Bucolic Briefs
A series of free risk management workshops, titled “Managing Price Volatility By Using Futures and Options,” will be held across the state. Topics to be covered include: Introduction to Grain Hedging, Basis Trading, Cost of Carry, Cotton Futures and Options Trading on Futures, Equities and Indices. All workshops are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with an “on your own” lunch break. Following are dates and locations: March 5 at Stanly Community College, Crutchfield Campus, Locust, (704) 888-8848; and March 7 at Mitchell Community College, Statesville, (704) 878-3200.
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Educational horse classes will be held March 6 and 13 beginning at 6 p.m. with dinner followed by 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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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 Johnston County Horse Show Series features monthly horse shows starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Johnston County Livestock Arena in Smithfield. A negative Coggins test is required for all horses. Cost is $7.50 per class. Following are upcoming show dates: March 15, April 12 and May 17. Raindates for all shows are the following day. For more, contact Michele McLaughlin, (919) 934-1344 or e-mail sileeno@ipass.net.
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The Wake County Beekeepers Association will sponsor a Beginner Beekeeping Workshop March 15 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Raleigh Police Club, 3500 Leonard Road, Knightdale. Cost is $25 and includes book handouts and dinner. For more, contact Vivian Joyner at (919) 387-0164 or Danny Jaynes, (919) 567-9568.
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The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is offering loans and grants to develop a sustainable biofuels industry in North Carolina. Proposals are sought in the following broad areas: Industrial Production: New Opportunities - both technologies and installations; Agriculture: renewable crops or feedstocks; Innovation/Research; Workforce Development.
The application deadline is March 17. Guidelines and forms can be downloaded from the Biofuels Center’s Web site at www.biofuels.org. Click on Capacity Building Program.
For this cycle, grants will not exceed $200,000 and loans $250,000. For more, call (919) 693-3000 or e-mail grants@biofuelscenter.org.
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Montgomery Community College in Troy will offer a beekeeping class 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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Blue Q Ranch will hold a private treaty Registered Angus Bull Sale March 29 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Troy. For more, contact Michael Montoya at (910) 220-5815.
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The Sedgefield Hunt, based out of Greensboro, is putting on an AERC-sanctioned endurance ride April 12 at the J. Robert Gordon Field Trial Grounds in Hoffman. There will be 30-mile and 55-mile races, plus a 15-mile ride. For more, call Sue Showfety at (336) 622-3236 or go to www.Sedgefieldhunt.com.
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The Davidson County Horsemen’s Association annual Open Horse Show will be held April 26 at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Davie County. The show will benefit four Davidson County charities. A negative Coggins test is required for all horses. Gates open at 8 a.m. High Point award given under DCHA rules, youth sportsmanship award given (18 & under). Free for spectators. For more, contact James or Karen Jones, (336) 731-2051 or 242-3996 or e-mail at jmjones54@triad.rr.com.
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The 7th Annual Rusty Pistons Antique Tractor Show & Festival will be held April 25-27 in Monroe. The event features hundreds of antique tractors, new tractor and lawn mower dealers, hit-and-miss engines, crafts, kiddie tractor pull, pony rides, hay wagon rides, kiddie train rides, gospel and bluegrass music, food, old farm equipment, an auction benefitting Hospice and more. Miss North Carolina 2008 Jessica Jacobs will also appear. For more, call Reid Helms at (704) 624-6105 or go to www.rustypistonstractorshow.com.
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The 2nd Mid-Atlantic Texas Longhorn Field Day will be held May 10 at 8 a.m. in Reidsville at the N.C. State University research facility. Bulls, cows, steers and calves will be on display, showcasing breeding programs. Speakers will focus on other longhorn-related topics. For more, contact Pat Brown at (336) 541-6596 or Zach Moffitt at (336) 879-1752 or e-mail at zach@rollingmlonghorns.com.
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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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