Edible Forest Gardening Workshop (10:00 am - 2:30 pm)
Modeled on a natural woodland, a forest garden is a planting tailored to produce things that are useful to people—food, medicine, fiber, fuel—while providing the environmental benefits of a forest ecosystem—cooling air, building soil, cleaning water, and supporting wildlife. Join Lincoln Smith of Forested to learn more about growing a forest garden, and gain hands-on experience planting a forest garden bed. This workshop will address agriculture and the problem of feeding the world, principles of forest and production ecologies, and practical forest garden design and implementation. Following a break for lunch, participants will have the opportunity to expand a forest garden bed in the Accokeek Foundation’s Museum Garden. Pre-registration required. Refreshments will be provided.

Contact Info : Accokeek Foundation 3400 Bryan Point Road Accokeek, MD 20607 Email : accofound@accokeek.org Url: http://www.accokeek.org

Urban Workshop Series: Part III And IV (6:00 pm - 9:00 pm)
Part III: Urban Soils
Part IV: Starting a New Farm in a Baltimore Neighborhood

OPEN to anybody interested in starting an urban farm, the 2012 Urban Workshop Series will focus on skills and resources for getting started, marketing your products, relating to neighbors, testing your soil, and much more.

Clifton Mansion - 2701 St. Lo Drive, Baltimore, MD

$5 per session or $10 for all three courses

TO REGISTER, send your name/phone/email/address to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 410-366-8533 x 203. Advance registration recommended.

Email : realfoodfarm@civicworks.com Url: http://futureharvestcasa.org/

Producer’s Digital Toolbox (8:30 am - 1:30 pm)

The Producer’s Digital Toolbox is a suite of seminars that will be offered at several venues starting in April 2012. These seminars will assist University of Maryland Extension clients in capitalizing on the hardware and management systems tools now available through the Web and will cover topics on:

• Digital Databases Getting Your Business Listed - how to enter their business information in the 8-9 digital databases, such as Google Maps and others.
• Fingertip Marketing for Portable Devices and Apps - incorporating digital service and application into your marketing plan.
• Social & Professional Applications - An introduction to the basics of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for businesses. This seminar will explore basic fundamentals of popular social networking sites, examples of use, and the potential benefits social media could bring to your business and community.

The cost is $40.00 per person which includes lunch and course materials.  You must pre-register!  No walk-ins will be accepted.  To register or to see dates and locations go to:  http://agnradmin.umd.edu/training/description.cfm?ID=179

Contact Info : Hagerstown Community College 11400 Robinwood Drive Hagerstown, MD Email : sdill@umd.edu Url: http://agnradmin.umd.edu/training/description.cfm?ID=179

How To Join The Food Supplement Program State Outreach Plan (10:00 am - 11:00 am)
Register now for the upcoming conference call:

How to Join the Food Supplement Program State Outreach Plan

Click here to register.

Is your nonprofit interested in or currently engaged in Food Stamp outreach?  Joining the Maryland Food Supplement Program State Outreach Plan could allow your organization to receive federal reimbursement for staff time and marketing activities related to these efforts.

Contact Info : Questions? Contact Laura Flamm: lflamm@mdhungersolutions.org or (410) 528-0021 ext. 23.

MET Statewide Land Conservation Conference (8:30 am - 7:30 pm)

The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) invites land trusts and land conservation organizations to this year’s Maryland Land Conservation Conference, Saving Land ─ Saving the Chesapeake in Columbia. This event will feature a full day of educational sessions addressing the many challenges facing land conservationists throughout the State.

Advanced registration is required by May 11.

The public is welcome to attend this event. Tickets are $60 per person and include all meals and admission to the MET awards ceremony and celebration.

LEED Certified Robinson Nature Center
6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia, Md. 21044

Contact Info : More information and online registration is available at conservemd.org or dnr.maryland.gov/met. Url: http://conservemd.org

Producer’s Digital Toolbox (8:30 am - 1:30 pm)

The Producer’s Digital Toolbox is a suite of seminars that will be offered at several venues starting in April 2012. These seminars will assist University of Maryland Extension clients in capitalizing on the hardware and management systems tools now available through the Web and will cover topics on:

• Digital Databases Getting Your Business Listed - how to enter their business information in the 8-9 digital databases, such as Google Maps and others.
• Fingertip Marketing for Portable Devices and Apps - incorporating digital service and application into your marketing plan.
• Social & Professional Applications - An introduction to the basics of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for businesses. This seminar will explore basic fundamentals of popular social networking sites, examples of use, and the potential benefits social media could bring to your business and community.

The cost is $40.00 per person which includes lunch and course materials.  You must pre-register!  No walk-ins will be accepted.  To register or to see dates and locations go to:  http://agnradmin.umd.edu/training/description.cfm?ID=179

Contact Info : Cecil College, Elkton Station Campus Elkton Station Rm#303 107 Railroad Avenue Elkton, MD Email : sdill@umd.edu Url: http://agnradmin.umd.edu/training/description.cfm?ID=179

Building Capacity In Evaluating Outcomes Webinar (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm)

Presenter: Samuel Pratsch, Evaluation Specialist; University of Wisconsin-Extension; Program Development and Evaluation

Evaluating outcomes is an essential part of food system projects. Our projects aim to build healthy, equitable, sustainable food systems, but how can we understand the impacts these projects are having on the participants and communities they serve? Identifying outcome objectives is one way to focus program goals and their expected impact. 

This webinar will build the capacity of individuals, groups, and organizations in understanding, developing and evaluating outcomes.  Participants will better understand the meaning of outcomes and how a focus on “outcomes” is different than a focus on “what we do”.

Url: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.03A9724B941FDB27BE952919D08677&sid=1304

National Good Food Network Webinar (3:30 pm - 4:45 pm)

 

The CSA Benchmark Project: How Well Is My Operation REALLY Doing?

This webinar will illustrate what you need to measure (the key evaluation factors),  what expectations can be set from comparison to best practices (benchmarking), and what management strategies can help move financial performance to a higher level (implementation of leading edge practices).

Presenters: Erin Pirro, Farm Credit East; Gary Matteson, Farm Credit Council

Url: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/802231626

Ayrshire Farm Spring Farm Tour (All Day)
Visit our Certified Organic, Certified Humane, Predator Friendly working farm. You will have fun learning about our animals, and how we work and play here on Ayrshire Farm. Here is a link to a Google Map of our location. It's a pretty drive. We also invite you to stop at Hunters Head Tavern in Upperville, and our Home Farm Store in Middleburg. 

Contact Info : Robin Arnold rarnold@ayrshirefarm.com Customer Services Email : rarnold@ayrshirefarm.com

Training For New And Beginning Sheep And Goat Farmers/Producers (All Day)

Dr. Enrique Nelson Escobar offers a roundtable for new and beginning sheep and goat producers at the Center for Food Science and Technology on the UMES campus.

The roundtable presents a unique opportunity for sheep and goat producers who are just beginning to raise sheep and goats for production or for those are thinking about raising sheep and goats for production.  Farmers who are raising sheep and goats for other reasons are invited to attend as well.

Pre-registration is required for the event, which is sponsored by the UMES University of Maryland Extension office.  Individual registration fees, at $12 per person, include lunch and one set of materials.  Families may register at $15 per family.

Contact Info : For more information about training opportunities for sheep and goat farmers/producers or to register online for the May 19 event, visit www.umes.edu/1890-mce or call 410-651-6206. Url: http://www.umes.edu/1890-mce

Farm Incubators 101 Webinar (1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)

A webinar from the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project National Technical Assistance Initiative

This webinar will cover: (a) the basic framework of our new National Farm Incubator Technical Assistance Initiative and how it can help you achieve the programmatic goals of your farm incubator project; (b) the reasons for starting a farm incubator and common strategies for meeting diverse farmer training and support goals; (c) presentations on how veteran incubator projects operate successful and diverse programs

Contact Info : Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/826136479 Url: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/826136479

The 2012 Farm Bill In The Mid-Atlantic Region Webinar (2:00 pm - 4:00 pm)

In this free webinar, American Farmland Trust policy experts will be joined by Congressional staff to:

• Re-cap the farm bill process to date,
• Review key sections of the version recently voted out of the Senate Agriculture Committee,
• Provide perspectives as the House gets a draft ready for consideration in June, and
• Discuss your burning questions. 

Josh Maxwell, House Agriculture Committee Professional Staff, will present and other staffers have been invited to take part.

Url: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/421155578

Grass-Based Beef: The Business Case Webinar (9:00 am - 10:00 am)

The domestic production of pastured beef is far lower than the domestic demand. This webinar will make the business case for pasture raised beef, present a case study of a highly successful operation, and point you to resources for learning how to transition to farming and ranching techniques that are higher value, environmentally positive and increase animal welfare.

Panelists: Allen Williams, Livestock Management Consultants, LLC Greg Nowicki, Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative Moderator: Warren King, Wellspring, LTD

Register Now

Url: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/984591002

Centro Ashe Herbal And Holistic Health Classes (9:00 am - 10:00 am)
Centro Ashé is excited to offer our six month Grassroots Herbal and Holistic Wellness Program, DC's first community based herbal program - we're dedicated to putting herbal medicine in the hands of the people! This program offers our community a chance to explore folk herbalism, the medicine of the people, and to understand natures ability to support our health, strength, and vitality. The series is an introduction and includes herbal fundamentals, North American and Mid-Atlantic medicinal plants (and others), practical and therapeutic applications of herbs, body system therapeutics, nutritional healing, herbal preparations and medicine making, creating sacred space using herbs, guided meditation, harvesting and wild crafting plants, permaculture and herbal gardening, herbal energetics and more. You will receive expert instruction from the abundance of local, expert knowledge. The series ends with the Mid-Atlantic Women's Herbal Conference. Saturday May 26, 2012 from 9am-5pm Saturday June 23, 2012 from 9am-5pm Saturday July 14, 2012 from 9am-5pm Saturday August 25, 2012 from 9am-5pm Saturday September 29, 2012 from 9am-5pm Saturday October 6, 2012 Mid Atlantic Women’s Herbal Conference This class is a series and must be taken in its entirety. More information at www.centroashe.org

Contact Info : Info@centroashe.org or 301-375-6082 Email : info@centroashe.org Url: http://www.centroashe.org

The One Page Business Plan And One Page Financial Plan Webinar (9:00 am - 10:00 am)

No matter what type of farm or food enterprise you envision, a business plan will serve you well. In this webinar, we will introduce the One-Page Business Plan and the One-Page Financial Plan that goes with it. These tools are designed to get you started on formalizing your thoughts about your enterprise, and are the first step in clearly articulating your business to partners, employees, or lenders.

We’ll take you through the documents, including examples and hints, give you a sense of what your next steps will be after the One-Page documents, and then open the floor to your questions.

Join us for this morning webinar, and take your farm business to the next level.

Register Now 

Url: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/294117442

Free Town Hall Reception For Upper Piedmont Farmers (7:00 pm - 9:00 pm)

Holistic Management International, (HMI) is offering a free town hall reception in May for farmers in the Upper Piedmont that are interested in learning about Holistic Management, whole farm planning system. We had several farmers from Rappahannock county participate in a program with us last year, and we plan on sharing their successes at the reception.

You must register in advance to attend. Registration closes May 24, 2012

Contact Info : The Old Schoolhouse 12018 Lee Highway Sperryville, VA Url: http://holisticmanagement.org/piedmont/