Stay up to date with nut growing in New York and meet experienced growers!

Register to attend the New York Nut Growers Association 2024 Spring Meeting on April 20 in Tompkins County.

The main program will take place in the morning at Ed Neuhauser’s farm, 434 West Groton Road, Groton NY, 13073. Breakfast starts at 8:30 am, and the program begins at 9:00 am. Morning discussion topics will include a summary of ongoing NY-based hazelnut and chestnut selection work, hickory syrup, controlled crosses of chestnuts, pawpaws, and a grafting demo.

In the afternoon, from 1:30 – 3:00 pm, we will visit Shepherd Ridge Farm, a hazelnut orchard with cattle in nearby Lansing.

Black walnut trees and seeds will be given away to participants. Participants are welcome to bring items to sell or share. Participants are also asked to please bring their own chair and possibly an extra to share.

The New York Nut Growers Association is an all volunteer, non-profit organization that promotes nut tree growing in New York State. It’s not necessary to be a member of the New York Nut Growers Association (NYNGA) to attend this meeting. A light breakfast and lunch are included in the cost of meeting registration, which is $20/member, $25/non-member. Pre-registration is required to facilitate meal planning. Pants, socks and comfortable walking shoes or boots are suggested for the afternoon farm tour.

Signs announcing the meeting location will be placed about a quarter mile from the driveway entrance in both the east and west directions.

Course Description: What better time to come out to the farm and get your hands dirty than Earth Day? While the holiday is technically April 22, we’re celebrating early by devoting a whole day of learning to arguably the most important part of any vegetable farm: the soil!

We’ll start with a morning workshop on the what, why, and how of composting, including vermiculture (worm composting!) led by WEI co-founder and farm director Jacquelyn Zita. Afterwards, we’ll gather for lunch with the opportunity to share knowledge and stories.

After lunch, Arielle Sonnenschein and Charlie Zieke of Magic Acre Farm in Minneapolis will lead an exploration of Soil Health and Stewardship. From the instructors: “What is soil? What is land stewardship? What is permaculture? What does it mean to have a relationship to a place? Healthy soil, teeming with microbial life, is the building block of all life around us and contributes to balance at all levels of our ecosystem. Come learn more about this fundamental resource and how you can build healthy soil in your own yard. This course serves as an introduction to the development and sustaining of healthy soil and land stewardship. Participants will learn soil health and permaculture basics and engage in guided inquiry and reflection on building their own relationships with land.”

Depending on the farming schedule and crop readiness, we hope to have a farmstand with organic spring greens for sale. Stay tuned!

What to Bring: Please wear comfortable walking shoes for hands-on composting and land walk. Bring your own lunch, snacks, and water bottle.

All are welcome – WEI classes are open to everyone.

Join Us Sunday April 21, 2024 to nourish your Mind, Body and Spirit at The National Urban Farm Fest! Family fun for all ages!

The National Urban Farm Festiva

Come join us at the National Urban Farm Festival in Brandywine, MD, USA!

Get ready for a day filled with fun, learning, and delicious food. This in-person event celebrates the importance of urban farming. Discover innovative farming techniques, taste fresh organic produce, and connect with local farmers. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, there’s something for everyone at this festival.

Don’t miss out on the chance to explore the world of urban farming and be inspired to grow your own food. Mark your calendars and join us at the National Urban Farm Festival!

Social media and email marketing are crucial tools for communicating, bridging the gap between business and consumer in an online exchange. In this course, we will take a look into social media and email marketing as a means of conveying your brand identity through storytelling to reach your ideal consumer. We will examine different social media case studies from indigenous producers, learn best practices and strategies for social media and email marketing, and explore how these contribute to the overall online marketing funnel. Finally, this course will take a brief look at ecommerce best practices, providing you with tools to use in developing your own online marketing strategies.

Mancos and High Desert Conservation District, and CSU Extension Montezuma County are offering this workshop in Lewis, Colorado. Get step-by-step instructions on how to bring your pasture back to life and learn basic grass ID and grazing management best practices, as well as an overview of grazing livestock nutrition.

3:00-5:00 pm: Is your pasture worn out and weed-ridden? Wondering where to start? Join us for a presentation by Emily Lockard, Kendra Brewer and Brenda Funk for step by step instructions on how to bring your pasture back to life. We will have the no-till seed drill out for a hands-on re-seeding demonstration.

5:00- 7:00pm: Learn basic grass ID, grazing management best practices from Emily Lockard and and get an overview of grazing livestock nutrition from Beth LaShell.

Classes offered by Mancos and High Desert Conservation District, and CSU Extension Montezuma County.

In this special Earth Day presentation, HMI board member and expert regenerative rancher, Alejandro Carrillo, will share his hope for the health and regeneration of the planet, especially for desert ecosystems through Holistic Management and regenerative ranching. Learn from his experiences and insights ranching over 30,000 acres in the Chihuahuan desert.

Join Us for Our 2024 Winter Webinar Series

Speakers: John & Nancy Brannaman

Are you looking to diversify your pollinator habitat? Are you tired of the endless mowing of brome and bluegrass? Do you want information on local, hardy seed sources? Join Nancy and John Brannaman as they showcase the ongoing conservation efforts on their Illinois farm.

Over the years, the Brannamans have added native prairie mixes, Conservation Reserve Program wetland mixes and Conservation Stewardship Program pollinator plots to their land. More recently, they’ve contracted with Pheasants Forever to seed another 13 acres of CRP pollinator habitat. In this webinar, Nancy and John will discuss how they do this work. You’ll learn about the seed and equipment they use, like extenders for small seeds. They’ll also explain how they prepare the seed bed and handle mowing, weeding and burning.

Nancy Brannaman is a sixth-generation farm owner actively working to bring young farmers to her land. Throughout her career, Nancy was a pioneer for women in agriculture. Her roles spanned topics and the globe, from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, to agricultural development in post-Soviet Ukraine and Russia, to multiple roles at the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service in seven different countries.

The Tennessee Valley Research Center is hosting a free Beef & Forage Field Day with hands-on presentations on tall fescue management, temporary electric fencing, wintering the cow herd, and discussion on reducing feed supplementation needs.

Farmers who raise or handle allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, wheat, and soy) need to be aware of the potential risks and how to minimize cross-contact contamination with other products on their farm, like fruits and vegetables. An allergen control program is an excellent way for producers to ensure a safer product and help protect their businesses from liability.

During this webinar, producers will learn about managing allergens and will have time to develop custom allergy control programs for their businesses. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions to ensure that their plans fit the needs of their farm. This workshop will also discuss best practices for handling eggs, managing food safety risks, and North & and South Carolina regulations for egg producers.

Instructors:

Cassidy Fryga, CFSA Local Produce Safety Coordinator
Jay Dunbar, CFSA Local Produce Safety Coordinator
Lenwood Edwards, Jr, CFSA FarmsSHARE Coordinator

This year the Texas Hispanic Farmer and Rancher Conference and the Food Summit come together in the Rio Grande Valley in McAllen, Texas, for four days of workshops and activities. NCAT and conference partners are excited for this collaborative bilingual event to bring together agriculture, policy, activism, and community stakeholders to co-create a resilient and inclusive food system in la Frontera.

Cornell Cooperative Extension and Farm Credit are offering a three-part, monthly ag business series in Canton, New York. The April session is on financial management.

We’re partnering with experts from Farm Credit for a three-part Ag Business series. Choose the session that best fits your business needs, or sign up for all three!

Session One: Ag Business Planning
Session Three: Accounting for your Ag Business

Session Two Topics:

Understanding Financial Management
Basic financial statements
Tools for budgeting
Lunch will be provided. Registration is required and limited to 24 participants.

In this free, online presentation hosted by Meeting House Farm, learn about the opportunity to provide local herbal medicine. Find out which herbs grow well in New England, which ones have solid market value, and tons of other tips for plant vitality, drying, storage, and more.

The Small Ruminant Webinar Series provides research-driven solutions to popular sheep production issues. It also connects sheep and goat producers to useful tools, techniques, and tricks of the trade & tips from the field.

Learn from experts and from other small producers like you!

Webinar takes place via Zoom at 7:30 PM CST

Schedule:
April 24, 2024, Feeding your flock’s genetic potential with proper nutritional management
Speaker: Dr. Andrew Weaver

Join Tablas Creek Vineyard, Wild Farm Alliance (WFA), and The Vineyard Team in the field in Paso Robles, California, for a series of talks on biodiversity given by growers and agricultural professionals, a panel discussion, and a beneficial habitat walk.

Mountains-to-Bay Grazing Alliance and University of Maryland Extension are hosting Allen Williams for a field day focused on soil health and grazing management, at Ellicot City, Maryland. Field day attendees will learn about soil health, biodiversity, grazing management, fencing and watering systems, and behavior of grazing livestock at this interactive field day that will include time spent both in the classroom and out in the field.

Are you a farmer seeking land?

Whether you’re new to the industry or mid-career, looking for a short-term or long-term agreement, considering a collaborative experience, or exploring rural vs urban, there is a lot to consider about accessing farmland that meets your needs.

Join us for this 1.5-hour overview of farmland access methods, background on the farm landscape in Ohio today, and tons of resources to get you started.

Use the form below to register. You will receive the Zoom link in your confirmation email.

As the use of cover crops to improve soil health and reduce water quality concerns on working cropland has increased in recent years, questions have emerged regarding the value of cover crops to wildlife. For example, do cover crops provide needed habitat for grassland birds, a group that has experienced widespread population decline in recent decades? What is the value of cover crop fields to grassland birds during the winter, spring migration, and breeding periods compared to cropland fields without cover crops or areas of perennial cover?

On April 25 at 2:00 p.m. eastern, Dr. Adam Janke of Iowa State University and Dr. David Buehler of the University of Tennessee will provide answers to these questions and more during our free, one-hour Conservation Outcomes Webinar. This webinar will share findings from recent studies examining bird use of cover crops in Iowa and Tennessee conducted in partnership with USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project. Findings may be used to support on-the-ground cropland management decisions informed by a better understanding of the potential role of cover crops in grassland bird conservation efforts.

Ensuring their Future: Conservation Planning for Breed Organizations – Thursday, April 25th, 6:30PM ET
Want to learn how you and your fellow breeders can work together to conserve your favorite breed?

This webinar presents an in depth look at the purpose and process of developing and implementing a Conservation Plan for your breed organization. This webinar is open to all livestock, poultry and canine clubs & associations, and is especially valuable to rare breed organizations.

Presenters include Dr. Alison Martin, Livestock Conservancy Programs Director, Dr. Charlene Couch, Livestock Conservancy Sr. Programs Manager; and Dr. Phil Sponenberg, Technical Advisor for The Livestock Conservancy.

This webinar will be recorded and access to the replay and resources provided after the live presentation.

$35 per breed club/association, covers all organizational directors and committee members.

Join California’s Audubon Conservation Ranching (ACR) program and partners at the beautiful bird friendly certified Avenales Ranch for a morning of birding and botanizing, lunch, and an afternoon of community building. We will be spending the day outside, so please plan accordingly. Lunch provided

Two Sessions:
Morning Session: 8am – noon
Learn the basics of bird and plant ID, assessing habitat quality in oak savannah and riparian systems, and habitat management solutions on working ranches with ecologist, Mel Preston.
Afternoon Session 12pm – 2pm
All attendees give intros and participate in facilitated meet up connecting local partners in ranching, ecology and conservation.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s spring Livestock Guardian Dog Field Day will be held on April 26 in San Angelo from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Livestock Guardian Dogs, LGD, are utilized to protect livestock from predation.

The event will be at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo, 7887 U.S. Highway 87 North. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided.

Advance registration is required through the center by calling 325-653-4576 or by visiting the website https://tx.ag/LGDFieldDay.

Registration is $25 for an individual or $40 for a couple if registered before April 19. After that date, the cost is $30 and $50, respectively.

Two of the event highlights will be a local ranch tour and a producer panel. Vendors and LGD breeders will be on-site for producers.

Predation prevention
“The biggest single loss in sheep and goat production is predation,” said Jake Thorne, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension sheep and goat specialist, San Angelo. “This event will focus on how producers can reduce those losses.”

Thorne said the field day would be very helpful to all LGD owners, but especially key for those new to handling LGDs.

“This field day is part of the center’s ongoing effort to help producers adopt the age-old practice of keeping specially bred and trained dogs with livestock as a deterrent to predation,” said Bill Costanzo, AgriLife Extension LGD specialist, Washington.

Field topics and speakers
The featured topics with speakers for the LGD field day are:

Canine behavior – Monique Udell, Ph.D., Human-Animal Interaction Laboratory director, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Canine health and care – Robert Rose, DVM, Comparative Medicine Program executive director, Texas A&M University, Bryan-College Station.
Technology to aid in LGD management – Costanzo.
Texas Livestock Guardian Dog Association: Information and updates – Walter Pfluger, Texas LGD association treasurer, San Angelo.
Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board update – Curry Campbell, Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board member, Rocksprings.

NOC is hosting the Spring 2024 Pre-NOSB Meeting, in Milwaukee, WI. This is an in-person event! The Pre-NOSB Meeting takes place in advance of the National Organic Standards Board meeting each spring and fall. This meeting provides a space for information-sharing and dialogue and is open to all organic community members. The meeting will include:

A panel of local organic farmers discussing regional challenges and opportunities.

An DC update on organic policy issues, including the Farm Bill and new organic regulations.

A Q&A with Jenny Tucker, Deputy Administrator for the National Organic Program.

Discussions about topics under consideration by the National Organic Standards Board.

And more!

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will meet to discuss substances petitioned for addition to or deletion from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List), substances due to sunset from the National List in 2026, and recommendations on organic policies. The meeting will be held in person and broadcast live via Zoom.

The NOSB typically meets twice per year in various locations around the United States. Prior to meetings, the NOSB reviews written public comments and listens to oral public comments. During meetings, the NOSB discusses agenda items, and then votes on recommendations to the Secretary in a public forum. Detailed meeting information, including agendas, locations, proposals, and public comments, will be posted below as it becomes available. For information on previous meetings, visit the NOSB meetings page.

Agricultural Viability Alliance’s sixth National Farm Viability Conference is hosted by West Virginia University Extension in Charleston. The conference will feature engaging workshop sessions and bring together professionals from across the nation for peer-to-peer learning and networking with a focus on strengthening farm sustainability, building stronger and more resilient local food systems, and supporting the long-term profitability of farming and agri-entrepreneurs from start-ups to generational businesses. Pre- and post-conference tours are on the agenda.

This two-day school in Princeton, Kentucky, is designed to provide you with tools needed to establish a profitable and sustainable grazing system. It includes a mixture of classroom and hands-on instruction from the University of Kentucky and Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council.

Join the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and co-hosts from California, Washington, New York and Oregon to learn about cutting-edge sustainable and climate beneficial practices being adopted in vineyards and wineries across the United States — and in the broader value chain. The summit in Lodi, California, includes tours and features presentation sessions that are also offered virtually.

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will meet to discuss substances petitioned for addition to or deletion from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List), substances due to sunset from the National List in 2026, and recommendations on organic policies. The meeting will be held in person and broadcast live via Zoom.

The NOSB typically meets twice per year in various locations around the United States. Prior to meetings, the NOSB reviews written public comments and listens to oral public comments. During meetings, the NOSB discusses agenda items, and then votes on recommendations to the Secretary in a public forum. Detailed meeting information, including agendas, locations, proposals, and public comments, will be posted below as it becomes available. For information on previous meetings, visit the NOSB meetings page.

Agricultural Viability Alliance’s sixth National Farm Viability Conference is hosted by West Virginia University Extension in Charleston. The conference will feature engaging workshop sessions and bring together professionals from across the nation for peer-to-peer learning and networking with a focus on strengthening farm sustainability, building stronger and more resilient local food systems, and supporting the long-term profitability of farming and agri-entrepreneurs from start-ups to generational businesses. Pre- and post-conference tours are on the agenda.

This two-day school in Princeton, Kentucky, is designed to provide you with tools needed to establish a profitable and sustainable grazing system. It includes a mixture of classroom and hands-on instruction from the University of Kentucky and Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council.

Join the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and co-hosts from California, Washington, New York and Oregon to learn about cutting-edge sustainable and climate beneficial practices being adopted in vineyards and wineries across the United States — and in the broader value chain. The summit in Lodi, California, includes tours and features presentation sessions that are also offered virtually.

51st Annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival
May 4 & 5, 2024
8:30AM – 6PM Saturday
8:30AM – 5PM Sunday
Rain or shine!
Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, MD

The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is one of the largest festivals of its kind celebrating all things sheep, from hoof to handwoven.
VENDORS: 250+ SHEEP: 600+ WORKSHOPS: 40+

The NC State Ruminant Medicine Service invites owners, breeders, and producers to attend the 2024 Small Ruminant Husbandry Owner Workshop

Please join us at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine for continuing education regarding small ruminant husbandry! This full day learning experience is targeted towards small ruminant (sheep and goat) and camelid owners, breeders, and producers. Our amazing clinicians will provide 50-minute lectures on critical topics relating to small ruminant and camelid husbandry.

Breakfast and lunch will be served. Please come and join us!

Registration
Registration for this event is $60.00 and includes workshop notes, breakfast and lunch!

Schedule
Time Topic Presenter
7:00 – 7:45 AM Registration and Breakfast
8:00 – 8:05 AM Welcome Jennifer Halleran, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
8:05 – 8:55 AM Gastrointestinal Parasites Siena Mitman, DVM, MPH
9:05 – 9:55 AM Gastrointestinal Parasites Treatment and Management Sarah Goss, DVM
9:55 – 10:10 AM Break
10:10 – 11:00 AM Small Ruminant Nutrition Andrew Weaver, DMS, PhD
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM Pasture Management Johnny Rogers, BS, MS
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 PM Most Common Emergencies Blanca Camacho, DVM
2:00 – 2:50 PM Geriatric Goat and Sheep Care Sarah Goss, DVM
2:50 – 3:05 PM Break
3:05 – 3:55 PM Camelid Husbandry Sarah Goss, DVM
4:05 – 4:55 PM Medication and Antimicrobial Use Jennifer Halleran, DVM, PhD, DACVIM

About the workshops

Targeted grazing has offered the US sheep industry an opportunity to grow and capitalize on our sustainable grazing practices. The American Lamb Board is excited to offer an in depth education workshop for producers to assist in their success and promote industry growth.

Vegetation management for Solar arrays, vineyards, and fire suppression are the content areas for the 3-day intensives offered across the country.

Producers interested in grazing Solar arrays will receive an American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) certification upon course completion.

Roxboro, North Carolina
May 20th-22nd
Registration Fee: $200
* Includes: Lunch & Refreshments

Lodging:
Hampton Inn
336-599-8800
Room rate: $149

About the workshops

Targeted grazing has offered the US sheep industry an opportunity to grow and capitalize on our sustainable grazing practices. The American Lamb Board is excited to offer an in depth education workshop for producers to assist in their success and promote industry growth.

Vegetation management for Solar arrays, vineyards, and fire suppression are the content areas for the 3-day intensives offered across the country.

Producers interested in grazing Solar arrays will receive an American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) certification upon course completion.

Roxboro, North Carolina
May 20th-22nd
Registration Fee: $200
* Includes: Lunch & Refreshments

Lodging:
Hampton Inn
336-599-8800
Room rate: $149

Each year, the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association collaborate to convene ranchers, farmers, conservationists, land managers, scientists, and thought leaders to share knowledge, build community, and create a culture of resilience and regeneration.

This year’s conference, Innovating for a Resilient Future, will explore data, technology, information collection and sharing, ways of learning and knowing, and the myriad approaches to fulfilling our ecological roles. Mark your calendars!

If you would like to be notified when we open registration, sign up for the REGENERATE email list.

If you have additional questions, need help registering, or have other special requests related to the conference, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Email: info@regenerateconference.com