Bucolic Briefs

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers will host its 2007 National Conference and Trade Show Oct. 1-4 at the North Raleigh Hilton, Raleigh. The conference theme is “Ideas from the Farm” and includes a growers’ school, farm and nursery tours and educational sessions. Cost for the full conference is $395 for members and $520 for non-members. Participants can choose to attend only certain parts of the conference for reduced rates.
For more or to register, go to www.ascfg.org or call Linda Twining at (440) 774-2887.

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The N.C. Forestry Association will hold its annual meeting Oct. 10-12 at the New Bern Sheraton Hotel and Marina in New Bern. The theme is “A Focus on Energy” and includes presentations on current energy sources, biofuels, new partnerships for energy, biomass energy, carbon credits and a renewable energy portfolio standard. For more information, call the NCFA at (800) 231-7723.

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The Mid-State Tractor Heritage Association will host a fundraising tractor parade Oct. 13 in downtown Asheboro. The event benefits Jim’s Kids, a group helping disabled children. Registration begins at 8 a.m., with the parade starting at 11 a.m. The entry fee is $5. This event is open to the public. For more information or to register, call Alex Gilmore at (336) 879-6412 or 736-0435, or Kelly Wicker at (336) 629-4303.

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A series of local foods seminars will be held in October and November at the Person County Extension Office in Roxboro. “Growing and Marketing Local Foods,” will be held Oct. 17 from noon to 3 p.m.; “How the Energy Outlook is Raising the Stakes for Local and Organic Food Production” will be held Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon; “Staggered Planting and Season Extension Techniques” will be held Oct. 31 from 1-3 p.m.; “Organic Vegetable Production in North Carolina” will be held Nov. 7 from 1-3 p.m.; “Starting and Managing Your Produce Enterprise” will be held Nov. 14 from 1-3 p.m. Cost is $25 for the entire series. For more, contact Carl Cantaluppi at (919) 603-1350 or e-mail at carl_cantaluppi@ncsu.edu.

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The Person County Saddle Club will host its 6th Annual Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Festival Oct. 20 in Roxboro. The event features antique tractors and engines, molasses cooking, a cider press, coon mule jumping, music, and arts and crafts. For more, contact Rob Hall at (336) 599-4039.

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The Lord Granville Agricultural Heritage Association will hold a Harvest Show Oct. 27 & 28 at the Southern Livestock Center, Oxford. Restored tractors, antique engines and horse-drawn farm equipment will be on display. The event also features a one-fourth scale lawn tractor pull, crafts and food. For more, contact Al Gulvin, (919) 528-1652.

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The United States Equine Rescue League will host a Ride for the Horse pledge ride Oct. 28 at Moor Meadow in Vass. Rider must raise $150 in donations. Lunch will be catered and participants receive a T-shirt. For more, contact Stephanie Johnson, (919) 721-6572 or e-mail at Stephanie@leebrick.com.

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Piedmont Biofuels will hold energy management and renewable energy workshops focused on reducing farm energy costs, coping with high and fluctuating energy costs, and capturing all the energy resources available on the farm, including wind, solar and biofuels.
Piedmont Biofuels is offering free tours of its on-farm biodiesel plant near Moncure every Sunday at 1 p.m., or any day of the week by appointment. On-farm biodiesel demonstrations can also be arranged in North Carolina. For more, go to the Piedmont Web site at www.biofuels.coop or call (919) 533-0172.

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Farmers interested in the 2008 Environmental Quality Incentives Program must submit their applications by Nov. 1. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications at local USDA service centers and Soil and Water Conservation District offices.
EQIP provides cost-share funds to help producers protect their soil from erosion, improve wildlife habitat and reduce sediment, nutrient and chemical pollutants from entering streams. Livestock and crop producers, including horticulture and specialty crop growers, are eligible. Cost-share rates vary by practice, and generally range from 50 to 75 percent. Cost-share rates for beginning or limited resource farmers can be as high as 90 percent.
Common practices include no-till, buffers, nutrient and pest management, fencing to keep livestock from streams, incinerators and composters.
For more, go to www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov/programs or contact your local NRCS office.

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A Beginning Sidesaddle and Aside Fun Day will be held Nov. 10 in Graham. Sidesaddles will be available for use, or participants can bring their own for appraisal and fitting. For more, contact Marti Friddle, (336) 376-8124.

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The Southeast Strawberry Expo will be held Nov. 11-13 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham featuring grower sessions and an extensive tradeshow. The Expo program includes a plasticulture workshop for new growers and presentations on Florida growers’ efforts to replace methyl bromide. Other sessions focus on finding and keeping good labor, spring companion crops, frost protection decision-making, high tunnel production and farm market ideas.
For more information, go to www.ncstrawberry.com or contact the N.C. Strawberry Association at ncstrawberry@mindspring.com or call (919) 542-3687.

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The Carolina Feed Industry Association’s Fall Conferences will be held Nov. 12-14 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham. Following are specific dates: Nov. 12 Technical Symposium; Nov. 13 Feed Production Technology School, Swine Nutrition School; Nov. 14 Poultry Nutrition Conference. Class costs range from $65-$125. For more, contact Bonnie Holloman, executive director, CFIA, (919) 855-8981 or e-mail at bhollom@bellsouth.net.

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A Successful Small Farm Opportunities II Conference will be held Nov. 17 at the Vance-Granville Community College’s satellite campus in Louisburg. Conference topics include: Direct marketing, pastured pork, hunting leases, beekeeping, farm financing, cut flowers and more. For more, contact Martha Mobley, (919) 496-3344 or e-mail at martha_mobley@ncsu.edu.

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A Horse and Mule Driving Workshop will be held Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Turtle Island Preserve near Boone. The hands-on workshop will cover the fundamentals of training a horse for general farm use and a discussion on different types of harnesses and where to get equipment. Cost is $95. To reserve a seat, mail a $50 deposit to Eustace Conway, 1443 Lonnie Carlton Rd., Deep Gap, NC 28618. For more, go to www.turtleislandpreserve.com, call (828) 265-2267 or e-mail at mail@turtleislandpreserve.com.

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The Fifth Annual One Medicine Symposium, focusing on the connection between human and veterinary medicine’s response to terrorism, disease and natural disasters, will be held Dec. 12-13 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham. The event is geared towards animal and human health care providers. This year’s theme is “Globalization and Emerging Risks: A One Medicine Approach to a Changing World.” For registration or info, go to www.onemedicineNC.org or call (919) 966-4032.

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The Southeast Vegetable and Fruit Expo will be held Dec. 13 & 14 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C. For more contact Cathy Price at (919) 334-0099 or e-mail at cdprice@bellsouth.net.

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