Local Events Calendar for January 30th, 2010

LOCAL EVENTS

Author Event: Joan Hockaday
January 31, 4:30pm
Joan Hockaday will talk about Greenscapes: Olmsted’s Pacific Northwest at Bloedel Reserve and copies of her book will be available for signing and sale at the event, through the co-sponsorship of Eagle Harbor Books. Light refreshments will be served. $25. http://www.bloedelreserve.org/pages/lectures or call 206-842-7631 to register.

4-H KYG (Know Your Government)
January 31, 2:00 – 5:00pm
Clear Creek Grange – ANY and ALL TEENS are welcome to attend and join in this year’s fun! Check out the State 4-H Web site http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/kyg/index.htm or contact Kelly Fisk kfisk@co.kitsap.wa.us

Great Peninsula Conservancy Open House
February 3, 3:00 – 5:00pm
GPC has adopted three new Conservation Initiatives and updated its Conservation Plan in the last year and a half. Your help is needed! Come share your ideas, and help shape the future of conservation on the Great Peninsula. 3721 Kitsap Way, Suite 5, Bremerton, WA. For directions call: 360-373-3500, or email michael@greatpeninsula.org .

NEW!! Kitsap Community and Agricultural Alliance
February 9, 6:30pm
Jean Schanen of Freshlocal will be on hand to speak about opportunities for farmers, eaters and urban farmers in local food. Norm Dicks Center, 345 Sixth Street, Bremerton, WA

NEW!! West Sound Beekeepers Association
February 16, 7:00pm
General membership meeting at Stedman’s Bee Supplies located at 3763 NW Anderson Hill Road, Silverdale, Washington. The general membership meeting follows the beginner beekeeping class that meets from 6:00p.m. to 6:45p.m.

NEW!! Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society
February 18, 7:00pm
At the I.O.O.F Hall at 100 S. Dora, Bremerton, Washington. Special presentation by Kitsap County Search and Rescue.

QuickBooks for Business
February 20, 8:00am – 4:30pm
This introductory class includes set up and operations of the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory, job costs, and payroll. Prerequisite: Computer usage and basic Windows skills. $139. Olympic College Continuing Education. To register, please call 360-394-2725 or visit our registration web page for more options. http://apps.olympic.edu/ClassSchedule/default.aspx?Quarter=1&Department=Continuing%20Studies–Small%20Business

Kitsap Food Coop Annual Meeting
February 22
Now taking nominations for 2010 Board Positions. Nominations close January 4th. For more information visit their blog at: www.kitsapfoodcoop.org

REGIONAL EVENTS

NEW!! Puget Sound Meat Producers Cooperative Annual Meeting
January 31, 3:00pm
At the Farm Bureau Building, Lacey, WA. Guest Speaker: Dale A. Moore, DVM, MPVM, PhD. Now is the time to Join if you plan to harvest in the 2010 season, or if you want to support local farmers and local foods. Five positions on the Board will be available. To nominate someone (including yourself), send an email to nominations@pugetsoundmeat.org . More info: pugetsoundmeat.org

Washington Association of Wine Growers
February 2-5
2010 Annual Meeting, Convention and Trade Show, Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd Kennewick WA. More info: http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=791266

Cultivating Success Class
February 3 – May 16
Overview course to sustainable small-scale farming. Once a week class with 3 field trips in the Spring. Fairview Grange Building, 619 Lake Farm Rd, Port Angeles, WA. For info: Lori Kennedy at 360-417-2279

The Washington Swine Information Day
February 5, 8:45am – 5:30pm
At the Pill Rock Restaurant/Moses Lake Golf & Country Club in Moses Lake, Washington. The educational seminar is designed for progressive pork producers and stakeholders; addressing critical and emerging swine production issues in the Pacific Northwest. Swine producers of all sizes; 4-H/FFA youth producers; agency representatives; agriculture educators; and fair/show representatives are invited to participate. $30 includes the seminar, WPP membership, break, lunch, and handouts. Youth $15. For info www.animalag.wsu.edu or contact Sarah M. Smith (509) 754-2011, Ext. 413 or smithsm@wsu.edu.

Goat Care Seminar
February 6, 9:30am – 4:00pm
Seminar date includes general goat care and nutrition, all about kidding and all about packgoats. Edelweiss Acres, Olympia. $20/person. Special rates for 4H folks $5/person, special rates for clubs and large families. Lunch will be served. For info call Donna at 360-481-0527 or edelweissacres@comcast.net

Home Cheese Making Workshop
February 6, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Learn the art and science of making cheese in your own kitchen with easily accessible and inexpensive tools! Lunch will be served, including a cheese course. Cheese making kit, workshop notebook, and of course your own handmade cheese are all included! Call Suzanne: 360-732-0771.

Harvesting Clean Energy Conference
February 7 – 9
Farmers, ranchers and rural communities throughout the Pacific Northwest can learn how to make renewable energy – like wind, biofuels and solar – a profitable new crop. Clean energy offers real opportunities to attract new investment, produce new income, create local jobs and reduce the amount of money draining out of the local economy to pay for energy. Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, WA. http://www.harvestcleanenergy.org/index.html

NEW!! Culinary / Agritourism Workshop
February 10 – 11
Fort Worden State Park Conference Center, Fort Worden Commons, Company A, 200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Topics include: Today’s Trends in Culinary/Agritourism, How To Make Money in Tourism, Defining what is Distinctive about Food/Farm/Culinary in Washington, Marketing Your Region’s Assets, Construct Destination Packages and Itineraries. $30 per participant. Register at: http://agritourismwaolypen.eventbrite.com/ For area lodging visit: http://www.olympicpeninsula.org/places-to-stay

NEW!! Workshops Series for Horse & Small Farm Owners
Feb 11 to March 4, 6:30 – 9:00pm
Hands-on workshops co-sponsored by the Pierce and King Conservation Districts on livestock management practices. See a variety of options and work with technicians to discover how you can have less mud, better pastures, manage manure, and care for streams and wetlands.

• February 11: Streams and Wetlands: Living with Livestock near Water.
• February 18: Mud Management: Record Rainfall=Record Mud.
• February 25: Manure Management: Got Livestock? Got Manure!
• March 4: Pasture Management: Becoming a Grass Farmer.

To register and receive directions contact the King Conservation District at 425-282-1904, or paul.borne@kingcd.org .

Jefferson Conservation District Native Plant Sale – Order Deadline
February 12
Workshop participants will be able to place an order for plants at the workshop. Orders for plants will be accepted by the Conservation District until February 12. Plant will be available for pickup at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds or the Quilcene Community Center on February 27. For more information about the plant sale and a list of the plants for sale go to: www.jeffersoncd.org or call Rosie Taylor at 360/385-4105.

Small Farm Winter School
February 20
Washington Hall at Centralia College, Centralia, WA. Information 360-140-1212.

WSU Cheesemaking Short Course
February 16-18
Basic-Plus Cheesemaking Shortcourse. Chehalis, WA. This 3-day offering is intended for the beginning cheesemaker who is serious about pursuing cheesemaking as a business activity at the farmstead or artisan level. $259. For more info: Marc Bates at cheeseguy@charter.net (preferred) or 509-595-8652. http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/basicplus.htm

Farm to School Workshop
February 25, 11:30am – 5:00pm
This event will provide a forum for direct conversations between farmers and school districts to connect and strengthen the schools food purchasing abilities with local farmers. The workshop is an opportunity for school food service managers and local farmers to combine their efforts to benefit their operations and their community. At the Wenatchee Valley College on in the Campus Theater of Wells Hall. For info: Joan Qazi at jqazi@nwi.net or Michel Wiman at (509) 633-8181 x-235.

2010 Labor Conference: Measure Your Success
February 25 , 9:00am – 5:00pm
Issues such as healthcare, immigration, preview dramatic changes in store for our state workers’ comp system and breakout sessions – industry experts and agencies address the issues of concern – and the areas that agencies intend to target. Register at www.wsfb.com.  Wenatchee Convention Center

OSU Extension Service Small Farms Conference
February 27
Oregon State University, LaSells Stewart Center. $35.00 each or 2 for $60.00. Registration brochure can be found at http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu or call 541-766-3556 or Chrissy.Lucas@oregonstate.edu

NEW!! Carcass Composting
Saturday, March 20, 9:30 – 11:30am
Although many people have “gone back to the land” and are now producing their own livestock for self-consumption, they may not know that both offal and other unusable carcass parts can go full circle through the composting process to contribute to the productivity of their farms. Composting also solves the problem of by-product disposal while preventing those materials from going to the landfill. Taught by Andy Bary, Scientific Assistant in Crops and Soils at the WSU Research and Extension Center in Puyallup. Contact Erin at (253) 884-9474 or erine@piercecountycd.org

NATIONAL EVENTS

American Grass-Fed Conference
February 4-6
Conference topics will include: Growing Your Grass-fed Business: Smart Risk Management and High-Quality Marketing PLUS -” From Farm Gate to Customer’s Plate” Butchery and Cooking Sessions with some of America’s Best Butchers and Chefs. Lexington, Kentucky http://www.americangrassfed.org/

Using Economic Development Funds to Create Incentives for Healthy Retail
February 9, 12:30pm – 2:00pm PT
This call will outline how economic development tools and financing mechanisms can be leveraged to work with small corner stores to increase the availability of healthy choices and create new business models for small food retail. Presenters will discuss the opportunities and limitations of economic development tools and offer ideas for how partnerships with local economic development agencies and small store owners can deepen the impact and sustainability of their healthy corner store work. Register for this webinar in advance at http://webex.com. Meeting Number: 576 667 835 Password: planning123

FARM NEWS AND VIEWS

Nikki in the News
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/ckr/lifestyle/82987277.html

Food and Farm Policy Council announced
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/poi/community/82950272.html

Red Tide closes Puget Sound beaches to shellfish harvest
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010073367_webredtide16.html?syndication=rss

Preserving Urban Farmland
http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2010/01/farmers_conservation_groups_jo.html