The 106th Northern Nut Growers Conference will be held this July in LaCrosse! Register by July 1 and save. Register now at the NNGA website at  or go directly to the meeting registration website at: https://uwlax.ungerboeck.com/prod/emc00/register.aspx?OrgCode=10&EvtID=5084&AppCode=REG.

July 27-28, speakers from across North America will share their experience with a variety of nuts – chestnuts, hazelnuts, oaks, butternuts, hickory nuts, walnuts, even cashews. Sessions will cover breeding, crop management, marketing and business development.

We expect to draw 200 nut growers, sellers, and allied supply chain partners. Don’t miss this networking opportunity!

The program will feature sessions on running a nut business, given by business leaders in the field. Beth Barham will be traveling up from Missouri to talk about her work on geographic indication – that is, Taste of Place. See her academic article at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1814566

The tour organized for July 28th includes a hike through a native chestnut grove, a tour of Mark Shepard’s polyculture farm, and a look at the American Hazelnut Company’s processing facility. The tour ends with dinner at the Rooted Spoon.

Could it be you??

Southwest Badger RC&D is seeking a new Executive Director. Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council is looking for an energetic and organized individual to serve as Executive Director. The Executive Director works with a regional Council to carry out the mission of the organization and oversees all aspects of day to day operations including administration, personnel, project management, fundraising, and public relations activities. Application materials can be found on the web: www.swbadger.org.

Deadline is Monday, May 4, 2015.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, March 29-31, 2015

You bring your interest and hopes for your own vineyard business. We expose you to what you need to know and plan for as you plant grapes and grow.  This intensive, three-day course gives you a realistic picture of what it takes to start and operate a successful vineyard business—including capital, management, labor and other resources. Topics covered include market assessment and profitability, site selection and soil preparation, variety selection, pest management, economics, equipment and labor needs.

What do we offer?

• A unique program that combines knowledge from experienced growers and regional experts.
• Learn essential concepts in vineyard management and what it takes to succeed in the business.
• Spend extended time with experienced growers and gather invaluable tips and practical know-how.
• Network and learn from fellow growers and entrepreneurs.

Program highlights
This class affords the opportunity to immerse yourself into the realities of grape growing with a team of instructors who share your enthusiasm. We do more than scratch the surface on topics such as variety selection and pest management; rather, we take a deeper dive to expose you to the information and tools required to launch a successful vineyard business. Our goal is to start you on a path toward a sustainable and profitable business. Over the three days we will discuss the joys and challenges of operating a farm business in addition to growing grapes in the Midwest.

Is this workshop right for you?
This course is intended for people who are serious about starting an orchard business in the Midwest. To learn more about this school, contact John Hendrickson at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, UW-Madison, (608) 265-3704 or jhendric@wisc.edu.

WHEN: March 29, 30 and 31, 2015
TIMES: 10–4:30 Sunday; 8–4:30 Monday; 8–2:30 Tuesday
LOCATION: Madison, WI (details provided after you enroll)
COST: $375

For more information and application materials contact:

John Hendrickson
Phone: (608) 265-3704
E-mail: jhendric@wisc.edu

We are busy working on all the details that go into making a conference a success. Below is the agenda for the Symposium. We hope you can join us!

To register, go to http://www.cias.wisc.edu/oars/

If you can’t join us in person, eOrganic is live streaming events in the Radisson Ballroom and will be posting the other events. To register, go to http://www.extension.org/pages/72594

Organic Agriculture Research Symposium

The Radisson, La-Crosse, WI

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

 

 

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Friday, February 27^, 2015

 

Posters in the lobby of the Radisson Ballroom:

• Tessa Peters, UW; New methods for participatory development of sugary enhanced sweet corn varieties.
• Tom Kriegl, UW; The Financial Performance Of Dairy Systems Across the U.S.A.
• Abbe Hamilton, Penn State; How organic farmers maximize the ecosystem service provisioning potential of cover crops in the Mid-Atlantic.
• Keefe Keeley, UW; Woodland grazing management and hardwood silvopasture in the upper Midwest.
• Virginia Moore, UW; Cover Crop Adoption on Organic Vegetable Farms in Wisconsin.
• Jessica Davis, Colorado State; Evaluation of an On-Farm Bio-Fertilizer Production System Using Cyanobacteria.
• Timothy Delbridge, University of MN; An Analysis of Crop Insurance Alternatives for Organic Crop Producing Farms.
• Andy Petran, University of MN, Extending the Season for Organic Strawberry Production in the Midwest

Contact:
Danielle Endvick, Communications Director, 715.471.0398, dendvick@wisconsinfarmersunion.com
Sarah Lloyd, Special Projects Coordinator, 608.844.3758, slloyd@wisconsinfarmersunion.com

‘Moving Solar Forward’
Farmers Union State Convention to open with focus on renewable energy

CHIPPEWA FALLS – A pre-convention workshop, “Moving Solar Forward,” will kick off the Wisconsin Farmers Union 84th annual State Convention Jan. 23-25 at The Plaza Hotel in Eau Claire.

The workshop, from noon to 4:15 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, will feature two tracks, one covering on-farm and household solar installations and another on community and group solar projects in the state.

“We know that building a renewable energy infrastructure in our rural areas is essential for the viability of farming, agriculture and rural communities in the future,” said WFU President Darin von Ruden, “so we are bringing together farmers, rural residents and folks working in energy and renewables for an active conversation on plans and strategies.”

Track one will consider the steps necessary to assess, design, finance and install a solar system at a farm or residence. Presenters will provide case studies and lead a workshop activity for each participant to work out a task list, timeline and financing opportunities for the project they are considering. Speakers will include Josh Stolzenburg, North Wind Renewable Energy; Eric Udelhofen, H&H Solar; Zeus Stark, Next Step Energy; Brenda Heinen, USDA Rural Development; and Paul Dietmann, Badgerland Financial. Attendees to this track are asked to bring their own energy bills for a hands-on activity.

Track two will include a strategic roundtable on a collaborative push for solar in Wisconsin, with specific cases presented, including logistics and financing mechanisms for group solar purchases and community solar projects.  Speakers include Peter Murphy of Riverwest Cooperative Alliance; Dave Maxwell of Vernon Electric Cooperative, Doug Stingle of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association and Lynn Thompson from the Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, as well as invited lenders.

The workshop will kick off with an overview for all attendees on the “State of Solar in Wisconsin” by Michael Vickerman of RENEW Wisconsin. Both tracks will gather for a final general session sparking discussion on strategy and a work plan for moving solar forward together in Wisconsin.

The cost for the workshop is $15 for WFU members and $30 for nonmembers, which includes lunch. To register, call the WFU State Office at 715-723-5561 or send a check, payable to Wisconsin Farmers Union, with the printable registration form available at www.wisconsinfarmersunion.com.

WFU calls for farmers to be considered part of the energy solution, rather than the problem, with a focus on establishing clean, independent energy policy. Many WFU members have taken the initiative to install solar energy systems to support their farm operations, but the group recognizes there is much work yet to be done.

“Solar power is a shining American success story, with a solar system being installed in the U.S. every 3 minutes, on average; however solar installations in Wisconsin are not keeping pace with the rest of the country, and there is much to do to increase clean energy adoption in the Badger State.” said Midwest Renewable Energy Association Development Director Doug Stingle, who will be among roundtable participants during the workshop. “Working with farmers and homeowners, businesses and others to highlight the benefits of solar – including job creation, local control and energy freedom – we can push Wisconsin forward.”

We look to MSU for a lot of expertise on fruit production that is simply not available in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinios or Iowa. The most recent issue of MSU’s Futures magazine includes an eight page story about extreme weather and its affect on the Michigan fruit industry.

http://agbioresearch.msu.edu/news/weathering_the_climate_michigan_agriculture_braces_for_mother_nature_with_h

The story goes into detail about March 2012 abnormal temperatures and subsequent drought, and the bitter cold of last year’s winter, including some of the new strategies that fruit growers are using to take some of the risk out of growing fruit in extreme weather conditions. One we haven’t talked about much is to delay bloom.

The article discusses apples, peaches, wine grapes, small fruits, turfgrass, turkeys and wheat. It talks about the Enviro-weather automated weather stations (74 in Michigan, and 6 in Door County. Talk to Matt Stasiak if you want to put one in your Driftless orchard). In fact, the winegrape growers held an all-day conference on this topic and have posted the presentations here. Hint: many of the presentations apply to fruit generally.

The article also shares highlights from a new book “Climate Change in the Midwest: A synthesis report for the National Climate Assessment”. It is intended for educational purposes on college campuses, and also to help industry stakeholders make informed decisions. You can download the book free-of-charge.

In celebration of our 25th year on the UW-Madison campus working on sustainable agriculture, CIAS invites all of you who we’ve worked with over the years to join us December 5th for a reunion.

This event will be held from 2:00-5:30pm on Friday, December 5, at the Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton. Our Driftless partners play an important role in shaping CIAS, and we hope you can join us.

At this reunion we plan to share memories, catch up with acquaintances, and celebrate our past, present and future. Light refreshments will be served and there will be plenty of time for conversation. This event is free and open to the public. While no RSVP is necessary, please feel free to call or email if you can join us or if you have any questions: 608-262-8018, cecarusi@wisc.edu.

The Holy Wisdom Monastery (formerly St. Benedict Center) is located at 4200 County Highway M, Middleton, WI 53562.

Thank you for your involvement with CIAS. We look forward to seeing you on December 5th.