Armed to Farm Training Set for Montana This Summer

Application deadline is July 22

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend our Armed to Farm (ATF) training in Great  Falls, Montana.

The week-long ATF training gives veterans and their spouses an opportunity to see sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and examine farming as a viable career.

ATF offers a dynamic blend of farm tours and hands-on experience with classroom instruction. Participants will learn about business planning, budgeting, recordkeeping, marketing, livestock production, vegetable production, small grain production, and more. Participants will leave the training with a strong foundation in the basic principles of operating a sustainable farming enterprise.

NCAT sustainable agriculture specialists will teach the training sessions. Additional contributors will include staff from USDA Agencies, plus experienced crop and livestock producers.

Dates, Location, and Cost

Armed to Farm is scheduled for August 29 – September 2  at Great Falls College – Montana State University in Great Falls, Mont. Participants will attend classroom sessions at the college, and the hands-on instruction will take place at several area farms.

The number of participants will be limited. Applications are due July 22, and selected participants will be notified no later than July 27. Spouses are encouraged to apply as well because running a farm will impact their lives even if they are not directly involved.

The event is free for those chosen to attend; lodging, transportation to local farms and most meals will be provided. Participants must pay their own travel costs to and from the event.

Application

To apply, click here or go to the Armed to Farm listing in the "Agriculture" menu at the NCAT homepage, www.ncat.org. Remember, applications are due July 22.

Sponsors

Armed to Farm is organized and hosted by the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Financial support comes from NCAT’s ATTRA program and NorthWest Farm Credit Services.

       

Since 1976, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has been helping people by championing small-scale, local and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities and protect natural resources. In partnership with businesses, organizations, individuals and agricultural producers, NCAT is working to advance solutions that will ensure the next generation inherits a world that has clean air and water, energy production that is efficient and renewable, and healthy foods grown with sustainable practices. More information about its programs and services is available at www.ncat.org or by calling 1-800-ASK-NCAT.

Arkansas small ruminant conferences in July & August

By Ryan McGeeney

University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Pasture management, herd health and other aspects of raising sheep and goats will be the topics of discussion at a series of five University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture workshops to be held around the state in July and August. 

Chelsey Ahrens, extension animal science specialist with the Division of Agriculture, said the five Small Ruminant Conferences will give attendees opportunities to brush up on “a lot of ‘small ruminant 101’ stuff,” as well learn more advanced aspects of caring for sheep and goats. 

Each of the five conferences is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and will feature three concurrent, 45-minute sessions in the morning. Afternoon sessions will focus on parasite control and FAMACHA, a technique developed by South African researchers for detecting parasites and pursuing deworming. Participants will become FAMACHA certified. 

There is no cost to attend the conferences and lunch will be provided. Each conference is scheduled to conclude by 4 p.m. 

Conferences currently scheduled include: 

•    July 16 – Greenbrier High School Ag Building

•    July 23 – ASU Farm, Jonesboro

•    Aug. 6 – Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena, Fayetteville

•    Aug. 20 – SW Research and Extension Center, Hope

•    Aug. 27 – Southeast Research and Extension Center (SEREC) in Monticello  

Speakers will include veterinarians, Cooperative Extension Service agents and University of Arkansas animal science faculty, Ahrens said. 

To register for any of the conferences, visit https://forms.uaex.edu/animal-science/registrations/famacha.asp.

Wednesday deadline to register for Nashville field day

By Katie Nichols, Auburn University

Alabama Extension’s Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Program at Alabama A&M University and the Department of Agricultural Sciences at Tennessee State University are partnering to present “Goat Production: The Basics” during the 10th Annual Small Ruminant Field Day at the TSU Research Farm,  1717 Ed. Temple Boulevard, Nashville TN 37209. 

Dr. Maria Leite- Browning, an Extension animal science and forages specialist said, “This program has been held nearly every year over the last decade in Alabama or Tennessee to assist prospective, new and experienced producers alike. Various topics concerning nutrition, health, genetics, reproduction, economics and other aspects of small ruminant management are covered during these conferences.”

The Basics 2016 will include collaborative ongoing integrated research and Extension professionals at TSU and AAMU aimed at helping landowners to enter or enhance sustainable meat goat production. This year’s conference will include an introduction to the TSU small-scale beef cattle research effort.

Topics presented during the conference will include forage management, grazing systems and soil testing; grading systems for market stock and breeding stock; internal parasite fecal egg counts; artificial insemination of goats, live animal health demonstrations: general health assessments, injection sites/quality assurance, FAMACHA internal parasite system, hoof disease and trimming; and managing and marketing small-scale beef cattle.

Activities begin on Friday, July 1, with a reception at 6p.m. at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. The conference continues on Saturday, July 2, at the TSU Meat Goat Farm.

The deadline to register for the 10th Annual Small Ruminant Conference is June 15. There is no cost to attend, however pre-registration is required. Scholarships are also available at a first-come, first-served basis to 80 participants. Scholarships include registration, meals and lodging.

To pre-register contact Maria Leite-Browning at MLL0002@aces.edu or 256-372-4954; Eddie Wheeler, 256-264-5539 or at  wheelered@aces.edu; Tommie Teacher, 334- 624-8710 or Teachto@aces.edu; Anthony Prayer at  pap0009@aces.edu;

Dr. Richard Browning Jr., 615- 963- 5837  or rbrowning@tnstate.edu.

Goat Rancher Sire Edition coming in June

This is the cover of the 2015 Herdsire Issue.

If you want national exposure for your sire, here it is!

The June 2016 issue of Goat Rancher will feature special articles targeting buck health, management and promotion — plus advertising opportunities for well-known and up-and-coming herdsires — including Boer, Kiko, Savanna, Myotonic, Spanish and more.

In addition to being mailed to our thousands of subscribers, the Goat Rancher Sire Edition will be available at the American Boer Goat Association National Show and other goat events around the nation, the Labor Day Weekend sales and at newsstands at most Tractor Supply Co. stores.

Goat Rancher is offering an early-bird discount. Book your half-page or larger color ad by 5 p.m. May 2 and get a 5% discount. CALL US THIS WEEK!

Submit your print-ready ad* by 5 p.m. May 9 and get an extra 5% off.

That’s a total of up to 10% off your Sire Edition ad. (Print-ready ads must be a correctly sized, high-resolution PDF or JPEG format.)

If you don’t have a graphic designer, we can build your ad for you — at no extra charge!

To learn more about our advertising rates and specifications, click here:

http://goatrancher.com/pdf/AdvertisingInformation.pdf

To book your ad or for more information, call 662-562-9529 or e-mail goatrancher@hughes.net.

LSU Small Ruminant Field Day April 30

You are invited to attend the Small Ruminant Field Day on Saturday, April 30, at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine on Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, La.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with the program starting at 8:30 a.m. with fee of $5 per person or $10 for a family of 3 or less that includes lunch and handout materials.

Kentwood Co-op, Kentwood, La., is the major sponsor of the field day hosted by the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, LSU Ag Center, and Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

8:45 am Forage management, nutrition, and health synergies

9:45 am Feeding with distiller grains

10:15 am Break

10:30 am Infectious and parasitic diseases

11:00 am Reproduction performance

11:30 am Drug use and off-label issues

12:00 pm Working lunch   FAMACHA® certification for interested producers 

    ($10 additional fee to cover card cost)

  1:00 pm Herd management cycle 

  1:30 pm Southern University agricultural research and extension update 

  2:00 – 3:30 pm Demonstrations and hands-on management practices, TigerStadium.

            • FAMACHA® certification practice

• Fecal collection, blood collection, injections  

• Banding, docking, castration, body condition scoring

For more information, contact Jim Miller, 225-578-9652, jmille1@lsu.edu or Ken McMillin, 225-578-3438, kmcmillin@agcenter.lsu.edu.