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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.
Requirements

   - Ph.D. in soil science, environmental science, or a related discipline.
   - We are seeking an exceptional candidate that will develop a world-class
   comprehensive research program in soil fertility and quality, plant
   nutrition, and nutrient and water management for pears and sweet cherries
   grown in the Mid-Columbia Region of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

To review full posting and apply, go to http://oregonstate.edu/jobs

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