Bucolic Briefs
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems will offer the following workshops as part of its Seasons of Sustainable Agriculture education series: June 4 from 5-7 p.m., Organic No-till Production Workshop, at Pocasin Farms in Pantego. Contact Molly Hamilton, (828) 273-1041; June 14 from 4-6 p.m., Farm-toFork Celebration, Breeze Farm, Hillsborough. Contact Meg Ryan O’Donnell at meg@wsgroup.bizai; June 19 from 1-3:30 p.m., Small Farm-Small Field Pastures, $10; June 22 from 9 a.m.-noon, Understanding the 2008 Farm Bill, $10; July 15 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Farmscaping for Pest Management, $20 includes lunch.
All workshops are held at the CEFS unit at Cherry Research Farm in Goldsboro unless otherwise noted. Contact CEFS at (919) 513-0954.
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Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and the Center for Health, Environment and Justice will host a meeting regarding the use of sewage sludge for fertilizer June 4 from 7-9 p.m. at Cane Creek Baptist Church Activity Center in Hillsborough. The meeting is free. Contact Sue Dayton at (336) 525-2003 or sdayton@swcp.com for more.
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The N.C. Percheron Horse Association will hold its annual field day June 6 at 10 a.m. at Rolling Hills Percherons in Winston-Salem. The event is free and will include driving demonstrations, field work with draft horses, draft horses under saddle and wagon rides. For more, contact Linda Greene, (336) 984-7412.
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The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality will hold public hearings on behalf of the Environmental Management Commission regarding proposed adoption of rules that would require animal operations to monitor surface waters for possible nitrogen and bacteria impacts.
Under the proposed rules, routine monitoring of surface waters at animal operations would be required. Samples would determine ammonia, nitrate, fecal coliform, biochemical oxygen demand and chloride levels. The proposed rules would also establish the order in which animal operations will be brought into the monitoring program. Initial emphasis will be in watersheds with known nutrient impairment issues.
Public hearing dates and locations are: June 9 at 7 p.m., Iredell County Center, Statesville; June 11 at 7 p.m., Monk Auditorium at James Sprunt Community College, Kenansville; June 15 at 7 p.m., Ground Floor Hearing Room at Archdale Building, Raleigh; June 18 at 7 p.m., Martin Community College, Williamston.
Written comments regarding the proposed rules may be submitted to the Aquifer Protection Section by July 14. Send to Keith Larick, NCDENR/DWQ-Aquifer Protection Section, 1636 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1636. For more contact Larick at (919) 715-6697 or at keith.larick@ncdenr.gov.
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The Coastal Carolina Saddle Club will hold horse shows June 13, Sept. 12 and Oct. 10 beginning at 10 a.m. Rain dates are the following Sundays. Shows feature English, Western and gaming classes. For more, contact Linda Barker at (252) 560-3213.
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A Piedmont Dairy Goat Show will be held June 19-21 in the Sales Arena at the Western N.C. Ag Center in Fletcher. Admission is free. Contact Yvonna Coburn at (828) 216-4496 for more.
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The N.C. State Beekeepers Association will host its annual summer meeting July 9-11 at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. The theme is Natural Beekeeping in the Face of Diseases and Pests. Workshop topics include discussions on various diseases and pests and how to control them, reducing honey bee stress, keeping bees without foundation or chemicals, natural queen rearing, bee venom therapy and more. In addition, there will be tours of an apple and grape orchards, and the expanded Brushy Mountain Bee Farm. For more, go to www.ncbeekeepers.org or contact Michelle Barry at (919) 363-5458.
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The 30th Annual High Country Crank Up, an antique tractor and engine show sponsored by Carolina Fly-Wheelers Inc., will be held July 23-25 at New Laurel Springs Church, U.S. Hwy. 421 South, Deep Gap. Hit & miss engines, tractor and model engines will be on display along with demonstrations of a wood lathe and corn meal grinding. Gates open at 9 a.m. daily. Cost is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and kids 12 and under are free. Three-day passes are $8, or $6 for Friday and Saturday. For more, contact Betty Hodges, (828) 264-4977 or go to www.oldengine.org/members/carolina.
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The NC/VA Egg Industry Conference and Mid-Atlantic Layer Management Workshop will be held Aug. 12-13 at Grandover Resort and Conference Center, Greensboro. For more, contact Keith Anderson, (919) 515-5527.
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There will be an open horse show Sept. 12 starting at 1 p.m. at Biggerstaff Park Horse Complex in Dallas. For more, call Judy Yarbrough at (704) 400-1899.
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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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