Monday, October 27, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

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

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

Planning and Design of Stream Crossings Webinar

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

What are aquaponics?

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

Fall 2014 Biotechnology / Life Sciences Seminar Series

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

Basics of Poultry Health and Management

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

BioChar and Beyond

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

Haney and PLFA tests and soil health

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

Restoration Agriculture and Mob Grazing Workshop

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

Specialty Crop Workshop

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


Opportunity

Vegetable Operations Manager Position near Omaha

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

Vegetable Transplant Supplier Needed

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

Chickens, Goats & Cattle Sale

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

Quince

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

FarmTable Delivery is hiring

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

Farm for Sale in Western Nebraska

We have operated a pastured poultry (including processing) operation and a direct beef operation.  This would be an excellent opportunity for someone who would like to start a small scale sustainable agricultural business. We are having an auction on October 21st which will have all of our equipment for the pastured poultry operation (including processing equipment) and livestock equipment. The link for the auction is: http://www.helbergnussauction.com/selected_auction.php?Auction_ID=18
(check back often as we are still adding items). We also have our cattle herd for sale.  We will only sell them all to one buyer to keep the herd together.  The herd consists of approximately 40 cows and 3 bulls.  The herd is comprised of Angus and Angus/Lowline cross. If you have any questions, please call or email myself or my husband Dan. Dan's cell phone is 308-631-6849. Email iskathi@openabar2ranch.com 

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

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



News

Penalty flag for UNL leaders

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



Upcoming

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

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

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

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

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


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

Monday, October 20, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Basics of poultry processing

Tuesday, October 21 at 6:00 pm. Thinking of raising your own chickens or turkeys? Processing is always the biggest issue/problem. Dr. Tony Pescatore from the University of Kentucky will be going over the basics of processing poultry. Dr. Pescatore is a poultry extension professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. He's specialties include poultry production and management but he has many years of experience in a wide variety of poultry-related fields. He is active with the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit currently stationed at Kentucky State University. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

GMOs differ from hybrid seeds, how?

Matt Leavitt will explain the differences between GMOs and hybrid seeds. Learn how the procedure differs and make up your own mind about this hot topic. https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/1681866122952073729

Legal and Financial Clinic

Wednesday, October 22. Fairbury. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Webinar: Getting started with vegetable plasticulture

October 22. 6 p.m. Hosted by eXtension, MSU Extension educator Ron Goldy will present information on using plasticulture for vegetable production. Plasticulture involves the use of plastic mulch and drip irrigation for producing vegetables. This technique helps control weeds, is a more efficient use of water and nutrients and will bring crops into production earlier. https://learn.extension.org/events/1754#.VDu8eWddVIx

Nebraska Farm to School Summit

October 22. Aurora. If you are a farmer, grower, rancher, food service professional, teacher, student, or farm to school supporter, you are invited to make connections and build relationships. The agenda will include a lightning round of presentations that will highlight successful farm to school relationships, growing practices, policy development, and processing options. There will also be breakout sessions for the different farm to school stakeholders to hear from school and farmer panelists, and question/answer sessions.http://www.cfra.org/ne-summit-2014

National Small Farm Trade Show and Conference

October 23-25. Mexico, Missouri. The National Small Farm Trade Show & Conference is the largest annual small-farm show in the United States. The exhibition hall features vendors, seminars, three-hour short courses, and talks in the Farmers' Forum, as well as demonstrations, exhibits, association meetings, and more. Ideas and information on income opportunities for the family farm will be presented in seminars and short courses. Both traditional and alternative farming enterprises are covered for full- and part-time farmers, ranchers, gardeners, and landowners. http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/trade-show.html

Legal and Financial Clinic

Friday, October 24. Norfolk. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

From Recipe to Reality

Saturday, October 25. Lincoln. For anyone interested in exploring the idea of starting a food manufacturing business. Seebit.ly/Vk0mPG for more info.

Mother Earth News Fair

October 25-26. Topeka, Kansas. Mother Earth News Fairs deliver practical, hands-on training and experience taught by leading experts in renewable energy, organic gardening, sustainable agriculture, green home building, and more. Speakers will include Gary Paul Nabhan, Joel Salatin, and many others. http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/home.aspx



Opportunity

Vegetable Operations Manager Position near Omaha

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

Quince

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

FarmTable Delivery is hiring

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

Katahdin Breeding Ewes for Sale

We are selling our breeding flock of Katahdin sheep.  We have 6-9 ewes and 11 ewe lambs (born this past spring) available.  They are 100% grass fed, and are originally from Jubilee Farm in Kansas, a registered Katahdin breeder. Thanks, Alex McKiernan. 402.794.4025

OneCert seeking admin assistant

This is a full-time position in our Lincoln office. Contact Sam Welsch for more information. Sam Welsch, President. OneCert, Inc. 402-420-6080

Farm for Sale in Western Nebraska

We have operated a pastured poultry (including processing) operation and a direct beef operation.  This would be an excellent opportunity for someone who would like to start a small scale sustainable agricultural business. We are having an auction on October 21st which will have all of our equipment for the pastured poultry operation (including processing equipment) and livestock equipment. The link for the auction is: http://www.helbergnussauction.com/selected_auction.php?Auction_ID=18
(check back often as we are still adding items). We also have our cattle herd for sale.  We will only sell them all to one buyer to keep the herd together.  The herd consists of approximately 40 cows and 3 bulls.  The herd is comprised of Angus and Angus/Lowline cross. If you have any questions, please call or email myself or my husband Dan. Dan's cell phone is 308-631-6849. Email iskathi@openabar2ranch.com 

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

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



News

Fort Calhoun couple raises pigs a different way

Ben Godfrey has found his passion: pigs. “It’s a strange thing,” Godfrey said. “I’ve done every conceivable job, anything you can think of, at some point I have tried my hand in it and earned money in a lot of different ways.” But it wasn’t until Godfrey and his wife, Michelle, moved to their Washington County acreage that Ben realized this passion. Ben and Michelle raise pigs on pasture at Paradise in Progress Farms. “I haven’t ever found anything that I felt passionate about this way,” Ben said. “The pigs are amazingly friendly animals, and there’s something I get about them and they get about me.”  Read the rest here!



Upcoming

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

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

Planning and Design of Stream Crossings Webinar

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

Monday, October 13, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Using Cover Crop Mixtures Webinar

October 14. Online. Join eOrganic for the first webinar of the fall 2014 season. A team of researchers from Penn State University will discuss the use of cover crop "cocktails" or mixtures to achieve weed suppression, nitrogen scavenging, nitrogen provisioning, and attracting beneficial insects and pollinators. Results from a study of winter cover crops in a grain and forage research project at the Penn State Rock Springs Research Farm and from several Pennsylvania farms will be shown. They will also review issues of cover crop timing, termination, and general management to aid in farmer insight and adoption of cover crop mixes. The presentation will last an hour. The webinar is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required.  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/131444560

ATFS Webinar - Introduction to Excel

October 14th. 12pm.  Topics covered will include: Understanding the layout of excel, Easily format your sheet to better present information, Identify and eliminate duplicates, View multiple parts of your sheet and workbook at the same time, How to reduce typing in with the use of Autofill. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=7xz1ekku43ns

Backyard Bee Keeping

October 15th. 1pm. Backyard bee keeping and the importance of bees with William Klett. https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/6930077014884906754

Profiting from Layers, Broilers, Turkeys, and Ducks

October 15 – November 19. Online. This six-week online course from Cornell University is for aspiring or beginning farmers (individuals with limited or no experience with poultry rearing) seeking to learn about poultry production, marketing, processing, and sales of poultry and poultry products. The course includes webinars, discussions, readings, and assignments in the MOODLE virtual classroom. http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/bf-130-poultry-production/

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday, October 16. Lexington or Valentine. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up. 

Legal and Financial Clinic

Friday, October 17. Norfolk. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Linking Feed Management to Whole Farm Nutrient Management

Friday, October 17 at 1:30 pm CDT. Nutrients in feed is the primary source of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium that is imported to livestock and poultry farms. This month’s webcast will highlight a decision aid tool that follows the nutrients in feed all the way to the land application of manure for crop production. This tool estimates:
manure volume and nutrient content, land requirements for agronomic utilization of the manure, labor and land application equipment time requirements and travel distance of manure hauling, the costs associated with land application, the potential nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient value of manure, costs associated with feed changes.
The tool is web based for ease of use and includes an economic component so that manure nutrients are valued. The design of the tool allows for quick comparison of different feeding strategies and the impacts they have on whole farm nutrient management.http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/lpelc

Bioneers Summit Conference

October 17-19. San Rafael, California. The theme for this 25th anniversary conference is "Growing the Movement: The world we want and how to get there." This year the conference includes a track on Food and Farming, a pre-conference workshop on "Indigenous Women, Plants and Foodways," and a post-conference workshop on "Food System Resilience." http://conference.bioneers.org/



Opportunity

FarmTable Delivery is hiring

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

Laying Ducks for Sale

I have 6 khaki campbell laying hens a little over a year old that are coming out of moult and 5 welsh harlequin hens and 2 wh drakes from this spring hatch.  Asking $8 ea.  I will most likely be in Lincoln on Monday and could bring them and meet someone preferrably mid morning. Thanks, Robert. lnkrob@gmail.com

Katahdin Breeding Ewes for Sale

We are selling our breeding flock of Katahdin sheep.  We have 6-9 ewes and 11 ewe lambs (born this past spring) available.  They are 100% grass fed, and are originally from Jubilee Farm in Kansas, a registered Katahdin breeder. Thanks, Alex McKiernan. 402.794.4025

OneCert seeking admin assistant

This is a full-time position in our Lincoln office. Contact Sam Welsch for more information. Sam Welsch, President. OneCert, Inc. 402-420-6080

Farm for Sale in Western Nebraska

We have operated a pastured poultry (including processing) operation and a direct beef operation.  This would be an excellent opportunity for someone who would like to start a small scale sustainable agricultural business. We are having an auction on October 21st which will have all of our equipment for the pastured poultry operation (including processing equipment) and livestock equipment. The link for the auction is: http://www.helbergnussauction.com/selected_auction.php?Auction_ID=18
(check back often as we are still adding items). We also have our cattle herd for sale.  We will only sell them all to one buyer to keep the herd together.  The herd consists of approximately 40 cows and 3 bulls.  The herd is comprised of Angus and Angus/Lowline cross. If you have any questions, please call or email myself or my husband Dan. Dan's cell phone is 308-631-6849. Email iskathi@openabar2ranch.com 

Looking for Grazing Goats

I am looking for someone who has a herd of goats that would be interested in grazing them in Jefferson County for a while.  I have a number of young mulberry, red cedar, and Chinese elm trees in need of “management”.  The pasture is contained with high-tensile electric wire. Ralph & Carolyn Tate, All Things Natural, 

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

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



Upcoming

Basics of poultry processing

Tuesday, October 21 at 6:00 pm. Thinking of raising your own chickens or turkeys? Processing is always the biggest issue/problem. Dr. Tony Pescatore from the University of Kentucky will be going over the basics of processing poultry. Dr. Pescatore is a poultry extension professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. He's specialties include poultry production and management but he has many years of experience in a wide variety of poultry-related fields. He is active with the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit currently stationed at Kentucky State University. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

Webinar: Getting started with vegetable plasticulture

October 22. 6 p.m. Hosted by eXtension, MSU Extension educator Ron Goldy will present information on using plasticulture for vegetable production. Plasticulture involves the use of plastic mulch and drip irrigation for producing vegetables. This technique helps control weeds, is a more efficient use of water and nutrients and will bring crops into production earlier. https://learn.extension.org/events/1754#.VDu8eWddVIx

National Small Farm Trade Show and Conference

October 23-25. Mexico, Missouri. The National Small Farm Trade Show & Conference is the largest annual small-farm show in the United States. The exhibition hall features vendors, seminars, three-hour short courses, and talks in the Farmers' Forum, as well as demonstrations, exhibits, association meetings, and more. Ideas and information on income opportunities for the family farm will be presented in seminars and short courses. Both traditional and alternative farming enterprises are covered for full- and part-time farmers, ranchers, gardeners, and landowners. http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/trade-show.html

Mother Earth News Fair

October 25-26. Topeka, Kansas. Mother Earth News Fairs deliver practical, hands-on training and experience taught by leading experts in renewable energy, organic gardening, sustainable agriculture, green home building, and more. Speakers will include Gary Paul Nabhan, Joel Salatin, and many others. http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/home.aspx

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Local Foods Job Opportunity!

FarmTable Delivery, a new local food distribution business based in West Central Iowa is HIRING


We really need a driver ASAP
Qualifications include:
- Experience driving an 18ft vehicle
- Experience driving a diesel vehicle
- Good driving record
- Familiar with driving in Omaha, Des Moines, Lincoln a plus! 
- Detailed orientated
- good time management skills
- a people person 

Right now, 10-15 hours a week. Will increase as company grows. Will Train! Pay based on Experience. 

SEND RESUMES with REFERENCES TO farmtabledelivery@gmail.com 
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD
---
Ellen Walsh-Rosmann
 
Pin Oak Place at Rosmann Family Farms, Fresh, Local, Organic
Phone- 712-579-1933 
 
Farm Table Delivery & Procurement, Local Food Sourcing and Distribution

Monday, October 6, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Effective Management of Farm Employees

Monday, October 6 at 12:00 pm CDT.  Durst and Moore will discuss the results of phone interviews with 158 employees from 11 dairy farms, including: Employee turnover rate and employee engagement, Management makes a difference, Focus employees on achieving performance standards, Providing opportunities to learn and develop, Language and cultural barriers. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/dairexnetwebinar/

Grassland Studies 2014 Fall Seminar Series
 
October 6.  3:00 pm–4:00 pm. Ctr for Grassland Studies, 402-472-4101grassland@unl.edu. Presented by David Bohnert, Ruminant Nutritionist and Extension Beef Cattle Specialist at Oregon State University and Director of the Eastern Oregon Agriculture Research Center, Burns, OR, “Nutritional management: Strategies for efficient beef production in a rangeland environment.” Free and open to the public. http://grassland.unl.edu/upcoming-seminars

Organic Farming and Soil Health Webinar

October 7. In partnership with Oregon Tilth, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's East and West National Technology Support Centers are pleased to present "Understanding Organic and Sustainable Agriculture" webinars in 2014. This discussion with Kris Nichols will feature new research on soil health from the Rodale Institute, a leader in organic agriculture which hosts the longest-running side-by-side U.S. study comparing conventional chemical agriculture with organic methods. http://conservationwebinars.net/

Entomology Seminar on Invasion Biology and Management of the Coconut Leaf Beetle
 
October 7. 4:00 pm–5:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union. Contact: Jeri Cunningham, 402-472-8678jcunningham1@unl.edu. “Invasion Biology and Management of the Coconut Leaf Beetle, Brontispa longissima Gestro (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)” presented by Jelfina Alouw, Entomology Graduate Student

Composting Workshop - Lincoln, NE
 
October 7.  6:00 pm. Charles H. Gere Library, 2400 S. 56th St. Lincoln. Contact: Sarah Browning, UNL Extension in Lancaster County, 402-441-7180sbrowning2@unl.edu

Ideas for Enhancing Sheep Production

Wednesday, October 8. Learn about designing sheep production systems to match animals to resources to markets. Joe will briefly cover breeds, breeding programs, nutrition/health, reproduction, and product quality (meat and wool). If time allows, he will also touch on facilities and pasture management. Raised on a small family farm in Pennsylvania, Joe’s experience with livestock includes managing sheep farms in New York, butchering, genetic evaluation, teaching, and judging. He seeks to help Vermont's diversified livestock farms improve their efficiency, product quality, and marketing. https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=2009421&password=M.3943432D2605CE726D1CBCC6314635

Natural Legacy Conference

October 8 – 9. Gering. For natural resource professionals and conservationists to gather to learn about important actions taking place in the state for wildlife habitat and at-risk species.  A conference flyer is available here, and free registration can be completed here. http://shopoutdoornebraska.ne.gov/Events/

Life Cycle Assessment of Foods Conference

October 8-10. San Francisco, California. The American Center for Life Cycle Assessment will host the ninth international conference, LCA Foods 2014, which unites the scientific community with food industry professionals, researchers, academics, and policymakers. This will be the first time the conference is held outside Europe and it is an opportunity to enhance U.S. agriculture through sustainability. The event combines a scientific academic focus with a food expo to demonstrate that sustainability is measurable and therefore doable. http://lcafood2014.org/

SNR Fall Research Seminar

Assessment of simulated crop yeilds by considering soil uncertainty. October 8.  3:30 pm. UNL's East Campus,  Hardin Hall Room: 107 (Auditorium). The seminar is free and open to the public.

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday, October 9. North Platte. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.

Webinar: Local Food Systems in Nebraska-Successes, Challenges and Barriers

Thursday, October 9, 1:30pm – 3:30pm. This webinar will provide information from interviews with residents involved in developing local and regional food systems throughout Nebraska. Interviews and case studies resulting from the interviews will focus on successes, best practices, challenges, and barriers to local and regional food systems in Nebraska.  It will be part of a long-term effort to develop local and regional food systems in rural Nebraska communities and develop food systems in the state that benefit farmers, ranchers and rural communities.  View the webinar at:https://connect.unl.edu/r7vxif9msg8/

Insect Management in High Tunnels

October 9. Online. Purdue Extension is offering a series of free webinars and workshops providing essential how-to and background information on topics related to year-round growing. For this one-hour webinar, the presenter will be Rick Foster, Purdue professor of pest management, vegetable and fruit crops, and Extension coordinator. http://www.indianaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=770&yr=2014

Organic Inputs: Options and Opportunities for Improving Crop Health and Productivity Webinar

October 9. OEFFA and the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy have partnered to offer this webinar and other educational opportunities designed to address the business and production aspects of managing successful specialty crop operations. This webinar will review key concepts and principles involved in choosing organically acceptable inputs. Details that will help growers make sound and profitable choices for their operations will be provided. This webinar will be presented by Brian McSpadden Gardener, Ph.D. He is a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the Ohio State University. http://www.oeffa.org/events.php

Manage Your Forest for Pine Straw and Rake in the Profits

October 9. Online. This event is part of an eight-session series of webinars on non-timber forest products during fall 2014. In this free, hour-long session, Becky Barlow, Alabama Cooperative Extension Forestry Specialist, will present on harvesting pine straw and will cover other decorative non-timber forest products. https://www.extension.org/sites/default/files/Webinar%20Line%20Up%20.pdf



Opportunity

Farm for Sale in Western Nebraska

We have operated a pastured poultry (including processing) operation and a direct beef operation.  This would be an excellent opportunity for someone who would like to start a small scale sustainable agricultural business. We are having an auction on October 21st which will have all of our equipment for the pastured poultry operation (including processing equipment) and livestock equipment. The link for the auction is: http://www.helbergnussauction.com/selected_auction.php?Auction_ID=18
(check back often as we are still adding items). We also have our cattle herd for sale.  We will only sell them all to one buyer to keep the herd together.  The herd consists of approximately 40 cows and 3 bulls.  The herd is comprised of Angus and Angus/Lowline cross. If you have any questions, please call or email myself or my husband Dan. Dan's cell phone is 308-631-6849. Email iskathi@openabar2ranch.com 

FarmTable Delivery is hiring

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

Spent Brewing Grains Available, Omaha

There is a new brewery opening up in Omaha that has an immediate need to get rid of spent brewing grains. They would much rather get them to a farmer or into a composting program, or both. John Fahrer , jrfahrer@gmail.com,  402-321-0416

Carbon Sequestration

I am trying to find out how much carbon is sequestered each year under ground on a tallgrass prairie that has not reached its peak storage capacity.   Looking for the amount sequestered per acre , ha per year. I am also looking for graph of the capacity of carbon storage over time in a recreated tall grass prairie.  I attend a lecture were the presenter had a graph that showed that a tallgrass praire reached its peak of storage at 100 years. I can not find or remember the name of the presenter other than that it was a young women not from Iowa or Nebraska.  Thanks Glenn, pollockg@cox.net, home 4025716230.

Looking for Grazing Goats

I am looking for someone who has a herd of goats that would be interested in grazing them in Jefferson County for a while.  I have a number of young mulberry, red cedar, and Chinese elm trees in need of “management”.  The pasture is contained with high-tensile electric wire. Ralph & Carolyn Tate, All Things Natural, 





Upcoming

Using Cover Crop Mixtures Webinar

October 14. Online. Join eOrganic for the first webinar of the fall 2014 season. A team of researchers from Penn State University will discuss the use of cover crop "cocktails" or mixtures to achieve weed suppression, nitrogen scavenging, nitrogen provisioning, and attracting beneficial insects and pollinators. Results from a study of winter cover crops in a grain and forage research project at the Penn State Rock Springs Research Farm and from several Pennsylvania farms will be shown. They will also review issues of cover crop timing, termination, and general management to aid in farmer insight and adoption of cover crop mixes. The presentation will last an hour. The webinar is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required.  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/131444560
Bioneers Summit Conference

October 17-19. San Rafael, California. The theme for this 25th anniversary conference is "Growing the Movement: The world we want and how to get there." This year the conference includes a track on Food and Farming, a pre-conference workshop on "Indigenous Women, Plants and Foodways," and a post-conference workshop on "Food System Resilience." http://conference.bioneers.org/