August 15, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.: OPEN HOUSE in the field at the no-till organic soybean plots at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems research station in Goldsboro, NC.
We will be in the field August 15 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to show off and answer your questions about our no-till organic soybean research plots. The organic soybeans were no-till planted into a rolled down rye cover crop this spring. Come see how they performed and how well additional weed control methods (high residue cultivation and organic herbicides) worked in the plots. This is an informal gathering without presentations so please come anytime during that afternoon.
June 24: Bread Wheat and Organic Production 4-7 p.m. at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville, NC
Demand for bread wheat and organic wheat is rising in NC. Come learn more about hard wheat varieties (bread wheat) that perform well in the southeast. We will hear from a USDA wheat breeder working on hard wheat varieties that do well in the southeast, as well a wheat agronomist and a farmer who is growing the varieties commercially in NC. Organic wheat production will also be covered, and an organic wheat farmer will talk about his experience. Conventional and organic wheat buyers will be in attendance to answer marketing questions.
Registration fee: $10 (dinner included)
To register, visit: www.cefs.ncsu.edu/calendar2008.htm OR call: 919-513-0954
July 24-26: Out-of-State Organic Grain Bus Tour in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
This tour will take participants to 4 organic grain farms in three states where we will see, first-hand, how these farmers handle production. The tour will also highlight organic no-till grain production. We will be touring two farms on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on the 24 th: Mason’s Heritage Farms has 400 acres of organic corn and soybean production with a significant amount of no-till organic acreage; and Fair Hills Farm which has a 400 acre organic rotation of corn, soybeans, and hay. On the 25 th, we will travel to the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania and visit their 333 acre farm and research plots. No-till organic grain production will be emphasized since the Rodale Institute is one of the innovators of this technique. We will tour one farm in Virginia on the 26 th on the way back to Raleigh. Hillsborough Farm is a 400 acre organic corn and soybean farm, also with significant no-till acreage.
Registration fee: $75. This fee covers transportation, accommodations, and most meals. If you wish to have a single room, registration fee is $150.
For an application for registration, visit: www.cefs.ncsu.edu/calander2008.htm or call: 919-513-0954
Please contact Molly Hamilton for more information: 828-273-1041
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Other events of interest:
July 18: Organic No-till: New Farming Strategies for the 21 st Century
Organic no-till brings together the environmental benefits of organic production—eliminating chemical pesticides and fertilizers and improving soil quality through composts and cover crops—with the conservation benefits of reduced or zero-tillage.
This one day event brings together researchers, farmers and extension educators to share their successes and challenges encountered on the road to perfecting a farming system that may become one of the best alternatives for farming in the future.
Workshop will be held at the Rodale Institute farm from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Registration: $10; On-line at www.rodaleinstitute.org/forms/event/register.php
Call 610-683-6009 for more information.
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