Bucolic Briefs

The N.C. Pecan Growers Association will hold its 16th annual educational workshop and orchard tour Feb. 13 at the Lenoir County Center in Kinston. The event is open to anyone involved or interested in pecan growing. Topics to be covered include marketing, weed management, orchard floor management and production practices. The workshop will conclude with an orchard tour with hands-on demonstrations. Cost is $15 and includes lunch. Registration starts at 8 a.m. For more, contact Laurie Wood, marketing specialist, at (910) 532-4208 or by e-mail at laurie.wood@ncagr.gov or Bill Bunn, NCPGA president, at (919) 815-5764 or e-mail at carya@intrex.net.

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The 4th Annual Agritourism Networking Association’s Winter Conference will be held Feb. 18 and 19 at the City Hotel and Bistro on Greenville Boulevard in Greenville. A reception will be held Feb. 18 and there will be seven workshops on Feb. 19. Keynote speaker Lynn Minges, assistant commerce secretary, will talk about “Marketing Rural Tourism in North Carolina.”  Workshop topics include “Planning for Success,” “Grassroots Gumption: Persuasion and Public Policy,” and “Agritourism Farms – What Flies and Flops.” Early registration by Feb. 1 is $65 for ANA members and $75 for non-members. The registration fee increases to $85 after Feb. 1. For more information or registration form, go to www.ncagr.com/agritourism, or call Martha Glass at (919) 733-7887, ext. 276.

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The Johnston County Horse Show Series has announced its 2010 schedule, which is open to riders and horses from all riding levels, breeds and disciplines. All events will be held at the Johnston County Livestock Arena in Smithfield. Following are upcoming dates and start times: Feb. 20 at 10 a.m.; March 20 at 8:30 a.m.; April 17 at 8:30 a.m.; May 22 at 8:30 a.m.; June 26 at 8:30 a.m. Rain dates for all events will be the following day. For more, contact Michele McLaughlin at (919) 934-1344, by e-mail at sileeno@ipass.net or go to www.ipass.net/blaine_mclaughlin.

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N.C. State University’s Turfgrass Short Course will be held Feb. 22-26 and will include four-and-a-half days of educational courses appropriate for anyone interested in turf, including homeowners, career-changers and professionals needing a refresher. Lectures cover all aspects of turfgrass management and are presented by NCSU faculty. Successful completion prepares attendees for the Turfgrass Professional Certification program. Turf and weed samples, fertilizers, insect identification and control methods are closely examined in the hands-on sessions.

Other topics covered include turfgrass selection, weed identification, best management practices to protect available resources, and more. The program is held once a year and sells out quickly. To register or for more information, contact Dr. Dan Bowman at (919) 515-2085 or Jenifer Reynolds at (919) 513-1131.

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A Regional Farm Estate Planning Conference will be held Feb. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Franklin County Extension Center in Louisburg. Topics to be covered include tax issues, inheritance strategies, timber/hunting management, and more. The conference is free and lunch and resource notebooks are provided. For more or to pre-register, call Martha Mobley at (919) 496-3344 or e-mail martha_mobley@ncsu.edu.

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The N.C. Charolais Association will hold a Choice Sale at noon March 27 at Shuffler Farms Sale Facility in Union Grove. For more or a sale catalog, contact Andy Filmore at (704) 538-3887 or Jennie Rucker at (336) 468-1675.

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The Cabarrus Master Gardener Volunteer Association will host its 5th Annual Spring Herb and Plant Festival April 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Piedmont Farmers Market at 518 Winecoff School Road in Concord. The festival will feature more than 75 vendors offering an array of plants, herbs, baked goods, garden art and accessories and garden products. In addition, master gardeners and extension agent Davis Goforth will be available to answer garden and plant-related questions. The event is free and will be held rain or shine. For more, contact Becky Lewis at (704) 920-3315 or e-mail at bhlewis@cabarruscounty.us.

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The 7th Annual Franklin County Farm Foods and Crafts Tour and Local Food Festival will be held May 15 and 16 at the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office in Louisburg. The event features local foods, youth fishing rodeo, a farm life photography contest, a quilt show and sale. For more, contact Martha Mobley at (919) 496-3344 or e-mail at Martha_mobley@ncsu.edu.

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N.C. MarketReady, a program of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, has launched a new Tomato Growers Information Portal with production resources for greenhouse and field-grown tomatoes and information on food safety, marketing, integrated pest management, industry events and risk management tools. To access the portal, go to www.ncmarketready.org and click on the Growers Information Portals tab on the left menu bar. The portal was developed through grant funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and the Agricultural Advancement Consortium of the N.C. Rural Center.

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The North Carolina chapter of Re-Run, a non-profit organization that places ex-racehorses into adoptive homes, now has thoroughbred racehorses available for adoption. Thoroughbreds are versatile and do well in any number of disciplines including shows, events, fox hunting or pleasure riding, according to Elizabeth Macdonald with Re-Run. For more, go to www.rerun.org or contact Elizabeth Macdonald at hemacd@mindspring.com.

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The United States Equine Rescue League Inc. has hundreds of healthy horses available for adoption. All horses have current Coggins test, up-to-date vaccines and various levels of training. There is a small fee to adopt. To learn more about fostering, adopting or volunteering go to www.USERL.org or contact Sue Meadows, (252) 224-0959, Teresa Campbell, (919) 221-1564, or Cindy Mantyla, (252) 244-2813.

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Veterinary Division is looking for small or large backyard or independent poultry flocks to test for avian influenza throughout the state. A minimum of 10 birds per flock would be tested by oral swabs four times each year at no cost to the owner. This program is to maintain surveillance for bird flu in North Carolina. Bird owners with questions or who want to be sure their flock is free of bird flu, can contact Dr. Sarah Mason or Jimmy Collie at (919) 733-7601.

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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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