Showing posts with label Farm Service Agency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Farm Service Agency. Show all posts

Monday, June 22, 2015

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!

Marlowe Family Farms, Farmers Night Out!

June 25th. Marlowe Family Farms. On Thursday June 25 2015 starting around 6 pm we will be hosting a Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society "Farmer's Night Out" here on the farm. Farmers, ranchers and consumers are all welcome.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1596631777281616/

Ag Labor: Complying with the I-9 Process

Monday, June 22 at 11:00 am. Complying with federal and state labor laws can be complicated matters for not only agricultural producers but any business operator.  One aspect of federal labor law is verifying the individual is eligible to work in the United States.  On June 22, Dr. Shannon Ferrell, Oklahoma associate professor of agricultural economics, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University,will cover this topic and touch upon other issues related to federal labor laws.  The webinar is open to all and is free.  The webinar will be recorded for those unable to attend. Please register at https://aleii-9webinar.eventbrite.com.  Web address will be sent to you the day of.

Low Stress Cattle Handling Presentation & BQA Training

 June 22.  4:30 pm.  Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds. Contact Mr. Eirich, 308-632-1230reirich2@unl.eduAll producers are invited to attend this FREE educational event with a live cattle presentation by Curt Pate. Let us help you learn more about Beef Quality Assurance and how you can implement BQA management practices into your business. BQA certification is good for two years and costs $20.

Conservation, Soil Health and On-Farm Energy

June 22. Emerson, Iowa. Learn about the numerous conservation measures McGrew Brothers Farm has implemented in southwest Iowa, ranging from diverse cover crops to nutrient management. Attendees will also get to view a soil pit and discuss soil health issues. Steve McGrew will talk about the wind turbine they installed three years ago as a source of on-farm energy production.

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems in Agriculture: Preparing for Legal Issues

Tuesday, June 23 at 11:00 am. This webinar will address the current legal and future status of Unmanned Aerial Systems/Vehicles (UAVs) operation in the United States. Issues to be discussed include the current rules and conditions for operating UAVs, proposed regulations for small commercial UAVs released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in February of 2015, and the range of proposed and enacted state laws across the country dealing with concerns around privacy and trespass.  https://uaag.adobeconnect.com/r4ycgl69lq9/

NRCS and Wildlife Habitat in Urban Environments: Linking Farm, School, and Community Agriculture

June 23. Online. In this webinar, join Nancy Adamson to learn how NRCS staff and partners are working in urban areas to conserve and create wildlife habitat, while at the same time protecting watersheds and supporting agricultural production. The one-hour webinar begins at 2:00 pm Eastern. http://www.xerces.org/2015/04/15/nrcs-and-wildlife-habitat-in-urban-environments-linking-farm-school-and-community-agriculture-webinar/

Practical Talk on Pasture and Row Crop Farming

June 24. Coon Rapids, Iowa. Whiterock Conservancy staff will lead a conversation on past and present grazing systems. For several decades, the pasture program had been based around rotational grazing, but last summer introduced high-density grazing. Whiterock staff will outline future plans to expand this grazing program. The conservancy also has an active row-crop program and, in recent years, has partnered with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) on a microwatershed study looking at how planting perennials in waterways can improve water quality runoff – both tile and surface flow – in a no-till, contour farming corn-soybean rotation. ISA staff will discuss their findings, and Whiterock staff will outline their experiences with how to add prairie strips to a farm program. A representative from ISU's Science-Based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips (STRIPS) project will also be present to discuss the long-running project and its findings.

How to Implement Rotational Grazing in Equine Facilities

June 24. Online. This one-hour webinar is presented by the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center. Participants will learn about equine behavior and how management needs to be adjusted to have successful pastures on limited acres. The discussion will focus on pasture management and heavy use areas (sacrifice areas) and why they are important for a successful pasture. Conservation planners and others will learn how they can help horse owners develop and implement conservation practices on these acres. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/documents/planned-conservation-webinars

Sell What You Grow: Diversifying Your Market Opportunities

June 24. Online. Join ASAP, along with the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI), North Carolina Cooperative Extension, and Farm Service Agency (FSA) for a series of online workshops designed to help you manage risk for your farm. Join this webinar to learn more about the pros and cons of selling to a variety of local markets and how to determine if they are a good match for your operation. Find out more about strategies and tools for connecting with buyers and promoting your products.http://asapconnections.org/events/workshops-trainings/

Update on HPAI Mixed Origin Virus

Friday, June 26 at 1:00 pm. Dr. David  Schmitt, Iowa State Veterinarian and Dr. Beth Thompson, Minnesota State Board of Animal Health will provide an update on the HPAI mixed origin virus that has had a significant impact on the poultry industry in many states this year. Dr. Nathaniel Tablante, University of Maryland Extension Poultry Veterinarian, will moderate the session.http://connect.extension.org.iastate.edu/eden

Hands-On High-Tensile Fence-Building Workshop

June 27. Van Meter, Iowa. Join Ryan and Janice Marquardt at Wild Rose Pastures for a hands-on high-tensile fence-building workshop and lunch. They will cover the basics of corner construction, running high-tensile line, grounding and the best places to source (and not source) materials for building high-tensile fence. http://practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/field-days/

Little Sprouts :: Art in the Garden

June 27th. Creativity is an important part of gardening! Join us as we make music, play with colors, and more. Presented by Drew Dietle and friends! Little Sprouts is a weekly garden program for our young gardeners to learn and explore at City Sprouts. Open to the public, we encourage weekly participation but welcome one-time visitors as well! Free. http://omahasprouts.org/event/little-sprouts-art-in-the-garden/

Defensive Gardening

Saturday, June 27th 9am-12pm. Papillion: Defensive Gardening:  birds and the bees, bugs and disease, companions/guilds, problem-solving. http://www.keipos.org/classes-workshops.html

W.O.W. – Wings on Wildflowers

Saturday, June 27th. 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Plainview. Topics of the day: Native wildflowers & their importance to pollinators, Understanding the need for plant diversity in the environment,  Hand-harvesting native, wildflowers & tips on starting a plot. $40/person includes transportation, lunch, knowledgeable speakers & free stuff! Register by June 18th to: 402-582-4866 or email northeastrcd@plvwtelco.net




Opportunities

Car Pool to Farmers Night Out!

Hey I am looking for some adventurers to Marlowe Family Farm for the June 25th Farmers Night Out.  Perhaps a little river action and overnight?  Plans adjustable. Troy K-B,   kash-brown@inebraska.com

Dual Purpose, Grass-fed Shorthorn/Devon Herd for sale

We're looking to sell some/all of our wonderful Shorthorn/Devon herd. They have not been given any antibiotics, hormones, vaccinations or grain in the 4+ years we have owned them. We do not baby these cows and they do very well. They are dual purpose. Which means they work very well in our grass-fed beef operation but they also produce a lot of milk. I was told that the older cows had been milked at least once by the previous owners but we haven't actually milked any. We're more interested in developing our beef herd so some of the younger ones will have more of a beef influence.  We have 15 cows/heifers total that are available. Two of those have a strong Longhorn influence, though. About half are going to be in the 7-9 year old range. From there it goes to 5 year-olds and on down. We've been culling about 2-3 cows a year and adding 2-3 replacement heifers. We can be flexible on the timing. They are almost done calving so you can buy them as pairs or we can wait until the calves can be weaned and the cows are re-bred. My intent is to base the pricing on the Huss Livestock Market in Kearney. Ultimately, the pricing will depend on how many you want and how/when you want them (bred cows or pairs). The cattle are located in south-central/eastern Nebraska, in Thayer County, near Reynolds. Delivery is possible. Jon Yoachim, 402-309-4088jkyoachim@gmail.com

Farm Family Placement Opportunity

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

For Sale by Owner

Tekamah. (40+/- Acre farm with house & buildings). 
We have decided that we must downsize and are going to sell the farm. Please share with anyone you may know who is 
interested.  Northwest of Tekamah, Nebraska. Includes 5 
bedroom/3.5 bath raised ranch with walk-out basement house, Has two kitchens, oversized shower and whirlpool tub in 
master bath, plus walk-in closet. Property has been farmed organically for over 9 years, includes Morton machine shed, 
Butler livestock building and other small buildings. This farm has been ran to be self sufficient for several years. Farm 
does have underground wiring and a battery shed for solar power, solar panels do not go with farm, but all the 
underground wiring and permanent solar infrastructure stays. 
Call Rebecka Fleischman at 402-687-4149 for more information. 
More pictures available upon request. Schedule your tour today.

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

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

2014 Farm Bill - Conservation Compliance Changes | NRCS

The 2014 Farm Bill re-established the applicability of the Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation provisions to crop insurance subsidies, but the Farm Bill did not change how these were implemented in conservation programs. USDA is seeking comments on an Interim Final Rule, which would make official this change to conservation compliance provisions. Submit comments on regulations.gov.

Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions aim to reduce soil loss on erosion-prone lands and to protect wetlands for the multiple benefits they provide. HELC and WC provisions apply to all land that is considered highly erodible or a wetland, and that is owned or farmed by persons voluntarily participating in USDA programs, unless USDA determines an exemption applies. 
Producers, and any affiliated individuals or entities who participate in most programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Risk Management Agency (RMA) are required to comply with these provisions. Farmers seeking federal crop insurance premium subsidies for the 2016 reinsurance year must comply by June 1 by filing form AD-1026. The 2016 reinsurance year runs from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.


Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Survey 

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




Upcoming


Soil Health Field Day

June 29 & 30, 2015: Soil Health Field Day– Scott Gonnerman’s Farm in Waco, NE. Presentors are Dr. Will Brinton (Woods End Lab/Solvita), Ray Ward (Ward Laboratories) and Lance Gunderson (Ward Laboratories). Demonstrations and presentations on the importance of healthy soils. See more at: http://solvita.com/soil/upcoming-events#sthash.qOcXYKt0.dpuf

Monday, December 1, 2014

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Grassland Studies 2014 Fall Seminar Series
 
December 1.  3:00 pm–4:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union. Ctr for Grassland Studies, 402-472-4101grassland@unl.edu. David Wedin, School of Natural Resources, and the sod house team, will present “A sod house autopsy: Insights into prairies and homesteading a century ago.” Free and open to the public. http://grassland.unl.edu/upcoming-seminars

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 1st. Multiple locations.  Loup City at the Sherman County Community Center. Hartington at the Knights of Columbus Hall.Bloomfield at the Community Center.
For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

True Cost of Food

December 2nd, Urban Alley in Omaha. Watch the “True Cost of Food” video followed by a discussion on supporting alternatives to industrialized agriculture.  Co-sponsored by The Big Garden and the Humane Society of the United States. There will be an opportunity to make a free-will donation to support the on-going work of the Big Garden. https://www.facebook.com/events/948187555209361/?ref_dashboard_filter=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/

Entomology Seminar on Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks
 
December 2.  4:00 pm–5:00 pm. Lincoln.  Jeri Cunningham, 402-472-8678jcunningham1@unl.edu. “Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks” presented by Zachary Rystrom, entomology graduate student.

Nutrient Budgeting: Organic Considerations for Implementing 590 Webinar

December 2. This webinar is part of the series of organic webinars presented by NRCS East National Technology Support Center and Oregon Tilth. This session will equip participants with knowledge and resources to complete a nutrient budget to describe the application of nutrients to meet crop needs and improve soil health. The following will be covered: determining a crop’s nutrient needs; crediting sources of nutrients in the system including the contribution of cover crops and past soil management decisions; and determining the target nutrient application rate. The webinar will include a discussion of inputs commonly used in organic systems.http://www.conservationwebinars.net

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 2nd. Multiple locations.  Pender at the Pender Fire Hall. Fairbury at the Fairgrounds. Dakote City at the Extension Office. Broken Bow
For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Webinar: By the Numbers: What the Census of Ag Tells us About Women Operators

Tuesday, December 2. One of a 3-part series focuses on women's influence on agriculture and food security.  More information can be found at: 

The Value of Consumer Coops

December 3rd. Heidi Demars will update participants on current coop work as well as inform about the benefits of consumer coop purchasing. https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/4241252115500571650

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

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 3rd. Multiple locations.  Seward at the Fairgrounds. Columbus at Ag park. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

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/

Geography General Seminar

Geographic perspectives of Human Trafficking in the Great Plains. December 5. 2:00 pm. Lincoln. Jim Merchant,jmerchant1@unl.edu. Rebecca Buller, UNL geography lecturer, will present “Geographic Perspectives of Human Trafficking in the Great Plains.”

Recent advancements in switchgrass for bioenergy

December 5.  3:30 pm–5:00 pm. Lincoln. Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture, 402-472-2811agrohort@unl.edu. Presented by Robert Mitchell, USDA Research Agronomist and Adjunct Professor, UNL Dept. of Agronomy & Horticulture. Mitchell will provide updates on the bioenergy research conducted by USDA-ARS in Lincoln, discuss recent developments in the multi-location NIFA-CAP grant, and address potential pathways to commercialization.

2014 KFU Convention and Beginning Farmer Workshop

Manhattan. Convention: Thursday, December 4 – Friday, December 5. Join the Kansas Farmers Union Board of Directors and National Farmers Union Historian Tom Giessel for lunch and some early NFU history while learning how it developed into a modern-day ag organization. Day 2 begins with key findings from KRC’s Feeding Kansas report; an exploration of a potential Kansas aqueduct; and the nuts & bolts of starting a local food co-op. Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition Day: Saturday, December 6. Join the Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition for its 3rd annual Beginning Farmers Day. Featured presenter Cody Holmes of Rockin H Ranch. Complete details about both can be found at, http://www.kansasfarmersunion.com/convention/


Opportunity

Farm Beginnings Nebraska

Farm Beginnings® is an educational training and support program designed to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise.  Farm Beginnings® participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers; attend practical, high quality seminars, field days and conferences.  Classes begin January 3, 2015, and conclude on April 25, 2015.  They will be held at the Douglas/Sarpy Extension Office in Omaha.  For more information about the class and how to register can be found in the brochure at:

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. 

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 View: City dwellers can grow food in a risky climate

By TIM RINNE. It’s been a year of bad news for the security of our food supply. In March, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that “Throughout the 21st century, climate-change impacts are projected to further erode food security — particularly in urban areas and emerging hot spots of hunger.” All aspects of food security, the report stated, are potentially affected by climate change, “including food access, utilization and price stability.”

Then in May, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Agricultural Development Initiative (co-chaired by former Nebraska Congressman Doug Bereuter) issued a report warning that “Climate change will bring hotter temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and more frequent natural disasters. Farmers everywhere will be affected.” If these challenges are not addressed, “consumers will need to be prepared for higher food prices and potential food shortages.”

Read the rest!
Upcoming

The Beginning Farmer’s Introduction to Farm Law

December 8. Online. In this Farm Commons webinar, beginning farmers will get a preview of the many legal issues they should consider when just starting out with farming. What business entity should a farmer choose? Which insurance policies are really important? What about that farmland lease--when should it be written down and what should it say? Is there anything to know about farmers market sales, volunteers, or working with family members? This webinar will touch on all of these questions and more.http://farmcommons.org/beginning-farmer%E2%80%99s-introduction-farm-law-0

Put Your CSA on Strong Legal Footing

December 9. Online. This Farm Commons webinar provides an opportunity to learn how an attorney sees CSA and what you can do to protect your farm. This webinar will also discuss risks with farm volunteer programs and buying the right insurance.http://farmcommons.org/put-your-csa-strong-legal-footing

Webinar on NOP Organic Integrity Database

December 9. The AMS National Organic Program (NOP) and Information Technology Service (ITS) will host an interactive webinar regarding the development of the Organic Integrity Database. The NOP will open with a short presentation about the database development project, including its goals, current development priorities, and timeline. They will then invite feedback from the group about the database priorities, and any additional requirements that are critical to the organic community and consumers. Step 1: Dial In by Phone, Toll-Free (U.S. & Canada) 866-740-1260. Access Code: 7202000. Step 2: Access the meeting URLhttp://www.readytalk.com 
On the left side of the screen, enter Participant Access Code 7202000

Kansas Forage and Grassland Council Winter Conference and Annual Meeting

December 9. Manhattan, Kansas. The agenda includes sessions on integrating livestock with crops, managed intensive grazing, managing nitrates, and grazing grasslands. http://ksfgc.org/

Feeds and Feeding of Pullets and Layers Webinar

December 10. In this eXtension webinar, Dr. Paul Patterson from Penn State University will be discussing the feeding of replacement pullets and laying hens. Dr. Patterson is a nutritionist. The central theme of his extension and research programs is environmental poultry management. Efforts focus on discovering and promoting efficient poultry production systems that place minimum burden on the environment. https://learn.extension.org/events/1749

Grazing Guides for Dairy Systems Webinar Series: Tall Grass Grazing for Dairies

December 10. Online. Tall grass grazing has become a popular management practice for beef cattle in recent years. Learn how this practice is being applied to dairy grazing. This webinar is presented by Mena Hautau, Penn State Extension. This session is part of a monthly webinar series that will cover current research and basic management issues of interest to experienced, novice, conventional and/or organic, dairy grazers and industry representatives that support them. http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/events/grazing-guides-for-dairy-systems-webinar-series-tall-grass-grazing-for-dairies

Forest Botanicals: Deep and Tangled Roots

December 12. Online. This webinar is the last in a series on non-timber forest products, presented by the National Agroforestry Center, NIFA, the American Tree Farm System, and others. In this webinar, Eric Burkhart, faculty instructor at Pennsylvania State University, will share insights from his studies and involvement with native plant species on eastern U.S. forestlands that are wild-harvested for the domestic and international plant trade. Quality-control, profitability, and sustainability within this industry will be discussed. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=sodq9sgrbjol

Monday, November 24, 2014

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 locationsAurora 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/

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