Join SARE grantee Steve Moring for a Kansas City workshop, "Designing Edible Forest Gardens," which will explore the vision, theory, design and practice of ecological forest agriculture that uses our temperate deciduous forest as a model. Moring says that by mimicking the structure and function of a natural ecosystem architecture through all stages of growth, a good design can maximize photosynthesis for perennial production of food, fodder, and fiber.

The workshop will cover the basics of forest gardening: forest ecology and architecture, examples of forest gardens, principles of permaculture,...

From low covers to high tunnels, from hoop houses to greenhouses – producers are finding ever more innovative ways to extend the growing season, and their income stream.

With support from an NCR-SARE grant, Rural Action Ohio and Green Edge Organics are hosting an onsite, high tunnel workshop series called, “Beyond Season Extension: High Tunnels for Season Creation and Economic, Community, and Environmental Sustainability.” The workshops will cover site-specific adaptation of high tunnel agriculture for agriculture professionals and educators to utilize and teach farmers/producers in their...

Julia Klienschmit

The Nebraska SARE Program is sponsoring a workshop on privilege, power and difference as a part of its plan of work for 2013.  The workshop will be held on Friday, April 19, 2013 from 9:30am – 3pm in Grand Island at the Hall County Extension office, and will be presented by Julia Kleinschmit, MSW Clinical Associate Professor, University of Iowa School of Social Work and the...

 The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) has announced its 2012 Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series, featuring free public tours of some of Ohio’s finest sustainable and organic farms. OEFFA has offered this series for the past 30 years, providing unique opportunities for Ohioans to see, taste, feel, and learn what sustainable food and fiber production is all about from the farmers themselves.

Consumers interested in local foods, farmers and market gardeners wanting to learn more and network with other farmers, aspiring and beginning farmers, and anyone interested...

Those who are interested in learning strategies for creating dynamic local food systems to help communities establish thriving local businesses, protecting natural resources and strengthen community ties, or who have clients who wish to expand local food systems beyond farmers’ markets and community gardens can attend a two-day workshop designed specifically for community economic development professionals and extension educators.  Attendees will be introduced to the latest concepts in local foods, including tours and discussions of models that connect farmers with processors,...

Two MarketReady/MarketMaker workshops are taking place in Illinois. These are sponsored, in part, by the Illinois SARE Professional Development Program.

MarketReady is a program designed to help small and mid-sized producers understand the evolving commercial market opportunities for locally produced foods. While grocery store chains, distributors, institutions, schools and restaurants have traditionally sourced produce, meats, eggs, cheese and other value-added items from large farms and processors located in regions of concentrated production (California, Florida and beyond), increasing transportation...

Two high tunnel workshops have been planned in Illinois. These are sponsored, in part, by the Illinois SARE Professional Development Program.

• University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Center near Simpson in far southern Illinois, November 22, 2011, 9am to 3pm. This program, led by Jeff Kindhart, will include information on winter salad greens production, brambles, vertical stacking systems, hydroponics, and greenhouse production of vegetable transplants. There is no charge for this programs, but pre-registration is required, and attendance at each program will be capped at 40. To register,...

Source: Wisconsin Ag Connection

Four workshops will be offered around the state this fall to help farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs develop strategies to access state and federal grants.
Attendees will learn how to successfully submit a Value Added Producer Grant, an Agricultural Development and Diversification Grant, a Specialty Crop Block Grant, a Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant, and The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program application. These programs provide research and development, planning and working capital funds to farmers and farmer-based enterprises to develop...

What does soil quality mean? Why is it so important? How do we measure it and how can we impact soil quality with our management practices? Hear experts from the University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, and the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service address these questions and more at the "Soil Quality Workshop". This program will be held at two locations: Monday, September 12 at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, and Tuesday, September 13 at the Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca. Each workshop will...

Many an hour on the tractor or in the seat of a combine or driving that farm truck is spent in thoughtful solitude considering ways to save time, energy, labor, to be more profitable, to be a better marketer or to reduce their impact on the environment. One challenge that farmers face in initiating new on farm or community projects is finding adequate startup funding.

A live video program (webinar) to help farmers and rural residents and even communities identify sources of funding available to them will be held on Monday, August 29 from 10 am-noon (EST).  This free program will be hosted...