Upcoming Events, Workshops and More!

Photo courtesy of NEWT

January Events:

78th Annual Vermont Farm Show!
Champlain Valley Expo
Essex Junction, VT

Today through Thursday!

http://www.vtfarmshow.com/




Chainsaw Safety Training,
Northeast Woodland Training, Game of Logging
Saturday, Jan. 28, 8am to 4pm
Under Orion Farm
1009 Ducharme Rd, Cabot, VT
To register: wameden@gmail.com
$150 per course

Just a few spots left for this Saturday's course! Game of Logging is a world-recognized training curriculum that teaches chain saw skills. The “game” refers not only to the friendly competitive aspect of the training, but also to the necessity of having a winning plan or strategy for felling trees and working safely. The program breaks apart saw work into steps that are practiced throughout the course.
See their website for FAQ's and information.
 

Filing Farm Taxes,
UVM Extension New Farmer Project Webinar

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7 pm

Click here to register or email: newfarmer@uvm.edu

Be ahead of the curve this year, and learn what you need to know about filing taxes for your farm business before March rolls around! Dennis Kauppila, UVM Extension Agriculture & Farm Business Management Specialist delves into the federal tax code as it applies to farm businesses. Wondering about depreciation, deductions, and Schedule F forms? Do you know where to go to learn more, get the right forms, and find help? This webinar will answer common questions about filing. This webinar will answer common questions about filing federal income taxes for farmers and help you find the resources you need to file accurately and on time.

February Events:


Instructor Training for "Youth Tractor Safety Certification and Education"
Wed, Feb. 1, 9 to 3:30PM
Northeast Safety Training Academy
8 Three Mile Bridge Rd, Montpelier, VT
Liz Kenton at ekenton@umv.edu or 800-278-5480
http://www.ydae.purdue.edu/tractor/default.htm for more information about the course.

This Train-the-Trainers workshop will offer guidance to instructors on some standard content and options for tractor instruction, and develop a peer mentorship community for instructors to be able to support each other's efforts.

This instructor training course uses the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program curriculum, created under the Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification Program to support agricultural education through Hazardous Occupations Safety Training in Agriculture.

Maximizing Milk on Homegrown Feed
Feb 7th, 10am to 3:30pm
American Legion
100 Parah Drive, St. Albans, VT
UVM Extension/Agriculture
$20 per session

High grain prices now and for the foreseeable future make it even more critical to focus on forage
management skills. The goal of this program is to look at forage management and feeding practices
that will optimize milk yield and milk income over feed costs. Come and learn from forage and
nutrition experts about existing opportunities to maximize milk production on homegrown forage.

Photo by Bethany Dunbar of Albany, VT

2012 Winter Conference,
Northeast Organic Farming Association, Vermont
Fri-Sun, Feb. 10-12
NOFA-VT

Featuring keynote speakers Vern Grubinger and Wendy Johnson, we expect this to be our biggest conference ever. Join over 1500 of your friends and neighbors to learn more about gardening, farming, homesteading, and eating locally - with over 70 workshops in the works, there's sure to be something for everyone!

Vermont Communities in a Digital AgeThursday, February 16th; 9am - 4:30pm
Vermont Technical College, Randolph Vermont
Visit www.evermontworkshop.org for links to more information and registration.
Registration is $20 and includes course offerings, refreshments, lunch and the chance to win a Kindle reader and other prizes in our raffle drawing.

Join community leaders from around the state to share ideas and learn how online tools are being used to create jobs, reinvent schools, attract visitors, improve civic involvement, and enliven Vermont communities. The workshop is sponsored by the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project.

Anne Galloway of VtDigger.org will be the keynote speaker. Session topics include mobilizing community resources for emergencies, a hands-on lab exploring online tools for business, a showcase of how technology is expanding the classroom for 4-6th graders, a look at conducting town meetings in the digital age, and ways to increase public Internet access in your town (and why). Pre-register online, by phone 802-859-3090, or by e-mail joanna@snellingcenter.org. e-Vermont partner The Snelling Center for Government is the lead organizer for Vermont  Communities in a Digital Age.

Third Thursday at the VFVC
Feb 16th, 6:30pm
Vermont Food Venture Center 
140 Junction Rd, Hardwick, VT
email: hkrantz@vtsbdc.org or call 472-5362
Free to VFVC members, $10 for non-members

Jim Harrison from the Vermont Specialty Foods Association and the Vermont Grocers' Association will present as well as John Mandeville from Lamoille Economic Development Association
regarding online Farmers' Markets.

Pricing for Profit, 
UVM Extension New Farmer Project Webinar 
Feb. 21, 7 pm.
Click here to register 
or email: newfarmer@uvm.edu

Learn how to set the "right" price for your products. We'll explore practical approaches to cost-based pricing, and learn how to integrate market information — what your competitors are charging — and your own profit goals in your pricing decisions. Participants will learn how to use the new, online Vermont Direct Price Reporting tool to get a snapshot of market conditions, and growers will share their approaches to integrating production costs, market information and farm goals into their pricing strategies. Participants in this webinar will be eligible for small-group pricing clinics and farmer-to-farmer mentoring in March through the UVM Extension Vermont Direct Market Price Project.


Save the Date!

2nd Annual Northeast Kingdom Farm & Food Summit
Sat, April 14

Once again this event will be hosted by the Center for an Agricultural Economy and Northeast Kingdom Travel & Tourism Association and feature workshops, discussions, and presentations from area food producers, farmers,  and area organizations which assist our agriculturally based industries.  Stay tuned for more details....
 

Good to Know:

Vendors Needed for 2012-2013 Montpelier Farmers Markets
When: Application deadline January 31, 2012
What: The Capital City Farmers Market is accepting applications for the Summer Market, Thanksgiving, and Winter Farmers Markets on the following web page: http://www.montpelierfarmersmarket.com/applicationvendor-info/

The Vermont Food Venture Center (VFVC) is OFFICIALLY OPEN!
The VFVC is a multipurpose kitchen incubator for value-added and specialty food producers,  operated by the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE). We provide commercial kitchens for lease, dry and cold storage, business services and production consultation.

Our doors are open and we are welcoming new clients! We are a service oriented facility that wants to see YOU succeed. Contact us for more information.

photo by Vanessa Fournier of the Hardwick Gazette