Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!

Farm Beginnings Nebraska

Beginning January 9th in Weeping Water. Nebraska Extension will offer the Farm Beginnings Program for the eighth year, beginning Jan. 9 in Weeping Water. The program provides educational training and support to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise. Participants engage in a mentorship experience, network with a variety of innovative farmers and attend practical, high-quality seminars, field days and conferences. The program is unique in that several successful farmers participate as presenters, explaining firsthand the nuts and bolts of their farming operations. While not a program for someone wanting to get into conventional farming, it has attracted several people interested in farming on a smaller scale, some who have migrated from urban to rural areas. The program provides an opportunity for people interested in learning about growing alternative crops, producing fruits and vegetables for direct sale, or growing livestock for direct marketing to hear about these types of farming from those who are making a living from them. If interested, participants can request a farm mentor. For details contact Gary at glesoing2@unl.edu

The What, Why, and How of Choosing and Organizing a Business Entity for the Farm

January 5th. Online. In this Farm Commons tutorial, learn all about partnerships, LLCs, S corporations, C Corporations, and cooperatives. This tutorial will go over how to choose amongst these choices as well as what goes in to organizing and maintaining a business entity. Do you need bylaws or an operating agreement--and what should go in those documents? How much does it cost to form an LLC or a corporation? And what exactly is an S corporation, anyway? The tutorial will also address entity structures for the farm business and some tax aspects of business entities. http://farmcommons.org/what-why-and-how-choosing-and-organizing-business-entity-farm

Diagnosing and Monitoring Ketosis in Dairy Herds

Tuesday, January 5 at 12:00 pm CST. Presented by: Dr. Gary, Oetzel, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ketosis is the most common metabolic disease in dairy cattle, and it's important to be able to identify individual cows with ketosis as well as monitor herd prevalence. Join us on January 5th to hear Dr. Oetzel discuss the testing process, including which tests can be used, the pros and cons of different tests, and testing strategies that you may be able to use. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/dairexnetwebinar/

Mitigating Risk & Improving Resilience of Orchards in a Changing Climate

January 6th. Online. This webinar from Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture will look at the specific implications of climate change to orchard crops, and ways to adapt and mitigate risk to fruit crops through new agricultural technologies to mitigate heat stress, and increasing and selecting for varietal diversity. http://pasafarming.org/events/pasa-events/pasa-webinar-mitigating-risk-improving-resilience-of-orchards-in-a-changing-climate

Raising chickens for meat production

More people desire to purchase meat locally. That has resulted in increased small-scale chicken meat production farms. This webinar will discuss breed choice, housing options, feeds and feeding as well as food safety concerns related to local chicken meat production. 

https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/poultry

Webinar: Roundtable for Insurance

January 7. Farm Commons hosts this open webinar where farmers can discuss with experts the concepts of insurance and risk management. Together, attendees will evaluate and share money-wise solutions and strategies. https://farmcommons.org/roundtable-insurance

Brown-bag on “Multi-use” Swiss Army Landscaping

January 7.  12:00 pm–1:00 pm. UNL's Keim Hall. Contact Karma Larsen, 402-472-7923,klarsen1@unl.edu for more info.  Graham Herbst, Community Forestry Specialist, uses the term “Swiss Army Landscaping” to refer to multi-use plants and landscapes that better connect people to their outdoor spaces. “Rather than just designing our landscapes for ornamental qualities, we should consider how to make them more compelling and engaging us in new, unique ways.” Anyone wishing to listen in can take part online at:connect.unl.edu/brownbag. The presentations are also available afterwards at arboretum.unl.edu/brown-bags. 

OCIA Workshop Discussions 

January 9th. OCIA NE Chapter #1 sponsors a Three Topic Discussions on Organic Domestic & Foreign Marketing, Organic Proposed Check-off Program, and an OCIA Farmer Round table. At Columbus Community College, West Education Center, 4500 63rd Street, Columbus, January 9th at 1:30 p.m. . The event is free and open to the public.  No registration is needed, refreshments will be provided.   For more information about this event contact Kim @ 402-620-2701, ociane1@yahoo.com  or visit us on Face Book:   Nebraska Organic Crop Improvement Association Chapter 1

Great Plains Growers Conference and Trade Show

January 7-9. St. Joseph, Missouri. Great Plains Growers Conference combines the Great Plains Vegetable Conference and Mid-America Fruit Conference. The three-day conference for beginning and seasoned growers features presentations by knowledgeable speakers from throughout the nation. The conference showcases educational information from five states: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. http://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org/

Opportunities

Growing Farmers Training Program

January to April 2016. If you want to start your own small farm, the Community Crops Growing Farmers Winter Workshops are just for you! This series of twelve workshops is designed to give you a solid foundation from which you can build your own successful small farm business. In addition, graduates who need land are eligible to farm at the Prairie Pines Incubator Farm. For more information: http://www.communitycrops.org/growingfarmers

Cropland

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

Survey seeks opinions of women livestock farmers

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

Farm Family Placement Opportunity

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

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

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

Upcoming

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

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

How much revenue does it cover? How much does it cost? What yield or income records are required? How do I decide if this is worthwhile for my operation? Register

The New NRCS Division of Soil Health: Approach and Benefits

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

Artisanally Crafted. Locally sourced. Nebraska Libations!

Glacial Till Vineyards & Ploughshare Brewing to pour at PCCA Event!

Celebrating the Fabric Local Foods

Got Beer? Got Wine?  #5LocalChefs will at this Sundays annual Producer Choice Chef Awards! Not only will attendees enjoy awesome local foods, but they'll enjoy awesome local libations! Nebraska vinters Glacial Till and Nebraska Craft Brewery Ploughshare will provide their latest locally crafted beverages.  

With their dedication to local agriculture and local foods, we are excited and honored to have Glacial Till and Ploughshare Brewing be a part of the annual Celebration the Fabric of Local Foods Events!

About Glacial Till Vineyards, @GlacialTill 

In the spring of 2003, we planted the first vines on our property located southeast of Lincoln, Nebraska, in Otoe County, near the township of Palmyra. The vines took root in our terrior, known as glacial till and have been growing strong ever since. Glacial till is a fertile, rocky soil that was deposited thousands of years ago when the glaciers that covered North America receded. Terrior not only describes the soil, it is also reflected in the orientation of the land, micro climate, viticulture practices and wine making process.  

          

Our vineyard and winery, Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery, takes its name from our soil. Additionally, our terrior can further be defined as a north sloping hillside, providing a cooling effect on the grapes during the hot dry summer; and both water and cold air draining to creeks and ponds located nearby at lower elevations. All of these factors add up to what we call the terrior of Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery, as well as our mission, “crafting unique and quality wines from the ground up.” Glacial Till Vineyards!

About Ploughshare Brewing Co, @ploughsharebrew

Ploughshare Brewing Co. offers a rotation of our beers, handcrafted on site. We have seven year-round brews and four special seasonal beers released quarterly.  The brewery uses traditional brewing methods and styles, and sources only the highest quality ingredients for its beer.  In addition to our own beer, we will always highlight some of our personal favorites from our friends in other breweries.  The brewery also offers wine, gluten-free beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, including fresh French-pressed coffee, sparkling water, and nostalgic sodas. 

To increase your enjoyment of our amazing beer, Ploughshare Brewing Co. offers a delicious seasonal menu of our famous house-made soft pretzels, Ploughman's Platters, our Tailgate Red bratwursts, and daily dessert specials. Our menu offerings are crafted to pair harmoniously with Ploughshare beers. Ingredients are sourced from Nebraska-based producers and farmers, with a focus on sustainable resources and an emphasis on organic ingredients. Everything is made in house from scratch. 

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

Check us out online:

Facebook

Instagram 

Twitter

YouTube

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

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

For more information:

Call: 402.502.1642 and ask for Susan

Email: chefawards@gmail.com 

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods!

Farmers Night Out! Visits Axtell!

August 21st. Join Roberts Seed for a Farmers Night Out! this Friday in Axtell. We'll tour their facility and we'll also get to tour their neighbor, Thunderhead Brewing's facility. Roberts Seed is a specialty grain and grain related products company located in the heart of the USA, Nebraska. We supply certified organic and non-GMO grain and grain related products for food, seed and feed markets. Thunderhead Brewing has been brewing Ales and Lagers in Central Nebraska Since 1999. https://www.facebook.com/events/1610626299200424/

Local Food and Sustainable Ag Tour

August 18th. The Nebraska SARE Program is sponsoring a tour that focuses on local food production and sustainability.  We have plenty of room available and are  opening this tour up to the public.  This will be an opportunity to learn more about local food production, sustainability and entrepreneurship in Nebraska.  Master Gardeners and anyone interested in learning about these issues are also welcome to participate in this tour. This tour is of 5 farms/sites where you will have an opportunity to see diverse farming operations.  The tour will leave Lincoln from the large parking lot at 56th & Highway 2 (north of CVS) in the southeast part of Lincoln.  The tour is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18th and we will be leaving the parking lot at 8:30 a.m.  and traveling in an air-conditioned bus.  Our first stop on the tour is Jones Produce, which is located southwest of Lincoln, near Crete.  The cost of the tour which includes transportation and lunch is $25.00. You can also apply for a SARE Travel Scholarship to pay for this registration cost and travel to the pickup site in Lincoln.   Register by calling our office at (402) 274-4755 or emailing me at glesoing2@unl.edu.    

Neely-Kinyon Organic Ag Field Day

August 18. Greenfield, Iowa. Organic agriculture specialist Kathleen Delate and Cynthia Cambardella (USDA-ARS) will present results of research underway at Neely-Kinyon Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm, including the farm's Long Term Agroecologcial Research (LTAR) study, organic no-till for vegetable production, and the new Integrating Livestock in Organic Cropping Systems NIFA project. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/calendar/2015-08-18/neely-kinyon-organic-ag-field-day

“Feeding Our Feathered Friends” Webinar - Citizen Science intro

Wednesday, August 19 at 12:00 pm CDT. From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a chance to learn about bird watching and an intro to their citizen science projects. Feeding birds can spark kids’ curiosity, interest in the outdoors and engagement with science! In this webinar, you’ll find out how you  and the youth you work with can: Make your own feeders and create a bird garden; Decide where and when to hang your feeders in order to attract a variety of birds; Learn to identify birds and participate in our citizen science projects. http://www.birdsleuth.org/events/category/webinar/

Ask Me Anything Session – Social Media

Thursday, August 20 at 3:00 pm CDT. Join Victor Villegas (aka DroneSinger) for an AMA session on social media. This will not be a presentation but rather an open forum to ask questions about anything social media - strategy, tactics, tips... if you have a question, Victor will try to answer it. Victor is the Technology & Media Support Coordinator for Oregon State University Extension, chairs the ACE IT SIG and enjoys helping people learn how to use technology to improve their work and lives. Victor's social media claim to fame is via his online persona - DroneSinger, the world's #1 creator of drone songs. He creates funny parody songs to educate and bring attention to drone issues and culture while encouraging safe and responsible flying. http://oregonstate.adobeconnect.com/ace/

NGFN Webinar: One-Page Cost-Benefit Analysis Tool

August 20. Online. The National Good Food Network offers an opportunity to learn about the One-Page Cost-Benefit Analysis Tool in this webinar. Recently created by Farm Credit, this tool is designed to make your difficult purchasing (or other financial) decisions a little easier. Join this one-hour webinar at 1:30 PM MDT to learn how this powerfully simple tool can help your business today, or how you can use this tool to assist the farms and other business owners you work with. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7547274677638746369

Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Soil Health

August 21. Salina, Kansas. This Amazing Grazing event features Larry Simpson of Mycorrhizal Applications and a tour of The Land Institute with Wes Jackson. Reestablishing a mycorrhizal fungal element to crops as well as understanding the role of mycorrhizal fungi in soil and plant health will be the focus of the full-day workshop. http://www.kansasfarmersunion.com/events/amazing-grazing-events/

Agronomic and Environmental Uses of Biochar - Part 2

Friday, August 21 at 1:30 pm CDT. Biochar is a charcoal-like material generated during the pyrolysis of biomass. The high carbon (C) content of biochar and its recalcitrant nature has led to much interest in using biochar to sequester C from the atmosphere by incorporating it into soils. Additional benefits to incorporating biochar into soils include reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases; improving soil physical and chemical properties; increased water retention; increased crop yields; and increased soil retention of nutrients, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial pathogens. In this 2-part webcast, we will provide a general overview of the history of biochar use, how biochar is produced, and give examples of how biochar is being used for agronomic and environmental purposes.http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/lpelc

Cover Crop Bus Tour

August 22. Salina, Kansas. An all-day bus excursion will highlight the benefits of using cover crops, with tours of a Star Seed test plot and four farms using cover crops. This event is part of the Amazing Grazing summer 2015 series. http://www.kansasfarmersunion.com/events/amazing-grazing-events/

Farm Tour: Crimping, Flaming and Integrating Livestock in Sustainable Cropping Systems

August 22. The farm tour will start at 1:30 p.m. at Larry Stanislav's farm two miles north of Abie. Farmers will learn about increasing soil health by incorporating cultural practices using a crimper and flamer to manage weeds and reduce tillage. At 3 pm Liz Sarno will talk about her grass­finish Devon Beef cattle operation and review pasture management, intetgrating cattle into the cropping system, solar­electric fencing and the Nebraska made “Safety Zone Calf Catcher”; which allows one person to process calves safely. Final stop at 4 pm participants will tour Randy Fendrich's farm. Fendrich has demonstration plots of organic corn varieties that he is evaluating for yield. At 6 pm a free evening meal will be served by Fendrich family; call Wendy 402­584­3837 to reserve your meal and allow the family to plan enough food for the evening. This is a great opportunity for farmers to discuss sustainable farming practices, cover crops, reduction of tillage and manage weeds with a roller crimper and flamer and integrating cattle into your cropping system. For more information contact Liz @ organicu2@windstream.net.

Opportunities

Bull for Sale

Summary info and pics here on Craigslist link:  http://omaha.craigslist.org/grd/5132152665.html. Happy to provide additional information – call or email offline. Bloodlines are known: Dam:  Radiance Dairy (Francis Thicke), Fairfield IA. Sire: Holt Creek Jerseys (Ben Gotschall). Randy Wattermann, Wattermann Family Enterprises, Inc. wattermann@skyww.net, 402-372-5005

Pastured Feeder Pigs for Sale

Eleven pastured feeder pigs. 5 male, 6 Female. Unaltered. These pigs are two-three months old and between 40-50 lbs. They have been born and raised on pasture. They are weaned. We supplement the pasture with brewers grains from two local breweries and with expired produce from Whole Foods. Pigs located in Fort Calhoun. bgodfrey@oppd.com.  See more at: http://www.bestfarmbuys.com/classifieds/detail.php?classified_id=190339&category=Hogs#sthash.2Thc4BcL.dpufhttp://www.bestfarmbuys.com/classifieds/detail.php?classified_id=190339&category=Hogs#sthash.2Thc4BcL.dpuf

OneCert Inc is hiring

OneCert Inc.is an Accredited Organic Certification Agency based in Lincoln, Nebraska. We have an open position for a full-time Administrative Specialist. Inquiries can be sent to jobs@onecert.com. Thanks! Margaret Milligan, Certification Specialist, OneCert Inc. (402) 420-6080, Email: margaret@onecert.com

Soybeans

I'm looking to buy conventional soybeans with out Herbicides pesticides spray.   Rich, richvernon7@yahoo.com

Organic Prairie Hay

We currently have 75 tons in big round bales and should have another 75 tons ready next week. With an additional 50 tons ready in the next 45 days. They are located near Fairbury and the price is $115/ton.  We might get a second cutting on some of that. If you buy the first cutting, you'll get first shot at the second cutting. I'd like to market nationally as well. If you know of someone who can help me, please let me know. 402-309-4088. Thank you, Jon. 402-309-4088, 

jkyoachim@gmail.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, 402-309-4088, jkyoachim@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

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Survey 

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

Upcoming

Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture: Soil

August 27. Online. This one-hour webinar is presented by USDA NRCS Science and Technology. It is the third in a four-part series exploring the environmental benefits of organic agriculture. This session will present scientific research examining the benefits of organic farming practices to soil. The webinar begins at 1 pm Eastern. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/environmental-benefits-of-organic-agriculture-soil

Putting the "Culture" in AgriCulture

August 29. Harlan, Iowa. This Practical Farmers of Iowa field day at Rosmann Family Farms and Farm Sweet Farm will focus on whole-farm organic production, marketing and integrating into local food systems. In the morning, highlights include the Rosmanns' farrow-to-finish swine operation and Maria's retail store. During lunch, help celebrate Practical Farmers of Iowa's 30th anniversary, which will include special guest speakers. Following lunch, the discussion will include organic crop rotations, grazing and the other livestock enterprises. To conclude, Ellen and Daniel will speak about their new restaurant and their local foods delivery service. https://www.facebook.com/TFTRVA

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!