Class Schedule for September 12th, 2022
Class Descriptions
| Registration Opens: 7:30 am | ||
| Welcome Address 8:00-8:15 | ||
| Block A 8:30am-10:00am | Block B 10:30am-12:00pm | Block C 1:30pm-3:00pm |
| Oregon Farm Link: Tips for Securing Farmland | (Class Full) Funding Your Small Farm Dream | Working with the USDA: Records 101 and Paperwork Explained |
| (Class Full) Improving Soil Health with No-Till Practices | Renewable Energy on the Farm | (Class Full) Soil Health Principles and Field Evaluations |
| Adding Agricultural Tourism To Your Small Farm | Natural Disaster Response and Preparedness on the Farm | Small Farms Advocacy: Best Ways to Get Involved! |
| Dry Farming in Western Oregon | Crop Planning for Winter Vegetable Markets | (Class Full) Mushroom Production: Beginner Basics for Gourmet and Symbiotic Mushroom Cultivation |
| Process Your Poultry at Home (Double Session) | Process Your Poultry at Home (Double Session) | Farmers’ Woes: Managing Stress & Procrastination (with science!) |
| Body Care and Ergonomics for Farmers |
Block A – 8:30am-10:00am
| Oregon Farm Link: Tips for Securing Farmland |
| Join Silvia Cuesta from Friends of Family Farmers, and Roberta Eaglehorse-Ortiz, founding farmer and owner of Wombyn’s Wellness Garden, for a presentation and Q&A session on what to look for when purchasing or leasing farmland. Come learn about Oregon Farm Link and the Navigate Program, get tips on what to include in your listing, and get ideas on what questions to ask a landholder when considering leasing or purchasing land. If you are in the market for farmland or might be in the future, please join us for an informational session to learn more about what to consider and who can help set you up for success. |
| (Class Full) Improving Soil Health with No-Till Practices |
| Repairing the soil’s ecosystem reduces weed, disease, and pest pressure, resulting in less labor and more resilient crops. Learn about the importance of the soil’s ecosystem and how to improve soil health through no till practices and techniques. Instructor: Jen Aron of Blue Raven Farm |
| Adding Agricultural Tourism To Your Small Farm |
| There is a lot of hype around agritourism right now, but what can you actually (and legally) do on your farm? This session looks at the different agritourism activities, legal restrictions and other challenges associated with on-farm sales. Learn what things to consider when incorporating agricultural tourism into your farm business plan. Instructor: Audrey Comerford of OSU Extension. |
| Dry Farming in Western Oregon |
| Learn about the basics of dry farming, highlights from research trials with the Dry Farming Collaborative, some resources available, and examples of how dry farming is being integrated on small farms throughout Western Oregon. Instructors: Amy Garrett of OSU Extension and Cathy McQueeney of Blue Flower Family Farm |
| Process Your Own Poultry At Home! |
| An immersive poultry processing experience. See the process, then get hands-on practice with your own whole chicken. There is an additional $25 fee for this class to cover the fee of the processed bird you take home. Participants who choose this session must be present for both A and B blocks and won’t register for a Block B class. There will be a 30-minute morning break from 10-10:30am. Instructor: Mike Guebert of Terra Farma |
Block B – 10:30am-12:00pm
| (Class Full) Funding your Small Farm Dream |
| Hear from a panel of experts on securing outside funding for your small farm project from private grants, the USDA via the Value Added Producer Grant, and traditional credit services. Instructors: Philip Deng of Grantable, Rich Schwartz of Alder Street Consulting, Tyler Kammeyer and Danielle Kuenzi of NW Farm Credit Services |
| Renewable Energy on the Farm |
| Properly sited renewable energy systems can mitigate climate change, reduce utility bills, and showcase a business’ sustainable practices. Learn the pros and cons of different technologies, what makes a good site, what it costs, and what financial incentives are available. Instructors: Abe Fouhy of Clackamas Community College and Matt Van Wey of Quackenbush Farm. |
| Natural Disaster Response and Preparedness on the Farm |
| Farmers in Oregon have recently faced unprecedented natural disasters from heat, ice storms, and wildfires. This session will cover ways you can better prepare and respond to these natural disasters from evacuation plans to farm infrastructure and much more. Instructors: Jacob Powell of OSU Extension and Gus Liszka of Naked Acres Farm |
| Crop Planning for Winter Vegetable Markets |
| Demand is increasing for vegetable vendors at winter markets in the Willamette Valley. This session will provide examples of crops for winter production and storage. Planting date, harvest date, and storage requirements will be covered. Crop planning examples from experienced winter vegetable farmers will be shared. Instructor Heidi Noordijk, OSU Extension |
| Body Care and Ergonomics for Farmers |
| In this workshop, participants will explore the ergonomics of common farm motions, focusing on stretching practices that mitigate the strain of farm work on the body. Proper lifting, good working techniques and body flow when working in the fields and packhouse. Instructor: Jordan Sharon, Certified Personal Trainer/Movement Coach |
Block C – 1:30pm-3:00pm
| Working with the USDA: Records 101 and Paperwork Explained |
| This is a working session that will walk you through what it takes to participate in many of the programs available to small/beginning/organic farmers. The session will guide you through creating farm records for an individual or an entity, explain the forms that are being used and how to effectively communicate to create a beneficial partnership with USDA. Come prepared with tax ID and land ownership/control information. Instructors: Kimberly Galland of Natural Resource Conservation Service and Darca Glasgow of Farm Service Agency |
| (Class Full) Soil Health Principles and Field Evaluations |
| Soil is the skin of the earth and good soil management is the foundation of sustainable agriculture. Learn about the principles of soil health, evaluate soil health in the field, and how to improve your soil function. Instructor Jericho Winter, Oregon State Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS |
| Small Farms Advocacy: Best Ways to Get Involved! |
| Join Alice Morrison and Taylor Sarman from Friends of Family Farmers to learn about the crucial need for advocacy and best ways for small scale farmers to get involved. An engaged and active farmer community helps shape policy that benefits small farmers, farmworkers and their communities! Many of our representatives and senators don’t have context for rural life, agricultural communities, or the reality of food production. Without concerted efforts to introduce them to the producers in their districts and the problems they face on the ground, these lawmakers have to rely on the information they get from the ever present industrial ag lobby groups. Learn the basics of how to track a bill, give testimony and hear about some of the legislation FoFF will be working on in the 2023 legislative session. |
| (Class Full) Mushroom Production: Beginner Basics for Gourmet and Symbiotic Mushroom Cultivation |
| Learn the basics of cultivating gourmet mushrooms as well as integrating mushrooms into vegetable production. This session covers introductory mushroom production principles such as substrate preparation and growing conditions. Prepare to be fascinated by fungi. Instructors: Christian Clarke of Myco Munity Mushrooms, Anna Wilson of Brown Bottle Farm. |
| Farmers’ Woes: Managing Stress & Procrastination (with science!) |
| A farmer’s life can be a stressful one! But here you’ll learn some strategies to reduce your feelings of stress and overwhelm, so you can remember why you chose a small farm to begin with. Instructor: Aurora J. Miller, Stress Management Coach (CLC, IPNB) |
