NODPA Events Calendar

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July 2008

July 1, 2008
Polyface Farm Field Day at Joel Salatin’s Farm
Swoope VA, sponsored by Acres USA. Visit www.acresusa.com or call 1-800-355-5313 for more information.

July 10, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Organic Dairy Transition
Colrain Dairy Farm, 270 Greenfield Road, Colrain, 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.

July 17, 2008
Pasture Walk in NorthHampton County, PA
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Place: Charlie and Jan Graver Beef Farm, Bath, PA
Part of Penn State's 2008 Grazing Walks in SE and South Central PA Series

About the Farm: The Gravers started grazing in 2005. They have 48 total acres for their 30-cow Angus herd. The pastures consist of cool season grasses, some of which have been recently overseeded.

Highlights:

* Participating in NRCS EQIP program to install perimeter fencing, pipelines, and spring development.
* Teff planted for hay.
* Water lines newly installed to provide water in each grazing paddock.
* Purchased Esch No-Till Drill to overseed and renovate pastures.

Directions: From US-22 in Allentown, take PA-512 North to town of Bath. At third light, turn left on to PA-248 and then take quick right on to PA-987 North. Follow 987 approximately 4.25 miles to stop sign. Go straight onto PA-946 and take first right onto Point Phillips Road. Go several hundred feet and take first left onto S. Delps Road. Follow S. Delps Road to first farm on right.

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.

Friday, July 18, 2008, 9 am to 4 pm
Organic No-Till Demonstration
RODALE INSTITUTE, 611 Siegfriedale Road, Kutztown, PA 19530

Organic no-till brings together the environmental benefits of organic production—eliminating chemical pesticides and fertil­izers and improving soil quality through composts and cover crops—with the conservation benefits of reduced or zero-tillage. This one day event brings together researchers, farmers and extension educators to share their successes and challenges encountered on the road to perfecting a farming system that may become one of the best alternatives for farming in the future.
Admission FREE, Lunch $10 (Optional).
Register online: https://secure.rodaleinstitutestore.org/forms/event/register.php
For more information: Tel: 610-683-6009; email: info@rodaleinst.org;
Web: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org

July 22, 2008
Wisconsin Grazing School
Fond du Lac, 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: $35 per person. Includes meals. Contact: Dennis Cosgrove, UW-River Falls, 410 S. 3rd Street, River Falls, WI 54022, 715-425-3345, dennis.r.cosgrove@uwrf.edu.Wisconsin Grazing Schools

Wednesday July 23rd 10am-2pm
A Plan for Pastured Pork
Brown Boar Farm, East Wells, VT
Part of the 2008 NOFA-VT Organic Pasture & Livestock Management Workshop Series. Runs through October. Check other months in Calendar for other events.

Chris Burrows will share his production model and marketing tools with discussion on the principles guiding his business direction and maximizing his land base. Jenn Colby will facilitate farmer discussion. Co-hosted with the VT Pasture Network at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

From Rte 7 in VT: Take Exit 4 to Manchester. Turn left for Manchester. Follow Route 30 North to Pawlet. Turn right onto VT-133 for approx. 6.3 miles. Turn left onto E. Wells Rd, follow for 1.2 miles. Turn right onto Lamb Hill Road. The farm is 55 Lamb Hill Road. Chris Burrows 325-2461

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

Thursday July 24th 10am-12pm
Organic Dairy Grazing
Cross Road Dairy, Newport Center, VT
Part of the 2008 NOFA-VT Organic Pasture & Livestock Management Workshop Series. Runs through October. Check other months in Calendar for other events.

Pasture walk lead by Sarah Boutin with discussion facilitated by Willie Gibson on organic livestock management, healthcare, fly control, record keeping, grazing, forage quality and more. Co-hosted with the VT Pasture Network at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

From Newport Center- At blinking traffic light, head west on Cross Road, after railroad tracks bear left. Farm is 2nd on the left. Or from Troy- Head north on Rt 100 3 miles. Make left on to Cross Road. Farm is about 2 miles, first farm on the left. Tom and Bonnie Boutin 334-2081

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

July 24, 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Raising and Marketing Grass-Fed Meat
Wheel-View Farm, 212 Reynolds Road, Shelburne, 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.
 
July 24, 25, 26
Out-of-state organic grain bus tour to Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia
Leaves Raleigh, NC at 7:00 am on 7/24 to visit two organic grain farms in Maryland. July 25 tour of Rodale Institute; July 26 tour of 400 acre farm Hillsborough Farm in Walkerton VA.
Call Molly Hamilton, Department of Crop Science, 828-628-2675 for more information.
 
July 30, 2008, 9:00am – 3:30pm
Growing Organic Field Crops and Forage
USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) Beltsville, MD

BARC scientists and leading Maryland organic farmers will discuss research results and experiences growing organic field crops and forages. Learn About: Optimizing your crop rotation; Soil fertility management in organic hay; Cover crop management and breeding; Weed management. The field day is FREE and includes lunch, but pre-registration is requested by Monday, July 21, 2008.
For more information or to register, contact: Kate Mason at 410-841-5779 or masonkb@mda.state.md.us.

July 31, 2008 10 am - 2 pm
The Full Scope at Journey's Hope: Varied Grazing Event in Bridport, VT
Join Jon and Beverly Rutter and crew for a varied grazing event featuring BBQ, guest speakers, and forage research results. Jon and Beverly are innovators in organic dairy management and have new seedings to discuss. Jon is participating in the NE SARE forage research trials. The keynote speaker
for the 2009 VT Grazing Conference will be there as well...Dr. Darrell Emmick will help us learn more about grazing behavior and pasture feed preference a lactating cow might have on this farm.

Cost: FREE. Bring a potluck item, we will provide burgers, beverages, and
dessert.

RSVP for planning purposes to Kevin Kaija, USDA-NRCS, kevin.kajia@vt.usda.gov, inside VT (800) 789-6713 x 23, outside VT (802) 295-1662 x. 23. Downloadable flyer with directions:
http://www.uvm.edu/pasture