The new year is getting off to a fast start with lots to do already! Becky Sideman at the UNH Cooperative Extension sends a round-up of farming-related events:
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS in NH and beyond!
TUES Jan 11. Greenhouse IPM Workshop. UNH Research Greenhouses, Durham NH. 8:30am-3:30pm. This year’s workshop covers nutrient deficiency and disease management, new biocontrol systems, and research on what growers are doing with energy conservation and IPM in our area. Special guest: Ronald Valentine, Biobest Biological Systems, from Ontario, Canada. Growers of all experience levels will learn something new! 5 PAT credits. Reg. fee $50, plus $6 if you need a parking permit. For info, call Cheryl Frank at 802-656-5434 or email cfrank@uvm.edu.
THURS Jan 13. University of Maine Cooperative Extension Strawberry School. Augusta Civic Center, Augusta ME. 10:00am-4:30pm. Free, but pre-registration advised. This school is designed to help people who are interested in strawberry production as a commercial enterprise. Basic site requirements, site preparation, plant selection, care of young plants, nutrient management, pest management and business management will be discussed with a team of experts from University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Space is limited, so pre-registration is strongly advised. To pre-register, please call Pam St. Peter at 207-933-2100, or e-mail pamela.stpeter@maine.edu before January 5, 2011.
TUES Jan 18, WED Feb 2 and WED Feb 16. Organic Insect and Disease Management: Three Workshops for Experienced Vegetable Growers. Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee VT. 9:00am-4:30pm each day. One session $70, any two sessions $110, all three sessions: $150. Session One: Insects, Session Two: Diseases, and Session Three: Weeds. You may register for one, two, or all three sessions. Each session features expert farmers, researchers and crop advisors as presenters. For more details, contact the office at 802-434-4122 or info@nofavt.org.
FRI Jan 21. Organic High Tunnel Production Meeting. Unitarian Universalist Church, Concord, NH. 8:30am-3:00pm. No cost, but please pre-register and bring a bag lunch! This workshop is designed for experienced high tunnel producers who want to better understand organic soil, crop and disease management in high tunnels. Featured speakers include Vern Grubinger and Ann Hazelrigg from University of VT, and Jack Manix from Walker Farm in Dummerston VT. Presentations will be followed by a farmer-to-farmer discussion where you can learn from each other. To pre-register, call 603-862-3200 or email suzanne.hebert@unh.edu.
SAT Jan 29. New England Vegetable & Berry Growers Association (NEVBGA) Winter Meeting. Waltham, MA. 10am-4pm. The program will include a half day on soil and nutrient management, reduced tillage including deep zone tillage, and cover crops. To register or to get more info, contact John Howell at 413-665-3501 or howell@umext.umass.edu.
SAT Feb 5. Growing a Better Beer in the Granite State. Radisson Hotel, Manchester NH. 9:00am-2:00pm. Registration fee $30. This program is intended for farms looking to diversify into crops for NH’s beer brewers and for the serious home brewer who wants to become even more involved with the brewing process. We will cover the basics for growing grains and hops that are used for making beer, and we’ll provide input from professionals who can comment on what brewers are looking for and how people might be able to meet these opportunities. For info, contact Carl Majewski at 603-352-4550 or carl.majewski@unh.edu.
SAT Feb 5. 2011 NOFA-Mass Advanced Growers’ Winter Seminar: Systematizing a Diverse Vegetable Operation. Barre Congregational Church, Barre MA. 8:30am-5:30pm. Registration fee $90; early bird and NOFA/MOFGA discounts exist. The seminar will be presented by Jean-Paul Courtens and Jody Bolluyt from Roxbury Farm in Kinderhook, NY. The morning portion of the seminar will focus on Soil & Plant Health from a Whole Farm Perspective, and the afternoon will focus on Planting and Harvesting Procedures, Record Keeping, and Financial Analysis. For info, contact Ben Grosscup at 413-658-5374.
TUES-THURS Mar 1-3. New England Ag Marketing Conference & Trade Show. Sturbridge Host Hotel, Sturbridge MA. 9:00am-2:00pm. Registration fees vary, see conference website for info. This unique marketing conference targets New England farmers interested in learning new marketing ideas as well as fine-tuning strategies for business success. Five themed tracks with over 25 workshops will be offered covering a wide range of marketing and business planning topics, including using social media, funding, customer relations, value added, agri-tourism and more. The five conference tracks include Growing your business, Funding your business, Selling your product, Marketing your product, and Adding value to your product. For info, contact Jaime Smith at 860-713-2559 or jaime.smith@ct.gov.