Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Happy Thanksgiving!

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

November 24. Multiple locations.  Omaha at the Papio Missouri River NRD Bldg.,154th and Giles Rd. Tekamah at the City Auditorium, 1315 K St. West Point at the Nielsen Center, 200 Anna Stalp Ave. Franklin at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. Cambridge at the Cambridge Community Center.  For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

November 25th. Multiple locations. Aurora at Leadership Center. Bridgeport at the Prairie Winds Community Center. Curtis at the Community Center. Grand Island at College Park, Extension Meeting Room. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Opportunity

Non GMO Yellow Corn

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

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.

Growing Farmers, Growing Food

The Community Crops Growing Farmers workshops will help you learn the planning and production skills you need to start a market farm business. Learn from experienced growers, Extension Educators and business experts about sustainable vegetable production. Workshop topics will include: Seed Starting and Crop Planning, Functional Business Planning, Different Market Opportunitiesincluding farmers' markets, Marketing 101, Planning for Profit and Managing Your Risks, Field Management, 

GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) and Food Safety. More details, Register here:  http://www.communitycrops.org/growingfarmers

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

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

Upcoming

IPM in Crucifer Crops: Focus on the Yellowmargined Leaf Beetle

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

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

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

Introducing Radishes into the Organic Pasture Webinar

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

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Shh... Sustainability Happy Hour at PloughShare Brewing!

November 19. Lincoln. Lets talk local! Join us for the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society's Sustainability Happy Hour, as we tour Ploughshare Brewing Company in Lincoln. We will enjoy a tour of the brewery with brewmaster & Cicerone Matt and good conversation. We'll learn about Nebraska's newest brewery and their goals to be a sustainable brewery & restaurant. 

Shh.... is an event in the Nebraska area, centered around sustainability, local foods, local flavors and great conversation! We will have several Shh... events throughout the fall and winter, and we hope you will join us! Details and to rsvp here, 

shh.nsas@gmail.com 

Public Webinar: Pollinator Strategy Listening Sessions

November 17, 12pm – 2pm. Online. Sponsored by EPA and USDA. The EPA and the U. S. Department of Agriculture will hold two public listening sessions to solicit stakeholder input on the Pollinator Health Task Force’s development of a federal strategy. Feedback from the listening sessions will play an important role in the Task Force efforts to develop a federal strategy to reverse pollinator losses and help restore pollinator populations to healthy levels. Additional information is available online:http://www2.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/public-listening-sessions-pollinator-health-task-force

Structural Racism and Food Inequity

Monday, November 17 at 2:00 pm. This webinar will discuss the past, current and future work at NC A&T State University as a part of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) to address food systems inequities. The discussion will cover our history of youth work and community engagement in eastern North Carolina as well as statewide efforts and national engagement with organizations like the Inter-Institutional Network for Food and Agricultural Sustainability (INFAS) and the Center for Social Inclusion (CSI) as well as the WK Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to build shared language, a shared analysis and frame for food equity using race as a lens. http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/diversity

Leading the Way – How Women are Changing Board Rooms and Rural Landscapes

Tuesday, November 18 at 11:00 am. Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will discuss women's leadership roles in agriculture. As a daughter of farmers, Harden understands the changing face of agriculture and the need to create and expand opportunities in rural America. Harden's highest priority is to ensure that beginning farmers and the growing ranks of agriculture - women, young people, immigrants, socially disadvantaged producers, returning veterans and retirees - have access to the programs and support they need. As USDA’s third female Deputy Secretary, Harden is interested in building a strong and diverse future for women in agriculture. Deputy Secretary Harden will be joined on the webinar by Dr. Jewel Hairston, Dean at the Virginia State University College of Agriculture, and Kate Danner, a young farmer from Illinois. More than ever before, we see women manage farms and ranches, lead agricultural policy, and work at the helm of agribusinesses. The number of farms and ranches owned and operated by women has been steadily increasing over the past several years. We invite you to join for this webinar to discuss the future of the U.S. agriculture system and the importance of transferring knowledge, retaining talent, and supporting the women leaders of tomorrow.https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag 

Dehulling Ancient Grains Webinar

November 18. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar on dehulling ancient grains, presented by members of the NIFA OREI project: Value-added Grains for Local and Regional Food Systems. This webinar will provide an overview of the methods used to dehull grain and the components needed in a dehulling system. One focus will be on the current dehulling options for both larger-scale and small-scale growers, including custom dehulling, new and used dehullers, modification of milling/cleaning equipment to dehull, and building one’s own dehuller. The webinar will also focus on the economics of dehulling, including consideration of ancient grain yield, dehulling efficiency and costs, and prices for hulled and dehulled grain. The webinar is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. http://www.extension.org/pages/71272/

Webinar: Managing Outdoor Pests of Schools Using IPM

November 18, 1pm – 3pm. A part of the School IPM Webinar Series for school facility managers, IPM Coordinators, building and grounds supervisors, nurses, administrators, or pest management professionals.  See archived and future webinars in this series at this EPA web site. http://www.epa.gov/pestwise/events/sipm-webinars.html

Effective Use of Electric Fencing to Improve Grazing Management and Enhance Soil Health

November 19. This webinar is part of a series offered by the NRCS East National Technology Support Center. This webinar will focus on how to make effective use of temporary electric fencing for a variety of livestock species. Basic management and troubleshooting of electric fences will be covered as well as species-specific temporary fencing techniques. The discussion will include effective management of electric fences for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, and poultry. http://conservationwebinars.net/

"Why can't we stop Eating?"

November 19.  12:00 pm–1:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union in Lincoln. More information. Jolene Walker, 402.472.3862,jwalker5@unl.edu. Dr. Allen Levine from the University of Minnesota Department of Food Science and Nutrition will present a talk, “Why can’t we stop eating?” as part of the Nebraska Gateway to Nutrigenomics seminar series. This is a brown bag lunch with coffee and dessert provided.

Foraging for Food - Session I and II

November 19th. Online. A hunter-gatherer or forager society is a nomadic society in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies, which rely mainly on domesticated species. Anthropologists have remarked that the term foraging is a more appropriate description of the predominant food source for most non-agricultural groups: Gathering is a far more important source of food than is hunting for the majority of non-agricultural societies, according to Richard Borshay Lee. Join Rachel Brazil and special guests to learn how modern day foraging supplies fruits and other native species to supplement your food supply. https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/8726488799175434242

Plants that eat plants: Evolutionary and functional genomics of parasitic plants

November 19.  4:00 pm–5:00 pm. UNL's City Campus at the Beadle Center, 1901 Vine Street. Contact, Lisa Vonfeldt, 402-472-2635,BiotechPSIOffice@unl.edu. “Plants that eat plants: Evolutionary and functional genomics of parasitic plants” will be presented by Dr. Claude dePamphilis, Penn State University. A reception will be held at 3:30 p.m. The event is open to the public.

Iowa GAP Level 1 and 2

November 19 and 25. Sioux City, Iowa. The Iowa State University On Farm Food Safety Team will be hosting full-day GAPs workshops across Iowa during fall and spring. Levels 1 and 2 are each one-day workshops. http://bit.ly/12sLsxE

Organic Working Group Training and Outreach Webinar

November 20. From 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time, the USDA Organic Working Group (OWG) will host a webinar on organic training and outreach resources. The OWG is currently updating its Organic Literacy Initiative package, which includes the Organic 101 and 201 training modules, the "Is Organic an Option for Me?" brochure, and the USDA Organic Resource Guide. The OWG will open with a short presentation, and then ask for comments and discussion from participants. The OWG seeks feedback on how the current organic training materials are used, what information is most helpful, and what additional tools are needed. Pre-registration is not required for this webinar session. To participate: Step 1--Dial In by Phone: 866-740-1260. Access Code: 7202000. Step 2--Also Access the Web: http://www.readytalk.com. On the left side of the screen, enter Participant Access Code: 7202000

Crop Selection and Insect Management in High Tunnels Webinar

November 20. 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. This webinar will be led by Liz Maynard, Purdue Extension commercial floral and vegetable crops specialist. No registration is required. http://www.indianaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=770&yr=2014

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

November 20. Online. 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

Poultry Operations: Broiler and Layer Energy Conservation Opportunities

November 20. Online. This webinar is part of a series of free webinars on energy, presented by the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center and the National Energy Technology Development Team located at the West National Technology Support Center. Participants in this webinar will learn about the most important energy-using systems involved in broiler and breeder operations and the most effective energy improvement options. The webinar will address key differences between lighting systems (including CFL and LED) and electrical issues to consider when implementing upgrades. Viewers will learn about building envelope issues, such as the benefits and drawbacks with different types of insulation and options for curtain wall retrofits. The speaker will discuss heating and ventilation of poultry houses including performance differences between radiant and convective heating systems.http://www.conservationwebinars.net/

Considerations for Out-Wintering the Organic Dairy Herd Webinar

November 20. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar on considerations for out-wintering the organic dairy herd by Dr. Brad Heins. In this webinar, Dr. Brad Heins will describe a study that evaluated the effect of two winter housing systems on organic dairy production, somatic cell counts (SCC), body weight, body condition scores (BCS), and dry matter intake (DMI). The webinar is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. http://www.extension.org/pages/71817/

Food Safety for the Holiday Season

Thursday, November 20 at 1:00 pm. Holiday season is approaching. Cooking holiday meals is very challenging since you need to cook so many different foods at the same time and you could easily forget about food safety. This seminar will discuss food safety practices for cooking holiday meals (from shopping to leftover) and provide food safety tips during winter storm and/or power outage. Please register for this FREE webinar. Go to http://eden.lsu.edu/Conferences/SCAP/Registration/Registration, choose "Food Safety for the Holiday Season" from the drop down list, and complete the online form. 

Department of Agricultural Economics Seminar Series

 

November 21.  3:00 pm. Lincoln. Contact, Jane Witte, 472-1913, janewitte@unl.edu. Presented by Jim Vercammen, University of British Columbia. “A Welfare Analysis of Conservation Easement Tax Credits” http://agecon.unl.edu/seminar

Soil Health Webinar

November 21. Online. Registration is now open for a free Sustainable Farming Association Keep Cattle in Minnesota webinar featuring soil health experts Michael Lehman and Wendy Taheri of the USDA North Central Agricultural Research Lab in Brookings, South Dakota. The webinar is set for 1-2:30 p.m. In the first presentation, Cover Cropping: A Great Tool for Building Soils That Work, Lehman will consider the invisible world of soil microorganisms, how what they do that is helpful to producers, and how cover cropping is one management tool that promotes soil microorganisms and their beneficial activities. Taheri's presentation, Understanding the Importance of Diversity in Cropping Systems, will help farmers understand the importance of diversity in their cropping systems and the role cover crops play in creating and maintaining diversity. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/696479405526232577

Alternatives for Fire Blight Control Webinar

November 21. Online. This workshop is ideal for growers of organic apples and pears who need to prepare for or deal with a current fire blight infection in their orchards. Join CCOF for this timely webinar workshop on several viable and important alternatives to antibiotic fire blight treatment. http://www.ccof.org/alternatives-fire-blight-control-webinar

Opportunity

Non GMO Yellow Corn

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

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.

Growing Farmers, Growing Food

The Community Crops Growing Farmers workshops will help you learn the planning and production skills you need to start a market farm business. Learn from experienced growers, Extension Educators and business experts about sustainable vegetable production. Workshop topics will include: Seed Starting and Crop Planning, Functional Business Planning, Different Market Opportunities including farmers' markets, Marketing 101, Planning for Profit and Managing Your Risks, Field Management, 

GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) and Food Safety. More details, Register here:  http://www.communitycrops.org/growingfarmers

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

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

Local Food Movement Growing Nationwide

When you turn on the TV and see a commercial for a national big-box store bragging about its food being fresh from the farm, you know the local food movement is bearing fruit.

That was among the messages Nebraska beef and dairy farmer Bob Bernt brought to an audience of more than 100 people Wednesday afternoon. Bernt was one of five Nebraska experts on local food production who were brought together for a panel discussion as part of the Paul A. Olson Seminars in Great Plains Studies at the Great Plains Art Museum in downtown Lincoln.

Read the rest!

Got Sustainable, Beer....?

Ploughshare Brewing Co. Press Release              
For Immediate Release                                November 3, 2014          
Contact:          Matt Stinchfield
                        Cell:  402-318-1689
                        Work:  402-742-0420
                        Matt@ploughsharebrewing.com

Now On Tap!  Ploughshare Craft Beer
Ploughshare introduces four of its specially brewed beers to the public,

Lincoln, NE: Ploughshare Brewing Company, located downtown at 16 and P, is introducing their first four Ploughshare craft beers on Monday, November 3, 2014.  

Tailgate Red Ale.  With an unpretentious nod to all things red and the deeply rooted custom of tailgating before the game, Tailgate Red is a quaffable, refreshing beer, gently hopped, with a light caramel malt note and a toasty finish!

Farmboy Cream Ale. Ours is smooth session ale, lightly hopped and cold conditioned for an ultra-smooth taste you “don’t have to think about.” Farm Boy is a starting point for those just beginning their exploration of craft beer and for anyone else interested in a crisp, light-bodied, highly refreshing beer.

Percheron IPA has a solid malt backbone of premium pale malts, a kiss of caramel malt, and a prodigious hop character with an artful blend of resinous, piney, and citrusy hops. If you’re a “hop head,” Percheron is hands above the rest.

Weathervane Belgian-Styled Witbier distinguishes itself from the big named wheat beers by pointing in the direction of a more traditional recipe (40 percent raw wheat) and a nearly forgotten brewing technique called “turbid mash decoction.”  Ours is lightly spiced with a secret blend of East Indian spices and fermented with a characterful Belgian yeast strain.

In addition to serving its own amazing beer, Ploughshare Brewing Co. offers a rich seasonal menu that features traditional beer cuisine. Ingredients are sourced from Nebraska based producers and farmers, with a focus on sustainable resources and an emphasis on organic ingredients. Everything is made from scratch in house and the menu includes a selection of vegetarian and gluten free options. Special attention is given to crafting a menu that works harmoniously with Ploughshare beers.

Ploughshare Brewing Co. offers a rotation of craft beer on 12 taps. It also offers wine and non-alcoholic beverages, including fresh French pressed coffee and nostalgic sodas.  The brewery uses traditional brewing methods and styles, and sources only the highest quality ingredients for its beer.  Matt Stinchfield, Owner and Head Brew Master, opened Ploughshare Brewing Co. in July 2014.

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Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Local Foods on the Great Plains

November 12th. Sponsored by the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society and the Center for Great Plains Studies. Details. A panel of experts in the local food scene will talk about where the movement is going and what challenges the Great Plains faces as the movement continues to grow. Panel: William Powers, President, NSAS; Billene Nemec, Buy Fresh Buy Local ; Renee Cornett, Prairie Plate restaurant; Bob Bernt, Clear Creek Farm; Ruth Chantry, Common Good Farms. Speakers will be accompanied by several local food producers who will sample food items after the lecture. Samplers include: Common Good Farm, Darby Springs Farm, Clear Creek Farm, Branched Oak Farm. Panel at 3:30 p.m. at the Great Plains Art Museum at 1155 Q St. All lectures are free and open to the public. Immediately following the panel & reception there will be a BarnRaiser celebration at Ploughshare Brewing. Details can be found here

2014 Farm Bill Workshop

November 10, 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Arapahoe. Ella Missing Event Center.  For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Forest Cultivated Mushrooms Webinar

November 10. The American Tree Farm System offers this one-hour webinar. Ken Mudge, associate professor at Cornell University, will explore the four stages that a prospective mushroom grower must consider for forest cultivation of shiitake mushrooms. Acquisition of substrate logs, inoculation, resting, fruiting, and harvesting of mushrooms will be covered in this webinar.https://www.treefarmsystem.org/content21232

Grassland Studies 2014 Fall Seminar Series

 

November 10.  3:00 pm–4:00 pm. Lincoln at UNL's East Campus Union. Presented by Marty Schmer, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, “Comparing the bioenergy potential and greenhouse gas emissions of switchgrass and continuous corn.” Free and open to the public. http://grassland.unl.edu/upcoming-seminars

4th Annual Sustainability Roundtable

November 11.  5:00 pm–8:00 pm. Lincoln. Melissa Bakewell, 402 9608944, melissajbake@gmail.com. The Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) will be hosting a sustainability roundtable which will consist of five discussions led by various faculty members, community leaders, and knowledgeable professionals. Each topic will have a short introduction and then be opened to questions and discussions. Each conversation will last forty minutes, with topics including Transportation, Environmental Activism, Climate Change, Environmental Psychology, and Urban Farming.  The event is open to the public and attendees are not required to stay the entire time. Refreshments from various sponsors will be provided for all who attend. https://www.facebook.com/events/756917591028887/

Using Trap Crops to Control the Crucifer Flea Beetle Webinar

November 11. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar on using trap crops to control crucifer flea beetles, by entomologist Joyce Parker. This webinar explores the use of diverse trap crops, stands of plants grown to attract pest insects away from your target crop, as an approach to manage flea beetles in broccoli. The audience targeted are small farms, home gardeners and anyone interested in learning more about trap cropping. The webinar is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. http://www.extension.org/pages/71255

Cover Crops Field Day

November 12, 10am – 3pm. Axtell, KS. Topics to include soil health, covers and grazing on the farm, rainfall simulator, cover crop plot tour.  Free lunch at noon.   Questions and pre-registration: Contact Bill Buessing (785-336-1853 or billbuessing@gmail.com).

Sustainable Roses Series: Integrated Pest Management of the Rose

Wednesday, November 12 at 10:00 am. Everyone knows that rose gardening can be very challenging in Florida due to climate, insect pressures and disease incidence. This webinar is designed to introduce extension agents, master gardeners and advanced home gardeners to IPM techniques that will make rose gardening easy, fun and rewarding. Participants will learn techniques for minimization of insect and disease pressure. Also participants will be encouraged to develop an easy care rose plan. Objectives: Participant will be able to prevent disease through use of cultural practices and learn how to use fungicidal sprays strategically. Participant will be able to reduce insecticide use through use of scouting, beneficial insect and non-toxic methods. Participant will be able to develop a low or no-spray rose garden plan. http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/clce/webinars/

Small egg production flock: Cost evaluation of different housing systems

Wednesday, November 12 at 10:00 am. Thinking of starting a new small-scale commercial egg production flock? There are lots of decisions to make, including what type of production system to use - confinement, free-range, pasture-raised, etc. Dr. Ken Anderson from North Carolina State University will be discussing the costs involved in the different types of production systems, an important consideration when deciding what type of system to use. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

Biodiversity and Natural Resource Assessment on Organic Farms

November 13. Online. This IOIA webinar training course will cover Natural Resource Assessment for Organic Farms. It is an intermediate-level webinar training course 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. IOIA Trainer Garry Lean will present the course.http://www.ioia.net/schedule_web.html#nov13

Women, Food & Agriculture Network Annual Conference

November 14-15. Fairfield, Iowa. Join Women, Food & Agriculture Network for its 2014 annual conference, "Women Doing Democracy: Building Grassroots Coalitions to Grow Healthy Food and Farming in Your Community." The conference includes field tours, intensives, keynote speaker Karen Washington, and concurrent breakout sessions on topics including air and water monitoring, coalition-building, livestock confinement activism, tenant-landlady relations, resources for female beginning farmers (including veterans), the new farm bill, food safety regulations, and more. http://wfan.org/2014-wfan-annual-conference/

Farmer Veteran Stakeholders Conference

November 14-15. Des Moines, Iowa. Join the Farmer Veteran Coalition at the National Farmer Veteran Stakeholders Conference for networking, peer-to-peer learning, and to shape a strategy for long-term collaborations. Farmer Veteran Coalition is organizing the first national forum on programs for veterans pursuing careers related to food and agriculture. The conference will bring together veteran-serving and farmer-serving organizations to share lessons learned and explore new partnerships. All stakeholders from the agricultural and veteran communities are invited: non-profits, businesses, philanthropists, government agencies, trade associations, and educators. http://iowafarmerveteran.org/farmer-veteran-national-stakeholder-conference/

Harvest Dinner

Buy Fresh Buy Local® Nebraska, your statewide program for building community through locally grown food, is hosting our annual Harvest Dinner on November 16.  This year’s Harvest Dinner & Farm Tour theme, “Celebrating Local Food from the Ground Up! Dinner will be presented by Chef Renee, wife of Jerry Cornett and owner of Prairie Plate, a farm-to-table restaurant, located on Lakehouse Farm.  Chef Renee will create an elite four-course dinner embracing seasonal products from the Lakehouse Farm and Buy Fresh Buy Local® Nebraska family farmers and ranchers from across the state. www.buylocalnebraska.org

The Livestock Conservancy National Conference

November 14 -15. Austin, Texas. Come join America's leading organization working to protect nearly 200 livestock and poultry breeds from extinction and enjoy programs on conservation, animal husbandry, food, marketing, and more. Enjoy heritage-breed meals as you network with other attendees and talk one-on-one with experts in livestock and sustainable agriculture. http://www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/what/internal/conference

National Food Entrepreneur Program Seminar

November 15. Lincoln. University of Nebraska Food Processing Center is offering a one-day seminar for all individuals interested in exploring the idea of starting a food manufacturing business.  Please encourage interested individuals in your community to attend the “Recipe to Reality” seminar.  Pre-registration is required and space is limited.  Registration deadline is November 1, 2014. Contact Jill Gifford at 402-472-2819 or jgifford1@unl.edu for an information packet.

Milling Small Grains and Aquaponics Production

November 15. Panora, Iowa. At this Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Day, father-son team Earl and Jeff Hafner will show attendees their certified organic stone mill where they mill rye, buckwheat, wheat, and corn.They will also lead a tour of their aquaponics production area. Early Morning Harvest is an addition to Earl and Jeff Hafner's diversified cow-calf, hog and certified organic corn and soybean operation. Early Morning Harvest produces vegetables in an aquaponics greenhouse, a diverse variety of garden-fresh vegetables, eggs from pastured poultry, and flours made from certified organic grains. http://practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/

Opportunity

Non GMO Yellow Corn

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

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

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

The Fat of the Land

CERESCO -- It's hard not to romanticize about the agrarian life Crystal and William Powers are trying to build on their 40 acres of land three miles east of town. They call their place Darby Springs Farm, an Irish-sounding name that conjures up images of animals grazing in lush, green pastures. Then there's the two blond boys: Aiden, 3, and Liam, almost 1.

Neither of their parents have any Irish heritage, but Crystal likes Celtic stuff and William grew up on a dairy farm in Ohio that had a stream called Darby Creek. Their 40 acres in southern Saunders County has several natural springs. In 2007, the couple lived in Ithaca, New York, where Crystal was finishing up her master's degree in biological and environmental engineering at Cornell University. They moved back to Nebraska and searched for a year and a half before they found the place of their dreams.

"William has always loved dairy cows and we both love Nebraska and so we decided to come back to Nebraska and try to farm," Crystal said while trying to comfort a fidgety toddler at the kitchen table. She grew up on a farm near Edgar in Clay County and William on a farm near Plain City, Ohio, and has family on his father's side near Silver Creek in Merrick County. But they still consider themselves beginning young farmers. "Although we grew up on farms, it's still a steep learning curve," Crystal said. 

Read the rest!

Upcoming

Structural Racism and Food Inequity

Monday, November 17 at 2:00 pm. This webinar will discuss the past, current and future work at NC A&T State University as a part of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) to address food systems inequities. The discussion will cover our history of youth work and community engagement in eastern North Carolina as well as statewide efforts and national engagement with organizations like the Inter-Institutional Network for Food and Agricultural Sustainability (INFAS) and the Center for Social Inclusion (CSI) as well as the WK Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to build shared language, a shared analysis and frame for food equity using race as a lens. http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/diversity

Leading the Way – How Women are Changing Board Rooms and Rural Landscapes

Tuesday, November 18 at 11:00 am. Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will discuss women's leadership roles in agriculture. As a daughter of farmers, Harden understands the changing face of agriculture and the need to create and expand opportunities in rural America. Harden's highest priority is to ensure that beginning farmers and the growing ranks of agriculture - women, young people, immigrants, socially disadvantaged producers, returning veterans and retirees - have access to the programs and support they need. As USDA’s third female Deputy Secretary, Harden is interested in building a strong and diverse future for women in agriculture. Deputy Secretary Harden will be joined on the webinar by Dr. Jewel Hairston, Dean at the Virginia State University College of Agriculture, and Kate Danner, a young farmer from Illinois. More than ever before, we see women manage farms and ranches, lead agricultural policy, and work at the helm of agribusinesses. The number of farms and ranches owned and operated by women has been steadily increasing over the past several years. We invite you to join for this webinar to discuss the future of the U.S. agriculture system and the importance of transferring knowledge, retaining talent, and supporting the women leaders of tomorrow.https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag 

Dehulling Ancient Grains Webinar

November 18. Online. Join eOrganic for a webinar on dehulling ancient grains, presented by members of the NIFA OREI project: Value-added Grains for Local and Regional Food Systems. This webinar will provide an overview of the methods used to dehull grain and the components needed in a dehulling system. One focus will be on the current dehulling options for both larger-scale and small-scale growers, including custom dehulling, new and used dehullers, modification of milling/cleaning equipment to dehull, and building one’s own dehuller. The webinar will also focus on the economics of dehulling, including consideration of ancient grain yield, dehulling efficiency and costs, and prices for hulled and dehulled grain. The webinar is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. http://www.extension.org/pages/71272/

Effective Use of Electric Fencing to Improve Grazing Management and Enhance Soil Health

November 19. This webinar is part of a series offered by the NRCS East National Technology Support Center. This webinar will focus on how to make effective use of temporary electric fencing for a variety of livestock species. Basic management and troubleshooting of electric fences will be covered as well as species-specific temporary fencing techniques. The discussion will include effective management of electric fences for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, and poultry. http://conservationwebinars.net/

Food Safety for the Holiday Season

Thursday, November 20 at 1:00 pm. Holiday season is approaching. Cooking holiday meals is very challenging since you need to cook so many different foods at the same time and you could easily forget about food safety. This seminar will discuss food safety practices for cooking holiday meals (from shopping to leftover) and provide food safety tips during winter storm and/or power outage. Please register for this FREE webinar. Go to http://eden.lsu.edu/Conferences/SCAP/Registration/Registration, choose "Food Safety for the Holiday Season" from the drop down list, and complete the online form.