Small Farms News

By Greg Schweser Director Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnership The UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, the Lake City Catholic Worker Farm, and the Sustainable Farming Association are excited to announce the next open house (and potluck) of our Deep Winter Greenhouse (DWG) campaign to help producers build passive solar greenhouses developed by the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research. This open house will occur on Saturday, May 5 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Lake City Catholic Worker Farm, in Lake City, Minnesota. The Lake City Catholic Worker Farm is one of five producers and community organizations that was chosen to participate in the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnership’s campaign to spread awareness of this technology and to conduct research on the production and financial capacity of the system. Please see the attached f

By Jason Ertl, UMN Extension Educator SAINT PETER, Minn-- Have you ever considered owning your own backyard chickens? Or do you already have a small flock and want to learn more about how to care for your feathered friends? Then join University of Minnesota Educators and Specialist for a day of poultry education on April 28th in St Peter, Minnesota. Raising poultry on a small scale is gaining in popularity throughout all parts of Minnesota, but without access to education, many home producers are left scrambling to find answers to their questions. The Backyard and Small Flocks Workshop is designed to help start answering some of those questions. The workshop will cover a range of poultry related topics including chicken breeds, poultry regulatory issues, poultry husbandry and nutrition, biosecurity, issues with raising poultry, and baby chicks. Whether you consider yourself a novice or an expert chicken raiser, this workshop will have something for you. The workshop will be he

By Colleen Carlson, Extension Educator Are you a farm with animals that also hosts Breakfast on the Farm, school field trips, has a pumpkin patch or apple orchard, or other similar activities? If so, you are participating in agritourism!  Learn how to create a fun, safe environment for your visitors. Workshop topics include best practices for human-animal contact, working farm safety issues, food licensing and handling requirements, and more!  Learn how to create a fun, safe environment for your visitors. Owners, employees, and youth volunteers are encouraged to attend! Wednesday, April 18, 2018 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Carver County Extension Office 11360 Hwy 212  W, Cologne, MN, 55322 *Boxed dinner will be provided for registered attendees. Vegetarian options are available upon request.  Please register by  April 12, 2018 .  Class minimum 15. http://www.health.state.mn.us/ divs/idepc/dtopics/animal/ tour/ For more information contact Colleen Carlson, Extension Educat