’s training was with Alan Savory. swanson5155@windstream.net

Alison Krohn; operates a part-time prairie seed business: Shoestring Acres Seed. Native grasses and wildflowers are grown and harvested from her family's farm in Antelope County, south of Clearwater, Ne. During the week she lives in Lincoln and works for the Nebraska Department of Roads inspecting construction and maintenance projects in the southeast part of the state to ensure environmental compliance with various permits. She has a diverse work background from harvesting seed for Prairie Plains Resource Institute to teaching in the Landscape Architecture program at North Dakota State University. For 10 years following graduation she worked for USDA Natural Resources Service as a landscape architect and RC&D Coordinator across several states in the southeast and mid-Atlantic U.S. Alison grew up in Illinois and has a BA in Philosophy from Rockford College and a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois.

Managing Crops, Profitably, for Wetlands and Wildlife

Advances in precision agriculture allow growers to pinpoint fertility inputs and manage irrigation water to maximize productivity. Evaluating physical and inherent soil landscape properties in less productive areas often provides opportunities to benefit wildlife through reduces inputs or participation in financial assistance programs.  Learn about the wildlife needs growers can satisfy when managing low yielding zones.

Zach Rigg operates an agricultural and land management consulting business, Rigg Soil Solutions and is affiliated with Vantage Agri Services, Inc. of Avoca, NE. Rigg has spent the past two decades inventorying and evaluating soil landscapes to help growers maximize sustainable agricultural productivity and restore the function of native plant communities. He has managed wildlife and agricultural resources for the US Air Force and the US Forest Service as a Soil Scientist in seven states from Ohio to North Dakota. In addition, Rigg has planned and assisted implementation of soil quality improvement and wildlife enhancement on tens of thousands of acres in Nebraska and Missouri through various positions with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Rigg was one of the founding members of the Nebraska NRCS Soil Health Team and aided many early adopting growers apply soil health principals in Southeast Nebraska. Rigg earned a B.S. in Agronomy with a Soil Science emphasis in 2004 which was preceded by four years of service in the US Air Force. He is dedicated to teach growers ways to exploit productive landscapes and minimize excessive inputs on less productive areas. Rigg seeks management strategies that provide mutual benefits to agricultural systems and wildlife.

Improving Wetlands Using Holistic Grazing of Dairy Cattle & Low Impact Crossings

Without disturbance wetlands become overrun with invasive species, holistic grazing with low impact crossings will be explored to improve wetlands and provide valuable forage. Holistic grazing using dairy cows and pastured poultry, including low impact wetland crossings, will be implemented and monitored with results shared at a public open house.  Best practices will be explored though a farmer forum with area wetland graziers.

William & Crystal Powers; Darby Springs Farm. The farm, Darby Springs Farm, is 40 acres (18 pasture, 20 wetlands). This year, five dairy cows, 50 laying hens and 400 broiler chickens were raised on pasture. During the project timeframe, the farm will be expanding to 1000 broilers, and 200 layers. Crystal and William both grew up on farms and have been raising dairy cows and poultry for four years together.

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Producers Choice Chef Award Recipient Darrell Auld, Chef Owner of Twisted Cork Bistro!

Auld nominated for his passion for local foods!

Omaha chef & owner of Twisted Cork Bistro, Darrell Auld, @TCBistroOmaha, has been selected for the Producers Choice Chef Award. The PCCA recognizes chefs nominated & voted on by NSAS farmers throughout Nebraska for their dedication to local & sustainable foods and farms. Enjoy a 5 course meal prepared by local chefs made with ingredients from local farmers. Chefs will be paired with local sustainable farmers. Chef Darrell will be paired with Prairieland Dairy. #5LocalChefs

About Darrell; 

Darrell is a Graduate of the Univeristy of Washington with a degree in Business. Auld has been in restaurants since his first job as a dishwasher. He has been in the kitchen, the front, the bar or as manager in some capacity since.  Auld has opened numerous restaurants,  and created menus along with executive chefs. He has a history of revitalizing restaurants from raising sales in slow restaurants to making unprofitable restaurants profitable. 

Darrell has sat on many tasting panels including food, wine & liquor panels to help develop tastes and experiences. In 2007 Darrell and his family moved from Seattle. He leased the space that is now Twisted Cork Bistro on Pacific Street and with his father-in-law built out the bistro. Darrell created his own menu with great details to sourcing local all natural products. Like Ying & Yang, hot salmon & cold salad. Darrell values guest feedback as well as trends, and would add items as he felt they would sell. 

About Prairieland Dairy;

Firth Nebraska's Prairieland Dairy located just 15 miles south of Lincoln, was created when the Eickhoff, Goossen, Obbink and Rice family farms joined together as one.Our mission was to create a new kind of dairy: one that was sustainable, open and transparent; one that served people, cows and the planet.

When you buy Prairieland Dairy products,you join us in this effort to better our environment, economy and community. Not only do you get great-tasting, all natural dairy at a fair price, you get a little taste of“the good ol’ days,” when food was simpler and grown by people you knew and trusted.On behalf of Al, Harvey, Bill, Mike, Andy,Cliff, Dave and myself, we hope you enjoy our milk and dairy foods. Come see us at the farm—we’re happy to show you exactly where your milk comes from, and why that makes a world of difference.

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Join us on November 1, 2015 as we celebrate the Fabric of Local Foods. Enjoy a five course meal prepared by local chefs made with ingredients from local producers. Our keynote speaker, Robert Egger, will share challenges and solutions to eliminate intergenerational hunger. Egger is Founder and President of L.A. Kitchen, which recovers fresh fruits and vegetables to fuel a culinary arts job training program.

Check us out online:

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

  
Engage in a unique farm to table dining experience for one night only. Reserve your seat at the table! Sponsorships and tickets are available.

All proceeds will support programs of Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society and the food hub for No More Empty Pots.

For more information:

Call: 402.502.1642 and ask for Susan

Email: chefawards@gmail.com  

 

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Public Meeting

October 20. Chicago, Illinois. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will sponsor a public meeting on the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act: Final Rules to Establish Requirements for Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human and Animal Food. The meeting will provide interested persons an opportunity to discuss the final rules for current good manufacturing practice, hazard analysis, and risk-based preventive controls for human and animal food (the preventive controls final rules). FDA will also respond to questions and discuss the next phase of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation with respect to human and animal food preventive controls requirements. http://www.ppleventreg.com/FDA-FSMA-Oct20-Chicago/

Getting Started on a Farm or Ranch Transition Plan

Tuesday, October 20 at 11:00 am CDT. Please join us for our October Women in Ag webinar on farm succession planning. Our presenter will be Joy Kirkpatrick, Outreach Specialist for the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Dairy Profitability. Kirkpatrick received both her BS and MS degrees from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. This webinar will provide an overview of the components of a farm succession or transition plan. The webinar will be helpful to those who are considering transferring the business, which includes management decisions as well as the labor and assets and for those who may be considering their estate plans. Knowing the components of succession planning, how to get started, and clarifying your goals are can help you when you meet with your attorney and tax specialist. The webinar will also provide a “blueprint” to break down the process into manageable steps. This blueprint starts with gathering information on “Where are you now”, considering “Where do you want to be” and finally the action plan, “How do you get there”. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag

Online Integrated Pest Management Conference

October 20. The first annual Northeastern IPM Center (NEIPMC) Online Conference will feature updates from active projects funded by the NEIPMC's Partnership Grants Program. In addition, the online conference will have updates from IPM-related projects funded through the Northeastern Sustainable Agriculture and Education (NE SARE) Program. The rapid-style conference will feature five-minute presentations in which the speakers will discuss, show, or possibly sing about highlights from their projects. The purpose of the conference is to increase collaboration and awareness about current IPM-related research and extension in the Northeast in a fun way. http://www.northeastipm.org/ipm-in-action/current-news/online-integrated-pest-management-conference/

Converting hybrid poplar to biofuels: feedstock properties and conversion techniques

Wednesday, October 21 at 1:30 pm CDT. Location: http://hardwoodbiofuels.org/event/webinar-converting-hybrid-poplar-to-biofuels/. Presenters: Rick Gustafson, Renata Bura, and Fernando Resende, University of Washington. Hosted by: Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHB)

Silvopasture

October 21. Online. This Agroforestry in Action webinar will provide an introduction to silvopasture systems being incorporated into regional farms. The speaker, Joseph Orefice Ph.D., of Paul Smith's College, has spent the past four years researching the topic in the Northeast United States. He will draw upon his research that documented silvopasture practices on farms in the Northeast. Details here!

Calling All Food Entrepreneurs! 

You're invited to be part of a market that features unique food options from local food entrepreneurs like you!  Join us for an informational meeting for potential tenants of Tenth Street Market. Learn more about our progress and future plans for the first year-round indoor public market in Omaha. Wednesday, October 21 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm. UNO Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center; Rooms 230-231 | 6001 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68182. *Available parking in lots D/E. The Tenth Street Market is seeking locally owned food related businesses that will offer a variety of unique food options, including: Contact Laura Hall atlhall@vgagroup.com; 402.345.5401 ext. 109

Organic Livestock Inputs

October 22. Online. This webinar training session is part of an educational livestock health series offered by Veterinary Extension at The Ohio State University and OEFFA. It is presented by the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) and the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). Participants will learn about commonly used organic inputs, what organic inspectors look for during an inspection, and how OMRI evaluates livestock inputs. The course will include pre-course assignments; in-class discussion, examples, and exercises; and a post-course evaluation. This webinar is usually valued at $350, but will be available free to a limited number of veterinarians and livestock professionals who pre-qualify for OEFFA scholarships. http://www.oeffa.org/news/?page_id=1556

Biomass on the Farm: Staying Safe and Healthy

October 22. Online. This is a special webinar presentation for National Bioenergy Week, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. It offers a sneak peek at some of what will be found in a new, major publication entitled Safety and Health Management Planning for Biomass Producers. Douglas Schaulfer, Research Associate, Department of Ag and Biological Engineering at Penn State College of Ag Sciences will discuss the new report whose research was informed by site visits to active biomass operations as well as years of experience in the field. http://www.newbio.psu.edu/Extension/Webinars.asp

Center for Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization - Policy Research Group Symposium

October 22.  1:00 pm–6:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union. Contact, Jane Witte, 402-472-1913, janewitte@unl.edu. Presentations by: Julian Alston, University of California-Davis, Nicolas Kalaitzandonakes, University of Missouri, Jayson Lusk, Oklahoma State University, Ian Sheldon, Ohio State University. http://cafio.unl.edu/prg

Beyond Beauty: The Opportunities and Challenges of Cosmetically Imperfect Produce

October 22. Online. This free webinar from the National Good Food Network reports on how JoAnne Berkenkamp at Tomorrow’s Table and The Real Food Challenge have been exploring the market--from farmer to processor to college foodservice--of produce that is healthful and delicious, if a little imperfect. The webinar will begin at 1:30 pm MDT with a statement of the issue, including some details like why there are imperfections in produce, rates of imperfections, as well as a sense for what growers in Minnesota do with this produce right now. Then we will turn to how we can more fully utilize the imperfect produce, including some blue sky thinking… and some possible unintended consequences. The webinar will conclude with ideas for bringing such product to market efficiently and policy recommendations. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2292732802262820609

“The Soil Will Save Us”

October 23.  7:30 pm. UNL's Hardin Hall. Karma Larsen, 402-472-7923, klarsen1@unl.edu. Journalist Kristin Ohlson is the author of “The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers and Foodies are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet,” a look at efforts to develop land management practices that respect nature and heal landscapes. It won a 2015 Books for a Better Life award in the “Green category.” Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, Salon, Smithsonian, Discover, New Scientist, Gourmet, Oprah, and more. She is the author of the memoir “Stalking the Divine,” which won the American Society of Journalists and Authors Best Nonfiction Book Award, and co-author of the 2007 New York Times bestselling “Kabul Beauty School.” A reception with hors d’oeuvres and desserts precedes the ticketed talk at 6:30 p.m. The cost for the lecture is $15 for NSA members and $20 for non-members; and lecture plus reception is $20 for NSA members and $30 for non-members. Space is limited. Sign up at plantnebraska.org or call 402-472-2971. 

Additional Public Info: arboretum.unl.edu

Solar Stock Water Workshop

October 23. Abilene, Kansas. Kansas State University watershed specialists will conduct a stock water workshop at the Garten family farm. Herschel George and Ron Graber of K-State Research and Extension will demonstrate solar watering systems for livestock and provide instructions for installing tire tanks. The workshop is free. http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/news-stories/2015-news-releases/october/solar_watering100915.html

Agronomy & Horticulture Seminar – Josh Davis

October 23rd. 3:30 pm–4:30 pm. UNL's East Campus,  IANR Assistant Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement, will discuss trends in the globalization of higher education, describe specific IANR initiatives that are underway, and highlight tools and opportunities for those interested to become more involved. 

Join us in person or online at: https://connect.unl.edu/fridayseminarseries. Refreshments served at 3 pm

Mother Earth News Fair

October 24-25. Topeka, Kansas. Mother Earth News Fairs feature more than 150 workshops from the leading authorities on organic gardening, food preservation, homesteading and livestock, green building, and natural health, as well as inspiring keynote speakers, demonstrations, and regional and national exhibitors that feature sustainable products and services. http://www.motherearthnewsfair.com/kansas/

Opportunities

Feeder Pigs

We have another set of feeder pigs coming up ready for adoption to a new farm-home.  We have 20 piggies in the 25-30 lb range.   All are pasture raised and were weaned at 7-8 weeks.  They are being trained to hot wire. 

Ben Godfrey, 

Billy for Sale

We are selling one of our billy goats. He is a Saanen, one year old and has already proven himself. He bred one of our females already. We don't want to chance him breeding with his mother so we are selling. If you are interested, or know of anyone who is interested, please call 402-380-7233. Thank you, Serena Bourne

Farming Opportunity

I have an opportunity to rent some ground just east of Beatrice but I need to farm it Organically. I live too far away and don't have the time right now to rotary hoe and/or cultivate in a timely fashion. Is there anyone that lives in the area that has experience (and preferably equipment) and would be interested in doing some custom farming? Thank you, Jon Yoachim, 402-309-4088, 

jkyoachim@gmail.com

Trailer for Sale

I have a 2011 12' x 6' Dura-line Bumper Stock [livestock] Trailer for sale, like new, I can provide pictures upon request and am willing to deliver. Dan Hromas, Grand Island, 

4022172797

Solar Fencer for Sale

I have a Gallagher B100 fencer for sale.  Purchase 3.5 years ago, used 2 of the last 3.5 years. http://gallagherelectricfencing.com/collections/solar-powered-energizers/products/new-gallagher-b100-solar-powered-fence-charger-fencer-energizer-60acres-7miles.   

Survey seeks opinions of women livestock farmers

USDA Small Business Innovation Research grant to study the tool- and equipment-related needs of women livestock farmers. To assist Green Heron in designing better tools and equipment, women who raise or care for livestock of any kind are invited to complete a brief survey.   The survey will be open through September, and respondents who complete it will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Green Heron Tools gift certificate. Begun by two small-scale farmers with backgrounds in nursing and public health, Green Heron is the first company in the world to focus on scientifically designing agricultural tools and equipment that work well for women. For more information please visit www.greenherontools.com. Complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/greenherontools_women_livestock_farmers.

Farm Family Placement Opportunity

'We are a family of four (with two kids), we are looking for any possibility that can lead us to live in the country (no more than one hour and a half driving from the farm to the city of Lincoln). We are specially looking for a farm/ house with a piece of land that is organic oriented .  Please do not hesitate to contact us for any queries (Cell phone; 402-4059195). rllasaca@gmail.com. Thanks. Troy Van Horn".

Looking for Mentorship in Shelton/Grand Island/Kearney Area.

My family and I are returning to Shelton, NE in order to re-establish her family's farm. It is 160 acres but hasn't been used in nearly 30 years. We are going to be establishing a Joel Salatin Polyface Farm type farm. Where we will raise a multi specie critical and threatened heritage breed livestock as determined by the Livestock Conservancy Organization. All livestock will be pastured raised. We are also going to establish seasonal vegetable gardens. Looking for mentorship opportunities in the Shelton/Grand Island/Kearney area that would be willing to help us learn the does and don'ts of pasture based all natural farming. Michael Peña, Michael.A.Pena@uscg.mil

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Survey 

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is working with the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI) to better understand experiences with crop insurance and with a new crop insurance product called Whole-Farm Revenue Protection. Whole-Farm Revenue Protection is a pilot crop insurance policy available for the 2015 crop insurance year. The policy provides crop insurance coverage based on a farm’s 5-year revenue history, and it enables a farm to insure more than one crop with one policy. The link to the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/rafiwfrpsurvey. Questions about this survey can be directed to James Robinson at 919-542-1396 ext. 209 or james@rafiusa.org.

Upcoming

National Organic Standards Board Meeting

October 26-29. Stowe, Vermont. The board meeting provides a public forum for the organic community to weigh in on issues concerning organic production and processing. During the meeting, the board will address several petitions pertaining to changes to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, including substances due to sunset in 2017 and 2018. While the meeting is open to the public, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites those interested in speaking at the meeting to register.http://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-announces-meeting-national-organic-standards-board-invites-public-comments-0

Warm Season Native Grasses for Restoration

October 28. Online. This webinar is presented by the NRCS East National Technology Support Center. Participants will be introduced to how, when and why one might use native warm season grasses. Presenter Ramona Garner, Ph.D., Plant Materials Specialist with the East National Technology Support Center of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will discuss techniques that may provide the user with a more productive and beneficial native-grass planting.

Paving the Way for an Organic Planet: Growing with Healthy Soil Biology

October 29-30. Denver, Colorado. This Rodale Institute course is hosted in Colorado by Chipotle Mexican Grill. The goals of this workshop are as follows: 1. Provide participants with the knowledge about why soil health is important. 2. Describe how soil biota produce healthy soil. 3. Define the roles of management practices and their impacts on soil health. 4. Define a set of measurement matrices for healthy soil. 5. Provide tools for monitoring and assessing soil health against the matrix. This class is conducted by Rodale Institute's Chief Scientist Dr. Kris Nichols and Farm Director Jeff Moyer. It is recommended for farmers, gardeners, landscape professionals, and environmental-education professionals. A few scholarships are available for small farmers who would like to attend this class. http://rodaleinstitute.org/event-registration/?ee=161

Long-term soil productivity and sustainability of forest harvest residue harvesting

Friday, October 30 at 12:00 pm CDT. Presenters: Jeff Hatten, Assistant Professor, Oregon State University; Scott Holub, Silviculture Research Scientist, Weyerhaeuser NR Company. Forest harvesting intrinsically removes organic matter and associated nutrients; these exports may impact soil productivity of managed forests. We will examine the effects of removing forest floor and harvest residues on soils and sustainable production in intensively managed Douglas-fir forests of the Pacific Northwest. We will discuss the amount and types of biomass being removed and how biomass harvesting impacts various nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium). Nutrient removals may impact long-term production or growth in these forests, and we will use simple thresholds and nutrient budgets to examine this trend. Finally, we will discuss the limitations of this approach and opportunities for further research. Webinar attendees will come away with an understanding of the issues surrounding long-term sustainability in forest residue harvesting scenarios and the limitations of our knowledge on these issues. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3399378061156075522