6. Organic Tree Fruit Projects Field Day Friday, November 2, 2007 - Organic Tree Fruit Projects Field Day Find out about the latest research in organic tree fruit. For more information, check out the michiganorganic.msu.edu website. 7. New Realities of Planned Grazing and Pasture Management Friday, November 9, 2007, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Location: Ingham County Fairgrounds Community Building Trainers: Specialists from MSU Extension, NRCS and experienced farmers Almar Apple Field Day Program Grazer’s stories: Three farmers will tell us how they managed their pastures and animals in one of the driest seasons on record. Presentations: ● New grazing realities with $4 corn and $3 diesel: managing input costs, marketing and optimizing profits. ● Managing the relationship between plant productivity and animal productivity to your benefit ● Tools for developing a grazing plan Create a grazing plan: ● Small groups will create grazing plans for a dairy producer switching to grazing. ● Compare the various strategies proposed by the small groups in a large-group discussion. Lunch will be provided Directions to the Ingham County Fairgrounds Community Building 700 E. Ash St., Mason, Michigan Take US 127 to Mason, Michigan (Southeast of Lansing, South of MSU), and Exit at Kipp Road. Proceed east to Jefferson St. (the first intersection). Turn North (left) on Jefferson and proceed to Ash St. Turn east (right) on Ash and proceed to the Ingham County Fairgrounds. The Community Building is the brick building on the south (right) side of the road. REGISTRATION There is no fee for this workshop, but you must pre-register to attend. To register, please call Betsy Dierberger at 517-324-5265. Tri-State Organic IP Video Session 5 Introduction to Organic Markets and Certification November 15, 2007, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. EST/5 - 7:30 p.m. CST What are organic farmers producing in the Great Lakes Region? What do we know about the economics of organic production in this region? And what does it take to get certified? Speakers from USDA, Purdue, MOSES, and region farms will address these questions at the 5th session of the Tri-State Organic IP Video Program titled 'Introduction to Organic Markets and Certification.' The 2-1/2 hour program will begin at 6:00 p.m. EST. Participants can view the program from sites in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. To sign up for the location nearest you, contact: Indiana: www.ocec.purdue.edu/ Follow link to 'Upcoming Programs' and search for 'Tri-State' Contact: Jerry Nelson (812) 886-9582 [log in to unmask] Illinois: web.extension.uiuc.edu/smallfarm/events.cfm Contact: Deborah Cavanaugh Grant 217-968-5512 [log in to unmask] Michigan: Contact Vicki Morrone (517) 353-3542 [log in to unmask] or visit web page www.michiganorganic.msu.edu <http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/> for the agenda of this program. Ohio: Contact Alan Sundermeier [log in to unmask] (419) 354-9050 8. Tri-State Organic IP Video Session 5 Introduction to Organic Markets and Certification November 15, 2007, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. EST/5 - 7:30 p.m. CST What are organic farmers producing in the Great Lakes Region? What do we know about the economics of organic production in this region? And what does it take to get certified? Speakers from USDA, Purdue, MOSES, and region farms will address these questions at the 5th session of the Tri-State Organic IP Video Program titled 'Introduction to Organic Markets and Certification.' The 2-1/2 hour program will begin at 6:00 p.m. EST. Participants can view the program from sites in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. To sign up for the location nearest you, contact: Indiana: www.ocec.purdue.edu/ Follow link to 'Upcoming Programs' and search for 'Tri-State' Contact: Jerry Nelson (812) 886-9582 [log in to unmask] Illinois: web.extension.uiuc.edu/smallfarm/events.cfm Contact: Deborah Cavanaugh Grant 217-968-5512 [log in to unmask] Michigan: Contact Vicki Morrone (517) 353-3542 [log in to unmask] or visit web page www.michiganorganic.msu.edu <http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/> for the agenda of this program. Ohio: Contact Alan Sundermeier [log in to unmask] (419) 354-9050 9. Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market December 4-6, 2007 - Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO Join us on Thursday, December 6th for organic fruit and vegetable workshops. For more information, check out the michiganorganic.msu.edu website. 10. Organic Research Symposium Call for Papers December 14, 2007 - Organic Research Symposium Call for Papers Submit an abstract for papers or posters to be presented during ANR Week on March 5, 2008. For more information, check out the michiganorganic.msu.edu website. 11. Michigan Family Farms Conference January 19, 2008 - Michigan Family Farms Conference Discuss issues facing limited resource farmers and the family farm. For more information, check out the michiganorganic.msu.edu website. 12. Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference January 26, 2008 - Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference Spend the day at Michigan's largest small farms conference, find out what the neighbors are doing, and learn about the latest issues. For more information, check out the michiganorganic.msu.edu website. 13. Grant Opportunity for Farmers and Rancher through SARE-(Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension) This grant offers farmers an opportunity to work solo or with a group of farmers to answer a question they have about a farming system. The project can be in the form of research (where you collect data and repeat the experiment in plots or over 3-4 farms OR as a demonstration trial. The demonstration of course means you show the fields, animals or system to other farmers to stimulate conversation, demonstrate a technique and strengthen a farming community. Visit this site to obtain an application. http://sare.org/ncrsare/documents/FRG_CFP_2007.pdf or contact Michigan’s SARE coordinator, Dale Mutch, MSUE, at [log in to unmask] or 269-671-2412 x 224. 14. Localvore Community Breakfast Lansing Saturday November 17th at Gone Wired (2021 E Michigan Ave) 8am-11am $6 Adults $4 Children at the door A Benefit to support and continue the services provided by the Women's Center of Greater Lansing Menu AppleSchram Pastured Pork Sausage Grazing Fields Eggs (Scramble) And Pancakes made from Westwind Milling Organic Flour with Chef Ethel's Glazed Apple Pancake Topping or Wes Clarks' Maple Syrup. The last breakfast was a sell out and offered great food. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your neighbors, catch up with old friends and celebrate GOOD LOCAL FOOD! Tickets are available at the door on the morning of the event Vicki Morrone Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist Michigan State University C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems 303 Natural Resources Bldg. East Lansing, MI 48824 517-353-3542 517-282-3557 (cell) 517-353-3834 (fax) For information on organic agriculture production please visit: http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/ P Please consider the environment before printing this email If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic listserv you can copy and paste the following URL into your browser address bar http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html