Small Farms News

by Wayne Martin Extension Educator The University of Minnesota Extension Small Farms Program will host a workshop on lambing management on the St Paul Campus.   Date/Location- It will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2018, 9 am to 3:30 pm, in the Beef Cattle Barn, on the St Paul Campus. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Pre-registration is encouraged so that we can plan for food. Cost of the workshop is $15/adult, $20/couple or business partners, and $10/student. Please contact Wayne Martin at marti067@umn.edu , or (612) 625-6224. The Beef Cattle Barn is located at: http://campusmaps.umn.edu/beef-cattle-barn Sheep numbers continue to decline throughout the USA, while demand remains strong, a situation which provides a great opportunity for those who raise sheep, whether the flock is small or large. This workshop is designed for the person who is interested but with no experience raising sheep, or who already has a few sheep but wants to improve management skills.  Th

White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen, MN With the low tunnel, day-neutral strawberry production system, Minnesota farmers can grow and harvest delicious strawberries late into the fall. RSVP for this free workshop featuring Steve Poppe, Senior Horticulture Scientist at West Central Research and Outreach Center, who will share the latest research and best practices for day-neutral strawberry season extension. A panel discussion featuring growers and culinary professionals who are growing, seeking or using Minnesota-grown strawberries will follow Poppe's presentation. This event is intended for growers interested in strawberry production, as well as culinary professionals and other local businesses interested in sourcing locally grown strawberries. Networking lunch from 12 - 1, with optional site tour after lunch. Event Hosted In Partnership with the Lake Agassiz Chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association. Date: April 6, 9AM - 1PM   Location: White Ea

By Colleen Carlson Extension Educator Scott County Want to raise sheep but have been too sheepish to ask for information? Want to know what’s the difference between sod and soil?  Can a pasture also be a pig pen? Would you like to grow your knowledge of what it takes to live in the country or get more enjoyment out of your current acreage? The University of Minnesota Extension will present a Living on the Land Workshop in Elko New Market. Living on the Land, an eight session course will be held Monday nights, April 2, - May 14, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Firehouse Grill meeting room, 7875 Old Town Road, in Elko New Market, MN.  The class fee is $225.00, for up to two people per farm. Living on the Land is designed to walk those new to land ownership through a process of selecting a purpose and developing a plan for their small acreage, says Colleen Carlson, Scott County Extension Educator. “This class will provide residents a unique learning experience to prepa

By Beth Berlin University of Minnesota Extension ST. CLOUD, Minn. (03/14/18) — Do you grow vegetables or fruits to sell at your local farmers market, grocery, restaurant, or other market? If you do, you probably deal with a variety of pests impacting your produce every year. Join the University of Minnesota Extension for “Strategies to Tackle Pests in Vegetable and Fruit Production” workshop on April 4, 2018 in either Little Falls or Alexandria. Annie Klodd, Extension Educator-Vegetable and Fruit Production, will cover problem weeds in vegetables and fruit fields, and early season weed control tactics in vegetable production. Extension Entomologist Bill Hutchison, will address a variety of insect pests including spotted wing drosophila, tarnished plant bug, squash vine borer, cabbage looper, and Colorado potato beetle. In addition he will highlight insects on the horizon for central and west central Minnesota growers like the brown marmorated stink bug that will greatly impac