Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
January 25, 2007 issue
Compiled by Kathleen McFadden
Not much grows this time of year, so it’s a perfect time for local growers to take advantage of Cooperative Extension courses. Extension has a Christmas tree pest workshop in January, two courses planned for February—one on how to extend the High Country’s short growing season and another on commercial organic certification that meets for six weeks—and a three-part whole-farm planning course in February and March.
In addition, the Agribusiness Development Section of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has put out a call for a small milk producer—either cattle or goats—who is interested in moving into cheese production. The NCDA&CS has a small-batch pasteurizer that will be available to the most qualified applicant for one year at no charge. The application deadline is February 16.
Emerging Pests of Fraser Fir Seminar Being Held January 30
Those involved in Christmas tree production can learn how to identify and scout for new pests moving into the area, including the rosette bud mite and elongate hemlock scale on Tuesday, January 30, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Watauga Agricultural Conference Center. Treatment options will also be discussed. For more info, call Meghan Baker at 828-264-3061 or click to www.ces.ncsu.edu/watauga.
Season Extension and High Tunnels Workshop Set for February 1
Vegetable farmers and cut-flower growers in our mountain region face a shorter growing season than nearly all our neighboring counties in North Carolina. Does this put the High Country at an inevitable disadvantage? Should aspiring vegetable growers all move to a lower elevation? Not at all—with the right mix of low-cost, season-extension techniques, area growers can stretch their production of a number of crops and still reap the cool summer benefits of our region.
Area farmers are invited to join Cooperative Extension for a High Tunnels and Season Extension Workshop on Thursday, February 1, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and on Friday, February 2, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Ashe Family Central in Jefferson.
Nationally renowned grower Steve Moore will lead the course. Moore has recently joined NC A&T State University as a research and extension associate, but spent the last 20 years as a successful independent farmer in the cold climate of central Pennsylvania. Early in his farming career, Moore was a successful greenhouse tomato grower, but high heating bills and a concern for dwindling fossil fuel supplies led him to reconsider the greenhouse route. Over time, he developed more economical season-extension techniques using unheated “high tunnels,” fabric row-coves, and similar low-impact techniques. This season-extension course will focus on such methods.
The cost for the course is $35 and includes lunch both days and a selection of books relevant to season extension. Couples, farm-partners or others willing to share a set of books may register jointly for $50 per couple. Registration fees can be paid at the door; however, growers need to register for the course by calling the NC Cooperative Extension, Ashe County Center, at 336-219-2650. The class will be limited to 15. If more than 15 people wish to take this course, preference will be given to those who are already growing commercially in Ashe and Watauga counties.
In case of heavy snow or ice on February 1, the course will be rescheduled for February 22 and 23.
Commercial Organic Certification Class Begins February 7
NC Cooperative Extension will present a class for farmers wanting to begin or transition to commercial-scale, certified organic production of vegetable and/or fruit crops. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at NC Cooperative Extension, Ashe County Center, in the first floor conference room from February 7 through March 14. Participating growers will receive books on organic agriculture, weed management, disease identification and organic pest control.
This class is geared toward growers who are already set up for commercial-scale production with one acre of ready-to-be-certified-organic field land or more and wish to enter the expanding certified organic market.
The cost is $50 and the class is limited to 15 growers. The registration fee must be paid before participants are enrolled in the class.
Topics covered in the course and their dates of presentation are as follows:
• February 7 – Introduction to organics and certification/Planning organic crops and rotations
• February 14 – Soils and fertility in organic systems
• February 21 – Insect management in organic systems
• February 28 – Disease management in organic systems
• March 7 – Weed management in organic systems
• March 14 – Post-harvest handling for selected crops/Certification paperwork wrap-up
For more information, call the NC Cooperative Extension, Ashe County Center, at 336-219-2650, or email Richard Boylan at richard_boylan@ncsu.edu.
Whole-Farm Planning Workshop Series in February and March
All farmers and producers in Western North Carolina are invited take advantage of a three-part series of workshops on issues that affect today’s farmer—from agritourism to product liability. Sessions will be held February 15, March 8 and March 24.
This series, sponsored by USDA-RMA and NC Cooperative Extension, will include information on entrepreneurship, how to start and succeed with a new farm venture and how to minimize liability and other risks to farm businesses. Participants will also receive individual assistance with writing business plans. Workshop participants will be eligible to receive continued support for the development and implementation of their business plans throughout 2007. Additionally, participants who attend at least two workshops in the three-part series will receive a free copy of Building a Sustainable Business, A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses.
Preregistration for Part III is required by Saturday, March 10 and the cost is $15 per person; lunch will be provided. For more info, contact Brittany Whitmire at brittany.whitmire@buncombecounty.org or call your county Cooperative Extension office.
The schedule of workshops with dates, times and locations is as follows:
• Thursday, February 15 – Part I: AgVenture Feasibility – What Else Can I Do with What I’ve Got?, Bakersville Fire Department, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, March 8 – Part II: Risky Business – How Do I Protect My Farm Business and ME?, Mayland Community College, Spruce Pine, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 24 – Part III: AgriBusiness Planning 101 – Building a Practical Business Plan that Works for My Farm and ME!, Bakersville Fire Department, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Pasteurizer Loan Program Application Deadline February 16
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Agribusiness Development Section is looking for a small dairy in North Carolina interested in starting or expanding its farmstead operation.
Farmstead dairies process milk produced on their farm into value-added products such as cheese. The milk may come from goats or cattle. NCDA&CS received grant money from the NC Agricultural Advancement Consortium and US Department of Agriculture to purchase a small-batch pasteurizer that will be available to the most qualified applicant for one year at no charge.
Applications to participate in the project are due by Friday, February 16, and project administrators hope to identify a participant by Wednesday, February 28. The dairy will be selected on a competitive basis using the following criteria:
• Business readiness of the applicant
• Experience in the dairy industry
• Viability of the business plan
• Knowledge of value-added dairy production
• Suitability of available pasteurizer to the planned production
• Personal investment of time and money in the value-added venture
The selected recipient must agree to allow officials from the NCDA&CS to review the business’ books to track the profitability of the operation using the supplied equipment. The farmstead receiving the equipment must also post a $1,500 refundable deposit against the value of the pasteurizer and must agree to abide by all laws and regulations pertaining to production and marketing of the value-added dairy products.
Complete rules and information are available from Ron Fish, assistant director of marketing, NCDA&CS, 1020 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699. Contact him by phone at 919-733-7887, ext. 219, or by email at ron.fish@ncmail.net.