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, 308-632-1230, reirich2@unl.edu. All 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, 402-309-4088, 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

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.

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=stelprdb1257899

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

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

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

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

Legal and Financial Clinic

Monday, December 8. Elm Creek. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 8th. Multiple locations.  Central City at the City Hall. Aurora at the Leadership Center. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Entomology Seminar on Impacts of Instructional Methods and Conservation Awareness on Pollinator Cons

December 9. 4:00 pm. UNL's East Campus Union in Lincoln. “Impacts of Instructional Methods and Conservation Awareness on Pollinator Conservation Practices to Gain Knowledge of Native Nebraska Urban Bee Populations” presented by Natalia Bjorklund, entomology graduate student.  Jeri Cunningham, 402-472-8678, jcunningham1@unl.edu

Permaculture on Organic Farms: The State of Play

Tuesday, December 9 at 1:00 pm. Join eOrganic for a webinar on Permaculture on Organic Farms. The webinar is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required. Register now at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4679132623284812802

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/

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 9th. Multiple locations.  Fullerton at the Eagles Club. Norfolk at the Norfolk Community College. Tecumseh at the Baptist Center. Pierce at the White House. Alma with the location TBA. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

A discussion of trade agreements and the threat to food

December 10th. 3:00–4:30 p.m. EST / 2:00–3:30 p.m. CST. Join us on Twitter for #FoodTradeFail, a discussion with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and a host of other experts and organizations to get your questions answered. Two trade agreements are set to threaten years of work supporting family farmers, good food and building a more just food system in favor of corporate profits. As negotiations continue in secret and the President seeks to secure Fast Track authority to avoid working with Congress, it is essential that those who care about our food system weigh in. What do those interested in fighting for a better food and farm system need to know to influence the debate? http://iatp.org/event/foodtradefail-a-discussion-of-trade-agreements-and-the-threat-to-food

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

2014 Farm Bill Workshops

December 10th. Multiple locations.  Wayne at the Wayne Fire Hall. Imperial at the Crossroads Wesleyan Church. Stanton at the Community Building. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Holistic Management Workshop

December 11 and 12. Central Community College, Hastings. For Anyone interested in conserving and enhancing our precious land and water resources. Why Holistic Management: Holistic management decision making concepts were developed by Alan Savory. Whether you are a beginning farmer, a third generation rancher or a public land manager, you can learn how to apply Holistic Management principles to enhance the health of your land, and increase productivity while reducing operating costs. To learn more about Holistic Management visit: www.holisticmanagement.org. This program is being presented independently by Bob Shields, Paul Swanson and Ralph Tate who assume full responsibility for its content and all related financial, contractual and other obligations. Who to contact: Bob Shields—phone (308) 379-1361 or email bob.shields01@gmail.com

The Economics of Generating Your Own Solar Electricity

December 11th. 7pm. Speaker: Jared Friesen, Renewable Energy Specialist at Morrissey Engineering. Where: UNO’s Community Engagement Center, 64th & Dodge, Room 201.  With the developing PV industry in mind, this presentation will cover:  What is the "value of solar" as it relates to the electric utility and electric user  What is net metering, is it fair, and what are its pitfalls Performance and economic metrics a potential solar owner should understand The attainable levelized cost of solar-electric energy that can be compared directly to current OPPD energy prices for residential and small commercial customers Steps that must be taken to realize an attractive levelized cost of solar electricity. 

The workshop is free & open to the public, so please join us and bring a friend!  Contact Helen for more information, hdeffenbacher@cox.net

December 10th. Multiple locations.  Beatrice at the Fairgrounds. Benkelman at the Fairgrounds. Arlington at the Fairgrounds. For more information contact the FSA or Extension office in the host county.

Legal and Financial Clinic

Thursday, December 11. North Platte. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

Water + Energy Progress Bus Tour

December 12. Manhattan, Kansas. Join Water + Energy Progress Award winners Lucinda Stuenkel, Dale Strickler, Gail Fuller, and Ted Alexander for tours featuring Stuenkel and Strickler's farms in Palmer and Courtland. The tour will focus on water conservation and energy efficiency using no-till, subsurface drip irrigation, cover crops, and perennial grasses for forage and soil health. Presenters will discuss ways that renewable energy systems, like solar water pumping and fencing, can enhance operations.http://climateandenergy.org/blog.1050059.water-energy-progress-bus-tour-rsvp-today?act=view

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

Legal and Financial Clinic

Friday, December 12. Fairbury. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0256 to sign up.

Opportunity

BarnRaiser at Darby Springs Farm

Deadline Extended. 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

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:

http://nesare.unl.edu/documents/5640053/5643054/Farm+Beginnings+Brochure+2015.pdf/5f1fb55d-8044-4928-a8a7-85ce902ab520

Sustainable Farm Manager Needed

Boone County, Nebraska. My name is Ann Nore. I own but do not operate a farm in Boone County, Nebraska. My current manager is with Farmers National and  is not enthusiastic about sustainable farming practices. If interested please contact Ann at, annnore1951@aol.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 

Upcoming

Agricultural Working Lands: Meeting the Needs of Spring-migrating Waterfowl in the Intermountain West on Working Ranches

December 16. Online. Participants in this 1.5-hour NRCS webinar will learn about opportunities to manage irrigated haylands and pasturelands in the Intermountain West for wetland birds during spring migration. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/meeting-the-needs-of-spring-migrating-waterfowl-in-the-intermountain-west-on-working-ranches

Farm Financial Planning "Give Yourself a Financial Check-Up"

Tuesday, December 16 at 9:00 am. This webinar will discuss 20 ways that people can assess their personal financial progress and identify areas of their financial life that need improvement. Topics covered include financial quizzes, financial goal-setting, income and expense statements, net worth, debt ratios, marginal income tax brackets, retirement planning, investment performance metrics, investment risk tolerance, insurance needs, estate planning, government financial statistics, and more.  The program will conclude with suggested action steps to put the workshop content into practice. http://tinyurl.com/krtxvn4

Heart of the Farm – Why Women’s Unique Family and Farm Business Roles Matter

Tuesday, December 16 at 11:00 am. Women bring different perspectives, values and priorities to the table. This webinar will focus on what aspects of rural life are important to women, how they learn, and how that influences decision-making with regard to production, marketing and land management practices. Angie Carter is a Sociology PhD candidate co-majoring in ISU's Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA). She is currently studying women farmland owners in Iowa and how they make decisions about conservation on their farmland. She also serves as a board member of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network. Angie will be joined by Jenny Barker-Devine, an assistant professor of history at Illinois College, and Sara Shepherd, owner of Sara Shepherd Farms. Join us for a webinar that highlights and celebrates the unique contributions that women bring to agriculture. https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag

A Certified Organic Winter Nursery for Corn Breeding

Tuesday, December 16 at 1:00 pm. Join eOrganic for a webinar on running a certified organic winter nursery for corn breeding in Puerto Rico! http://www.extension.org/pages/71860

Why Cooperative Extension? A New Century for Food and Ag Engagement

Wednesday, December 17 at 8:30 am. Attention ‘CUSTOMERS’ Who Use the Cooperative Extension System!  This is YOUR Opportunity to Provide Feedback! The National Coalition for Food & Agricultural Research invites members and all interested stakeholders to a dialogue with Cooperative Extension Directors. While the meeting is being held in Washington ( National Council of Farmer Cooperatives , 50 F Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC), the discussion will be broadcast as a webinar. These directors will be leading the discussion.  Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of Extension, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture; NC-FAR Board Member. Dr. Michael Ouart, Vice Provost for Extension and Professor of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri; NC-FAR Research Outreach Committee Member. Please register to attend in person or by webinar at: http://bit.ly/1uTmfrk

Learning from Our Observations of Pastures & Livestock: Preventing Pasture Problems on the Organic Dairy Webinar

December 18. Join eOrganic for a webinar on preventing pasture problems on the organic dairy farm by Sarah Flack. This webinar will review the key grazing principles that help your cattle maximize dry matter intake from pastures and avoid potential problems. It will also look at examples of how to observe the livestock, their manure, soils, and pasture plants to determine how well your pasture management system is working. http://www.extension.org/pages/71819/

Weekly Events & Opportunities in Sustainable Farming & Foods

Sustainable Benson

Friday, June 27th. Beginning at 4pm. Join foodies, farmers, gardeners and more as the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society hosts Sustainable Benson! We'll begin with a Nebraska Young Farmer Night at Benson Plant Rescue. Growing Community, Not Just Plants!! We'll get an in depth insight into how Benson Plant Rescue is building community and revitalizing culture, one seed, one plant and one gardener at a time! At 6pm we'll walk to Benson Brewery for an extended NYFN! And we'll combine it with a Sustainability Happy Hour! We'll get a short tour from the brewmaster and will sample and dine on lively, locally sourced foods and brews! For more details and to rsvp please visit, https://www.facebook.com/events/1433731900225528/

Panhandle Dryland No-Till Field Day

Monday, June 23rd. Chadron. Dawes County, south of Chadron. Questions to Mark Watson at 308.760.5259.

On-Farm Health Audit Webinar

 

June 23. Led by OSU Extension veterinarian Dr. Gustavo Schuenemann, this webinar, "CSI for Dairy: On-Farm Audits to Assess Risk," will cover information on transition cow management with an emphasis on prevention of calving-related diseases and on-farm risk assessment. This webinar is conducted as part of a partnership between OEFFA, Ohio State University's Department of Preventative Veterinary Medicine, and the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), funded by a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) professional development grant. http://www.oeffa.org/events.php

Field Day: Developing the Right Pasture Lease

Tuesday, June 24. Whitman. See bit.ly/SohoyK for more information

Webinar: Soil Fauna: Animals of the Soil and the Role They Play in Soil Health

Tuesday, June 24. Webinar: Soil Fauna: Animals of the Soil and the Role They Play in Soil Health, one of a six-part webinar series on Soil Health. See http://bit.ly/1kAP5s9 for more information.  Contact Charles Shapiro at 402 584 3803 for information on cost-share scholarships available for qualified Nebraska farmers.

Community Gardens

Wednesday, June 25 at 11:30 am. Gardening with Benefits: How Belonging to a Garden Network Can Help Your Own Garden Thrive. Susan Sides, Diana McCall, Adam Bigelow, The Western NC Alliance for Gardens that Give. The more diversity something has, the more stability, strength, resiliency and beauty it possesses. That’s true of such things as microorganisms, flowers, herbs, insects, and birds and it’s also true for gardens that are connected to their broader community. In Western North Carolina, gardens that grow food and give it away have come together to form a network that gives each garden the stability, strength, resiliency and beauty that would be impossible had they remained disconnected. This webinar will cover topics such as management of a garden network, how much time is involved, and keeping group momentum as well as benefits of and planning for garden tours. Anyone who is thinking about starting a garden network (big or small!), who is already part of a garden network or who wants to be inspired by what can happen when people come together to grow good food will benefit from this conversation! http://goo.gl/fQKN7

Panhandle Dryland and Irrigated No-Till Field Day

Wednesday, June 25. Alliance. Box Butte County, near Alliance. RSVP to Mark Watson at 308.760.5259.

NMPAN Webinar: The Business of Dry Curing

June 25. This webinar from the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network will cover the Business of Dry Curing: the growth of artisan cured meats, the basics of the business, and talking to two charcuterie processors about how they got started, their day-to-day operations and the costs and revenue for dry curing. This webinar will focus specifically on the business side of adding dry-cured processing to your operation: the economics of charcuterie. To attend this one-hour webinar, go to https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/nichemeat 5-10 minutes before start time 1pm Eastern (12 Central, 11am Mountain, 10am Pacific) and log in as a guest.

Using Diverse Cover Crop Mixes to Improve Soil Health and Livestock Nutrition on Grazing Lands

June 25. This webinar is part of an ongoing series of webinars presented by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service East National Technology Support Center. As a leader in livestock extension and a practitioner on his own farm, Matt Poore, Ph.D. will discuss early findings from using cover crop mixes planted and grazed on his and others' farms. Participate in this free one-hour webinar to learn the reasons behind choosing different cover crop mixes for soil health and livestock nutrition and the short term effects of these mixes on soil, plants, and livestock. http://www.conservationwebinars.net/

The Soil that Feeds Us – Cultivating healthier food and a healthier environment on the farm

Join Healthy Food Action and the Izaak Walton League of America on Thursday, June 26 at 11am for a free webinar! "The Soil that Feeds Us – Cultivating healthier food and a healthier environment on the farm" will bring together emerging perspectives from farming, soil science and public health to talk about steps farmers take to improve soil health and resiliency, and the ways in which healthier soil produces healthier food. Webinar presenters will also discuss how a broad constituency from farming, public health and the food movement can influence federal conservation programs. Register here:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6085491554063313921

Landowner Habitat Tour

Thursday, June 26. Curtis. Benefits of Prescribed Fire. See NebraskaPF.com or call 308-850-8395

Panhandle No-Till Field Day

Thursday, June 26. Kimball. Banner County, North of Kimball. RSVP to Mark Watson at 308.760.5259.

Landowner Habitat Tour

Thursday, June 26. Lexington. Pollinator Habitat Past & Present. See NebraskaPF.com or call 308-850-8395

Climate Change, Air Emissions, and Energy Use

June 26. 1 p.m. Sustainable Food Trade Association presents leaders from Annie’s and GloryBee. More Information, http://www.sustainablefoodtrade.org/webinars/

Monthly Marketing Webinar: Farmers Markets

June 26. This webinar is part of a series of free monthly webinars offered by food and agriculture marketing experts from Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. This webinar on farmers markets is presented by hristie Welch, a farmers market specialist at Ohio State University South Centers at Piketon. http://www.oardc.osu.edu/7396/Monthly-Webinars-to-Help-Growers-and-Producers-Enhance-Marketing-Improve-and-Expand-Sales.htm

Pasture Conversion and Renovation

June 28. Red Oak, Iowa. This Practical Farmers of Iowa field day visits David and Leslie Carbaugh at Noble Pastures. The day will start with field walks and evaluating two of the Carbaugh’s pastures – one an older pasture they are renovating, and the other a piece of crop ground being converted to pasture. Along with experienced graziers Ron Dunphy and Paul Ackley, the group will evaluate the pastures and discuss other possible forage options, fencing ideas and general management. http://practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/

Scaling Up: Machines, Markets and Moths

June 29. Crescent, Iowa. Join Terry Troxel at this Practical Farmers of Iowa field day for a discussion of Iowana Farm's machinery, marketing strategies and pest management trials. Chuck Troxel and neighbor Merle Osborn will showcase vegetable-specific adaptations to farm machinery. Terry will share her strategies for building alternative markets around her CSA, including pricing for wholesale. Terry and Chuck will also lead a tour of the farm and discuss pest management strategies for cabbage moths on brassicas. http://practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/

Opportunity

Poultry Range Feeders and Transport Cages Needed

I'm looking to buy range feeders for my flock, and am also in the market for stackable transport cages so that I can have the ability to take them to a processor. Dan Hromas, 402-217-2797

Farm Help Needed

We are looking for part-time or occasional help on our organic farm near Omaha. Mowing weeds and general maintenance that requires some muscle. Also someone to help with vegetable planting, weeding, harvest. Experience preferred. We are located at the east edge of Papillion. Meristem Farm and Nursery, LLC. Tom Lundahl (402) 306-4500. Lucena Morse (402) 297-2324. Tom@MeristemFarmAndNursery.com, Lucena@MeristemFarmAndNursery.com. www.MeristemFarmAndNursery.com

Heritage Chickens

I am looking for heritage chicken producers in Nebraska that might be willing to sell me live birds that I can butcher myself.  I am looking to buy young heritage birds but would be most interested in buying a mix of young and old birds. I live in Kearney and am either looking to process in Grand Island or near North Platte so if I can find a farmer in central Nebraska that would be optimal. Jed, yadidyamg@gmail.com

Upcoming

Farm Planning, Marketing and Management Online

July 7. Online. This online course from the University of Massachusetts is designed for students who foresee starting a farming operation in the future or who currently own/manage/work on one. The complexity of whole farm planning is covered in the course through agricultural business planning, organizational design, decision making, leadership and management (employees, systems and record keeping).http://sustfoodfarm.org/online-classes/farm-planning/

Managing for Soil Health when Raising Potatoes

July 8. Online. This free webinar is part of the Soil Health Webinar Series presented by NRCS. It will present a farmer's perspective on managing soil health. Colorado farmer Brendon Rockey will discuss how using a systems approach has improved soil health and biological activity of his soils. Raising 30 varieties of potatoes, his farming system includes the use of green manures, multi-species cover crops, and compost balanced with inorganic materials. This webinar will provide participants an opportunity to hear how soil health can be improved and soil functions enhanced even when raising crops that require a lot of soil disturbance for harvest. http://conservationwebinars.net/

Grain Place Tour

July 12. 8 a.m. Marquette. This seminar is for anyone interested in organic farming, the organic food industry, and sustainable agriculture in general. Participants are guided by  farm manager Mike Herman on a tour of the farm, learning and sharing ideas about various organic growing practices. Grain Place Foods President Dave Vetter leads the tour through the plant, showing how all the various certified organic grains and seeds are processed and packaged. http://grainplacefoods.com/in-the-news/grain-place-news/latest-news/2014-farm-tour-summer-seminar/