June Announcements

**New items noted in RED**

 

Southern SARE Seeking Nominations for Producer AC Member

The Administrative Council of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program is seeking nominations of producers familiar with sustainable agriculture and its impact on the environment and rural communities to replace retiring Administrative Council members. Producer members are directly involved in deciding the future of research and education of the Southern SARE program. One producer seat will be filled. Nominees representing women in agriculture, small farms and/or minorities are especially welcome. Producer nominations from all 13 states and the territories in the Southern region will be considered. To be considered. Southern SARE must receive nominations by July 1, 2013. Learn more or how to apply.

 

Webinars  

School Gardening in the Fall: Strategies for Growing Seed to Table

Thursday, June 20, 4pm EST

Description: Can you really grow a school vegetable garden after your students return from summer vacation?  For hardiness zones 7a and higher, the answer is yes!  Not only that, you can do it without resorting to the use of row cover and cold frames.  Learn about the Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids model for seed-to-table growing in both spring and fall - using raised beds along with fast-growing, cool-weather crops.  Thianda Manzara, Founder of Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids, will cover crop choices, conditions for growing and harvesting, and the basic science behind some plants’ ability to survive and thrive when nighttime temperatures dip below freezing.  Join her on June 20th to learn how to provide your students with hands-on learning experiences in the garden, without being a slave to the summer garden!

 

Presenters: Thianda Manzara, Ph.D., President of Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids

 

Connection information: To connect, simply log on to the link below up to 15 minutes prior to the webinar. Sound will be through your computer speakers. www.instantpresenter.com/edwebnet11

 

Learn How to Sell Fruits and Vegetables to the USDA

Thursday, June 27, 2-3pm EST

Description: Each year, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) buys over $530 million and 1.1 billion pounds of frozen, processed, and fresh fruits and vegetables.  This healthy, American grown and  processed product helps feed millions of school children and is also distributed to food banks, disaster areas, and elsewhere it is needed.

 

Visit the Commodity Procurement website, www.ams.usda.gov/commoditypurchasing to see what products AMS buys. Then tune in to this webinar to learn everything you need to get started selling your products to USDA.

 

Presenters: Sara Hernandez, USDA, AMS

 

Connection information: This informative webinar is designed for fruit and vegetable growers, processors and distributors of all sizes.  The webinar is free and available to anyone with Internet access.   However, registration is  required and space is limited.  Visit (http://bit.ly/145Arm2) to register today! 

 

The Connected Organization

Thursday, June 27, 1pm EST

Description: Universities, non-profits, governmental agencies, and Extension systems must embrace the principles of the Connected Organization to thrive in the future. Being connected means being deeply engaged with faculty, staff, partners, and clientele, changing how work is done, how you measure success, and how performance is rewarded. It requires a new way of thinking about your organization: less like a machine to be controlled, and more like a complex, dynamic system that can learn and adapt over time.

 

Please join in learning how we can begin to transition Extension and others to being connected organizations. This is the first of three online sessions leading up to a dynamic conversation about the future of Extension to be held at the 3rd National eXtension Conference next March in Sacramento, California.

 

Presenters: Dave Gray, Author of “Game Storming” & “The Connected Company”

 

Connection information: The presentation will be conducted as a Google+ Hangout On Air. Attendees can view and participate in the conversation on the Google+ Event page or on the Network Literacy CoP YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/NetworkLiteracyCoP). For more details on eXtension’s use of Hangouts On Air see http://bit.ly/on-air-instructions

 

 

Resources 

ATTRA Publication on Community Orchards

Community orchards are becoming more popular around the country as the community garden and local-food movements grow. A new ATTRA pub called "Community Orchards" offers guidance both for determining what to grow and how to go about beginning a community orchard. It also has profiles of successful orchards and discusses resources for orchard organizers and growers. We hope you can help us spread the word.

 

The attachment has more information about the publication, which can be downloaded for free and is available to order as a paper publication for a small handling fee. It's available along with ATTRA's other publications, Ask an Ag Expert hotline, webinars, videos, and other services at www.attra.ncat.org.

 

Team Nutrition Curricula that Connects School Gardens with Nutrition

The USDA, Food and Nutrition Services announced the availability of new Team Nutrition curricula that connect school gardens with nutrition messages in the classroom, school cafeteria, and at home. For more information, please view the informational flyer posted in What’s New of the CND Policy and Memo Community. http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/garden.html

 

 

Conferences & Workshops

Small Projects for Small Farms

May 7 – December 3

A monthly program designed to introduce new and small farmers to basic projects and techniques that can be implemented on their farming operation. A wide variety of topics are planned to involve the different sectors of agriculture. These programs were developed to provide information to individuals interested in starting a farm or improving their small agriculture operation. These classes have something to offer everyone who may be interested in producing food for themselves or looking for an option for income. See the full schedule and registration details here.

 

Certified Pile Burner Course

July 24, 8:30am – 4:30pm

The Florida Forest Service (FFS) and UF/IFAS Extension will be conducting a Certified Pile Burners Course on 24^th of July, 2013.  This training will be held from 8:30 am till 4:30 pm at the Jackson County Extension Office located in Marianna, Florida.

 

4^th Annual Farm-to-Restaurant Workshop

August 12, 8:00am – 4:00pm

The 4th annual Farm-to-Restaurant Workshop will be held on Monday, August 12th from 8 A.M. - 4 P.M. at the UF/IFAS Straughn Center in Gainesville (same venue as last year). We are excited about our agenda this year, and hope you will like the focus on relationship building, networking, and learning from past experiences. Information regarding the agenda, cost, sponsorship, and registration can be found in the attached email message.

 

Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises Conference

August 2-4, 2013

The 5th Annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference promises to inform and inspire agricultural innovators.  Join us August 2-4 in Kissimmee, Florida for farm tours, a trade show, networking opportunities, live animal exhibits, hands-on workshops, and delicious locally-grown food! Don’t miss this chance to learn more about farming as well as alternative enterprises such as beekeeping, hydroponics, grass-fed beef and more.  You will have the opportunity to interact with other farmers and industry professionals and get all of your questions answered.  Early bird registration discount is available.  Register today at: http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/smallfarms/registration.html

 

Mixed Fruit Orchard Field Day

June 15, 9:00am – 12:30pm

This event will discuss aspects of developing and managing a small mixed orchard primarily targeted at local direct sales. Several specialty fruit crops will be discussed including: blackberry, blueberry, stone fruit, olives, and pomegranates. The course will be conducted at the Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center near Live Oak, FL. The cost is $15. Get more information here.

 

Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference –Scholarships Available!

August 2-4, 2013

Kissimmee, FL

The agenda for the 2013 Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference has been set! Don’t miss out on this great educational opportunity, see the agenda here. Florida small farmers who cannot attend the conference due to financial hardship have the opportunity to apply for a registration scholarship. Up to a $180 value, the scholarship covers the cost of a full conference registration. Applications will be reviewed in order received. Applications are due June 1, 2013. See Application Details. Please see the attached email for more information.

 

Water, Food, Energy, & Innovation for a Sustainable World

November 3-6, 2013

Tampa, FL

The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America will host their 2013 International Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida with the Canadian Society of Agronomy and the International Society of Terrain-Vehicle Systems. The Call for Papers is now open! Share your research with scientists from around the world at our multidisciplinary meetings. Early abstract rates through April 30, Final Submission deadline is May 14. Submit your abstract at : www.acsmeetings.org. New for 2013 –remote presentations!

 

 

Funding Opportunities

NIFA Grant Opportunities

Information about all of the grants listed below can be found by visiting www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm.

 

Food Security, AFRI, Due 7/17/13

Carbon Cycle Science, AFRI, Due 7/31/13

Greenhouse Gas Research, Due 9/3/13

Water Sustainability and Climate, Due 9/10/13

 

 

Kelly Monaghan

Center for Sustainable and Organic Food Systems

Program Assistant, Florida SARE Program, UF/FAMU

3031 Mc Carty Hall D, PO Box 110310, Gainesville, FL 32611

Ph:(352)273-3508; Fax: (352)392-8196

kmon913@ufl.edu; www.southernsare.org/florida