NODPA Events Calendar

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October 2008

Sunday, October 5, 3 - 5 PM
Pasture Walk at Meadowsweet Farm, Swanville, Maine
Sponsored by the Maine Grass Farmers' Network
Sumner and Paula Roberts will show their lambs and beef cattle finishing on grass in the fall. Their flock of 50 sheep produces about 90 lambs in April and May, and the 20 Angus cross beef cows will calve in June. Cattle and sheep are sometimes pastured together, sometimes in leader/follower groups depending on each group's needs. Fencing, water systems, and forage will also be discussed. RSVP to meadowsweetfarm@gmail.com or 338-1265 and for directions.

Tuesday October 7th 10am-12pm
Season Extension-Fall Annuals and Perennial Stockpiling
Maple Wind Farm, Richmond, VT
Part of the 2008 NOFA-VT Organic Pasture & Livestock Management Workshop Series. Runs through October. Check other months in Calendar for other events.

Bruce Hennessey and Beth Whiting will share their experience with both these season extending cropping system and discuss this year's planting of a Cereal Rye and Italian Ryegrass mix along with their experimenting with different grazing mixes, most of which include festulolium, a ryegrass/fescue hybrid that remain high energy in colder weather.

From I-89 take exit 11 to Richmond. Follow Rt. 2, one mile past town intersection to the white barn at Andrews Farm on the right. Bruce Hennessey and Beth Whiting 434-7257

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

October 8 and 9, 2008
The Mid-Atlantic Dairy Grazing Conference and Organic Field Day
Shenandoah Valley, VA
Contact Steve Washburn for more information.

More details to come, but put it on your calendar. There will be visit two pasture-based organic dairy farms, a dairy grazier panel discussion, and several workshops on topics of interest to dairy graziers. They also plan to have a conference proceedings.

October 21-22, 2008
3rd Annual WODPA Conference
Great Wolf Lodge, 20500 Old Highway 99, SW Grand Mound, WA

Panel Discussions Include:

1. The Organics industry - current status and where it is going.
2. Cost of production - labor, fuel, grain, hay, issues discussed.
3. Is it milk or is it more? - what are the facts.
   

For more information contact Sharon Sinko,  Phone: 541-396-2409 or email: sinko@dishmail.net

October 28-30, 2008
Understanding Organics: Livestock Management and Health Conference
Holiday Inn, Auburn, NY
A continuation of the 2007 conferences held in NY and NH, this 3-day conference is designed to educate extension personnel, veterinarians, NRCS agents and other professionals working with organic and transitioning livestock producers. For more information, contact Lisa McCrory, lmccrory@together.net, phone: 802-234-5524 or Linda Tikofsky, lg40@cornell.edu, phone: 607-255-8202.