Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Webinar Series
September 2. Online. This webinar series from University of Illinois Extension is designed to provide information to growers on how to keep produce safe from production to the market. Topics of this webinar will include: What is GAPs; Water quality and testing; Soil management; Record keeping; Traceback; and more. Pre-registration along with pre-payment is required by August 26. https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/? registrationid=10735
The Incredible Edible Ostrich Fern Fiddlehead
September 3. Online. This one-hour webinar is the second in a series of eight on non-timber forest products. It will be presented by Dave Fuller with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, who will teach about the ostrich fern and its spring edible, the fiddlehead. https://www.extension.org/sites/default/files/Webinar% 20Line%20Up%20.pdf
Seed Saving Webinar
September 3rd. Now’s the time to begin saving seed for next year’s garden. Learn the basics of saving seed from Zachary Paige from White Earth Tribal Community College Land Recovery project. To register click here, https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/ 8409012513220157186
Farm to Fork Culinary Tour
September 4. Sheldon, Iowa. Flavors of Northwest Iowa, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will host a Farm to Fork bus tour to connect people who want to know more about local foods with local producers. The afternoon bus tour will make three stops: Cottonwood Farms, Sheldon; Solsma’s Pumpkin Patch, Sanborn; and Calico Skies Vineyard and Winery, Inwood. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/flavors- northwest-iowa-offers-last- culinary-tour-season
Putting Local on the Menu: Five Best Practices and a Cost Calculator Training
September 4. Online. This National Good Food Network webinar, led by Anthony Flaccavento, will present the results of SCALE Inc.'s research into how institutional cafeterias and mid-priced restaurants are successfully putting local on the menu, while staying within their tight budgets. The first half of the webinar reveals five best practices that showed up across SCALE's study. The driving forces behind The Root Café and Carlton College will illustrate how they are using each of these techniques to get significant quantities of local food into their kitchens. The second half of the webinar presents a tool, developed by SCALE, Inc. that enables buyers and local foods advocates to accurately determine the cost of local buying down to the level of per plate or menu item costs. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/ 734901394
Legal and Financial Clinic
Thursday, September 4th. Grand Island. Call the Farm Hotline at 800-464-0258 to sign up.
Western Summer Field Day
September 4 & 5 in McCook. Common Scents Greenhouses & Nursery, McCook Community College and the Burr Oak Canyon will be host sites for the Nebraska Arborists Association and Nebraska Nursery & Landscape Association’s 2014 Great Plains Western Field Day. Mark your calendars for Thursday and Friday, September 4-5, for an informative event in a relaxed setting with your colleagues. Burr Oak Canyon is a very unique native resource. http://www.nnla.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/ 2014-Western-Field-Day- Brochure-web-FINAL.pdf
Southeast Nebraska Diversified Ag Tour
Friday, September 5, 7:30am. Southeast Nebraska. The stops will include Union Orchard-The Wostrel Family; Bloom Where You're Planted Farm,- Teresa & Terry Lorensen; Lunch: Slattery Vintage Estate- Barb & Sarah Slattery; Ox Bow Animal Health; and Chisholm Family Farm- The Chisholm Family. Cost $20.00 per person. Deadline to Register: Friday, August 29. For more information contact Vaughn Hammond at 402-873-3166 or email Vaughn.hammond@unl.edu
"Green Agritourism" - Power of Business Friday 15
Friday, September 5 at 10:15 am Central. Our September 5 Friday 15 guest is Beth Kennett, from Liberty Hill Farm, in Rochester, VT. Liberty Hill Farm is a 240-acre working dairy farm, that has been offering "farm vacations" to visitors from all over the world. Many of Liberty Hill's guest return year and after year. We'll chat with Beth about how Liberty Hill attracts and keeps customers and what it means to be a "green" agritourism destination. https://powerofbusiness.wufoo.com/ forms/friday-15-the-power-of- business-live-chat/
4th Annual Dig Deeper Farm Tour
It's that time of year again-- the 4th annual Dig Deeper Farm Tour and Community Crops Farm Walk is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 6th from noon to 4 PM. You can check out the following farms: Shadowbrook Farm, Common Good Farm, Branched Oak Farm, Fox Run Farm, Robinette Farms and Emerald Acres. We've added three urban garden projects to the tour as well: the Hawley Hamlet, The UNL Student Farm and the Southern Heights Food Forest. Prairie Pines, the Farmer Training facility for Community Crops will be open from 4 PM to 7 PM. For more complete information, please read the attached press release, visit our Facebook page or go to the Open Harvest website:www.openharvest.coop/events . Please help spread the word. Thank you!
Opportunity
Ram lambs, yearling ewes for sale
Hello, folks. For sale, 2 Romney ram lambs, 6 months old, white wool but carry natural color gene. Tested RR for scrapie resistance. Also 4 yearling ewes, Romney cross, black wool. Romney is medium-size, dual purpose wool & meat breed, this flock is used for handspinning wool. All these are totally grass raised in northeast Nebraska, an hour north of Norfolk. Call Jeanie at 402 283-4802, or email to fraas@nntc.net.
Organic Hens for Adoption!
We are replacing some of our flock and need to find home for our older hens (1.5years old). You are welcome to buy as many as you can care for. We are asking that you pay $4 for each hen. Our hens enjoy vegetable scraps, grit, oyster shell, bugs, fresh water and organic feed. They are locked up every night to keep them safe from critters. We recommend that you bring a large box or a pet carrier to bring your hens home. Our farm is located at 1240 Ironwood Road, Harlan, Iowa. Please let us know if you need directions. We are offering pick up times this week. Please let us know what day and time will work for your pick up this week. We need to find homes for these ladies ASAP. Ellen Walsh-Rosmann, 712-579-1933,www.pinoakplace.com/
For Sale
We have a few things for sale. John Deere 24 T twine Baler $1000. New Holland 116 windrower, needs hydraulic pump, otherwise works great $3500. King Kutter Shredder 6ft. $500. Give us a call if you are interested 402-780-5287. Melissa
Farm Job Available in Kansas
We at Heartland Farm, a 25 year old organic Farm in central Kansas are seeking a full time, live-in farmer to run all aspects of our 80 A. (not all in farm acreage) sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Sister Jane Belanger, OP. Heartland Farm, 1049 CR 390, Pawnee Rock, KS 67567. www.heartlandfarm-ks.org sheepbelanger@gmail.com or hfarm@gbta, 620-923-4585
Farm Job Wanted
I am currently looking for a farm job. I would like to stay close to Blair, Omaha, Fremont, or even across the border in Iowa. Brenda Ruenholl, Washington County, brrr@juno.com, 402-533-2541, 402-203-0850
News
USDA announces $25 million for nation's farmers to turn commodities into value-added products; two awards in Nebraska
Two Nebraska companies receive awards totaling $181,518. Prairie Pride Poultry received a $5,500 Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) from USDA Rural Development. The funds will be used to support the marketing of locally produced farm-fresh eggs from over 600 farm raised Rhode Island Red hens. Dan Hromas, the owner of Prairie Pride Poultry, is a former Marine and current member of the Nebraska National Guard and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. After nearly two decades protecting U.S. freedom and interests as a soldier, the former Marine and current member of the Nebraska Army National Guard has found a new purpose and resolve through his flock of chickens. Read the rest!
Upcoming
Meat Processing Plant Management Strategies to Reduce Fall Season Stress
September 9. Online. In this free Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network webinar, Nick McCann will share real-life examples and proven strategies for solving common problems in meat plant management: excessive overtime, stressed-out employees, customer complaints, and quality problems that often occur during the busy fall season. Nick will share examples from plants he has worked with and answer your questions about how to make the most of your fall season. Processors are asked to pre-register and submit their challenges for the presenter to address. https://www.extension.org/pages/71106/plant-management- strategies-to-reduce-fall- season-stress
National Heirloom Exposition
September 9-11. Santa Rosa, California. Billed as "The World's Pure Food Fair," The National Heirloom Exposition is a not-for-profit event centered around the pure food movement, heirloom vegetables, and anti-GMO activism. The event includes speaker presentations and more than 300 natural vendors from across the country and beyond, offering food, plants, farm equipment, and more. http://theheirloomexpo.com/
National Summit on Herbicide Resistance
September 10. Washington, DC. Building on the insights and perspectives that were established from the 2012 Herbicide Resistance Summit, one of the outcomes expected from Herbicide Resistance Summit II will include a more unified understanding of the issues across the country, understanding of differences of viewpoints, and approaches to solutions. This event is sponsored by the Weed Science Society of America and hosted by the National Research Council. Everyone participating in the Herbicide Resistance Summit II should walk away understanding their role in addressing and solving the evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds. The Herbicide Resistance Summit II will end with the question "What will you do?" http://wssa.net/meeting-registration/
Eastern Kansas Grazing School
September 10-11. Blaine, Kansas. Pottawatomie County Extension Office hosts a two-day workshop on Management Intensive Grazing (MiG) for beginning and experienced graziers. http://www.pottawatomie.ksu.edu/doc55068.ashx
In/out balances, Traceability Tests and Recipe Verification for Processing Inspection under NOP & COR
September 10 & 17. Online. The In/out balances, Traceability test and Recipe Verification for Processing inspection under NOP & COR webinar is a 200-level course from IOIA. The course will be delivered in two, two-hour sessions. This course is designed for persons with at least two years of experience in organic inspection or certification review experience. This webinar will allow inspectors and certifiers to further their understanding of the requirements of the NOP and COR standards as they pertain to recordkeeping in the processing environment, with an emphasis on methodology, practical applications and standardized reporting. http://www.ioia.net/schedule_web.html#sept10
Promoting High Quality Conservation on Organic Farms
September 10. Online. In this webinar from the National Center for Appropriate Technology, conservation professionals and landowners will learn how NRCS conservation practices and enhancements can provide high value production and biodiversity benefits while at the same time aiding producers to obtain or maintain their USDA organic status. Presenters are Jo Ann Baumgartner, Director of the Wild Farm Alliance, and Harriet Behar, MOSES Organic Specialist.https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/479205674
Farm Aid 2014
September 13. Raleigh, North Carolina. Each year, Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp & Dave Matthews headline a Farm Aid concert to bring together a wide variety of musicians, farmers & fans for one mission: keeping family farmers on their land. Farm Aid 2014 is an all-day music & food festival, & will feature a unique lineup of artists & genres. http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.6236707/k.8E86/ About_the_Concert.htm
