North Grafton - A workshop on the Infrastructure on Mixed-Livestock Farms will be held on Tuesday, September 9th, from 10am-1pm at Tufts University Farm in North Grafton, Ma. Discussions during this session will include no-till seeding, use of direct-injection liquid manure, compost, herd health, biosecurity and fencing types.
A workshop on creating school gardens and composting systems will be held on Sunday, September 28 from 10am " 2pm in Hubbardston. Led by Karen DiFranza, participants will learn how to start a student-powered composting program that recycles cafeteria leftovers and schoolyard organic materials. There will be discussion on starting, running and funding a program and also curriculum lessons that use both the garden and the school composting system.
Eight dairies across Massachusetts will open up their farms for tours and other activities on Saturday, September 13 to highlight the benefits of raw milk. On Raw Milk Dairy Day there will be opportunities to pat pigs, see how cheese is made, watch cows being milked, learn how goats are fitted for a show or watch an ox driving demonstration. Many of the farms will welcome their visitors to bring a picnic to enjoy once they have completed their tours. Visitors will learn why raw milk tastes so good and is so good for you.
The following dairies are participating in the event:-
Hardwick – A workshop on transitioning to organic dairy farming and the services offered by the Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS) will be held at Robinson Farm in Hardwick on Saturday, June 21st from 11am " 2pm.
Jamaica Plain " A workshop on heating hot water with the sun will be held at 21st Century Foods at 30A Germania St from 10AM-12:30PM on Saturday, June 21, 2008.
Led by Rudy Canale, this workshop will explain how to pre-heat hot water using copper or plastic solar heaters.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING TOUR TO BE HELD
Wendell, Mass " A sustainable living tour of two separate locations will be held on Sunday, June 15th from 10am-3pm to show how some people have worked at creating sustainable systems and have chosen to live in ways that are closer to the rhythms of the natural world.
Sterling, Mass " A workshop on Small Ruminant Management will be held at Crystal Brook Farm, 192 Tuttle Road in Sterling on Wednesday, June 4th from 10am " 1pm. The workshop will be led by Ann Starbard who owns the farm. Topics to be discussed will include mixing browse with pasture, managing parasites, using trace minerals while pasturing, watering systems and fencing. Crystal Brook Farm is an award winning farmstead that began making cheese in 1998. It now produces about 12,000 lbs. of fresh goat cheese each year from a herd of 70 alpine and Saanen goats.
Washington, Mass - A workshop on framing carpentry will be held at the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts in Washington, Mass on Saturday, June 14th from 9am-5pm. Will Beemer will demonstrate making joists, sills, studs, rafters and he will show the tools to frame interior and exterior walls, floors and roofs. Layout for openings such as windows and doors will also be covered as participants work on a stick-framed building project under construction.
WORKSHOP TO BE PRESENTED ON RAISING CHICKENS ON GRASS FOR EGGS AND MEAT
Concord, Mass " A workshop on raising broilers from chicks to market will be held on Sunday, May 25 from 1-5pm at Pete and Jen’s Backyard Birds, Verrill Farm in Concord. In this comprehensive and informative session, Pete Lowy and Jennifer Hashley will explain brooding, mobile coop construction, electric fencing, feed rations and supplements, veterinary care, marketing and humane slaughter.