Events & Workshops – Page 3 – Champlain Valley Crop, Soil & Pasture

Putting a Public Face on the Pursuits of Farming

By Kirsten Workman, Agronomy Outreach Professional

As seen in our Summer 2018 Newsletter – but including additional links below.

Farming is often a solitary pursuit. While it takes a team to make a farm succeed, daily activities often happen in solitude. Whether it is in the milk house, greenhouse, fields, tractor, shop or office, very few people will
ever “see” you at work. While that is often viewed as a positive, it also leads to a disconnect between farmers and neighbors.

Why does this matter? Try to remember the last negative interaction with someone outside the farming industry. Was this a result of lack of knowledge and understanding? Misinformation? Perhaps partially your responsibility for not considering how farming endeavors impact a neighbor? Regardless, I have found that when the farming community
opens up to the nonfarming community, the results can be powerful.

Many neighbors have no idea what you do and may be too uncomfortable to ask. I have been at public farm tours where neighbors came into a dairy barn and said, “I drive by here every day and never knew there were cows in these buildings.” People who drive by your farm often think bunker
silos are compost bins. Gone are the days when everyone’s grandparents or aunts and uncles were farmers. Folks no longer spend summer weekends helping family or neighbor bring in hay or crops. Seeing a tractor in
front of them on a state highway only makes them think about being late to an important appointment. Landlords who own your rented fields don’t always understand that manure is an organic fertilizer which makes their
hay field greener, replenishes nutrients, and builds soil health. Herbicides and insecticides, regardless of their form, are as taboo a topic as politics
or religion.

It is difficult to make time to share farming information and justify the hours away from “productive” pursuits. However, I argue that putting a face on farming is a worthwhile endeavor. It isn’t always comfortable or easy. Without a personal connection to a farm it is easy to lump you in with all the negative press and assume all farms are the problem. However, when these folks are invited to visit your farm, they learn just how much goes into
your daily farming pursuits and hopefully that will have a lasting effect.

Looking For Ways To Get Involved With The Public? Here Are A Few Examples:

Breakfast on the Farm – Don’t be intimidated by the scale of this event. It is well-organized and supported by hundreds of volunteers and experts who are there to represent you and the farming community well. Want to learn more? Volunteer on July 28 and see what it’s all about.

Social Media – A low impact way to share your farming endeavors. Here are some great local examples:

Open Farm Week – A Dig In Vermont coordinated, week long event. For a small fee, any farm can participate and be promoted across the state. You must welcome visitors and host some sort of farm activity. However, technical assistance is available to help create a valuable on-farm experience for participants.

Crops Exhibit and Farm Product Contests – Join the competition at Addison County Field Days or Vermont Farm Show with hay, crops, honey, eggs and vegetables. Not only can you earn blue ribbons, premiums and bragging rights; you help us educate the public about farming in Vermont.

Cabot Open Farm Sunday – Cabot Creamery and AgriMark Farms can participate in Cabot’s Open Farm Sunday in October.

Workshops/Field Days/Tours – Volunteer! The next time your friendly Extension Agent, Crop Consultant, Feed Consultant, or Politician asks if you’ll host a group at your farm…just say YES!

Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition – Join the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition and find like-minded farmers with good tips and tricks on engaging the public on your farm. Other farmer organizations in Vermont include Farmer’s Watershed Alliance and Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance.

Contact Kirsten Workman if you’d like to host an event! 802-388-4969

Field Day with Manure Grassland Injector!

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Barnes Black & Whiteface Ranch – Bridport Ventures Farm

1176 Heitman Road, Bridport, VT 05734

RSVP: champlain.crops@uvm.edu

Please join us to see our new grassland shallow slot manure injector in action!

WHAT YOU’LL SEE & HEAR

Veenhuis Euroject 1200 grassland injector.
Dragline manure application.
Hicks Sales LLC (Vermont Veenhuis dealer) will be on hand to talk about this technology and other models available in the United States.
Eric Severy, Matthew’s Trucking, will share his experience and expertise with manure injection and talk about how the equipment works and what situations might be best suited for it.
UVM Extension Agronomists will discuss the benefits of injection and how it can reduce runoff and increase yields.
Farmers will share their experience using other forms of manure injection.
Find out more about how to get this grassland injector on your farm.

DON’T FORGET TO RSVP:

champlain.crops@uvm.edu | 802-388-4969 x347

June 8, 2018

10:00 – 12:00

1176 Heitman Road, Bridport, VT 05734

Or contact Kirsten Workman if you have questions or want more information.

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Karen Gallott at 802-388-4969 or 800-956-1125 by June 6, 2018 so we may assist you.

Join Us for a Workshop on Transition to Management Intensive Grazing

Grazing Field Day at Islandacres

Thursday, June 14th – 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
353 Route 2 , South Hero, Vt 05486

Join us for a grazing field day at Islandacres Farm in South Hero. Grazing consultant Sarah Flack and Cheryl Cesario of UVM Extension will lead a pasture walk with farmer Steve Robinson of Islandacres. Steve and his family are transitioning their 70-cow dairy to management-intensive grazing. They have seeded down 60 acres to perennial pasture as a way to mitigate the risk of annual cropping systems. We will look in-depth at this newly designed system and hear about the benefits and challenges of a transition to grazing. Discussion on grazing topics will be from both the plant’s and the animal’s perspective. With help from NRCS funding, this farm is investing in fence, animal trails, and a water system for efficient grazing to maximize the land base. Islandacres has been a top quality milk producer for 30 years with a focus on animal health and production. Come see how they are adopting these new management practices!

Robinson Grazing Field Day – FLYER

$20, including lunch provided by NOFA-VT Mobile Pizza Oven

Registration Required. Register Here.

Funding provided by:

Northeast SARE
Ben & Jerry’s Caring Dairy
South Hero Land Trust

Special thanks to The Robinson Family

Contact Cheryl Cesario with questions.

April Events

April 1 or 14: Manure Spreading Ban Reminder.

The annual manure spreading ban Dec 15-April 1, OR Oct 15 – April 14 on mapped “frequently flooded soils” is lifting; please remember that the RAPs dictate manure should not be spread on frozen, saturated or snow covered ground (without exemption). For questions about spreading contact VAAFM (802) 828-2431.

April 11: No-Till and Cover Crops: A Systems Approach.

10:30 am-12:30 pm. Monument Farms Hamilton Shop, Hamilton Rd, Weybridge, VT. Hosted by Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, The Champlain Valley Crop, Soils, and Pasture Team, along with Jeff Sanders of the Northwest Crops and Soils Program. We will lead a hands on discussion of practical tips, advice, and steps farmers can make to be successful when moving to a reduced or no-till system on their farm. We will have a no-till planter on display, and share research and observations of what does and doesn’t work with no-till and cover crop systems in Vermont. RSVP online, or by contacting Nate – 802-388-4969 ext. 348

April 18: McKenzie Brook Meeting.

10:00 am-12:00 pm. At Champlain Valley Crop, Soil and Pasture Team office, UVM Extension, Middlebury, VT. This is only for farmers in McKenzie Brook Watershed and for those providing technical assistance. RSVP or for questions, contact us at 802-388-4969 or George Tucker at 802-771-3032.

April 19: Compost Farm and Barn Tour.

10:30 am-12:00 pm. 1090 South Middlebrook Rd, Vergennes, VT. Join the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition and UVM Extension as we visit a compost bedded pack barn. We will tour the entire facility to see and discuss how the pack is managed daily and seasonally, and we will discuss the economic and animal health benefits of this new housing system in comparison to a tradition manure management system. Contact Nate Severy for more information 802-388-4969 ext. 348.

April 20: Next VT NRCS EQUIP Funding Pool Deadline.

VT NRCS Deadline: EQIP Cropland Funding Pool application deadline of 4/20/2018 for fall 2018 cover cropping, erosion control projects, nutrient management practices. This maybe the last opportunity for 2018 funding. For questions call your local USDA-NRCS office. In Middlebury, contact 802-388-6748.

April 27: Cover Crop Demo and Research Field Day.

10:30 am-12:30 pm. Hemingway Hill Rd, Shoreham, VT. Come see our demonstration project looking at strips of winter wheat, barley, rye, triticale with and without oats. We will also be discussing the various research and demonstration projects we have going on in the area, including work with NRCS on watershed planning in McKenzie and East Creek. Contact Nate Severy for more information 802-388-4969 ext. 348.

Deadline April 30: Nominate Dairy Farmer of the Year.

This program through UVM Extension awards a farm each year. Great milk quality, innovation on the farm, progressive management practices, community service and ambassadorship for the industry are all characteristics of past recipients. To submit a nomination, go here, and click on the right hand link “nominate a farmer”.

Through April On-Going: Farm Business Clinics.

This is an opportunity for farmers to meet privately, one-on-one, for 90 minutes with a UVM Extension Farm Business staff member. Meetings are conveniently scheduled at various locations across Vermont. Use the time to develop a balance sheet, update financial statements, review a business plan, consider changes to your business, and more. Registration is $25. For more information about this program contact 1-866-860-1382, or register online at go.uvm.edu/businessclinics2018

On-Going Survey: Voluntary, Anonymous, Subsurface Tile Drainage Survey of VT Farms.

By gaining a better understanding of the acreage and cropland impacted, as well as the conservation opportunities made available by installing drainage systems, the NW Crops and Soils team is evaluating how tile drainage has mitigated financial and environmental risk on VT Farms. All VT Farmers are invited to participate in this survey. You are free to not answer any questions and/or withdraw at any time. If you choose to participate in the survey, it will take about 10 minutes to complete, and all information collected is anonymous. More information can be found here, or to take the survey, click here.

News, Events and Info You Should Know (2018 Winter Newsletter)

2018 Vermont Farm Show – January 30, 31 and February 1, 2018 Your product entries for the Vermont Farm Show can be dropped off at a nearby Extension office or other location by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 26 or drop them off at the Champlain Valley Expo on Monday, January 29 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (judging starts at 4:00 p.m.). Give us a call to find out which offices are participating and what the rules are. Read more about the farm show at www.vtfarmshow.com. We hope to see you there!

Nutrient Management Planning (NMPs)
Winter is the time to create and update your plan. NMP classes begin in January. If you need an NMP but don’t have one, please contact your local conservation district to get the process started for next winter’s classes. NMP update sessions for those farmers who have already taken our class and finished an NMP with us will be held in February and March. Tentative dates in Middlebury are February 8 and 15, and March 8 and 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. An RSVP is requested – please call our office to confirm you are coming. Remember, an NMP has to be updated every year to be accurate and reflect Vermont RAPs regulations. If you need to find out whether your operation is required to have an NMP call us, 802-388-4969, or check out Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) online at go.uvm.edu/raps.

8th Annual Organic Dairy Producers Conference
Thursday, March 15, 2018 at Vermont Technical College. More details to follow at go.uvm.edu/crop-soil-events.

Farm Business Clinics
The clinics will run from January through April 2018. This is an opportunity for farmers to meet privately, one-on-one, for 90 minutes with a UVM Extension Farm Business staff member. Meetings are conveniently scheduled at various locations across Vermont. Use the time to develop a balance sheet, update financial statements, review a business plan, consider changes to your business, and more. Registration is $25. For more information about this program contact 1-866-860-1382, or register online at go.uvm.edu/businessclinics2018. Ongoing Water Quality Business Planning is an additional in-depth program also offered by UVM Extension.

5th Annual No-Till and Cover Crop Symposium – March 1, 2018 DoubleTree by Hilton (formerly the Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center) in Burlington, Vt.

Registration Is Now Open
Learn the latest techniques! Discover how your neighbors are using this integrated system of cover crops and no (or less) tillage to create better soil health, increase profitability and meet water quality goals. Learn from other farmers, talk to your local ag dealers about equipment or seed, speak to NRCS about funding, listen to regional and national experts, and hear about research at UVM and in nearby states. This is the fifth year of this conference! If you haven’t come in a couple years, now is the time to come back and celebrate. Let’s keep the momentum going! For more information and to register go to go.uvm.edu/ntcc.

View Our Entire Newsletter HERE

Two Great Events in Two Weeks…Don’t Miss Out

Don’t miss these two great events. You can RSVP for either or both at
802-388-4969 or champlain.crops@uvm.edu

Wednesday, August 23rd
Innovation in Action: No-till roller crimper
(A #CleanWaterWeekVT Event)
12:30 – 3:00 PM
Bonaspecta Holsteins | 1133 Jersey Street S., Addison, VT

Click HERE for the flyer

Join the UVM Extension Champlain Valley Crop, Soil and Pasture Team and the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition for a field day at Bonaspecta Holsteins Farm to see innovative agricultural practices designed to reduce erosion and protect water quality. Come learn more about:

Using a Roller-Crimper to flatten and terminate Winter Cover Crops
No-till corn tips and troubleshooting problems
Cover Crop mixes and how to decide on species and seeding rates
Water quality monitoring in the McKenzie Brook Watershed: methods and data to quantify water quality in an agricultural watershed

TWO (2) Water Quality Training Credits for farmers!

This event is one in a series of events happening for Clean Water Week.

Free lunch at 12:30 generously sponsored by Seedway. Come join the fun!

To register (free) and for more information contact:
Nate Severy
nsevery@uvm.edu or (802)-388-4969
www.champlainvalleyfarmercoaltion.com

Thursday, August 31st
2017 Short Season Corn Hybrid Field Day11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Vorsteveld Farm | 3925 Panton Road, Panton, VT (just across the street from the telephone building, next to the new solar panel installation)

Click HERE for the flyer

Join the UVM Extension’s Champlain Valley Crop, Soil & Pasture Team and local seed suppliers in the field to see our corn hybrid demonstration, comparing shorter season corn varieties (85-98 day). Can we accomplish high yielding corn and timely cover crop seeding? Come check it out. We’ll take a trip down the road and check out some long season hybrids too! Research in northern VT has suggested that variety, as opposed to just day length, is important in determining corn yield. To this end, we have planted 21 corn hybrids ranging from 85 DRM to 98 DRM to assess yield and quality. The objective is to test varieties on our soils and find optimum day length so that there is more time in the fall for cover crop seeding and establishment without sacrificing yield. We will also have the opportunity after lunch to look at some longer day hybrids in a different field and take a look at this farms novel approach to no-till, manure application and cover cropping.

Upcoming Events – August

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER YOUR CROPS AT FIELD DAYS!!!

NEXT MONDAY August 7
8 am - noon

Events hosted or with programing support by the Champlain Valley Crop, Soil and Pasture Team:

Addison County Fair and Field Days. August 8-12, Addison, VT. Drop off submissions for our crop exhibit August 7, 8 am-noon. Help us demonstrate local crops and conservation work to the public. Fair entry guidelines and More information about the fair. Contact our office for drop submission questions (802-388-4969). See you at the fair!

Grass-Fed & Grass-Finished: Beyond the Basics. Workshop with Jim Gerrish. August 14, 10 am-3 pm, at Lucas Cattle Company, Orwell, VT. Jim Gerrish is an internationally recognized grazing consultant and this should be an highly informative conversation about high-quality, grass-finished beef production. Register here. For more information contact Cheryl Cesario (802-388-4969 ext. 346).

Clean Water Week is August 20-26. We are hosting a Clean Water Field Day, August 23, 1 pm to 3 pm, in Addison, VT at Rob Hunt’s farm. We will be discussing a no-till/cover crop trial, McKenzie Brook initiative through NRCS that we are a part of, and a collaboration with VT DEC to better quantify rainfall and stream patterns in McKenzie Brook. For more information contact Nate Severy (802-388-4969 ext. 348).

Corn Hybrid Trial Field Day. August 31, 11 am-2 pm, Panton, VT at Vosterveld’s Farm. This is the second year we have established corn hybrid trials. Join us in a discussion of how they are doing in these less than ideal growing conditions. For more information contact Kirsten Workman (802-388-4969 ext. 347).

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Events hosted by other affiliates:

2017 Summer Farm Meeting. August 17, 10 am-2:30 pm, Franklin, VT. UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program, Friends of Northern Lake Champlain, and Farmer’s Watershed Alliance at Tim and Martha Magnant’s farm, Bridgeman View Farm. Topics to include innovative agronomic practices of interseeding, no-till and cover cropping, and soil health. Free with registration.

Pasture Management, Recovery After a Drought. August 30, 10 am-2pm. Beidler Farm, Randolph Center, VT. More information and registration.

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Other News:

Forage Analysis: Even More Important This Season [see our blog post]. As we all know, this is a challenging year for successfully planting and harvesting crops in the Champlain Valley and beyond. At the end of the day, the real challenge will be how to feed those crops to your animals successfully. This year, more than most, forage analysis will be very important. You will need to take a close look at your forage quality and make adjustments to your other feed stocks accordingly.

NRCS Announces Soil Survey Work in Addison County. NRCS is updating soil survey data in the Lake Champlain Basin (as part of a long term process), and is currently focusing on areas in Addison County mapped as high clay soils. You may be hearing from NRCS employees to conduct on-site reviews of soils for classification purposes. For more information see their factsheet or contact Vicki Drew.

The Agricultural Business / Farm Viability Program, through UVM Extension has ongoing funding for water quality business analysis, to help farmers analyze options for meeting conservation and regulatory compliance goals. Analysis will include financial planning, strategic planning and coordination with related agencies. For more information see our recent blog post, or contact Tony Kitsos at (802) 524-6501 or (800) 639-2130 ext. 440.

Grazing Field Day at Islandacres

In this Issue:

Focus on Agriculture, by Jeff Carter

News and Events

Remembering Bob Parsons

Managing Agricultural Risk, Jake Jacobs

Welcome Rachel Orr!

SMART Goals and Grants, Cheryl Cesario

The Things You Discover on Your Way to Discovery, Kristin Williams

Nutrient Management is More than Just a Plan, Kirsten Workman

Spring into No-Till Seedings, Nate Severy

Our Fall 2017 Newsletter is out! View it HERE.

In this Issue:

Don’t miss these two great events. You can RSVP for either or both at 802-388-4969 or champlain.crops@uvm.edu

Don’t miss these two great events. You can RSVP for either or both at
802-388-4969 or champlain.crops@uvm.edu