Polk Small Farms: Florida Land Steward Update 5/29/15

Florida Land Steward Update
May 29, 2015

Have Land? Get a Plan and Stay Connected. Florida Land Steward is your source of assistance, information, events and resources.

News, information and upcoming events below.
Please share this update with your neighbors, colleagues and others that may be interested.

- Florida Land Steward Newsletter (Spring/Summer 2015 (Vol 4, No 2) and back issues -

News & Info Brief

NEW EVENTS ADDED THIS WEEK -->

NEW USDA PORTAL ENABLES FARMERS, RANCHERS, LANDOWNERS TO REQUEST CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE ONLINE
Farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners can now do business with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through a new online portal. The Conservation Client Gateway allows producers to work with conservation planners online to access Farm Bill programs, request assistance, and track payments for their conservation activities.

“What used to require a trip to a USDA service center can now be done from a home computer through Conservation Client Gateway,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Conservation Client Gateway enables farmers, ranchers and private landowners to securely:

·  Request NRCS technical and financial assistance;
·  Review and sign conservation plans and practice schedules;
·  Complete and sign an application for a conservation program;
·  Review, sign and submit contracts and appendices for conservation programs;
·  Document completed practices and request certification of completed practices;
·  Request and track payments for conservation programs; and
·  Store and retrieve technical and financial files, including documents and photographs.

Conservation Client Gateway is available to individual landowners and will soon be extended to business entities, such as Limited Liability Corporations. It is part of the agency’s ongoing Conservation Delivery Streamlining Initiative, which will feature additional capabilities in the future.

For more information about Conservation Client Gateway, visit: www.nrcs.usda.gov/clientgateway

APPLY FOR RURAL AND FAMILY LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAM BY MAY 30
The goal of the Florida Forest Service's Rural and Family Land's Protection Program is to ensure lands will be maintained in agricultural use while providing for the protection of natural resources through agricultural conservation easements. The program seeks to protect valuable agricultural lands, create conservation easements that ensure sustainable agricultural practices, prevent conversion to non-agricultural land uses in the rural base of Florida, and help to protect natural resources in conjunction with these agricultural operations. For more information about the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, see:
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/For-Landowners/Programs/Rural-and-Family-Lands-Protection-Program

USDA CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE FORMS DUE JUNE 1
Agricultural producers must complete a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification Form AD-1026 and turn it into a Farm Service Agency office by June 1 to be eligible for federal crop insurance subsidies. Learn more on the FSA website.

SOMETHING BUGGING YOUR TREES?
Do you have pests or a disease in your trees? Leaves or needles wilting, and you don’t know why? Sawdust falling out of your trees, and you don’t know how to save them? There is help: ask your question at the free Forest Health Diagnostic Forum: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/treehealth/forum/.

GOT AN INVASIVE SPECIES PROBLEM?
Go to floridainvasives.org for information, assistance and partnership opportunities.

LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC?
Check the vast array of extension publications available through UF/IFAS on the EDIS publication site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ Wow, there’s a publication about that?

2015 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD CALENDARS STILL AVAILABLE
Send an email to cdemers@ufl.edu with your mailing address if you’d like to a copy sent. First come first serve while supplies last.

FOREST STEWARDSHIP VIDEOS - VIEW AND SHARE!
All the latest videos are on the Florida Forest Stewardship Program home page:
http://sfrc.ufl.edu/forest_stewardship

HAVE AN EVENT OR RELATED NEWS TO SHARE?
Drop a line to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu

More news and info at the Florida Land Steward Blog

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EAST FLORIDA (Madison County, east and south)
May 30			Introductory Bee Keeping Class, 4 week course, North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL. $200 fee. For more Information contact Celeste Fournier at (239) 284-4078 or celeste@swfbees.com. UF/IFAS calendar: lee.ifas.ufl.edu
June 2, 9, 11, 16, 23, 30			Annie's Project: Risk Management Education for Farm and Ranch Women, 4:30 to 7:30 pm, Alachua or Marion County Extension Offices. $50 fee due May 22. See link for details. To register & for more information call: UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County at 352-955-2402 or UF/IFAS Extension Marion County at 352-671-8400.
June 16-18			Conference on Laurel Wilt Disease and Natural Ecosystems: Impacts, Mitigation and the Future (link), Coral Springs Marriott, 11775 Heron Bay Blvd. Coral Springs, FL. A timely opportunity to learn the most recent state of knowledge regarding laurel wilt, its biology, impacts in native ecosystems and efforts to mitigate for its devastating effects. Foresters, SAF CFEs pending approval. See link above for details. For a brief introduction to laurel wilt, see this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x7vgFWLHkY
June 17, 27 July 1, 8, 15, 22			Annie's Project: Risk Management Education for Farm and Ranch Women, The six-week course is offered from 5:30-9 p.m. Wednesdays beginning June 17 at the Extension office, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota, and costs $50 per participant. A light meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. For more information or to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annies-project-for-todays-farm-women-tickets-16701527719?ref=ecal or call 941-861-9900.
June 18			Invasive Plant ID Workshop, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, FWC Marine Laboratory, 11350 SW 153rd Court; Cedar Key, FL 32625. Sponsored by Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) through a Kathy Craddock Burks Education Grant. Free. Details and registration here
June 19			Invasive Plant ID Workshop, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, UF/IFAS Extension Columbia County, 971 W Duval Street; Lake City, FL 32055. Sponsored by Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) through a Kathy Craddock Burks Education Grant. Free. Details and registration here
August 6			Certified Pile Burner Course, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, West Central Florida Agriculture Center (Sumter County Fairgrounds) Bushnell, FL. $50 fee includes lunch and materials. Contact DarLinda Duteau at (352) 569-6865 or dduteau@ufl.edu for more information.
August 20			Forest Stewardship / Lake County CISMA Workshop: Invasive Exotic Species and Management (pdf link), 9 am to 3 pm ET, UF/IFAS Lake County Extension Auditorium, 1951 Woodlea Rd, Tavares, FL 32778. Provided by Florida Forest Stewardship Program and Lake County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. FDACS Pesticide CEUs and SAF CFEs pending. $15 fee includes lunch and materials. Register on-line at https://fsp-workshop082015.eventbrite.com/. You can also reserve a space by contacting Lake County Extension (352) 343-4101 ext. 2.
WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west)
June 2	Longleaf Pine Restoration and Management Workshop (pdf link), (almost full) 8:30 am to 3:30 pm ET, St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, Visitor and Environmental Education Center, 1255 Lighthouse Road, St. Marks, FL 32355. Provided by Apalachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance and Florida Forest Stewardship Program, with support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Southern Company. $5 fee, lunch included. To register contact Wakulla County Extension at (850) 926-3931.
June 6	Perennial Peanut Field Day, 9:30 am CT, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, Marianna, FL. $10 fee. See link above for information.
June 6	FAMU Spring Agri-Showcase, FAMU Farm in Quincy, FL. Provided by FAMU Cooperative Extension Program. For information contact Angela Jakes, (850) 875-8552.
June 11	On-Farm Workshop at Coldwater Gardens (link), 10 am to 3 pm, Coldwater Gardens, Milton, FL. Provided by Florida Organic Growers, Coldwater Gardens crew, Slow Food Gulf Coast, USDA NRCS, and Santa Rosa County Extension. Will include topics on increasing farm diversity, mushroom cultivation, season extension with high tunnels, and the programs that can help you build your own farm. $10 fee includes lunch. See link above for info and registration.
WEBINARS, ONLINE TRAINING
June 9		Webinar: Improving Soil Health in Orchards, Vineyards, and Groves (link), 2 pm ET, See link for details.
June 17		Webinar: Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture: Biodiversity (link), 2 pm ET, See link for details.
June 23		Webinar: NRCS and Wildlife Habitat in Urban Environments: Linking Farm, School, and Community Agriculture (link), 2 pm ET, See link for details.
July 8		Webinar: Forage Management for Livestock Production (link), 2 pm ET, See link for details.
August 3-14 August 18-21		S130/190 Basic Wildland Firefighter Training, Presented in a hybrid format, online and in person in Gainesville and Ordway Swisher Biological Station. See link above for details and registration.