W. Va. small ruminant course Dec. 10

The 2011 West Virginia Small Ruminant Short Course will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Room 1001 in the West Virginia University Agriculture Science Building in Morgantown.

Sponsored by the West Virginia Extension Service, the educational program for sheep and goat producers is open to the public and will include information on feed, nutrition, and economics.

An update will be presented on the National Animal Identification System, Scrapie Program, American Sheep Industry programs and the West Virginia Fiber Festival. Furthermore, a summary of current WVU research projects on Multi Species Grazing, Synchronization,Out-of Season Breeding and Weaning trials will be available.

An informational farm tour is scheduled in the afternoon by charter bus to visit the George Wherry Farm. Wherry manages a large commercial sheep operation located in Scenery Hill, Pa, consisting of 500 Dorset and Texel crossed ewes. The farm tour will focus on effective sheep management, pasture based production systems, rotational grazing management to utilize warm season grasses and Wherry's progressive direct marketing strategies

Box lunches will be offered on the charter bus on the way to visit the Wherry farm. The annual meeting of the West Virginia Shepherd's Federation will be conducted on the charter bus on the way back to Morgantown. Registration is required for lunches and transportation as soon as possible.

The cost for the workshop is $15 to cover the charter bus and box lunch costs. The registration fee will be payable on Dec. 10. To register for the workshop contact the Grant County WVU Extension office at 1-304-257-4688 by email at Brad.Smith@mail.wvu.edu or call J.J. Barrett, Wood County WVU Extension agent for Agriculture, at 1-304-424-1960.

Illinois sheep & goat workshop Jan. 28

The 2012 Sheep & Goat Workshop will be held Saturday, January 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the University of Illinois Extension Kankakee County Office,

1650 Commerce Drive, Bourbonnais, IL 60914

The annual Kankakee County Sheep & Goat Workshop will have information for veteran producers as well as those new to the industry. The goal is to educate sheep and goat producers on current industry practices and trends, and to provide an introduction for producers who are new to the respective industries.

Topics will include:

* Latest in Disease and Pest Issues

* Best Way to Establish Pastures

* Breeds to Raise

* Appropriate Fencing & Housing Facilities

* Calculating Profits

Speakers will include veterinarians, University of Illinois Extension educators, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) staff, and a Producer Panel.

A pre-registration fee of $20 ($15 for additional person from same homestead) which includes lunch for the workshop is required by January 25, 2012. Please call Kankakee County Extension Office at 815-933-8337 for more information or check our website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/gkw.

                    

Urban farmers try goats

From USAToday

SEATTLE – Snowflake the goat has cornered me, nuzzling my hand as she nibbles on my jacket's zipper.

• 
  Elaine Thompson, AP
  Jennie Grant scratches the neck of Eloise in the backyard of her home in Seattle.

Enlarge

Elaine Thompson, AP

Jennie Grant scratches the neck of Eloise in the backyard of her home in Seattle.

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"They're very affectionate," says urban goat pioneer Jennie Grant, who owns the 99-pound, white miniature LaMancha.

Distracted by Snowflake, I hardly notice a smaller black goat closing in on me until she takes a bite out of my notebook. Behind the roughhewn milking platform, the view stretches out past pavement, streetlights and cars. This is the city, and these are city goats.

Urban goat farming is part of a nationwide movement to eat food produced locally — sometimes as locally as our backyards. Successful efforts to legalize chickens in cities such as Chicago and New York paved the way, with ducks and bees gaining ground in many places too.

But goats? It's been two hooves forward, one hoof back as the idea has spread to more cities. For every pro-goat Portland, Ore., or Oakland, Calif., there's been a Kansas City, Mo., or Minneapolis shutting the barn door on backyard ruminants.

To read more, click here.

4-H workshop Saturday in Springfield, Mo.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The annual “Bright and Bold” 4-H workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3 at Lay Hall on the campus of Drury University in Springfield.

Velynda Cameron, 4-H specialist in Greene County, is coordinating this year’s workshop which is expected to draw about 300 adult volunteers and 4-H youth members.

“The regional Bright and Bold workshop is designed to be an interactive training for 4-H members, clover kids, leaders and parents,” said Cameron.
 
Workshop topics include shooting sports safety training and Clover Kids training as well as workshops on robotics, public speaking, 4-H camp, photography and more.

David Burton, civic communication specialist in Greene County, will be teaching students how to tell a story with photos. The topic is relevant because with end-of-the-year reports, 4-H members are asked to detail their 4-H project with five photos.

“Even an elementary school student should be able to tell you that a story has a setting, characters, and a plot. Photography gives you the opportunity to tell a story in a unique, powerful way – without the written or spoken word,” said Burton.

Missouri 4-H, University of Missouri Extension's youth development program, helps to create opportunities for young people to be valued, contributing members of their community. To learn more about 4-H -- the world’s largest youth-serving organization -- and how to get involved locally go online to http://mo4h.missouri.edu or visit the nearest University of Missouri Extension Center.

Texas couple becomes goat-farming entrepreneurs

November 28, 2011

Greg Flakus | Waller County, Texas

   --  Voice of America

Most people hold on to their jobs for security and whatever benefits they might provide. But some adventurous souls follow a more challenging path, becoming entrepreneurs, working for themselves with no safety net to catch them if they fail.  One urban couple chose to move to the country in Waller County, Texas, northwest of Houston, to begin a new life and business, with goats. 

Part of the daily routine for Christian Seger at the Blue Heron Farm is milking the goats at feeding time.

His wife, Lisa, maintains the kitchen they built to meet state specifications.

And they had to buy these expensive machines to pasteurize the milk. “It is not something you can do as a hobby. When we decided to do this, we had to make the investment and treat it like a business," said Lisa. 

Both of the Segers were city dwellers five years ago. She worked in advertising. He handled sound systems for entertainers.

But Christian says he wanted to go into business for himself. “Working for other people my whole life, I felt I had given them more than I had gotten from them. No one is ever going to take a loss to pay you more," he said. 

The Segers bought this four-hectare property in 2006 and the equipment they needed for their enterprise.

Working as a team, they process the milk, make the cheese and sell some of it to restaurants and special clients.

Click here to read more.

Canadian goats get national exposure

Rick Mercer gets to grips with the goat industry at Agribition

Ernie Penney, far right, with Rick Mercer, Fred Homeyer and Brennin Jack

Published on November 27, 2011

Rebecca Lawrence  

  Watching Rick Mercer, host of the CBC show The Mercer Report, drive away with a goat in his vehicle must have been a funny sight for those at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.

  But fortunately for four-year-old Damian Schollar, owner of Friend the Goat, it was all just part of the show.

    Mercer spent time filming for a future episode at Agribition, which finished on Saturday.

    He was able to talk to many people at the event, including goat breeder Ernie Penney, of Moose Jaw, who told the Times-Herald it was the perfect opportunity to highlight the benefits of breeding goats.

    Penney did a five minute interview with Mercer for his show and spent two hours filming and chatting to him about the goat industry.

    “He said jokingly it would be nice to take a goat home. I do not want to let the goat out of the bag but it took four takes to do and it involved my car, Rick Mercer, a goat called Friend and Brennin Jack (the auctioneer).

    “I let them use my car to film the closing part of the show. We had people standing watching. It was hilarious,” Penney said. “The goat was in the car with Rick.”

    On a more serious note, Penney, the former president of the Saskatchewan Goat Breeders Association, said the interview with Mercer was a great way to advertise the industry.

    “It was an opportunity to do an interview with a well known media reporter on a national program and to be able to have Rick Mercer not just being at Agribition but being involved with the (goat) industry will really help producers and people looking at getting into the industry."

Kansas juniors look to expand membership

The Kansas Junior Meat Goat Organization is looking to expand its membership; enrollment for the 2012 year has started. Formed last year to promote the growing meat goat project in Kansas, KJMGO intends to increase the number of youth meat goat shows and learning opportunities in the state while teaching project members valuable life lessons. A sweepstakes system has been set up for club members to receive end-of-year awards for their show participation and leadership activities.

This year, KJMGO held a well-attended May and June show, supported other spring shows, participated in several fundraisers, and sponsored a year-end-awards banquet. This year's awards banquet was held Nov. 6 in Abilene, Kan. There were five award categories: KJMGO Sanctioned Show Winners, KJMGO 2011 Overall Extraordinary Jackpot Showman, Honorable Mention, Goatless Goat, Overall Diversified KJMGO and 2011 Outstanding KJMGO Member.

Prizes awarded were show towels, neck leads, candy, ornament plaques, and cash. KJMGO members voted on what they wanted the bigger awards to be. Winners were: Cassadie Copeland, Blake Foraker, Kaci Foraker, Raine Garten, Kris Gloodt, Kalyn Gloodt, Mackenzie Riffel, Spencer Riffel, Allyson Rudd, Rebekah Thomas, Rogan Tokach, Janessa McDaniel, Ian McDaniel, Abby Lillard. Top winners were: KJMGO Year Overall Extraordinary KJMGO Jackpot Showman Raine Garten (First) and Natalie Harris (Second); 2011 Goatless Goat Winner Abby Lillard; 2011 Overall Outstanding KJMGO Member JaelAnn Hoover (First) Sam Davis (Second). The Overall Outstanding KJMGO Member can only be obtained once per age division and interviews are held for the top scoring individuals.

Those interested in becoming members, learning more about KJMGO activities, or sponsoring the organization may visit the KJMGO website at www.kjmgo.webs.com, or contact Jamie Garten at 785-263-0391 or Heather Hoover 785-238-805 or hooverfarms3@yahoo.com.