Small Ruminants: Flock/Herd Considerations for Breeding

Thursday, July 25, 2024 · 7:30–8:30 pm

Virtual Zoom Workshop

Breeding season and reproductive management of flocks and herds vary from farm to farm and are dependent on many factors. Regardless of management practices, most sheep and goat producers attempt to increase their flock’s or herd’s profitability and optimize the number of healthy offspring. What choices you make now—whether to cull, ram selection, breeding soundness exams, caring for ewes and proper nutrition—will influence the next 8 to 10 months of the year in your flock or herd. Learn best management practices regardless of the size of your operation.

For more information, contact Mandy Fletcher at 804-892-0108 or afletcher@vsu.edu.

Photo: Ulf Kintzel/White Clover Sheep Farm

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.

Hemp Dos and Don’ts

Friday, April 12, 2024 · noon–2:30 pm

Virtual Zoom Workshop

This course will review some of hemp’s basic dos and don’ts. The workshop is excellent for folks interested in hemp but unfamiliar with what they should and should not do to be successful. The discussion will include the different types of industrial hemp, growing conditions, genetics, and post-harvest processing. A representative from VDACS Industrial Hemp will be on site to cover the dos and don’ts from a legal perspective.

Space is limited to 40 participants

For more information, contact Derrick Gooden at  804-586-5352 or email dgooden@vsu.edu.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.

Free Webinar—Navigating Rural Realities: Addressing Substance Use and Aging in Agricultural Communities

Thursday, February 22, 2024 · 1–2 pm

Virtual

The AgriSafe Network is hosting an insightful presentation that delves into the unique challenges faced by aging individuals in rural agricultural communities, where the intersection of substance use and the aging process pose complex problems. The webinar will examine the social, economic, and healthcare factors that contribute to substance use among older adults in the agricultural sector.

The specific nuances of rural life that impact substance use patterns will be explored, from the isolation often experienced by farmers to the stressors associated with unpredictable agricultural cycles. We will explore the impact of these factors on mental health and coping mechanisms, leading to a deeper understanding of the prevalence of substance use among the aging population in rural areas. We will also examine interventions and innovative approaches that have proven effective in mitigating substance use issues among the aging population in rural settings. Whether you are a healthcare professional, community leader, or someone interested in the well-being of rural communities, this presentation will provide valuable insights and practical strategies for addressing substance use and promoting healthy aging in the unique context of agricultural life.

Intended Audience: Rural medical and mental health providers, community providers, community leaders anyone who works in rural areas 

Objectives: At the end of this webinar participants will...

• Have an increased awareness of the unique challenges faced by aging individuals in rural agricultural communities that contribute to substance use.

• Understand the factors that contribute to substance use in the aging agricultural population.

• Be able to identify and use common interventions to address substance use in rural populations.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TFng79ReTtyUtmnrmRrnfw#/registration

For more information, contact James (Tony) Edwards at 804-720-2588 or jtedwards@vsu.edu.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.

DFAP Technical Assistance Day

Thursday, November 16, 2023 · 5:30–9:30 pm

Franklin Center, 50 Claiborne Avenue, Rocky Mount, VA 24151

Calling all farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners:

Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act authorized $2.2 billion in financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA Farm Loan Programs prior to January 1, 2021. The Windsor Group will be providing onsite technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners with your Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) application, which is available at https://www.22007apply.gov.

For more information, contact Brent Noell at 804-892-0140 or bnoell@vsu.edu.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.

Onsite Technical Assistance

Wednesday, October 11, 2023 · 1–5 pm

Lake Country Knowledge Advanced Center, 118 E Danville St, South Hill, VA 23970

Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act authorized $2.2 billion in financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA Farm Loan Programs prior to January 1, 2021. The Windsor Group will be providing onsite technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners with your Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) application, which is available at https://www.22007apply.gov.

For more information, contact Ronnisha Brooks at 804-651-2552, or email Ronnisha.Brooks@windsorgroup-Ilc.com.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.