NC Specialty Ag Events Calendar
Alternative Crops ~ Herbs ~ Organics ~ Specialty Crops ~ Vegetables

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Janury 28, 2012

Putting Small Acreage to Work Conference

Gaston County Citizens Resource Center

1303 Dallas-Cherryville Hwy, Dallas, NC 28034

We invite you to attend this conference where you will be able to explore alternative enterprises by speaking with successful producers and university and extension personnel who are already growing, raising and researching specific livestock species, specialty crops, and other important business opportunities. The program will include three breakout sessions, each with several topics. You will need to choose one topic to attend at each of the three breakout sessions.

Pre-registration and a fee of $35/person and $20 for each additional person are due by Monday, January 23. Checks made payable to Gaston County Cooperative Extension. Call Gaston County Cooperative Extension at 704-922-2112 for more information.

Registration from 8:00 a.m.—8:30 a.m.

Concurrent Session I: 1. Raising Sheep for Food & Fiber, Susan Proctor, Windy Wool Windings. 2. Weed Control for Small Acreage,

Libby Yarber, Field & Forage Crops Agent, Lincoln County. 3. Field Grown Cut Flower Production, Der Xiong, Immigrant Agriculture Program Coordinator, Catawba County. 4. Building Organic Soils & A Sustainable Farming System from the Ground Up, Chris & Jeffie Hardin, Rivendell Farms

Concurrent Session II: 5. Heirloom Vegetable Production, Chip Hope, Coordinator of Sustainable Ag. & Horticulture Program, Western Piedmont Community College. 6. Selling to Restaurants, Retailers & Institutions—Round Table Discussion, Area Chefs,Farmers, Retail & Institution Representatives. 7. Food Preservation 101, Linda Minges, Family & Consumer Science Agent, Gaston County. 8. Pastured Poultry & MobileProcessing Units, Lee & Domisty Menius, Wild Turkey Farms

Lunch 12:05 p.m.—1:00 p.m.

Concurrent Session III: 9. Rice Production in the Piedmont, Jason Oatis, Edible Earthscapes. 10. Planning & Managing a Successful Goat Dairy, Suzanne Levesque, Cheval Farmstead Dairy & Cheese. 11. Marketing Grass Roots Style, Lara Worden, Area Agent, Agriculture, Gaston County.

January 28, 2012

Growing Shiitake Mushrooms

Learn about shiitake mushroom cultivation–something you can do in your own backyard. The workshop will include cultivation techniques; drilling, inoculating, and waxing logs; and shiitake mushroom spawn for you to take home. The workshop has a $15/$20 couples registration fee. Limited to 15 people. Pre-registration is required by January 10. Make checks payable to McDowell Co. Extension. Mail to McDowell Co. Extension, 60 East Court Street, Marion, NC 28752. Call Molly Sandfoss or Jane McDaniel with questions 828-652-8104.

February 22-23, 2012

Winter Vegetable Conference

Crowne Plaza Resort, Asheville, NC

Join us for this annual event sponsored by the N.C. Tomato Growers Association. If you grow vegetables in western North Carolina, or plan to, you need to attend this conference to get the latest information on disease, insect, and weed control, labor issues, marketing, new crops, and other topics of interest to commercial vegetable growers. Information and registration information are available at N.C. Tomato Growers Association or by contacting Ellen Sprague at ellen_moss@yahoo.com.

February 23-25, 2012

National Truffle Fest

Grand Bohemian Hotel, Asheville, NC

This is a "not to be missed" event if 1) you are a truffle grower, 2) you are considering being a truffle grower, 3) you enjoy eating truffles and learning all about them, and/or 4) you want to support a very worthy cause. The National Truffle Fest provides a unique opportunity to experience a wide range of truffle varieties in dishes prepared by award winning chefs using top quality American and imported truffles. This year, Dr. Jim Trappe, mycology expert, Dr. Tom Michaels, expert North American truffle grower, and European truffle expert, Emanuele Musini, will present a seminar on "The Truth About Truffles". Tickets on sale at Trufflefest.com or by calling 919-845-8880. Proceeds support the Frankie Lemmon School.

February 24, 2012

Foothills Fresh Growers School

N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, Catawba County Agricultural Resources Center

1175 South Brady Avenue, Newton, NC

This half-day school covers a variety of topics for new and established growers of fruits and vegetables.

8:00 a.m.    Registration and Refreshments (Biscuits, Juice, Coffee)            

8:30 a.m.    Welcome—Jeff Carpenter

8:35 a.m.    Update on the Foothills Fresh Program—Kevin Starr

8:45 a.m.    Tapping into the Charlotte Market—Christy Shi

9:30 a.m.    Managing Stink Bugs and Other Interesting Insect Pests of Vegetables—Jim Walgenbach

10:15 a.m.  Break

10:30 a.m.  Pollinator Conservation—Nancy Lee Adamson

11:15 a.m.  Bringing New Farmers to the Table / Perspectives from a New Small Farm—Joanna Lelekacs

12:00 noon Adjourn

Registration:  There is no charge to attend the school, however, pre-registration is required.  Call 828-465-8240 or e-mail beth_rogers@ncsu.edu no later than February 17.  You may also register on-line at ffgrowersschool.eventbrite.com.

Speakers:

• Christy Shi is the executive director of the new 7th Street Public Market in Charlotte and the co-founder of “Know Your Farms.”  7thstreetpublicmarket.com  knowyourfarms.com
• Jim Walgenbach is an Extension Entomologist stationed in Mills River, North Carolina.
• Nancy Lee Adamson is a pollinator conservation specialist with the USDA-NRCS East National Technology Support Center & The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. www.xerces.org
• Joanna Lelekacs is the state Coordinator for the  Incubator Farm Project at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems.  She also owns and operates Dancing Pines farm along with her husband, Bill.  ncnewfarmers.org  www.dancingpinesfarm.com

March 3-4, 2012

Organic Growers School

University of North Carolina-Asheville, Asheville, NC

The biggest conference devoted to organic growing and sustainable living in the region. This is a not to be missed event. Many of the speakers are farmers sharing their own experiences. Great trade show, fabulous food. More information can be found at Organic Growers School.

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Dr. Jeanine Davis
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center
455 Research Drive
Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: 828.684.3562 ~ Fax: 828.684.8715
Email: jeanine_davis@ncsu.edu

Maintained by: Bryan A. Konsler~ Email: bryan_konsler@ncsu.edu

Updated January 17, 2012 by Jeanine Davis