Farm Management Institute

 

Some place to lay

 Remember that your livestock need a place to get away from or create a break between all the snow, ice and upcoming mud. They are much more about to fend off any health related issues if they can find someplace warm and dry to bed down.

Sheep Study

 NAHMS Seeks Input on Focus of Upcoming Sheep Study

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System is seeking stakeholder input to help shape the objectives for an upcoming sheep study that will take an in-depth look at the most pressing health issues facing American sheep producers. Interested stakeholders can provide input through March 31.

 

Click Here to take the survey.

 

Stakeholder input is essential to the success of the Sheep 2023 study. NAHMS encourages all stakeholders to identify the focus and objectives they would like analyzed in this national study.

 

Click Here to view results of the 2011 NAHMS Sheep Study.

 

Source: USDA/NAHMS

WVA Small Farms Conference

 

2021 West Virginia Small Farm Conference Program

 

Tuesday, February 23^rd

              8:30 – 8:50 Welcome & Technology Overview

              8:00 – 5:00 DAY LONG Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training

              9:00 – 10:00 No Bull Here—Maximizing Income Potential Through Direct Meat Marketing

              10:15 – 11:15 Transitioning to Winter Growing

              11:30 – 12:30 Rotational Grazing with Small Ruminants

              1:00 – 2:00 The Charm Farm: What’s New & What’s Changed

              3:00 – 4:00 Opportunities and Resources for Farmers Markets & Producers in 2021

              6:00 – 7:00 West Virginia Agri-Women Meeting

 

Wednesday, February 24^th

              8:30 – 8:50 Welcome & Technology Overview

    9:00 – 10:00 USDA Rural Development Programs: USDA Rural Energy for America Program and USDA Value-Added Producers Grant Program

              9:00 – 10:00 Pastured Poultry

              10:15 – 11:15 Capture Your Cash “Cow” with Online Sales

              11:30 – 12:30 Building Enjoyable Trails that Last

              11:30 – 12:30 U-Pick Strawberries in 2020: Coping with the Pandemic

              1:00 – 2:00 Multi-species Grazing in West Virginia

              1:00 – 2:00 Elderberry Production & Harvest

              2:15 – 3:15 Elderberry Processing

              3:00 – 4:00 Farm to Fashion: Establishing the Central Appalachian Fibershed Network

              4:00 – 6:00 PAD Network Happy Hour

              6:30 – 8:30 Integrated Pest Management Panel

 

Thursday, February 25^th

              8:30 – 8:50 Welcome & Technology Overview

              9:00 – 10:00 Developing Songbird Habitat for Agritourism

              10:15 – 11:15 Shade Cloth on High Tunnels

              11:30 – 12:30 Grazing Alternative Forages

              11:30 – 12:30 Seed Saving

              1:30 – 3:30 Farmer Veteran Coalition: Mobilizing Veterans to Feed America, Yearly Meeting and Updates

              3:30 – 4:30 What's New in Vegetable Varieties?

              6:30 – 8:30 Surviving the Tsunami of 2020—Best Practices in Pivoting for Marketing Shocks

 

Friday, February 26^th

              8:30 – 8:50 Welcome & Technology Overview

              9:00 – 10:00 Navigating the Regulations Highway—WV Cottage Food Laws

              10:15 – 11:15 Legal Liability Protections for Landowners Engaging in Outdoor Recreation Activities

              10:15 – 11:15 Sharing Our Story, Being an “Ag”Vocate

              11:30 – 12:30 Common and Uncommon Small Fruit to Grow

              1:00 – 2:00 Meat Processing Business Tool Kit

              1:00 – 2:00 Geothermal High Tunnel System8:30 -

              2:15 – 3:15 High Tunnel Crop Scheduling

              3:30 – 4:30 High Tunnel Irrigation Design

              6:30 – 8:30 Forest Farming Friday Fun

Click on the photo at the top of the page to visit the registration site

Feeding the Soil

 

Feeding the Soil Pam Dawling Author of Sustainable Market Farming, and The Year-Round Hoophouse   Thursday, February 25, 2021 12 noon - 1:30 pm ET   In this workshop I will introduce ways to grow and maintain healthy soils: how to develop a permanent crop rotation in seven steps, and why your soil will benefit from this; how to choose appropriate cover crops; how to make compost and how to benefit from using organic mulches to feed the soil.   Register for the Zoom Webinar today!  $10 VABF Members / $15 Non-Members

 

Register Here

Yoga for Farmers

 

Yoga for Farmers

Monday, February 22, 2021

11:00-12:00 am EST

Zoom Registration Link

https://tinyurl.com/266gglg5

Looking for a Possible Career in Agriculture?

 

Grassland Renewal

 

Alabama Bass are added to Virginia's Invasive List

 

What are Alabama Bass?

Alabama Bass (Micropterus henshalli) are one of approximately twelve species of black bass. They are an aggressive species that outcompetes Largemouth Bass and readily hybridizes with Smallmouth and Spotted Bass. Alabama Bass are nearly identical in appearance to Spotted Bass, and were formerly known as the Alabama subspecies of the Spotted Bass. The other former subspecies of Spotted Bass, the Kentucky Spotted Bass, is found throughout Virginia and is native to the southwest portion of the Commonwealth.

The jaw of Alabama Bass lines up with the middle rear of the eye, while Largemouth Bass jaws extend past the eye. Alabama Bass have a dark, blotchy lateral band from head to tail, and have spots below this band. Largemouth Bass have a more continuous lateral band. Alabama Bass also typically have a tooth patch on their tongue, which is rare in Largemouth Bass. Alabama and Spotted Bass are differentiated by differences in lateral line scale counts or genetic analysis.

Where are Alabama Bass found?

Alabama Bass are native to Georgia and Alabama, occurring primarily in large river systems and large impoundments. Alabama Bass are confirmed to be present in Lake Gaston, Claytor Lake, Philpott Lake, Martinsville Reservoir, Diascund Reservoir, and the Chickahominy River. The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is conducting genetic testing to better identify the extent of Alabama Bass throughout Virginia.

Why are Alabama Bass a concern in Virginia?

Alabama Bass represent a tremendous threat to Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass fisheries. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are Virginia’s most popular angling targets, with more than 60% of anglers targeting either species over the course of a fishing season. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass fisheries in Virginia are valued in the millions of dollars. Declines in either population will result in not only the loss of sportfishing opportunities, but in economic harm to the region.

As an invasive species, Alabama Bass are capable of outcompeting Largemouth Bass, causing declines in abundance. For example, in Lake Norman, North Carolina, the relative abundance of Largemouth Bass decreased to less than 8% of their former abundance following the introduction of Alabama Bass. Declines in Largemouth abundance seem to be most pronounced in lakes that are relatively clear and which have limited vegetation. Systems in Virginia such as Smith Mountain Lake, Lake Anna, South Holston Reservoir, and Lake Moomaw are likely to see declines of Largemouth Bass populations if Alabama Bass are introduced into those waterbodies.

Alabama Bass also can hybridize with Smallmouth or Spotted Bass, often resulting in loss of the genetically pure Smallmouth Bass population. This occurred in Chatuge Reservoir, Georgia and North Carolina, and Nottely Reservoir, Georgia. Smallmouth Bass populations in lakes such as Smith Mountain and Moomaw, as well as in rivers such as the James and Shenandoah, might undergo a similar fate following introduction of Alabama Bass.

Although large Alabama Bass may appear for a few years following introduction, this situation is short lived and occurs primarily when population densities are low. Once established, Alabama Bass populations often increase to the point where stunting occurs, resulting in greater abundance of smaller bass. Fisheries are likely to shift from being dominated by 2–3 lb Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass to being dominated by 1 lb Alabama Bass.

What can you do?

Anglers are the primary vector for the spread of Alabama Bass in Virginia. Current populations are the results of angler introductions that have occurred over the last ten years.

Anglers are reminded that it is illegal to stock fish into a public body of water without an authorization from the DWR. Anyone with knowledge of intentional stockings of Alabama or Spotted Bass should contact DWR law enforcement at 800-237-5712 or WildCrime@dwr.virginia.gov.

Anglers who suspect they have captured an Alabama Bass should take a picture of the fish, clip off a thumbnail-sized portion of one of the pelvic fins, and store the fin clip dry in an envelope. The pelvic fins are located on the bottom of the fish, just under the head. They should then either contact the DWR at fisheries@dwr.virginia.gov or at 804-367-1293.

New Regulation Effective January 1, 2021

Alabama bass have been added to Virginia’s Predatory and Undesirable Species List. New regulations have made live possession of this species unlawful outside of the body of water of catch. Violations of this regulation are a class III misdemeanor. There is no bag or size limit on Alabama bass and anglers are encouraged to harvest any that they capture.

What do Alabama Bass look like?

15 minutes in the Forest

 

Strawberry School

 

Boxwood Seminar

 

I am pleased to announce the launch of an International Boxwood Seminar series with the first presentation set for March 18, 2021 from 1:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern US/Canada Time. This webinar series, sponsored by the Boxwood Blight Insight Group (BBIG), an international research and extension consortium, and hosted by AmericanHort and its Research Arm – Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), is open to ALL boxwood enthusiasts across the globe, requiring pre-registration online at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8016123772513/WN_gpDb6xsAQ7iRxrRRSof-DA. The inaugural seminar entitled: Boxwood blight: a 15-year love-hate relationship, will be presented by Dr. Thomas Brand, Department Head of Ornamental Plant Cultivation, Tree Nurseries, Public Greenery @ Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony, Germany. Please visit the above link for details and also help further spread this great news through your networks.

2021 Winter Conference VSUCOA Specialist Impacts

Future Harvest Programs

 

UPCOMING EVENTS: FEBRUARY       Water, Water Everywhere! Agricultural Water   Tuesday 2/9 3:00 - 5:00 pm Join us for this in-depth webinar on assessing your water sources and systems for food safety - evaluating water quality, paying attention to potential sources of contamination, and practical strategies to reduce risks. We will virtually visit Dicot Farm in Waldorf, MD where farmers Erik and Meghan will tell us about the water sources and systems on their farm, and how food safety impacts their decisions on irrigation and crop planning. Register here.     Soil Health To Go   Wednesday, 2/10 12:00 - 12:30 pm Grab your lunch and nourish your brain at the same time! Join our new lunch and learn series that's all about making your soil the best it can be. Register here.     Maryland Soil Health Hub Meeting    Tuesday, 2/23 8:00 - 9:30 am Join this morning session where local soil health gurus will discuss the COMET-Farm tool, including ongoing efforts to calibrate it for Maryland soils. We'll also touch on the Million Acre Challenge enrollment process and Soil Health Management Plans. For the latter portion of the meeting, we'll dive into breakout sessions with soil health technical providers. Register here.     What To Do With All The Poo Land Use, Animals, and Soil Amendments     Tuesday 2/23 3:00 - 5:00 pm Join us for this in-depth webinar where we will virtually tour Filbert St Garden in Baltimore City, an urban community garden that is also home to beehives, poultry, goats and sheep, and a composting operation. We will focus on understanding and assessing risks from wildlife, livestock, raw manure, and previous land use. We will learn the importance of paying attention to the sources of pathogens before you plant and then again before you harvest crops, and some practical landscapes and procedures that will reduce the risk of produce becoming contaminated. Register here.     Grant Writing For Farmers     Thursday 2/25 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Join a panel of farmers and funders who will share tips and guidance on the grant writing process. Interested in obtaining funding? Curious about what options exist? Want to learn from experienced farmers and reviewers throughout the Chesapeake region? We'll begin with a presentation on the grant writing process, including some lists of resources and funding opportunities. Then, farmers and funders will participate in a moderated panel. We'll wrap up with an audience Q and A. Free, $10 suggested donation. Register HERE