Events
Small Farm Annual Conference
Friday, November 19, 2021 - Saturday, November 20, 2021
12:00 p.m.
The Hotel Roanoke
& Conference Center
110 Shenandoah Avenue
Roanoke, VA, 24016
Join Virginia farmers, landowners and agriculture professionals at the 2021 Small Farm Conference for an opportunity to hear about available resources, smart business strategies, and successful production practices—especially for those new and beginning farmers who want to learn more about what it takes to farm profitability and sustainability.
Growing Fall Crops In The High Tech High Tunnel
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Randolph Farm
4415 River Road
Petersburg, VA, 23803
Participants will tour the high tech High Tunnel and learn about all the features the it offers. Participants will also get to see and ask questions about the Fall Tomato and Pepper crop and how start and maintain a crop like this for the Fall and the early Spring. Other alternative crops will also be discussed.
Basic Computer Skills for Farmers
Thursday, December 2, 2021
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Lake Country Advanced
Knowledge Center
118 East Danville
Street South Hill, VA, 23970
Small Farmers are invited to join the Beginning Computer Training workshop to learn computer skills that are beneficial for use at home and in farm business operations. Designed especially for those with little prior computer experience, participants will be introduced to computers operating systems, using a mouse, how to create, save and manage documents and images, creating an email address and sending email, navigating the Internet safely and effectively, and more.
Farmer's Market - USDA (SNAP & EBT) Lunch & Learn Session
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
Small farmers, farmers’ market vendors and market managers, be sure to join us for an informative session as we learn about the basics and benefits of becoming authorized to accept EBT transactions. Joni Garcia, from USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will be presenting the SNAP program overview and discussing how to enroll to become authorized to accept EBT and obtain a free EBT card reader.
Mobile Processing Unit Certification Program
Saturday, December 4, 2021 - Sunday, December 5, 2021
9:00 AM 12:00 PM
VSU Randolph Farm
4415 River Road
Petersburg, VA, 23803
VSU’s small ruminant program has designed and built a mobile processing unit as a resource to the state’s sheep and goat producers. To be able to utilize this resource, producers/clientele will need to complete a 5-module certification program. Only certified users will be able to process their sheep and goats on the MPU. Modules will include MPU design and usage, sheep and goat harvesting and carcass fabrication, regulations (state and federal), marketing your products and hands-on training on operating the MPU and all steps that should be taken to ensure everything is running and functional before processing, during processing, carcass cooling/hanging and fabrication.
Improving Rotational Pastures And Pasture Walk
Saturday, December 11, 2021
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Abington, Virginia
Rotational grazing is a grazing system designed to maximize grazing efficiency, protect and improve soil and forage health. The factors to consider when developing a rotational grazing program are intensity of grazing, duration of grazing, recovery period, size and number of paddocks. VSU Small Farms Outreach Program Nutrient Management Specialist Tammy Holler will discuss the steps to take and ways that you can work to improve soil and crop production.