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What's New in Michigan Organics?
Events
1.
Assessing
and Improving Soil Quality on Your Farm Workshop
2. Web-Site 'Whys' and 'Hows' for Your Ag Business Workshop
3. Forages, Fertility and Finances Workshop
4. "Launch your Pre-Harvest Marketing Plan" Workshop
5. Crop Insurance, Ag-Credit and Profitable Wheat Management Workshop
6. The Grower Workshop
7. "Bringing Soil Back to Health" Seminar
Job Opportunities
8. Assistant Professor- Soil Fertility/Biology and Plant Nutrition, Oregon State University
Events
1. Assessing and Improving Soil Quality on your Farm
The program is to increase your understanding of ways to improve soil quality on your farm with practical tips that will fit your cropping rotation.
When: Thursday, January 15, 8:30 AM—2:15 PM
Where: Ubly Heights Country Club, 2409 E Atwater Rd, Ubly
Registration Fee: $50 for the first person from a farm, $25 for each additional person
Lunch and materials are provided.
Check out the flyer for more details and registration information: http://dairyteam.msu.edu/calendar/calendar_items/2009/soil_quality_program_huron_co.pdf
2. Web-Site 'Whys' and 'Hows' for Your Ag Business Workshop
Have you ever wondered how complicated, costly, or beneficial it is to get a website? You don't have to be an affluent 'computer guru' to have one! A web-site helps you: advertise your products, describe your farm, provide times and dates of your business, give directions, and many other things. Come learn about the many ways a web-site can enhance your agricultural business
When: Thursday, February 5, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $15.00/ attendee; a light supper is included
Location: Vevay Township Hall, 780 S. Eden Road, Mason, MI
To register, call Connie at 676-7207 or e-mail [log in to unmask]
TOPICS
1. Basics for Marketing Your Business, Susan Pigg, Ingham County MSUE
2. Our Farm On the Web, Steve Tennes, of Country Mill Orchard, and the Michigan Farm Market
and Agri-Tourism Association (MIFMAT)
3. Don't be a Needle in the Haystack: How to Be Found on the Web! Ron Rademacher,
MichiganWebs
4. Michigan Market Maker: Find a Business, Find a Market, Get linked to the Food Supply
Chain! Dan Hudson, Ingham/Livingston County MSU Extension
If you have questions, please call Dan at 517-676-7207 or e-mail [log in to unmask]
3. Forages, Fertility and Finances Workshop
An interactive workshop for the forage producer
When: February 2nd, 2009
Time: 6:30pm—8:00pm
Cost: $5.00 / attendee
PRESENTATIONS TOPICS
· Future Fertilizer Price Trends:
· Doug Busdecker, The Andersons, Inc
· Can You Afford to Apply Fertilizer to Forages??
· MSU Extension Farm Management Team
· Fertility Response Research
· Dr. Rich Leep, Extension Forage Specialist
This will be a web-broadcast meeting simultaneously hosted by local MSU Extension Educators around the state.
Location: Ingham County MSU Extension, 121 E. Maple Street, Mason
If you are unable to attend the meeting nearest you, you can still access the web-broadcast meeting by going to: http://breeze.msu.edu/msueforageaoe
Access this web-site just prior to 6:30 p.m. on February 2. At the log-in page, type "guest" in the 'NetID' box and leave the password field empty.
**YOU MUST HAVE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS -
DIAL-UP WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS MEETING FORMAT**
Brought to you by the MSU Extension Forage AOE Team
If you have questions, please call Dan at 517-676-7207
4. "Launch your Pre-Harvest Marketing Plan" Workshop
Have you ever written a concise and practical marketing plan? During this half-day session you will examine the key elements of a solid marketing plan, and learn how crop insurance, target prices and decision dates can work together to help you secure a good average price for your crop. In this workshop you can write your own marketing plan then implement it in a realistic market-simulation game. See how to make your plan works and how you react to real-life market fluctuations. Are you ready to launch your pre-harvest marketing plan?
About "Winning the Game" marketing workshops:
"Launch your Pre-Harvest Marketing Plan" is the second in a series of workshops from the University of Minnesota under the "Winning the Game" banner. Each workshop starts with a grain marketing game, where producers make pricing decisions. The games are fun, but more important is learning a practical approach to grain marketing that cuts through the fog of market opinions and commentary to help producers make some common sense decisions
Date: Monday, March 2, 2009
Schedule: 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Ingham County Fairgrounds Community Bldg.
700 E. Ash Street, Mason, MI
Sponsor: Ingham County MSU Extension, Greenstone FCS,
Cost: $10 per person
To register: Call 676-7207 or e-mail [log in to unmask]
5. Crop Insurance, Ag-Credit and Profitable Wheat Management Workshop
Date: January 19, 2009
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Monsanto Research Plot Barn on the Haynes Farm, located at 474 S. Onondaga Road, Mason, MI
Cost: Covered by Sponsors
How does the current credit crisis affect farmers? Will it affect your ability to get operating loans, equipment loans, or other types of financing? What about crop insurance? What types of products are out there, and how can they help you manage risk? Farmers who had insufficient crop insurance in 2007 or 2008 are similarly wondering what their bottom line would have been if they had been adequately insured. Please join us as we interact with industry representatives to learn more about their perspective on crop insurance and ag-credit. For flyer and registration form go to: http://michiganorganic.msu.edu/Events/tabid/54/Default.aspx
6. The Grower Workshop
January 22, 2009, Wayne Co. MSU Extension 640 Temple St, 6th floor, Detroit. Food System Economic Partnership (FSEP) will be hosting a workshop for growers interested in learning more about Farm to School. Farm to School is a growing movement in Southwest Michigan and provides an excellent opportunity for area farmers to diversify their business. If you are interested in learning how to sell produce to the schools in your community, this workshop is for you. Space is limited, so RSVP by Friday, January 16th. Please contact Michaelle Rehmann at (734) 222-3817 or email [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask] to RSVP. Check out this website for more information http://michiganorganic.msu.edu/Events/tabid/54/Default.aspx
7. "Bringing Soil Back to Health" Seminar
Dr. E.R. Ingham, renowned soil expert, to speak at Riviera Theatre, Three Rivers, Michigan
Flowerfield Enterprises presents "Bringing Soil Back to Health" seminar Wed January 14, 2009
December 29, 2008 Portage, Michigan
Flowerfield Enterprises of Portage, Michigan announces today that renowned soil scientist, author, and lecturer Dr. Elaine Ingham will present a one day workshop entitled "Bringing Soil Back to Health" at the newly renovated Riviera Theatre in Three Rivers, Michigan on Wednesday, January 14, 2009. The Principles of the Soil Foodweb as developed by Dr. Ingham at the Sustainable Studies Institute in Corvallis, Oregon will be discussed. The focus of the upcoming event is the implementation of programs for growers which would reduce pesticide use by 99%, reduce inorganic fertilizer inputs by more than 50%, reduce water use by 25% to 75%, and increase root depth, root surface area, and tilth. For those unfamiliar with Soil Foodweb principles these outcomes are achieved by having a balanced and diverse foodweb which includes beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa. This can be achieved by applying high quality composts and/or compost teas. The microorganisms then provide a range of valuable functions including disease suppression, nutrient cycling and retention, residue decomposition, and improved structure. These principles of soil management can be used by a variety of commercial growers/farmers. They can also be used by landscape professionals, home gardeners, nurseries, and in hydroponics applications.
Registration for the January 14th event is available at Flowerfield Enterprises website, www.wormwoman.com or contact by email [log in to unmask] or by calling 800 587 1478 or 269 327-0108. The seminar will run from 9am to 5pm with lunch provided. The cost is $50 for single attendee; $45 for students; $90 for pairs
Job Opportunities
8. Assistant Professor - Soil Fertility/Biology and Plant Nutrition, Oregon State University
Assistant Professor- Soil Fertility/Biology and Plant Nutrition: Oregon State University's Mid-Columbia Agriculture Research and Extension Center. Posting #0003672. Closing date 03/02/09. Position located in Hood River, OR. OSU is an AA/EOE.
1.0
FTE 12-month position in which .75 FTE is tenure track and .25 FTE is
supported by commodity commission funds for 5 years which is based on a
satisfactory annual performance appraisal.