Bucolic Briefs

The N.C. State Beekeepers Conference will be held March 5 & 6 at Robeson Community College in Lumberton. For more, contact Ed Hunt at (910) 272-3692.
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A discounted Coggins/rabies clinic for horses will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 6 at the Western N.C. Ag Center in Fletcher. Other equine vaccinations will be offered at discount. Participants only pay for test supply costs, no veterinarian fees. For more information, contact Tony Youngblood, (828) 693-7387.
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The Second Annual Cape Fear Heritage Association Southern Farm Days will be held March 20 and 21 at the Boys and Girls Home Horse Complex in Lake Waccamaw. Gates open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The event features a draft horse pull, lawnmower pull, heritage crafts and activities, farm toy display, antique tools, tractor plowing and disking, and more. Admission if $7.50; kids under 12 are admitted free. Proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Home. For more, contact Dave Parks, event coordinator, (910) 540-4141.
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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: 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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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 N.C. Work Horse and Mule Association and Cowboys for Christ are holding Jimmy Dozier’s Plow Day April 3 beginning at 10 a.m. The event, which will be held at 3406 E. Old Spring Hope Road in Rocky Mount, will feature antique cars, old farm equipment, tractors, hit-and-miss engines, blacksmith/farrier, music and wagon rides. Rocky the Trick Mule will perform at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more, call Jimmy Dozier, (252) 813-6957.
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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 Coastal Carolina Saddle Club Fun Show Series kicks off on April 17 with English, Western, non-trotting and gaming classes. Other series dates are June 5, Sept. 11 and Oct. 9. All shows will be held at Barker Farms, 1450 Streets Ferry Road, Vanceboro. For more, contact Linda Barker, (252) 560-3213
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The first Duplin County Mule and Donkey Fundraiser Show will be held April 24 at the Duplin County Event Center in Kenansville. Classes include halter, log skidding obstacle, weight pulling, pole bending, mule jump and more. Prizes will be given for division winners, and trophies and ribbons presented for each class. The entry fee is $8 per class and the deadline to enter is April 19. Admission is $5 for adults and kids 12 and under are admitted free. For more, call Leon Joyner, (910) 337-1025.
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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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