NODPA Events Calendar

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August 2008

August 8 - 10, 2008
The 34th Annual NOFA Summer Conference: Fruits of Our Labor
University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA (Note the location change). For more information, contact: Email: nofa@nofamass.org or call: 978-355-2853

Keynote Speakers Mark McAfee and Arden Andersen

Educational: Over 150 workshops on organic farming, gardening and land care, homesteading, sustainability, nutrition, spirituality, food politics, activism, and more. Special workshops specifically for children and teens. Enlightening keynote speeches on raw milk and sustainable agriculture.
Saturday’s schedule also includes a Grazing School organized by Mass Grass, a Massachusetts grazing group.  The Grazing School features seven workshops and a pasture walk for both beginning and experienced graziers.
Entertaining: Family contra-dance, zydeco, drumming, Old-fashioned Country Fair, live music, farmer’s market, games and fun.
Economical: Modest registration, inexpensive dorm rooms, and camping and wholesome organic meals. 
Registration began in mid-April.
For more information, visit www.nofamass.org or call Julie Rawson at
(978) 355-2853 or e-mail julie@nofamass.org.

August 9, 2008
Grazing School

Beginning and experienced graziers who would like to learn about the tools and resources needed to develop grazing systems and how to improve animal growth or production through better pasture management are invited to attend a Grazing School to be held as part of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer Conference on Saturday, August 9th.

To register for the Mass Grass Grazing School, visit the NOFA Summer Conference website.  Grazing School workshops are part of the summer conference.

The Grazing School is organized by Mass Grass, a state-wide grazing group of Massachusetts livestock farmers, leaders and educators from agricultural organizations, including UMass Extension, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Northeast Organic Farming Association, Massachusetts Chapter. 

For more information about Mass Grass or the Grazing School workshops, visit www.massgrass.org, or contact Kate Rossiter, NOFA/Mass Organic Dairy Coordinator, (413) 498-2721, or krossiter@nofamass.org.

Sunday, August 10, 3 - 5 PM
Pasture Walk at Orchard Hill Farm, Woodland, Maine
Sponsored by the Maine Grass Farmers' Network
Stan Maynard invites people to take the beautiful drive to Woodland in Aroostook County. He will show his grazing system for his herd of Scottish Highland cattle. After calving in May he expects to have about 90 head of cattle, which graze on 9 paddocks at the home farm and on two other nearby farms. A few years ago he reseeded an area with a mix of orchard grass, timothy, birdsfoot trefoil, and California white clover, and he's looking forward to seeing how well it came through the winter. Stan sells beef by sides and quarters and also retail at farmers markets and from the farm. To get directions, and let Stan know you will be attending the walk, please call him at 498-8541 or email at orchhill@ainop.com.

Tuesday August 12th 10am-2pm
Balancing High Dairy Production with Creative Forage Crops
Howacres Farm, Tunbridge, VT
Part of the 2008 NOFA-VT Organic Pasture & Livestock Management Workshop Series. Runs through October. Check other months in Calendar for other events.

Kyle Thygessen will share his cropping system, which he manages to maximizes land use and profits through diverse plantings including annuals like forage kale, peas and oats along with sorghum-sudan and millet. Co-hosted with the VT Pasture Network at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

From intersection of Rt.100 and Rt. 14 in South Royalton travel north about 4 miles and look for a farm sign on the left. Kyle Thygessen 889-5512

FREE for all organic and transitioning dairy & livestock farmers. $10 NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members. Resource materials and books from the NOFA-VT bookstore will be available for sale. Drinks and snacks provided. BYO lunch.

To register, or for more information about any workshop including directions:
Contact NOFA-VT: 434-4122; info@nofavt.org

Wednesday, August 13
Intensive Livestock Grazing and Pasture Management
@ Gerry Lyness’s Farm, Pittstown, NJ
 For this combined Twilight and Pasture Walk, learn how Gerry’s farm manages livestock through “Intensive Grazing” for increased production and sustainability.  With plans to be certified organic and experience with EQUIP, Gerry’s farm is a great place to learn about pasture management, manure disposal, fencing, facilities, and more.  For farm address and contact information, visit http://www.nofanj.org

August 18, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Small Scale Dairies and Alternative Forages
Bostrom Farm, 95 Green River Road, Greenfield, MA
Part of the 2008 Grazing Workshop/Pasture Walk Series
NOFA/Mass, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the University of Massachusetts Extension have organized a series of Grazing Workshops as a continuing education resource for Massachusetts farmers. Topics at each event will vary, but will include pasture management, organic transition and herd health, forage species, soil fertility, fencing and water systems, and summer and winter grazing. Please bring your own lunch. For more information on any of the sessions, contact Winton Pitcoff, NOFA/Mass, at winton@nofamass.org or 413-634-5728; Steve Herbert, UMass Extension, at 413-545-2250 or sherbert@pssci.umass.edu; or Tom Akin, NRCS, at 413-253-4365 or thomas.akin@ma.usda.gov.
 
More details about each grazing workshop, including directions to the farms, can be found at www.nofamass.org/programs/organicdairy/index.php or www.massgrass.org.

August 19-20, 2008
Wisconsin Grazing School
Richland Center, Wisconsin
This school is offered several times around Wisconsin during the summer (also in July & August). The school includes sessions on economic considerations in grazing, agronomics, soil fertility, pasture monitoring and grazing systems layout and design. Registration fee: $75 per person ($35 for second person from same farm). Includes meals. Contact: Dennis Cosgrove, UW-River Falls, 410 S. 3rd Street, River Falls, WI 54022, 715-425-3345, dennis.r.cosgrove@uwrf.edu.

Thursday and Friday, August 21st and 22nd
New York Pasture Walks with Jerry Brunetti

Mark your calendar - various farms around NY - to be announced. Contact Fay Benson at 607-753-5213 or afb3@cornell.edu for more information.

Wednesday August 27th 10am-2pm
Holistic Planned Grazing in Action
Maplewood Natural Organics, Highgate, VT
Part of the 2008 NOFA-VT Organic Pasture & Livestock Management Workshop Series. Runs through October. Check other months in Calendar for other events.

Eric Noel will share his on the ground experience with the Holistic Planned Grazing, a management system designed by Allan Savory. Eric will give an overview of his current and past grazing charts, results and more. Sarah Flack will facilitate a farmer discussion on possible applications.

Exit 20 off I-89 (2nd St. Albans exit) Rt207 north all the way to Highgate. Take Right at T onto Rt 78. 1/4 mile go left on 207 North/Gore Rd 3.5 miles from center of town. Eric Noel 868-5083

FREE for all organic and transitioning dairy & livestock farmers. $10 NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members. Resource materials and books from the NOFA-VT bookstore will be available for sale. Drinks and snacks provided. BYO lunch.

To register, or for more information about any workshop including directions:
Contact NOFA-VT: 434-4122; info@nofavt.org

August 28, 2008
Pasture Walk in Lebanon County, PA
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Place: Willis and Rhoda Horst Dairy Farm, Myerstown, PA
Part of Penn State's 2008 Grazing Walks in SE and South Central PA Series

About the Farm: The Horsts have been grazing since 2004. They have 60 total acres for their 45-cow Holstein herd. They integrate sorghum sudangrass and winter rye where possible, but mostly rely on grass for their grazing program.

Highlights:

* View cows existing from barn in the morning to better view a no-gate system with raised earthen lanes. Laneways and field widths are the same to allow equal size square paddocks.
* Teff planted for hay.
* Watering lines are now established. Uses a brand with quick couplers to get high flow to keep watering tubs full.

Directions: Follow Rt. 422 east to Myerstown. Go through Myerstown and turn left on Ramona Road at the traffic light, which is about 1.2 miles from the Rt. 645 traffic light in Myerstown. Go through immediate stop sign, over railroad tracks, and through the stop sign at King Street. Farm is on the right 2.1 miles from Rt. 422. Look for 505 residential sign at end of lane. Watch for two large turkey houses just before the farm.

These grazing walks, monthly through September, are designed for anyone interested in grazing. At the walks, we'll learn from the practices used on the farm and from each other in discussions. No reservations are needed. All walks will be held rain or shine.

For more information or questions, call Dan Ludwig, NRCS, at 717-274-2597, Ext. 119; Mena Hautau, Penn State Cooperative Extension-Berks County, at 610-378-1327, or your county extension educator. The walks are co-sponsored by Southeast Project Grass, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Sunday, August 31, 2 PM
Pasture Walk at Cold Spring Ranch, North New Portland, Maine
Sponsored by the Maine Grass Farmers' Network
Gabe Clark will provide demonstration and training in the use of the new MGFN Manure Spreader and No-Till Drill. He will go over how the equipment works, proper use and calibration, and applying BMP (best management practices) when using the equipment.

He will also go over the MGFN equipment use agreement and equipment use requirements.
MGFN will ask for a $25 donation for use of the equipment to go toward maintenance and transportation, this is not required but will help ensure the equipment will stay in good condition so that it can be used for many seasons to come. Training is required before use. Contact Gabe for directions and to let him know you plan to attend. 340-0098