Events

Learn how good pasture management can greatly improve herd health, provide a healthy soil, improve weight gains, provide a higher quality meat and maintaining quality forage for your animals throughout the year. Discover new methods of grazing to achieve these goals, improving soil health, while maintaining quality forage for your animals and reduce unnecessary feeding. Please don't miss this opportunity to enhance your herd management skills Space is limited to 30 participants. For more information, contact Tim Sexton at 804-524-1028, or tsexton@vsu.edu.

Each year more than 300 commercial tractor related deaths occur. Almost half of these are caused by overturns. Many are caused by PTOs not being shielded or shut down properly. This workshop will review a variety of practices to help you remain safe on the farm including how to be knowledgeable about the tractor and use it safely and properly, conduct pre-operational safety checks, and special precautions necessary for operating equipment on rough terrain and slopes. Use of personal protective equipment also will be reviewed.

They will also provide additional resources to help you learn more about farm safety and answer questions about avoiding risk on your farm.

For more information, contact Michael Carter Sr at 804-481-1163 or mcarter@vsu.edu.

Solar energy can provide farmers with invaluable power options on the farm. It is convenient and inexpensive. Join Farmer Thomas Roberson as he discusses solar energy options in use on his small 10- acre farm. Learn about design basics, solar operations, and how he uses it for electric fencing, powering his well and cooling his high tunnels during the summer.

For more information, contact Michael Carter Sr at 804-481-1163 or mcarter@vsu.edu.

This two-hour Zoom course is for new farmers with zero to five years of experience operating a farm. Ben Dukes and Derrick Gooden, regional program assistants for the VSU Small Farm Outreach Program, and Dr. Nartea, extension specialist for VSU Integrated Marketing Program, will walk attendees through the process of how to develop a productive and profitable farm. Participants will receive a Small Farm Orientation manual.

For more information, contact Ben Dukes at 804-731-7916 or bdukes@vsu.edu, or Derrick Gooden at 804-586-5352 or dgooden@vsu.edu.

This workshop will be an introduction to biochar and its many benefits. Biochar consists of tiny bits of hardwood charcoal steeped in a high biological and microbial mixture. We will briefly explain how it has been used in poor soils to help rejuvenate microbial life and nutrient capacity. We will also talk about preparing and utilizing biochar to amend poor soil.

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

The crop insurance program is a critical component of the U.S. agriculture safety net. Learn how the federal crop insurance program can provides financial assistance to farmers when they need it most. In this event you will learn:

* What is crop insurance?

* How Is crop insurance different than other forms of insurance?

* Who shoulders the risk in crop insurance?

* How and why does the government encourage crop insurance participation?