Ag workshops bloom in February

By Scott Nicholson

With winter reaching its midpoint, growers and farmers are turning their thoughts to spring planting.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and other local agencies are offering workshops, local and regional meetings, trainings, conferences and other opportunities to expand, refine, diversify and network for better profits and sustainability. Those interested in developing a local food network are also encouraged to participate.

Feb. 3: Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop, 1 p.m., Creston

Winter is the time to prune many fruit crops, and Richard & Vickie Horodyski’s farm in Creston features many types of fruit, with a multitude of trees, vines, and bushes in various stages of maturity.

The workshop will focus on successful pruning strategies for pome fruits, such as apples and pears, and stone fruits like cherries and peaches, but there will also be opportunity to discuss, examine, and prune raspberry, blueberry, paw paw, grape, hardy kiwi vines and more.

The workshop is free but pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call the Ashe County Cooperative Extension office at (336) 846-5850 or e-mail Richard Boylan at richard_boylan@ncsu.edu

Feb. 11: Blueberry Pruning workshop, 2 p.m., Deep Gap

The Watauga and Ashe County Cooperative Extension Services are collaborating to provide a blueberry pruning workshop geared primarily toward commercial producers. Bill Cline, North Carolina State University Research Extension specialist, and local extension agents will be on hand to help answer questions and provide hands-on techniques for proper blueberry pruning. Cline specializes in small fruits, working on integrated pest management, cultural practices, and disease resistance. The workshop will be held at Swinging Bridge Farm, located in Deep Gap off of Brownwood Road. Directions can be found at www.swingingbridgefarm.com or by visiting the Watauga County website at Watauga.ces.ncsu.edu. Registration required. Contact the Watauga or Ashe County Extension office to register, at (828) 264-3061 or (336) 846-5850.

Feb. 13: Local Forest Products: New Enterprises and New Markets, 9-3 p.m., Asheville

A workshop for forest land owners, farmers, forest professionals and policy makers at Land-of-Sky Regional Council, 339 Leicester Highway in Asheville. This workshop explores a range of emerging forest enterprises to help land owners improve revenues from their forest land. It also explores ways for producers to connect with local buyers to capture a larger share of value of their forest products.

Directions at www.landofsky.org/mainlinks/contact.html. Email conference questions to Tom Elmore at Thatchmore@main.nc.us. For registration questions, contact Annie Sarac at Annie@landofsky.org or call (828) 251-6622 ext 150.

Feb. 15: High Country Orders for Mushroom Spawn from NCA&T due

The shiitake mushroom spawn produced by North Carolina Agriculture & Technical University’s Mycology Program is again being made available to commercial-scale growers of 200 logs or more. To be eligible to receive this spawn, growers must have their logs cut by Feb. 15 and their spawn orders also in by that date. Eligible growers are also required to attend one of the regional workshops. Information and spawn requests from growers in Ashe and Watauga Counties can be sent to Richard Boylan, Area Agent for Alternative Agriculture, via e-mail at richard_boylan@ncsu.edu.

Feb. 21: Watauga County Beekeepers Association 2009 Beginner Beekeeping Class, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Boone

This one-day workshop is an introduction to the art and science of beekeeping. There will be beekeeping books and equipment for sale, speakers from all over North Carolina, demonstrations and door prizes. Breakfast, lunch and a resource notebook will be provided. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The workshop takes place at I.G. Greer Auditorium, on the Appalachian State University campus in Boone. Free parking located at Rivers Street Parking Deck. Cost is $15 for an individual or $20 for a family of two. Pre-registration is recommended. To guarantee a spot, call Amy Johnston at (828) 719-6825 or email at mountainbeehoney@yahoo.com.

Feb. 28: Marketing Opportunities for Farmers Conference, Swannanoa

A day-long training and networking opportunity for farmers who want to grow their business by growing for local markets, sponsored by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Potential buyers of locally grown goods can attend the full conference, or attend at no charge for networking only. Call (828) 236-1282 for information on attending at no charge.

Special reduced rates for early registration before Feb. 1 are $30 per person or $40 for two farm partners. After Feb.1, the cost is $35 per person or $50 per two farm partners. Conference details and directions to Warren Wilson College are at http://www.asapconnections.org/moffform.html.

For more information on any workshops or agriculture-related issues, contact the Watauga County branch of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service at (828) 264-3061.