Bucolic Briefs

The 2008 N.C. Turfgrass Conference and Show will be held  Jan. 7-10  at the North Raleigh Hilton in Raleigh. The event features a trade show, a number of educational seminars eligible for pesticide credits and a networking opportunity for turfgrass professionals. Cost of the conference is $140 for Turfgrass Council of North Carolina members or $190 for non-members. For more information, go to www.turffiles.ncsu.edu or contact the TCNC at (919) 380-9446.

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The N.C. Aquaculture Development Conference will be held Jan. 18 and 19 at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach. The conference features an aquaculture trade show, panel discussions and special interest workshops focusing on ponds and shellfish. In addition, participants can take a self-guided tour Jan. 17. Cost is $95 prior to Jan. 7, $125 by Jan. 14 or $150 for on-site registration. For more, go to www.ncaquaculture.org or call (252) 633-1477.

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A six-week course designed for women involved with farming or married to a farmer and wanting to understand the business more will be offered beginning Jan. 17 and continuing for the following six Thursdays at the Vernon James Center in Plmouth. Class hours are 6-9 p.m. Supper and youth-friendly activities will be provided. Contact Gerda Rhodes at (252) 793-2163 for more.

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The 19th Annual Joint Conference of N.C. Small Grain, Soybean and Corn Growers Association will be held Jan. 17 & 18 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park. The conference theme is Increasing Yields on Decreasing Acres. For more information, call Bonnie Holloman at (919) 877-9392.

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Montgomery Community College in Troy will offer a beekeeping class Jan. 28 through March 17 from 7-9 p.m. The course is designed for the beginner to experienced beekeeper and will cover the equipment needed for beekeeping, disease treatments, pesticide regulations and more. Cost is $25. Contact Gary Saunders, (910) 576-6222. for more.

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The Southern Farm Show will be held Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The show features hundreds of manufacturers with the latest farm equipment, supplies and services. Several events are held in conjunction with the show, including the FFA tractor and truck driving competitions, the annual meeting of the Tobacco Grower’s Association and the Southern National Draft Horse Pull. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission is free. For more information call (800) 849-0248.

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A Keeping the Farm Workshop will be held Jan. 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Commons Building, Wake County Office Park, 4011 Carya Drive, Raleigh. The workshop will cover such topics as financial planning, estate planning, taxes and what can be done for your land and your family’s future. For more and to register, contact Grace Lawrence, (919) 250-1103 or at grace_lawrence@ncsu.edu.

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Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will host the annual Agricultural Development Forum Jan. 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Holshouser Building, State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the Southern Farm Show. Topics will focus on the Farm Bill, development issues and biofuels opportunities. Lunch will be provided. Contact Dewitt Hardee, (919) 733-7125.

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The N.C. Agritorusim Networking Association will hold its annual statewide conference Feb. 1 at the Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro. Program topics include Web design, local zoning and taxes, liability insurance, marketing and hospitality tips, agricultural estate/transition planning. The event also features farm tours. For more, call Martha Glass, (919) 733-7887 or go to www.ncagr.com/agritourism.

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The N.C. Meat Goat Association will hold its annual Youth “Wether” Sale Feb. 2 at the Johnston County Livestock Arena in Smithfield. For more information, go to www.ncmeatgoat.com or call Eric Honeycutt at (919) 894-7691.

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Planning for Your Farm’s Future, a statewide conference focused on estate planning and more, will be held Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension Office in Louisburg. The conference is free and lunch is provided. For more, contact Martha Mobley at (919) 496-3344 or at martha_mobley@ncsu.edu, or go to http://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu.

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Educational horse classes will be held Feb. 21 and 28, March 6 and 13 beginning at 6 p.m. with dinner followed by a program. Topics include saddle fitting, pasture management, hay information and more. Cost is $6 per person. Contact Martha Mobley at (919) 496-3344 or at martha_mobley@ncsu.edu for more.

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A Successful Small Farms Opportunities Conference will be held Feb. 23 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College campus in Louisburg. Topics will focus on pastured pork, leasing land for wildlife, beginner’s tips for community supported agriculture ventures, direct marketing, beekeeping, organic production and more. Call (919) 496-3344 or go to http://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu for more.

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The annual meeting and workshops of the N.C. Meat Goat Association will be held Feb. 23 at the Johnston County Livestock Arena in Smithfield. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and features guest speaker Terry Burks of Bowling Green, Ky. For more info, go to www.ncmeatgoat.com or call Todd McLeod at (336) 241-2245.

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The N.C. Beekeepers Association will hold its Spring Conference March 7 & 8 at the Ramada Inn Convention Center in Burlington. Planned workshops will focus on watering your bees, preparing honey for sale, small hive beetle research and non-honey bee stinging insects. Vendors will also be present with a variety of beekeeping equipment and books. For more, contact Charles Heatherly at (919) 859-6995 or e-mail at heath7@bellsouth.net, or go to www.ncbeekeepers.org/meetings.

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The Southern States 36th Annual Regional Morgan Horse Show will be held May 21-24 at the Hunt Horse Complex, State Fairgrounds, Raleigh. For more, go to www.vcmhc.org/ssmhs08.html or call Lori Garber, (336) 824-4923.

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will host the first Got to Be NC Festival June 5-8 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The event will be a celebration of North Carolina agriculture and heritage and will feature North Carolina food products, a display of antique farm equipment, tractor and mule pulls, music, a state barbecue competition and much more. Admission is free. There is a $5 fee for grandstand concerts and pulls. Mark your calendars now for this inaugural event. Look for more information at www.ncagfest.com.

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages livestock producers to register their farms with the NCFarmID program. NCFarmID is a voluntary program to register farms for a national identification number as a way to protect livestock in the event of a disease outbreak. For more, contact NCDA&CS at (919) 715-2951 or go to www.NCFarmID.com.

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