First Annual Angus Field Day

Date: September 25th, 2010

Time: 10 am to 2 pm

Location: Clint Harrell Angus Farm, 204 Hilltop Farm Lane, Forest City, 28043

Topics to be Covered:

• Pasture Management/Fencing by Libby Yarber


• Bull Management/Selection by Gary Gregory


• Marketing Cattle ( Speaker TBA)

There will be vendors from several animal health and livestock related companies. Some of those companies are:

• Novartis


• CPC Animal Healthcare


• ABS


• Accelerated Genetics


• NC Cattlemen's Association


• NC Angus Association


• And More
  

There will be door prizes and a meal sponsored by Novartis and First Bank and Trust.

Contact Clint Harrell @ 828-429-9273 or your local Extension Agent.

RAFI TO GIVE $2 MILLION IN GRANTS TO NC FARMERS IN 2011

The Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA will offer almost $2 million in grants to North Carolina farmers in 2011. The grants will be supported by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and Governor Purdue's Family Farm Innovation Fund.

RAFI's grant program, the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund, offers awards of up to $10,000 for individual producers and up to $30,000 for collaborative farmer projects. The program funds projects that demonstrate innovative opportunities in production, processing and marketing or that show new ways of using obsolete farm equipment or facilities.

"RAFI was able to fund only 25 percent of the over 450 applications received for 2010," said Linda Shaw, Executive Director. "We are thrilled that RAFI will be able to help even more farmers as a result of this funding." Grant applications for the 2011 funding cycle and a schedule of workshops for prospective applicants are available now at www.ncfarmgrants.org.

Gaston County Cooperative Extension will host a RAFI grant application information meeting on
October 18th at the Gaston Citizens Resource Center starting at 6:30 p.m.

For further information contact Francesca Hyatt at (919) 323-7587.

Animal Welfare Approved Announces 2011 Good Husbandry Grants

Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) is pleased to announce that it will offer a third year of Good Husbandry Grants. AWA is seeking proposals for projects to improve farm animal welfare with a concentration on three areas: increased outdoor access, improved genetics and improved slaughter facilities. Animal Welfare Approved is a free third party certification for independent family farms raising animals humanely, outdoors on pasture or range. Current Animal Welfare Approved farmers and those who have applied to join the program are eligible for grants of up to $5,000. Farmers may apply for certification and for a grant simultaneously. Slaughter plants working with AWA farms are also eligible to apply but should contact Grants Coordinator Emily Lancaster to discuss proposed projects before submitting a proposal. Examples of projects funded in previous cycles include mobile housing, a mobile processing unit, infrastructure to facilitate humane handling and breeding stock adapted to pasture-based management.

The deadline for proposals is October 1, 2010. Guidelines, FAQ’s, project profiles and an application form are available at www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org or by contacting Emily Lancaster at 919.428.1641 or Emily@AnimalWelfareApproved.org.

Mount Holly Farm Fest 2010

A fundraiser of Live Music and Fresh Local Food to support Programs at the Mount Holly Farmers Market.

Date: October 2nd, 2010
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Location: Redlair Farm & Forest - A 730 Acre Preserve!
144 Redlair Lane, Gastonia, NC
Seating: Bring blankets or chairs
Tickets: $20 for adults; $10 for students 12 & over; children under 12 free
*** Price includes dinner and tea

You can purchase tickets at the Mount Holly Market, on the market website: http://www.mounthollyfarmersmarket.com/index.htm, or at Charlie's Drug Store in Mount Holly.

Call 704-609-0666 for further information.

Sheep/Goat Workshops

North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension in collaboration with Rockingham County Cooperative Extension will be providing a goat and sheep workshop on August 23, 2010 with two sessions to choose from. Session 1 will be held from 1 pm to 5 pm. Session 2 will be held from 6:45 pm to 9 pm. You are invited to join in either or both Sessions. There is no cost for either session but a meal is not included. Both Sessions will be located at the Rockingham County Cooperative Extension Office at 525 NC Hwy 65, Ste 200, Reidsville, NC 27320.

Session 1 will include integrated parasite management for livestock, including goat and sheep FAMACHA© eyelid color scoring certification and optional fecal egg count hands-on training. This session starts at 1 pm and will be followed by hands-on training at the Upper Piedmont Research Station Chiqua-Penn sale barn with goats.


Session 2 will include presentations on breeding stock selection for sheep and goats in different production systems (purebred/show or commercial), including how to choose new stock or replacement animals and when to cull breeding males or females. It will also include a section on how different breed goats perform on pasture, with results of 3 years of studies conducted and presented by Dr. Richard Browning at Tennessee State University. Dr. Maria Leite-Browning, DVM from Alabama A&M University will present information about relevant diseases in goats, including CL, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and will talk briefly about parasite issues (coccidia and worms).

For more information or to register, please call or Email Ben Chase, Extension Livestock Agent In Rockingham & Guilford Counties at 800-666-3625 or ben_chase@ncsu.edu. Indicate which session (or both) you are planning to attend.

Know Your Farms Annual Farm Tours

The annual Know Your Farms tour of farms in the Charlotte, NC region is scheduled for September 18th and 19th from 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Purchase one ticket, gather your friends into a vehicle, visit any of the participating farms. Come see sustainable agricultural practices; learn about healthy, local food; pick up tips for your own food garden; and enjoy a day in the countryside! Support your local farmers by attending. Bring a cooler, as the farms will be selling their meat, produce, eggs, and more. Please leave pets at home.

For more information go to: http://knowyourfarms.com/j/.