Blog

Midwest Organic Farming Retreat Prepares Veterans for Careers on America’s Farms Now Accepting Applications from Vets for July 2011 “Coming Home to Farm” Retreat in Iowa  April 12, 2011 – Davis, CA – The Farmer Veteran Coalition is accepting applications from veterans who seek a career in farming and wish to attend “Coming Home to […]

Smartphones on the Farm: An Introduction to Apps for Agriculture Wednesday, April 6, 2011; 7:00 PM ­ 8:30 PM Cornell Cooperative Extension 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424 If a smartphone seems like a techno-luxury instead of a hard-working farm tool, think again. There is a world of handy applications and record-keeping functions on […]

there's a workshop coming up in Santa Rosa, CA and more to follow around the country.  We'll keep you in the loop! Make Money as an Urban Farmer! May 1st & 2nd, 2011, 8am - 6pm, Santa Rosa, California A 2-day workshop presented by the Sustainable Commercial Urban Farm Incubator (SCUFI) program and sponsored by […]

First Seed Lending Library Opens in San Francisco with Two Initial Locations in Potrero Branch of San Francisco Public Library and Hayes Valley Farm Next Seed Saving class is on June 4, 3:30-5:30 in the Potrero Branch Program Room, 1616 20th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 Seed Lending libraries are sprouting up across the state […]

Livestock Slaughter and Meat Labeling Regulations in Vermont--April 28, 2011 at 12 p.m. with Randy Quenneville, VT Meat Inspection Program Chief coordinated by the UVM Extension New Farmer Project Join Randy Quenneville, VT Meat Inspection Program Chief to learn about the multi-faceted regulations for livestock slaughter and meat labeling at the state and federal level.  […]

important and helpful for you Vermont greenhorns. Chainsaws 101:  Safe Use and Maintenance for Beginners Learn to use and maintain chainsaws safely in a series of workshops coordinated by the UVM Extension New Farmer Project and the Women’s Ag Network.  Workshop instructor Jessica Ricketson is an experienced sawyer who regularly trains trail crews and students […]

Farmstead Cheesemaking Class! Join cheesemaker Louella Hill, of the San Francisco Milk Maid and Doniga Markegard, on Saturday, April 30th from 9 to 12 p.m. for an action packed morning of cheesemaking at Toto Ranch. Pack a lunch and enjoy time with the cows, learn about grass-based ranching and visit the farm store. In an […]

A long list of sweet workshops and clinics at the Small Farmers Journal Horsedrawn Auction, April 13-16 in Madras, OR: http://smallfarmersjournal.com/small-farm-trade-fair

A day of skillsharing and planning as we build a local network of shared values and knowledge around urban gardens, food networking, food preservation, passive and alternative energies, water catchment, and social justice. Together we can manifest the critical and necessary transition from resource-rich industrial capitalism to bioregional sustainability and community. Workshops with many local […]

The Seed Circus is a series of four events, spanning late spring to fall 2010, that each explore an aspect of urban farming. The events have four themes—Sheep and Felt; Foraging; Pickling; and Fall Harvest—but they have a common ethos of sharing information and making and doing with one’s own hands. Seed Circus celebrates the […]

Farmstead Meatsmith Presents: Pork slaughter & Butchery Classes (Grants Pass, OR) Slaughter Day: Tuesday, April 12th. 8:00am till finished On slaughter day, you’ll learn our killing, sticking, hanging, scalding and eviscerating methods on two pigs, at their home-farm, while giving you a chance to participate. We will walk you through proper harvesting of innards and pass on traditional […]

NOFA-NY, USDA Risk Management Agency, NYS Dept. of Ag and Markets, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the National GAPs Program present: GAPs for Small Farms: Dispelling Myths, Getting the Facts, and Designing a Food Safety Plan for Your Farm Dates:   Wednesday, March 23rd and Thursday, March 24th Times:   8:30am – 3:30pm both days Loc.:       Geneva Experimental […]

Founder and director of the non-profit organization The Greenhorns, Severine von Tscharner Fleming will give an introductory overview of many issues surrounding new + beginning farmers. Learn more about the Greenhorns organization, receive help interpreting other institutions in the agricultural arena, and discuss how to organize and support farmers in your community and across the […]

Who is Building Farmers in the West For? Farmers who want to start a market farm enterprise Farmers who have a market farm business but have farmed less than10 years Farmers who desire to improve their business management & marketing skills Farmers who would like to network closely with other market farm producers Farmers who […]

HOW IT WORKS: On-site cheesemaking classes in the Bay Area. You gather the people. I bring milk and all the supplies. Classes are suited for up to 15 students though not limited to. Choose fromclasses that last an hour to ones that last several. Learn anything from yogurt to feta to mozzarella to farmstead cheddar. […]

Coming soon to Manhattan- a two-day Yes Men workshop on food issues and activism - coming to NYC Feb. 26-27 If you would like to participate in the workshop, and afterwards help out with a little activism, shoot an email to [email protected] and tell them about yourself, why you'd like to participate, and how you think you […]

Mechanical Innovation in Agriculture:  Farmers + Engineers brainstorming together We hope you will join the National Young Farmers’ Coalition, the Greenhorns and MIT as we bring together farmers and engineers to brainstorm and invent farm tools together, all day on March 5, 2011. If you can’t join us for the full day of roll-up-your-sleeves workshopping, […]

From our friend Sandor: Hello friends, I've been in semi-seclusion trying to get my new book written. It's another book on fermentation, more in-depth, more ferments, more variations (many contributed by readers of Wild Fermentation and people who have written to me), more exploration of underlying processes, and more troubleshooting. The new book is coming […]

Exploring Your Small Farm Dream Course for Aspiring Farmers The course will be offered March 31, April 7, 14 and 21, 2011 6:15-9:15pm in Allentown, PA If you have thought seriously about turning a profit off of a few acres or already have a small agricultural operation and would like to change strategies thenExploring Your Small […]

What a terrific twist on "trade schools". Starting today! Trade School classes begin on Wednesday, February 2nd at 32 Prince Street, NYC. At Trade School, students barter with teachers. Here’s a sample of upcoming classes and a sample of barter items you'll need to bring: - Learn about Coptic Sewing if you bring grant editing, […]

From the Washington Young Farmers Coalition! Using spreadsheets for crop planning in Olympia, WA Workshop led by Josh Volk, Portland farmer http://www.slowhandfarm.com Sunday, January 30, 10am - 1pm Stay after for a potluck lunch!

ABC's of Farm Based Education Spring Workshop Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA April 7-8, 2011 If you are just starting to explore the possibilities of opening your farm for education, or looking for new ideas for your program, this is the workshop for you!

from our friends at Farmstead Meatsmith! This February is turning into the month of meatsmithing classes. Along with the butchery class on Feb. 12th, mentioned in our last letter, we've got a few more now scheduled for anyone who's interested.  Please write or call if any of the classes below stimulate your appetite. Come hungry […]

Make Money as an Urban Farmer! A workshop presented by Sustainable Commercial Urban Farm Incubator (SCUFI) Program February 19th & 20th, 2011, 8am - 6pm, Berkeley, California Featured Trainer: Custis Stone, of Green City Acres, an urban Small Plot INtensive (SPIN) farm in Kelowna, BC Canada. Curtis will share with you how in 2010 he […]

these folks are cranking out the sausage! Hands-on Class in Pork Butchery, Charcuterie, Cookery and Eatery. WHEN: Saturday, February 12th @ 10am. WHERE: Hogsback Farm greenhouse on Vashon Island, WA. WHAT: Participational, whole hog butchery, curing, cooking and blood sausage making class WHO: A minimum of 4 students. HOW: $125 for the whole course including […]

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification Training February 15th &16th 2011 Anderson County Civic Center. 3027 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; Anderson, SC The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, in partnership with the Clemson University Sustainable Agriculture Program and Anderson County, is offering Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training to local farmers, extension agents, institutional food service managers, […]

Free Webinar Organic Apple Production and Marketing (A Beginner's Guide) Thursday, January 27, 2011 Noon Central Standard Time Commercial-scale organic apple production has entered the mainstream. Once thought of as practically impossible, profitable organic apple production is now a reality for established apple growers from coast to coast. And the techniques for successful organic apple production are […]

Check out these upcoming workshops organized by our friends at Frey Vineyards.  Click on the titles for more information and to download a pdf of each. 3 Workshops with Master Orchardists: The Biodynamic Orchard A to Z - January 9 at Frey Vineyards, Redwood Valley Apple Orchard Workshop  - January 15 at Apple Farm & […]

The White Oak Farm and Education Center in Williams, Oregon is a unique operation, purchased as part of a land trust and run by a combination of residents and interns. The farm seeks to be a model of sustainability, sharing our experience through education in ecologically sound agriculture and forestry, and natural building. The farm […]

and it comes with chickens!  from our friend Jenna Woginrich of Cold Antler Farm. Breakfast in the Backyard Sunday March 6th and Saturday 12th 2011 This is crash course in how to raise backyard chickens for beginners, and get this, it comes with chickens All people who sign up for the all-day workshop will go […]

Monday January 17th, join Farmstead Meatsmith and Granny's Farm in Raymond WA for a full-day course of pork butchery and charcuterie.  We will start at 9am, break for a farm lunch provided by the magnanimous Sandy Bradley and continue until we are done! This is a hands-on class, so be prepared to break down a […]

The Greenbank Farm Training Center (GFTC) on Whidbey Island, WA has expanded its farmer training programming and is now accepting applications for the 2011 season. Are you, or someone you know, hoping to start a small organic farm? Do you need to improve your production skills and develop a business plan before taking that next […]

Northeast Organic Farming Association/ Massachusetts Chapter presents: 2011 Advanced Growers' Winter Seminar / With Jean-Paul Courtens and Jody Bolluyt "Systematizing a Diverse Vegetable Operation" Saturday, February 5, 2011: 8:30am to 5:00pm Barre Congregational Church, 30 Park Street, Barre, Mass. Registration Cost The registration cost for the seminar is $90. Any person who registers by January […]

At Hawthorne Valley Farm Animals, Humanity and the Living Context of Agriculture A workshop for farmers, gardeners and others seeking a renewed relation to the land February 13-18 and/or February 20-25 Conducted by The Nature Institute and the Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center in partnership with the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association

The Greenbank Farm Training Center (GFTC) has expanded its educational programming and is now accepting applications for the 2011 season. The GFTC on Whidbey Island offers two programs designed for participants who are committed to pursuing a career in sustainable agriculture and desire a thorough academic and experiential education in the business and production aspects of organic small-scale farming. With […]

Innovative No-Till: Using Multi-Species Cover Crops to Improve Soil Health Thursday, December 16, 2010 @ Noon (Central Standard Time) Free! Register HERE The webinar will address how multi-species cover crops can be used to improve soil health, increase biological diversity, and benefit the bottom line in no-till grain operations.  An increasing number of grain farmers are experimenting with […]

Say you didn't register in the two weeks after the conference was announced.. Well then, that means you are likely sad -- but still likely wanting to convene with other farmers to learn about issues relevant to you! We suggest this leasing workshop at PASA

Through How to Create Successful Markets, a 2-day interactive training course, learn about each of these elements and more during work sessions and on-site tours of New York City’s thriving open-air farmers markets and indoor public markets. Brought to you by Project for Public Spaces (PPS).

Behold! The Ballymaloe Cookery School schedule for 2011. A selection of old classics and new twists including Simply Delicious Food for Family and Friends, Classic Techniques, Easy Entertaining with Darina and Rachel Allen and New Trends in Cooking (find out about pop up restaurants, truck food and much more).  Here is a selection of just some […]

The Cornell Small Farms Program is adding yet another online course to its repertoire: Starting a Small-Scale Vegetable Farm. If you’re in the planning stages of a diversified vegetable enterprise, this course will help you with site selection, enterprise budgets, cultivation, equipment, cover crops, and more. The course runs Jan. 5 – Feb. 23, and […]