Bucolic Briefs
The Mountain Research Station Performance-Tested Bull Sale will be held Jan. 5 at the Haywood County Agriculture Office Building in Waynesville. Bulls may be viewed from 10 a.m. to noon, with the sale beginning at 1 p.m. Information on the bulls can be found at www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/bcip/Ahbcip.html. The Haywood County 4-H Livestock Team will be selling lunch as a fundraiser. For more, contact Kaleb Rathbone or Danny Hyatt at 828-456-3943.
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Gaston County Cooperative Extension will hold a Putting Small Acreage to Work Conference Jan. 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gaston County Citizens Resource Center in Dallas. The conference includes sessions on aquaculture, fruit production, pastured pork, pasture management, beef cattle production, parasite management for small ruminants, growing specialty crops, direct marketing of meats, forages for free-range birds, importance of cover crops and QuickBooks for farmers. The program will feature three breakout sessions. Pre-registration is $35 and is due by Jan. 23. Additional people from a farm or family can register for $20 each. For more or to register, go to http://smallacres.eventbrite.com or call Gaston County Cooperative Extension at 704-922-2112.
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The 4th Annual Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference will be held Feb. 14 and 15. On-farm workshops will be held Feb. 14 at Lindale Dairy in Snow Camp and at Hocutt Farms, an organic vegetable farm, in Sims. The conference will be held in the Brown Auditorium & Industry Center at Nash Community College in Rocky Mount. The conference features workshops on organic grain varieties, organic tobacco production, holistic vet care, soil fertility and organic disease management. The conference is $35 and the deadline to register is Feb. 4. For more, go to www.carolinafarmstewards.org/oclc/ or call Amy Armbruster at 919-542-2402.
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The 7th Annual Agritourism Networking Association Winter Conference will be held Feb. 21 and 22 at the Courtyard Marriott at Carolina Beach. Participants can visit seven farms in the coastal area from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Feb. 21. In addition to the winter conference, four mini-conferences will be held regionally. Following are dates and locations: Jan. 17 at the Sen. Bob Martin Ag Center in Williamston; Feb. 28 at Oak Haven Farm in Rockingham County; March 14 at The Fork Farm in Stanly County; and March 28 at St. Paul Mountain Vineyard in Henderson County. For more information on any of the events, contact Martha Glass, agritourism manager, 919-707-3120.
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The Equestrian Exchange Tack Consignment Sale will be held Feb. 21-25 at the Cabarrus Arena Event Center in Concord. Buy or consign anything related to equestrian sport and tack for all riding disciplines. New bar code tagging allows consignor to view sales remotely. Consignors drop off items Feb. 20 and pick up items Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days. A premier shopping night open to the public will be held Feb. 21 from 5-9 p.m. Cost is $7. Free shopping Feb. 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Feb. 24 from noon to 6 p.m. Consignors earn 75 percent and can donate unsold items to nonprofit equestrian organizations. For more information or to purchase a ticket to the premier night sale, go to www.EquestrianExchange.com or contact Lynn Beeson at 336-362-6248 or Tanya Wright at 540-977-1950.
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Piedmont Saddle Club in Colfax will open its lighted arena every Friday from 5-9 p.m. for horse riders. The cost is $10 per horse and equine owners must provide proof of Coggins testing and sign a waiver. The events are open to the public. Contact info@piedmontsaddleclub.org for more information.
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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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