Sustainable Farming & Foods

Weekly Events & Opportunities

Nebraska Young Farmer Night

There will be a Young Farmer night at Big Muddy Urban Farm in Omaha on Thursday, August 8th, from 6 to 8 pm. We will meet at Maud Boutique, located at 521 N 33rd Street in Omaha, which is just around the corner from one of our farm plots! We will then take a walk around the neighborhood to see some of our plots that we grow on, and other community groups that we partner with, including the Gifford Park Community Garden, and the Gifford Park Neighborhood Market. We will regroup at Maud Boutique for a light potluck and conversation, so please bring a snack to share! Join us in discussion as we talk about urban agriculture, the many dimensions of growing in the city and having a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. For more information, you can check out the event on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/events/367056660088213/

Sustainability Happy Hour

Join us for the upcoming Sustainability Happy Hour, as we take Benson (Omaha) by storm! On Saturday, August 10th, starting at 5pm at the Benson Brewery we will take a brief tour with their head brewer and discuss this new brewery's plans to work with local producers to create delicious micro-brews, seasonally. We will have a chance to order from their menu, which features a handful of local and sustainable food producers. Then, around 6:30pm, we will make our way just a few blocks down, to Krug Park, where we will learn about how they are working with local breweries and home brewers to bring you a wide variety of beers on tap. While at Krug Park, you also have the option to order food from Lot 2 Restaurant and Wine Bar, which is situated just next door. Lot 2's menu features many local farmers and producers! Please RSVP by August 9th, so we can give both establishments a head's up. For more information, check out our event on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/events/576976502343427/

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday, Aug 8. North Platte. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Crop Rotation on Diversified Farms - Webinar 

August 6. Participate in this training to learn about the many variables to consider when developing crop rotations on diversified operations. Emphasis will be placed on considerations for weed, pest, and nutrient management, based on examples and input for farmers.  Click here for more information. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/crop-rotations-on-diversified-farms?__hstc=220621255.f32ff00f64196b2d145def835d13caa6.1375092686942.1375092686942.1375092686942.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1375092686942

Turning Your Land into a Sponge

August 8. 12:00pm Central. Cattle Production is the largest agricultural activity in Texas and in the Trinity River basin. Drought is a major challenge that faces ranchers and one that is too often unprepared for. Managing the vegetation on the land and setting an appropriate cattle stocking rate are the best ways to protect the productivity and sustainability of your ranch. Leaving sufficient amount of standing vegetation and litter on the land increases rainfall infiltration, which reduces runoff and erosion, allowing the land to store water that can be used later in the growing season or the next year. http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinars/turning-your-land-into-a-sponge

Successful Microclimate Modification in Difficult Climates

August 5. Olathe, Kansas. This event is a Growing Growers Market Farming Workshop, part of a monthly series that focuses on practices and a scale of production suitable for a market farmer. http://www.growinggrowers.com/growing-growers-workshops

Soil Health Exposition

August 9-10. Columbia, Missouri. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the University of Missouri (MU) are hosting a free Soil Health Exposition. The two-day exposition will feature vendors, tours, demonstrations, and two nationally known leaders in the use of cover crops. MU professors and technicians from a soil health laboratory established by MU and NRCS will have a training session each day on how to sample fields for soil health and how to interpret the results. Admission to the exposition is free, but attendees are asked to preregister. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mo/newsroom/releases/?cid=STELPRDB1143333

Republican River Riparian Management Workshop 

August 7th - 8th. Two-day workshop on Republican River to consider water use, forest inventory, invasives, etc. Contact, Dennis Adams, 402-472-5822, dadams2@unl.edu

Fall Gardening and Season Extension

Saturday, August 10th, 9:00AM - 12:00 PM. Learn how to extend your growing season and enjoy the benefits of garden-fresh greens, root crops, and other vegetables well into fall and even into winter! Register for Fall Gardening, http://www.communitycrops.org/workshops

Opportunities

Cooler Freezer Opportunity

I have a friend in Omaha that owns the cooler/freezer combo described below and would like to pass the opportunity on to local farmers.  Many of you probably know him:  Jim Evans.  I have not seen this unit but have visited with him about it and feel it may be a good unit for someone. Walk-in Cooler Freezer Combo all in one. Cooler 8x12, Freezer 9x8. Copper lines in and out plus shelving with Heatcraft condenser. It came from Sizzler Steakhouse on 144th Street just north of Center in Omaha, Paid $3800. $3500 or best offer. Call Baron 402-676-7620.

Steers & Heifers for Sale

I have 3 steers and 4 heifers for sale. They're Dual Purpose Shorthorns mixed with Devon and some have a bit of Longhorn in them. They should average around 500lbs but they vary in shape and size so they could be anywhere from 300 to 600. All grass-fed, no hormones or antibiotics, they are very hardy, low input critters. I also have a bull yearling that I kept back as a backup for breeding this year. If someone would prefer a bull instead of a steer, let me know. I'd do $1.85/lb live weight for your choice or $1.70/lb if you take them all. If they don't sell here, I'll take them to the salebarn. The last time I did that, though, I got raked over the coals. That was a different situation then this but I still want to ensure I get the most money I can. I've heard that the larger salebarns up north, closer to the sandhills and cattle country, are a better place to take cattle that don't look like your typical blank angus. Has anyone experienced this or have insight on the subject? With as few as I have now, it's doubtful that it's justifiable to go too much out of my way but it'd be good to know either way, for future reference. Unless, I can find someone who has a load I can piggy back on.  jkyoachim@gmail.com

News

Local cheesemakers keep lost art alive

Distilleries can make, bottle and sell their own scotch, but if they aren’t located in Scotland, they cannot call their distilled malt or grain Scotch whiskey. Similarly, you can make a creamy textured, mold-ripened soft cheese that resembles the Camembert made in northwest France, but calling it Camembert is considered bad form. Although there’s no law that governs naming cheese, “when you use your own milk from your own latitude, cheese etiquette dictates that you give the cheese its own name as opposed to taking the name from another dairy in another place,” says Charuth van Beuzekom-Loth of Shadow Brook Farm’s Dutch Girl Creamery. http://journalstar.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/local-cheesemakers-keep-lost-art-alive/article_1dab5553-9268-5893-8c6d-f74803f9b312.html

Upcoming

Cover Crop, Organic Farm Tour 

August 17. Bruno. Interested in adding a cover crop to your crop rotation?  Reducing your cost on inputs?  Learn more about adding cover crops into your cropping system. Find out what cover crops grow in eastern Nebraska.  When to plant them and find out how they are used for weed management, increase soil moisture and fertility and extend livestock feed reducing your need to buy hay.  University of Nebraska (UNL) on-farm research projects: use of a roller crimper and weed flamer to manage weeds and a three year Nutrient Management Study that evaluated his system of green manure/cover crop and animal manure use. Families are welcomed; the meal is free.  Call Wendy @ 402- 584-3837 to reserve your meal.

Flame Weeding - Workshop

August 21. University of Nebraska. Concord. Propane fueled Flame Weeding is an acceptable method of weed (pest) control in organic farming, which is also gaining interest among conventional producers due to increase in weed resistance and costs of GMO crop seeds.   We will present results from the 6-years of research conducted by the Teams of Dr. Stevan Knezevic (Weed Science) and Dr. George Gogos (Mechanical Engineering). This work is also documented in about 20 scientific publications, 100 abstracts presented at many Regional, National and International meetings, and a patent for flaming equipment.

America's Grasslands: The Future of Grasslands in a Changing Landscape

August 12-14. Manhattan, Kansas. National Wildlife Federation and Kansas State University are sponsoring a conference that will bring together researchers, natural resource professionals, farmers and ranchers, policy experts, and conservationists to discuss the conservation of North America's grasslands and the opportunities and outlook for these vital ecosystems in a changing landscape. The conference begins with a day of optional field trips to Kansas grasslands. http://grownative.org/events/2nd-americas-grasslands-conference/

Sustainable Farming & Foods

Weekly Events & Opportunities

Nebraska Diversified Ag Tour

August 3. Lincoln, Nebraska. The Nebraska SARE program is teaming up with the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program to conduct a bus tour in southeast-south central Nebraska to visit four very diverse farming operations in the Thayer County area. The tour will visit a grass-fed cattle operation that uses intensive grazing system, an organic field crop farm, a certified kitchen and local food distribution system, and a cut flower producer. http://www.northcentralsare.org/Newsroom/Regional-News-and-Press-Releases/Nebraska-Diversified-Ag-Tour

In Her Boots: Sustainable Agriculture for Women by Women

August 4. Canoe Creek Produce. Decorah, IA. Discuss farm diversification, beginning farmer challenges and resources, and farmstay start-ups with a panel of experienced farmers plus representatives of FoodCorps and MOSES. Click here for more information. http://www.mosesorganic.org/FieldDayBootsDecorah.html

Pasturing Near Woodlands

July 31. Dorchester, Iowa. This Northeast Iowa Graziers Field Day takes place at the Dave Schulte Farm. Topics will include management strategies for pasturing around timbered areas, pasture management and improvement, and grazing management. http://practicalfarmers.org/events_detail.php?eid=554

Lessons Learned from Natural Stream Restoration/Enhancement Webinar

July 31. This webinar will draw on the combined experience of two retired USDA NRCS employees and present the views and experiences of both the ecological and engineering sides of the Natural Channel Design equation. http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs060/1109295883063/archive/1109470713312.html

Restoring Farmland for Native Pollinators

August 3. Minburn, Iowa. This Practical Farmers of Iowa field day visits Small Potatoes Farm. Learn how to decide which practices you can employ to conserve and restore the farm landscape to support native and wild bees. Hear and discuss results from an ISU survey assessing species diversity and abundance of cucurbit and other crop pollinators across a range of Midwestern landscape types, including Small Potatoes Farm. Examine sunn hemp and a legume mix in the field, being tested as an alternative cover crop for horticultural production. Tour the facilities Rick and Stacy Hartmann use to wash and pack produce for their organic CSA. http://practicalfarmers.org/events_detail.php?eid=555

Growing Squash, Cucumbers and Pumpkins with IPM for Home Gardeners

August 2nd. 11:30am. Join North Central extension specialists on Friday August 2, 2013 11:30AM-1:00 PM CENTRAL TIME for a 90-minute webinar on plant selection and integrated pest management of winter and summer squash, cucumbers and pumpkins. Dr. Rhoda Burrows, Extension Horticulturist, South Dakota State University will discuss planting and management; Celeste Welty, Extension Entomologist, The Ohio State University, will cover cucumber beetles, squash vine borer, and squash bugs; Michelle Grabowski, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Minnesota will discuss powdery mildew, downy mildew, leaf spot and fruit rot diseases; and Dr. Mary Meyer, Extension Horticulturist, University of Minnesota will be the host and moderator. Three 20 minute presentations will be followed by 10 minutes of questions and discussion offered through umconnect.umn.edu. 

Winning Water Strategies

July 30th. 10:15am. Monsanto Water utilization learning Center, 76268 Hwy 47, Gothenburg. RSVP to Jason orton at (402) 476-0162 or jason@h2oboy.net. The NEWBA Water summit is a special complimentary event for financial contributors who make up our Water Advisory Board. Non-members are invited to join us for the Summit at a cost of $20 per person. Lunch sponsored by Horizon Ag. http://www.nebraskawaterbalance.com/#!events/cord

Legal and Financial Clinic

Wednesday, Jul 31. Fairbury. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up!

Green Cover Seed Field Days

July 30th. We will be having a free field day open house on Tuesday July 30th  – plot tours will start at 4:30 and 7:30 and we will eat at 6:00 so you can tour either before or after we eat.  No RSVP is needed for this but if you want to pickup any seed when you are here, please let us know that in advance.   NOTE:  This field day will not be at our seed building but will be 1 mile straight east of Bladen, NE on the north side of the road.  http://www.greencoverseed.com/

Upcoming

Crop Rotation on Diversified Farms - Webinar 

August 6. Participate in this training to learn about the many variables to consider when developing crop rotations on diversified operations. Emphasis will be placed on considerations for weed, pest, and nutrient management, based on examples and input for farmers.  Click here for more information. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/crop-rotations-on-diversified-farms?__hstc=220621255.f32ff00f64196b2d145def835d13caa6.1375092686942.1375092686942.1375092686942.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1375092686942

Turning Your Land into a Sponge

August 8. 12:00pm Central. Cattle Production is the largest agricultural activity in Texas and in the Trinity River basin. Drought is a major challenge that faces ranchers and one that is too often unprepared for. Managing the vegetation on the land and setting an appropriate cattle stocking rate are the best ways to protect the productivity and sustainability of your ranch. Leaving sufficient amount of standing vegetation and litter on the land increases rainfall infiltration, which reduces runoff and erosion, allowing the land to store water that can be used later in the growing season or the next year. http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinars/turning-your-land-into-a-sponge

Sustainable Farming & Foods

Weekly Events & Opportunities 

 

Grain Place Foods - Farm Tour & Summer Seminar

July 13. Marquette. Every year The Grain Place (the Vetter family farm) and Grain Place Foods hosts the Farm Tour & Summer Seminar for anyone interested in organic farming, the organic food industry, and sustainable agriculture in general. Participants are guided by The Grain Place farm manager Mike Herman on a tour of the farm, learning and sharing ideas about various organic growing practices. Grain Place Foods President Dave Vetter leads the tour through the plant, showing how all the various certified organic grains and seeds are processed and packaged.  Click here for more information. http://www.grainplacefoods.com/in-the-news/grain-place-news/latest-news/

Residue Sampling and Responding to Test Results

July 9 and 11. Online. IOIA Residue Sampling and Responding to Test Results Webinar is an intermediate 200 level course. This webinar will prepare inspectors and certifiers to comply with the requirements of the USDA National Organic Program final rule on residue sampling. The course will cover the sampling of organic crops before and after harvest. References to information on sampling soil and water will also be provided.  The course is geared for persons with an understanding of NOP Standards and organic inspection or certification review. This course is comprised of 3 components: self-study, webinar, and evaluation. http://www.ioia.net/schedule_web.html#residue

Marketing and Managing Grass and Grain-Fed Beef

July 11. Princeton, Iowa. At this Practical Farmers of Iowa field day, Neal Sawyer of Sawyer Beef will discuss his management systems, factors that influence how he makes decisions, as well as marketing the farm has done. Attendees will learn about grazing management and producing and marketing quality beef. If weather permits, the day will also feature a trip to the Sawyers' pastures. http://practicalfarmers.org/events_detail.php?eid=547

Farming for Beneficial Insects: Pollinators, Predators and Parasitoids

July 11. Online. Pollinators and other beneficial insects help ensure healthy crop harvests. Participate in this webinar to learn how to support pollinators and natural enemies of crop pests (predators and parasitoids) by providing diverse habitat and protection from pesticides. This webinar highlights research showing how diverse habitat adjacent to cropland supports improved pollination and reduces pest pressure. This webinar is sponsored by the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center.  http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/farming-for-beneficial-insects-pollinators-predators-and-parasitoids

Weed, Pest and Disease Management Workshop

July 13. Kansas City, Kansas. This Growing Growers workshop will equip farmers and soon-to-be farmers with strategies to combat  problems that damage your crop, hurt yields, and drive you to insanity. The presenters will have a strong focus on organic and environmentally friendly ways to keep the plagues under control, so come prepared to soak up detailed and invaluable information.  After lunch, the second portion of the workshop will be walking Gibbs Rd Farm (aka Cultivate KC farm) learning about their operation and how they combat the three plagues. http://www.growinggrowers.com/growing-growers-workshops

Ecoinformatics and the Paleo-World: Climate Change and Vegetation Response at Large Temporal and Spa

Monday, July 8th. 4:00 pm-5:00 pm. Simon Brewer, Department of Geography, University of Iowa. Beadle Center at UNL in Lincoln. Contact: Joyce Ore, 402-472-7082
jore1@unl.edu

Safe handling of eggs from small and backyard poultry flocks

July 11th. 6pm Central. Many backyard flock owners are producing more eggs than they can eat and are considering selling the extras. Those with larger flocks often sell eggs in the Farmers' Market. This webinar will discuss the safe handling of eggs from production to the table. The presenter is Dr. Jacquie Jacob at the University of Kentucky. She has several years of poultry extension experience working with small and backyard poultry producers. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

Landowner Habitat Tours

July 9 & 11th. Broken Bow, Hartington, Chardon State Park, North Platte & McCook. Making your farm or ranch operation work with wildlife. For more tour details and to register, please visit: www.NebraskaPF.com or call 308-850-8404

Legal and Financial Clinic

July 9 & 10th & 11th. Syracuse, Grand Island, North Platte & Valentine. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Make Your Own Solar Oven

Saturday, July 13th, 10:00AM. Create your own solar oven and learn more about cooking and baking in the sun. Community CROPS Director Ingrid Kirst will walk you through the process of creating your own solar oven (supplies included in the class fee) and provide instruction on this fun and easy cooking method.  Keep your house cool, reduce your energy costs, and reduce your carbon footprint with a solar oven!  http://www.communitycrops.org/workshops

Upcoming
 

Practical Management of Cover Crops Webinar

July 18. This webinar is presented by Tim Reinbott, University of Missouri Superintendent of Bradford Research Center. To join at 2 pm, log in at  

univmissouri.adobeconnect.com/debikelly

Seed Savers Exchange Conference and Campout

July 19-21. Decorah, Iowa. Join the Seed Savers Exchange community at the 33rd Annual Conference and Campout. This event brings together experts and amateurs to share seed saving knowledge and stories. Speakers include Dr. Gary Paul Nabhan, Dr. Jack Kloppenburg, Dr. Jeremy Cherfas, Sara McCamant, and Rosalind Creasy. Workshops, a seed swap, and social events are planned. http://www.seedsavers.org/Education/2013-Conference/

Peas!

Sugar Snap or Snow Peas with Lemon Herb Butter

There is nothing quite so graceful as trellised pea plants in full swing. And nothing quite so tasteful as a crunchy sugar snap pea eaten straight off the vine. And nothing that so captures the essence of spring as peas—all kinds of peas.
Peas love cool, wet weather, and so are often only in season for a few weeks. That’s when you’ll find local farmers bringing in the irresistible sugar snap pea, the Chinese or snow pea, and the good old fashioned shell (or English) peas.

Snow Peas Healthy and Cosmopolitan

Snow peas are long, thin, nearly flat pea pods, with teensy proto-peas inside. But you’re not after the peas; it’s the tender pod itself you’ll love. Traditionally found in Chinese and other Asian cuisines, they now appear in all sorts of dishes from salads to pastas to stir-fries.
Some say the name snow pea comes from the slight whitish tint reflected from the pods in bright sunlight. Others say it's because they are a cool weather crop—best in the early spring or late fall, when they just might be covered with light frost or even snow. But no matter the name, or where it comes from, snow peas are sweet and crisp and delicious—and an excellent source of fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Snow peas are also among the most venerable of vegetables, with evidence of their cultivation going back more than 12,000 years along the Thai-Burma border.

Sweet Sugar Snap Back Story

Way on the other end of the pea timeline, one of the newest pea cultivars is the sugar snap pea. Calvin Lamborn of Twin Falls, Idaho began crossing snow peas with shell peas in the 1960s. He was going after a pea that would have the edible, non-fibrous pod of the snow pea, plus the full-size interior peas of English peas. His hybrid was finally perfected in 1979, and has become a favorite of gardeners and market farmers ever since.
Both the pod and the peas are plump, succulent, and sweetly irresistible. The French call them mange-tout, which tells you what to do, "eat the whole thing,” preferably on the way home from market for maximum nutrition and enjoyment. As with all legumes, peas host beneficial bacteria in their root nodules, which make nitrogen in the air available as a fertilizer in the soil for themselves and whatever crop is planted there next. They are one of the true heroes of our fields and tables—so enjoy!

Quick Snow Peas with Lemon Herb Butter

Fresh peas cook really fast, so keep an eye on them, and take them off the heat as soon as they turn bright green.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons finely chopped herbs of your choice (suggest half and half finely chopped tarragon and flat-leaf parsley)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound snow peas, trimmed

Instructions

1. Stir together butter, zest, herbs, salt, and pepper.
2. Cook snow peas in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain well.
3. Transfer hot snow peas to a bowl, then add lemon herb butter and toss to coat.

Seasonal Cook’s Notes:

Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas can be used interchangeably in just about any recipe.  Sugar snaps are also great raw as part of a vegetable tray or a box lunch. 
Serves four as a side dish.
© The Land Connection Foundation
The best way to enjoy healthy, seasonal produce is to buy it from your local community farmer. To locate the farmers’ market or CSA nearest you, visit www.localharvest.org.
Farm Fresh Now! is a project of The Land Connection, an educational nonprofit that preserves farmland, trains new farmers, and connects people with great locally-grown foods. This series is made possible with generous support from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Sustainable Farming & Foods

 Weekly Events & Opportunities

 

MREA 24th Annual Energy Fair

June 21. Custer, WI. MOSES Rural Women’s Project Coordinator Lisa Kivirist leads two workshops at the Energy Fair. In “Launch Your Organic Farm Dream,” Lisa shares ideas for creating a livelihood based on sustainability values and good food. Friday, June 21, 2013 at 11 a.m. in Black Tent and Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 5 p.m. in Pink Tent. Click here for more information. https://www.midwestrenew.org/fairworkshops?__hstc=220621255.c4bca89f21ea73940ba46d23f9b09498.1371430986439.1371430986439.1371430986439.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1371430986439

 International Aquaponics Conference

June 19-21. Stevens Point, WI. “The International Aquaponics Conference: Aquaponics and Global Food Security” will bring together individuals with the goal of making an impact on food quality, security and sustainability using aquaponic methods, in which fish and plants are grown together in a symbiotic environment. Industry experts will share experience and knowledge in a fun and informative conference setting, providing participants a wealth of information on the rapidly growing aquaponics industry. Click here for more information and to register. http://www.uwsp.edu/conted/ConfWrkShp/Pages/AquaponicsConf.aspx?__hstc=220621255.c4bca89f21ea73940ba46d23f9b09498.1371430986439.1371430986439.1371430986439.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1371430986439

Spaulding's Famous Goat School

June 22-24. Littlefork, MN. Weekend of hands-on training and education in the care, breeding, and management of dairy and meat goats. Subjects will cover disease prevention, dehorning, emergencies, kidding, parasites control through rotational grazing, and good milking procedures. Optional after-session will cover cheese making and soap making from goat milk. Goat school will be presented by Ken and Janice Spaulding; hosted by Elizabeth Pendergast at North County Farm near the MN/ON border. Call 218-278-8888.

Hops Growers Roundtable

June 22. Dodgeville, WI. For New & Existing Hop Farmers. 2 Presentations on Sustainable Hopyard Establishment and Marketing Hops + Lunch Reception + A hop farming forum discussion with a panel of 2 commercial hop growers. Click here for more information and to register. http://2013hops.eventbrite.com/?__hstc=220621255.c4bca89f21ea73940ba46d23f9b09498.1371430986439.1371430986439.1371430986439.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1371430986439# 

Bobwhite Quail and Native Pollinator Field Day

June 20. Columbia, Missouri. The University of Missouri Bradford Research Center is hosting a bobwhite quail and native pollinator field day designed for landowners, students, and enthusiasts of quail and native plants. The free event includes quail management demonstrations, a landowner panel on successes and challenges, and sessions on quail ecology and habitat. One-hour field tours are offered, and assistance will be available for landowners in developing custom-tailored wildlife management plans. http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/events/

 Spring Pasture Grazing Tour

June 20. Stevensville, Montana. On this day-long bus tour, visit with landowners and grazing specialists at five pastures in the Bitterroot Valley that exemplify differing management approaches, including mob grazing and Management Intensive Grazing. Discussions will be led by Justin Morris, NRCS Grazing Specialist, and Jane Mangold, MSU Assistant Professor. http://www.msuextension.org/ravalli/

First Nations Knowledge: Community Engagement

June 20. Online. First Nations Knowledge in a series of educational webinars created and hosted by First Nations Development Institute. The series aims to educate Native Americans who are involved in food-systems work and agriculture, plus those who lead or work for Native nonprofit organizations. The webinars are free and will last approximately one hour each. http://www.firstnations.org/node/567

Peak Performance Grazing: Planning and Management for Animals, Land, and Profit

June 21-24. Carbondale, Colorado. Sustainable Settings is offering a four-day class with Jim Gerrish and Owen Hablutzel. The course offers a fun-filled four days of learning together optimal and effective ways to plan for and achieve the full power of peak performance grazing on your land. This four-day workshop will include classroom as well as outdoor exercises and pasture walks. http://www.sustainablesettings.org/

Mom, Apple Pie and Conservation: Women-Only Conservation Tour

June 22. Palmer, Kansas. This free event for women begins with a morning farm tour and continues with an afternoon of presentations on cost-share programs, soil health, cover crops, and a roundtable discussion "From a Woman's Perspective." The tour is sponsored by the Kansas Rural Center (KRC) as part of its Women and Conservation Project. Co-sponsors include the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops at KSU, River Valley Extension District Kansas State University Research and Extension, and Tuttle Creek WRAPS. http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/calendar.html#WCT

Modern Livestock Production Trends and Vulnerabilities

June 19th. 12pm Central. Food animal agriculture has become more concentrated in geographically discrete production centers in the United States in recent decades. At the same time, billion dollar weather disasters have become a regular occurrence. What can we learn by understanding the vulnerabilities of our food animal production systems that we can translate into resilience strategies? Dr. Julie Smith, EDEN delegate and University of Vermont Extension dairy specialist, will provide participants with an overview of US food animal production trends and vulnerabilities. This free webinar is open to agricultural stakeholders, community members and Extension educators and specialists, Please register at http://eden.lsu.edu/Conferences/SCAP/Registration/Registration.aspx. Use the drop down menu to select "Modern Livestock Production Trends and Vulnerabilities."

 Food Value Analysis Database

June 19th. 1pm Central. The market place offers consumers a wide variety of choices of food for purchase and consumption. Helping consumers make wise food choices while taking into consideration budget constraints, time availability, food preparation skills, shelf-life, food safety concerns, and dietary recommendations is not an easy task. The Food Value Analysis tool was created to provide a way to compare a range of values for various forms of processed foods compared to foods prepared from a recipe in the home kitchen. The application provides a means to begin a discussion about trade-offs involved in making food choices across multiple dimensions. The tool allows you to compare the cost and nutritional value of home recipe foods to various other forms. For example, you can compare home recipe beef stew to canned beef stew or frozen broccoli to fresh broccoli. The webinar will include: • How the database was developed including sources for data • How to use the database with consumers. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fffcop

What to Expect When You’re Expecting a New Farm Bill

June 17. 1pm Central. Join federal farm policy experts from American Farmland Trust to discuss topics about the farm bill, including: • Challenges to conservation programs in the next farm bill and directions for the future; •Proposed changes in conservation compliance that modernize the safety net, but do not place limits on crop insurance assistance; • Opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of programs that help protect farm and ranch land; and • Efforts that may help strengthen regional food systems. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/775218658

Climate Variability and US Forests

June 20th. 12pm Central. U.S. Forest Service Climate Change Advisor,  Dave Cleaves, will give an overview of the  U.S. Forest Service report “Effects of Climatic Variability and Change on Forest Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Science Synthesis for the U.S. Forest.  The report is a look at the current condition and likely future condition of forest resources in the United States relative to climate variability. Jim Vose, Project Leader, Center for Integrated Forest Science, and co-led for the report will discuss some of the report’s highlights and Mark Megalos, NC State University Extension Associate Professor will moderate the presentation. This report describes the biological, economic, and social impacts of a warming climate on both privately owned forests and public lands and also provides a framework for managing forest resources in the United States in the face of climate change. http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinars/climate-variability-and-u.s.-forests

Raising Dough for Food Businesses

Thursday, June 20, 2:30 pm Central. Is lack of access to capital really a problem for food businesses that are solving social and environmental problems? There are more types of capital than ever before to support food businesses... but many don't know they exist, they can be challenging to access and even more, it’s hard to tell which type will be the best for each business. Join us on this webinar to learn to “Raise Dough” for food businesses. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/147002578

 

Upcoming

 

 

Natural Resource Assessment on Organic Farms

June 26. Online. This 3-hour IOIA webinar is a 200 level webinar training course that will cover Natural Resource Assessment for Organic Farms. The course is geared to prepare those who are currently organic inspectors or file reviewers to evaluate Natural Resource requirements as described in the NOP/COR. The course is also highly recommended for organic producers, consultants, educators, extension, and certification agency staff. http://www.ioia.net/schedule_web.html#Resource

 Planning and Design of Livestock Watering Systems Webinar

June 26. Online. USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center is offering this webinar as part of its ongoing series of training webinars held the last Wednesday of the month from 2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern. At this time, participants can simply "join" an event; preregistration is not necessary. http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs140/1109295883063/archive/1112371127916.html

 2013 Farm to School Summit

June 26-27. La Crosse, WI. The Wisconsin Farm to School Summit showcases current farm to school efforts across the state, new resources for farm to school practitioners and advocates and future opportunities for farm to school programs and policy. This event is designed to support the work of school nutrition staff, educators, farmers, school administrators, school board members, parents, students and school wellness team members. The Summit will also be of interest to local food advocates, state and local health departments, local coalitions and more! Click here for more information and to register. http://datcpservices.wisconsin.gov/confreg/WIFarmtoSchoolSummit.jsp?__hstc=220621255.c4bca89f21ea73940ba46d23f9b09498.1371430986439.1371430986439.1371430986439.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1371430986439

 Amending Soils in the Organic Dairy Pasture - Webinar

June 27. In this free webinar, Dr. Daley will describe a long-term soil remediation field trial designed at the University Farm to study the effects of a basic soil amendment program on forage quality and yield, with an emphasis on the economic return that would result from added milk production. Click here for more information and to register. http://www.extension.org/pages/68131/amending-soils-in-the-organic-dairy-pasture?utm_source=publicnewsletter&utm_medium=may2013&utm_campaign=eorganic&__hstc=220621255.c4bca89f21ea73940ba46d23f9b09498.1371430986439.1371430986439.1371430986439.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1371430986439

Grain Place Foods - Farm Tour & Summer Seminar

July 13. Marquette. Every year The Grain Place (the Vetter family farm) and Grain   Place Foods hosts the Farm Tour & Summer Seminar for anyone interested in organic farming, the organic food industry, and sustainable agriculture in general. Participants are guided by The Grain Place farm manager Mike Herman on a tour of the farm, learning and sharing ideas about various organic growing practices. Grain Place Foods President Dave Vetter leads the tour through the plant, showing how all the various certified organic grains and seeds are processed and packaged. Click here for more information. http://www.grainplacefoods.com/in-the-news/grain-place-news/latest-news/2013-farm-tour-summer-seminar?utm_source=Email+Created+2013%2F05%2F29%2C+4%3A13+PM&utm_campaign=Farm+Tour&utm_medium=email&__hstc=220621255.c4bca89f21ea73940ba46d23f9b09498.1371430986439.1371430986439.1371430986439.1&__hssc=220621255.3.1371430986439

Spinach!

For many baby-boomers, the constant refrain of “Eat your spinach, it’s good for you!” and the olive green glop of canned vegetable that accompanied the words, led to life-long spinach avoidance. Well now is the time, if you haven’t already, to overcome your spinach phobia. One nibble of a local farmer’s sweet and vibrant fresh spinach will do the trick.

Best Fresh!

The first spinach you see every spring at your local farmers' market is most likely from seeds planted late last fall.
The seeds germinate and barely start to put down roots before the frigid weather descends and they go into dormancy under the ice and snow. At the first hint of spring, however, they start growing like mad, and soon the leaves are huge, thick, juicy and sweet—unbelievably rich and meaty. You really have to taste it to believe it.

Health Benefits of Spinach

If great taste alone is not enough, remember that spinach is high in vitamins A and C, and in iron and folate. It is also a good source of fiber and magnesium, and is very low in calories.
And if you’re still not convinced, wine fortified with spinach juice was the healing elixir traditionally given to injured French soldiers. And the Persians, who cultivated the leafy green from at least the 6^th century, recognized spinach’s sophistication and called it “the prince of vegetables.”

Spinach Salade Lyonnaise

This hearty salad is quick and easy to make, yet fit for a king with the combination of meaty-leaved spinach, crisp bacon, barely cooked eggs, and warm, sharp Dijon vinaigrette.

Ingredients

4 cups torn spinach, or a mixture of spinach, lettuce, escarole, and other greens
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
About 1/4 pound (or less) good bacon or ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 to 4 tablespoons sherry or wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt
2 eggs
Black pepper

Instructions

1. Put greens in a large salad bowl. Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the bacon and cook slowly until crisp all over, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and mustard to the skillet and bring just to a boil, stirring, then turn off heat.
2. Meanwhile, bring a couple inches of salted water to a boil in a small pan, then lower heat to barely bubbling. One at a time, break eggs into a shallow bowl and slip them into the bubbling water. Poach the eggs for 2 minutes, until the white is set but the yolk is still runny. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon, and place onto the greens.
3. Pour the bacon dressing over the greens (they’ll wilt a bit). Toss the salad, breaking the yolks of the poached eggs and distributing them evenly over the spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, with croutons or toast if you like.

Seasonal Cook’s Notes:

The best thing to do with any fresh vegetable is almost nothing. But I confess that I have become dangerously enamored of this Fresh Spinach Salade Lyonnaise. If you want to go vegetarian or vegan, just leave out the bacon and egg, adding another few tablespoons of olive oil to the dressing. Keep this salad in mind when fall greens like frisee, escarole, and radicchio roll around because the hot dressing will soften and sweeten those sturdy leaves.
Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 as a main course.
© The Land Connection Foundation
The best way to enjoy healthy, seasonal produce is to buy it from your local community farmer. To locate the nearest farmers’ market or farm CSA near you, visit www.localharvest.org.
Farm Fresh Now! is a project of The Land Connection, an educational nonprofit that preserves farmland, trains new farmers, and connects people with great locally-grown foods. This series is made possible with generous support from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.Article by Terra Brockman, photo by Cara Cummings.

Sustainable Farming & Foods

Weekly Events & Opportunities

Drip Irrigation and Small Farm Equipment

June 10. Olathe, Kansas. This evening event is one of the Growing Growers Market Farming Workshops. These workshops focus on practices and a scale of production suitable for a market farmer. http://www.growinggrowers.com/growing-growers-workshops

Education as a Value-Added Product Farminar

June 11. In this Farminar following a field day, Claire Orner will describe how she and her husband, Rusty, have turned Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living into an educational non-profit where they focus on teaching stewardship of the land, the person, and sustainable practices. Claire will review how she schedules events, funding sources, marketing strategies, support opportunities, ownership, and collaboration, and inquiry. http://agsci.psu.edu/wagn/events/education-as-a-value-added-product-farminar

Summer Grazing Tour

June 11. Burwell. Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and Nebraska Cattlemen.  The day concludes with an evening steak dinner at the Barta Brothers Ranch, featuring a panel discussion with the owners from the tour stops and UNL grazing researchers.

Farm-to-School Best Practices Webinar

June 11. First Nations Knowledge is a series of educational webinars created and hosted by First Nations Development Institute. The series aims to educate Native Americans who are involved in food-systems work and agriculture, plus those who lead or work for Native nonprofit organizations. This webinar will discuss farm-to-school programs in Indian Country. Presenters will showcase their farm-to-school programs, discuss the design of their programs, and share how they have mitigated various challenges to develop successful programs. http://www.firstnations.org/node/567

First International Symposium on Elderberry

June 9-14. Columbia, Missouri. The First International Symposium on Elderberry (Sambucus) will be the world's first gathering of international scientists from multiple disciplines studying all aspects of the elderberry plant and fruit, and its use as a food and dietary supplement. Horticulturists, Botanists, Biochemists, Food Scientists, Economists, and others will gather during peak elderberry flowering season for several days of scientific exchange and fellowship. http://muconf.missouri.edu/elderberrysymposium/

Short and Long Term Benefits of Cover Crops Webinar

 

June 13. As part of a USDA certified organic research grant, the University of Missouri Bradford Research Center is offering four webinars. This one-hour webinar from 2-3 p.m. features Newell Kitchen, Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS. To join any of these webinars go to univmissouri.adobeconnect.com/debikelly and sign in as a guest.

First Annual Iowa Women’s Landowner Conference

June 13. Brooklyn, Iowa. Women farmland owners have the potential to transform Iowa's landscape and farm communities in significant and positive ways, given that women own or co-ownnearly half of Iowa's farmland. Women, Land and Legacy has partnered with Iowa Land Sales & Farm Management to provide information to women who want to learn more about how to care for and pass on the land. The goal of the conference is to target the educationalneeds of women in Iowa, focusing on their empowerment and encouraging local contacts and relationships. http://iowalandsales.com/first-annual-iowa-womens-landowner-conference/

Raising Heritage Poultry for Profit and Pleasure

June 15. Papillion. This workshop is for small, sustainable poultry farmers who are interested in breeding, growing, and selling standard-bred poultry. It addresses production, breeding, and marketing topics. Cost, $95. http://www.sustainablepoultrynetwork.com/workshops-seminars/

Creating a Customized Food Safety Plan - Webinar

June 10. Produce farmers interested in creating an on-farm food safety plan are invited to join FamilyFarmed.org and GrowNYC/Greenmarket for a webinar. Participating growers will learn the basics of identifying risk areas, implementing risk management solutions, and creating a food safety plan from trainer Atina Diffley.  The webinar  will be held Monday June 10th, 10am-11:30am CST.  Click here to register.  http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EC50D883844C&__hstc=220621255.80ba29ace096d7a738c1a1809aa0cade.1365981228163.1370222010722.1370826777908.8&__hssc=220621255.1.1370826777908

Organic Pest Management

 
Saturday June 15, 9:00AM-12:00PM,  Prairie Pines, 3110 N. 112th Street, Lincoln. We'll explore a wide range of alternative, effective pest management techniques at this class, from barriers to home-made sprays. Taught by Sarah Browning, Lancaster County Extension, an expert on local pest management. http://www.communitycrops.org/workshops

Pruning, Trellising and Mounding

Saturday June 15, 1:00PM-4:00PM,  Common Good Farm. Learn great crop maintenance with the help of a good pair of shears, bamboo, and, of course, soil. Taught by Evrett Lunquist, who is a tremendous resource on all topics related to small scale organic farming.  http://www.communitycrops.org/workshops

Introduction to Permaculture

Saturday, June 15th, 9:00AM-12:00PM. Learn about permaculture and how to live sustainably and grow bountiful produce with less work and inputs.  Permaculture is a design system which emulates and integrates natural ecosystems. CROPS Executive Director Ingrid Kirst will introduce you to basic performance principles you can implement at home as we explore a home-scale permaculture garden. Register for Permaculture. http://www.communitycrops.org/workshops

Robinette Solstice

June 15th. Join us for the best of soul, funk and R&B with Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers and opening act Jack Hotel, both from right here in Lincoln.  We'll have Robinette food artfully prepared by Rolling Fire Catering, locally made dessert from Gelato to Go, local beer from Blue Blood Brewing and wine from WunderRosa Winery just down the road! Visit this link for tickets and more info! http://robinettefarms.com/solstice

Climate Communities Weekly Webinar

Urban Agriculture. Sustainablilty Showcases - Lessons Learned from EPA's Greening America's Capitals Program. Thursday, June 13, 2013 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/586855747?utm_source=SCN+InBox+e-Newsletter&utm_campaign=50f839fa75-Newsletter_6-5-2013_Admin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_11e7ac761c-50f839fa75-170638353

Farm Tractor Safety in Woods and Woodlots

 
June 11th. 11pm. This webinar will discuss hazards and risks of using farm tractors in woods and woodlots.  Specific topics and issues to be covered include; roll over protection structure and falling object protective structure, pulling and dragging limbs and stumps, tractor stability principles, related machinery hazards, and preparing for woodlot emergencies. Presented by Dennis J. Murphy, Professor, Agricultural Safety & Health and Extension Safety Specialist, Penn State Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering.
https://meeting.psu.edu/PAForestWeb/

The Future of Residential Wood Heating: Growth or Collapse?

 

June 11th. 12pm. Presenter: John Ackerly , President, Alliance for Green Heat This webinar will look at future wood heat technologies and policies and assess whether engineers are a match for regulators in the US.  Upcoming EPA regulations may be so strict that they may undermine the wood stove industry, but affordable solutions could revolutionize wood heating in the US, and help it gain far more market share.  https://meeting.psu.edu/bioenergy -

Queen Rearing Workshop 

 

June 13 – 15. Ithaca. Queen Rearing Workshop (for experienced beekeepers).  See http://entomology.unl.edu/ for registration information.

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday June 13. North Platte. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Legal and Financial Clinic

Friday, June 14. Valentine. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Lighting for Health & Safety in Agricultural Settings

June 13th. 1pm. The goal of this one-hour webinar is to increase awareness of the importance of lighting to the design of healthy, safe, and accessible farm work, and to provide technical guidance on approaches to the identification and correction of lighting problems, particularly when assisting farm workers with visual problems.
https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_ey2ehUMsAd9F1ml

Are You a Supermarket Vendor or a Super Market Vendor?

June 13th. 1pm. While marketing your products at a farmers market is a great way to sell direct to customers and garner instant feed back about your products, it does require you work at providing customers with the best shopping and purchasing experience possible, if you want repeat business.  Simply putting your products out and waiting for customers  to make their selections and then pay you is the same as shopping at the supermarket. That's called transactional marketing. Instead, provide customers with a great shopping experience anchored by high quality products and you'll become a super market vendor. This is relationship marketing where the customer experiences a value-add connection with you as the producer.  This presentation examine the traits of highly successful market vendors including market organization, display techniques, signage, communications at the market and through social media, and the vital customer service techniques used by super market vendors. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/etc-cop

Nebraska Chapter SWCS Annual Meeting: Climate, Water & Soil Health
         
            June 13 – 15. Lincoln. More information at http://bit.ly/qhgspw.