Michigan Organic Listserv

News to help you grow!

November 4, 2019

Center for Regional Food Systems at MSU

What’s Coming Up?

Bees, Books, Soil and Stories Dec 9, Grand Rapids, MI

Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Market Expo Dec 10-12, Grand Rapids MI

Michigan Small Farm Conference, Jan 24-25, Traverse City, MI

MIFFS Family Farm Conference, Feb 8, Kalamazoo, MI

GLEXPO- An EXCELLENT educational program and trade show for fruit and vegetable farmers

The Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable and Farmers market education program is happening on Dec 8-10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Devos Center.  The Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Expo (GLEXPO) offers excellent educational sessions on fruit and vegetable production and marketing. Whether you are growing on many acres or just a few, this program offers valuable information and networking opportunities that will lead to better yields, higher quality produce and smarter farm management. Production information is offered on everything from soil and crop health to plant diseases and pest identification and management as well as marketing.  The Marketing Educational Program offers approaches to promote and sell produce from farm stands and incorporating creative outlets such as approaches to online marketing. This three- day program is jam packed with farm relevant information to help you grow. The trade show offers one of the largest displays of horticulture equipment, tools and farm supplies (from Tuesday-Thursday at 1 pm).   To see the entire program and to register visit GLEXPO.org. Cost for early bird registration (till 11/15) is $85 for the whole program or $50 for Thursday only.

 

Here is a sample of sessions selected for you, that may peak your interest.

Fruit

·         Managing the spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in Raspberries• By Heather Leach, Pennsylvania State University (Department of Entomology) Tues 9 am

·         Are There Opportunities in High Tunnel Blueberry Production for Michigan Growers?• By Carlos Garcia-Salazar, Michigan State University Extension Tues 9 am

·         Conserving Wild Bees in Blueberry Farms• By Kelsey Graham, Michigan State University Wed 9 am

Marketing

·         Art and Science of Pricing. This session is designed to help the management team understand all the components of pricing, from costs to beyond formulas By Bridget Behe, Michigan State University -Tues 9 am

·         Selling More Produce Through On-line Sales.  By Ruth Ann Roney, Tuttle Orchards Tues 2 pm

·         Ten Social Media Best Practices to Win More Customers. By Ariana Torres, Purdue University Wed 9 am

·         Online Retail Marketing: Seven Approaches to Boost Sales. By Ariana Torres, Purdue University Wed 2 pm

Cut Flowers-Wed 2 pm

·         Pushing the Easy Button: Cut Flower Varieties and Helpful Tips for Aspiring Flower Farmers By Kristiana Coutu, Farmer’s Bloom Flower Company

·         Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers By John Dole, North Carolina State University

·         Best performing annuals and perennials By Heidi Lindberg, Michigan State University Extension Daedre McGrath. Wed 3pm

Food Safety-Tues 2 pm

·         FSMA Produce Safety Inspections: Year 1 By Amber Matulis, MDARD Tues 2 pm

Organic Production and Marketing Thur 9 am

·         Aggressively Investing in a Vision at Bear Creek Farm By Anne and Brian Bates, Bear Creek Organic Farm

·         To certify or not, that is the question By Vicki Morrone

·         Smart Weed Management for organic production By Dr. Dan Brainard

Soil Health Wed 2 pm

• Soil Health and Compost Management By Laurie Drinkwater, Cornell University.

Organic Vegetable Production Thur 1 pm

·         Gearing up for the next level of production By Dr. Jeff Mitchell

·         Taste of Michigan with Farmer Discussion

Hoophouse & Greenhouse

• Producing High Quality Vegetable Transplants By Dr. Timothy Coolong, Tues 2 pm
• Hoophouse Soil Health and Fertility- By Rachel Cross, Spirit of Walloon Market Garden Wed 9 am
• Biological Control in Hoophouse Production By Elizabeth Buck, Cornell University Wed 9 am

Vegetables

• Pepper Diseases and Their Control By Sally Miller, Ohio State University- Tues 9 am
• Seed To Kitchen Collaborative Variety Trials By Julie Dawson, University of Wisconsin-Madison-Wed 9 am

 

Questions? Call or email Vicki Morrone 517-282-3557 or [log in to unmask], MSU Center for Regional Food Systems.

Bees, Books, Soil & Stories- A FREE workshop on sustainable farming

Join the Michigan Good Food Fund for a no-cost training on managing your farm business sustainably!

We will be focusing on four topics:

• Bees - How your farm can be a haven for pollinators.
• Books - Understanding how to track your finances to help your farm business thrive.
• Soil - Cover crops and no/low till systems can improve soil health and reduce springtime wetness
• Stories - What is your farm's story? Learn how to market your farm business and tell your story to buyers and funders.

Register now! It is free to attend, but registration is required.

Register

Agenda

Join us for a full day of learning! We are providing breakfast and lunch - make sure to stick around for the networking time at the end of the day to receive a drink ticket.

9:30 - 10:00 a.m.	Registration with Coffee, Breakfast Pastries, and Fresh Fruit
10:00 - 10:15 a.m.	Opening
10:15 - 11:00 a.m	Session 1: Pollinators with Ana Heck
11:00 - 11:15 a.m.	Break
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.	Session 2: Branding Your Business with Jason Piasecki
12:15 - 1:15 p.m.	Lunch (sandwiches, salad, dessert)
1:15 - 2:00 p.m.	Session 3: Financials for Your Farm with Florencia Colella
2:00 - 2:15 p.m.	Break
2:15 - 3:00 p.m.	Session 4: Soil Health and Cover Crops with Eric Kampe and Vicki Morrone
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.	Closing and Networking

This event is made possible with support from MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, Kellogg's, and Leaf Jerky.

Get Directions 

Have questions? Contact:

Lindsay Mensch
517-432-0264
[log in to unmask]

GLEXPO Early Bird Registration closes on November 15

GLEXPO- An EXCELLENT educational program and trade show for fruit and vegetable farmers

 

The Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable and Farmers market education program is happening on Dec 8-10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Devos Center.  The Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Expo (GLEXPO) offers excellent educational sessions on fruit and vegetable production and marketing. Whether you are growing on many acres or just a few, this program offers valuable information and networking opportunities that will lead to better yields, higher quality produce and smarter farm management. Production information is offered on everything from soil and crop health to plant diseases and pest identification and management as well as marketing.  The Marketing Educational Program offers approaches to promote and sell produce from farm stands and incorporating creative outlets such as approaches to online marketing. This three- day program is jam packed with farm relevant information to help you grow. The trade show offers one of the largest displays of horticulture equipment, tools and farm supplies (from Tuesday-Thursday at 1 pm).   To see the entire program and to register visit GLEXPO.org. Cost for early bird registration (till 11/15) is $85 for the whole program or $50 for Thursday only.

 

Here is a sample of sessions selected for you, that may peak your interest.

Fruit

·         Managing the spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in Raspberries• By Heather Leach, Pennsylvania State University (Department of Entomology) Tues 9 am

·         Are There Opportunities in High Tunnel Blueberry Production for Michigan Growers?• By Carlos Garcia-Salazar, Michigan State University Extension Tues 9 am

·         Conserving Wild Bees in Blueberry Farms• By Kelsey Graham, Michigan State University Wed 9 am

Marketing

·         Art and Science of Pricing. This session is designed to help the management team understand all the components of pricing, from costs to beyond formulas.

By Bridget Behe, Michigan State University -Tues 9 am

·         Selling More Produce Through On-line Sales.  By Ruth Ann Roney, Tuttle Orchards Tues 2 pm

·         Ten Social Media Best Practices to Win More Customers. By Ariana Torres, Purdue University Wed 9 am

·         Online Retail Marketing: Seven Approaches to Boost Sales. By Ariana Torres, Purdue University Wed 2 pm

Cut Flowers-Wed 2 pm

·         Pushing the Easy Button: Cut Flower Varieties and Helpful Tips for Aspiring Flower Farmers By Kristiana Coutu, Farmer’s Bloom Flower Company

·         Postharvest Handling of Cut Flowers By John Dole, North Carolina State University

·         Best performing annuals and perennials By Heidi Lindberg, Michigan State University Extension By Daedre McGrath. Wed 3pm

Food Safety-Tues 2 pm

·         FSMA Produce Safety Inspections: Year 1 By Amber Matulis, MDARD Tues 2 pm

Organic Production and Marketing Thur 9 am

·         Aggressively Investing in a Vision at Bear Creek Farm By Anne and Brian Bates, Bear Creek Organic Farm

·         To certify or not, that is the question By Vicki Morrone

·         Smart Weed Management for organic production By Dr. Dan Brainard

Soil Health Wed 2 pm

• Soil Health and Compost Management By Laurie Drinkwater, Cornell University.

Organic Vegetable Production Thur 1 pm

·         Gearing up for the next level of production By Dr. Jeff Mitchell

·         Taste of Michigan with Farmer Discussion

Hoophouse & Greenhouse

• Hoophouse Soil Health and Fertility- By Rachel Cross, Spirit of Walloon Market Garden Wed 9 am
• Biological Control in Hoophouse Production By Elizabeth Buck, Cornell University Wed 9 am
• Producing High Quality Vegetable Transplants By Dr. Timothy Coolong, Tues 2 pm

Vegetables

• Pepper Diseases and Their Control By Sally Miller, Ohio State University- Tues 9 am
• Seed To Kitchen Collaborative Variety Trials By Julie Dawson, University of Wisconsin-Madison-Wed 9 am

 

Plus many other sessions you can attend for one price:  To see full agenda visit: GLEXPO.org

 

Survey to learn about use of tarping on smaller farms

Please help us to better serve you as vegetable farmers. Tarping is sometimes used to manage weeds, especially on newly cultivated ground.  BUT!  We know that there are many interpretations of this method and we are seeking your input to help better define the gaps in knowledge and the research that is needed. So please take a few minutes to help us with the research and you can gain a chance to win a $50 gift card.  

The Cornell Small Farms Program is expanding their work on tarping practices for small-scale farms. Tarping has emerged as a tool to prepare soils for planting, suppress weeds, and reduce tillage. If you are considering tarping or already tarping on your farm, we want to hear from you! Complete our short tarping survey to share your ideas and experiences and help guide future research. You’ll also be entered in a drawing to win a $50 gift card!  

The Reduced Tillage (RT) project of the Cornell Small Farms Program supports vegetable farmers in adopting scale-appropriate RT practices that can lead to healthy, productive soils and greater profitability. This project uses system-based field research and on-farm trials to evaluate novel tools and methods and help farmers learn about the approaches that can work for their farm.

To participate in this survey please click on the “tarping survey” link. If you have questions about this survey the contacts are within the survey document.

Thanks very much for your contributions.

Ph.D. Assistantship Available                

Soil Management Strategies for Transition to Organic Grain Production

Seeking a motivated, creative graduate student to start July 2020 on a project to develop strategies for optimizing soil health and profitability outcomes during the 3-year transition period to organic grain production. Demand for certified organic grain has outstripped domestic supplies and large amounts are being imported for human food and feed for organic livestock production. This research will help farmers enhance soil and water quality, carbon sequestration, weed suppression and profitability during the challenging transition period during which conventional inputs cannot be used but organic price premiums do not apply. Research conducted on University research farms as well with commercial farmers, some of who are experienced organic producers who mentor conventional farmers desiring to go organic.

Applicants must show leadership skills and independence as well as the ability to collaborate with diverse team members. Applicants should have a strong background in soil science, agronomy, ecology, and statistics. Experience working in field and lab settings will be favorably considered. Qualifications include a Master’s Degree in soil science, agronomy or closely related field.  The successful candidate will join the Soil Quality Lab in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST) and be advised by Professor Ray Weil and collaborate with Future Harvest- Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.

ENST is a highly diverse department that provides a rigorous and collegial academic environment. It is the most rapidly growing department in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The University of Maryland is a top-tier public university with five research stations located from the mountains to the coastal plain. The College Park campus is on the metro line just outside of Washington, DC. This location is just minutes from the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, EPA headquarters, USGS, and offices of many other federal and state agencies, national and international organizations focused on soils, agriculture, and the environment.

 

Ag Employment opportunities in Michigan

Farm Manager Trainee

We have a position available for a farm manager trainee!!. Information on the position can be found at: https://www.harvestthymefarm.com/employment. We have an application cutoff date of 5/1/2020.  

 

Brendan Prewitt

Harvest Thyme Farm & Vineyards, LLC

www.HarvestThymeFarm.com

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Vicki Morrone

Organic Farming Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd

East Lansing, MI 48824

517-282-3557 (cell)

[log in to unmask]

www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu

sorrone11 (skype)