Organic Fruit Research Videos

55 Recordings from the International Organic Fruit Research Symposium are now available

eOrganic conducted live broadcasts from the the 2nd International Organic Fruit Research Symposium in Leavenworth, Washington on June 19 and 21, 2012. Fifty-five recorded presentations from the symposium on a wide range of organic fruit production and research topics are now available for viewing at http://www.extension.org/pages/64359.

These presentations will be of interest to researchers, Extension professionals, growers, consultants, suppliers, and retailers who wish to learn the latest developments in the worldwide organic fruit supply chain.

You can also view the presentations as a single playlist on the eOrganic YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE816E610DF986E58

This project was made possible by David Granatstein of Washington State University and funded by a USDA NIFA OREI conference grant.
Want to find more webinars and broadcasts from eOrganic? See them all at http://www.extension.org/pages/25242.

Buncombe County young farmers win statewide Achievement Award

Greensboro— ­­Buncombe County young farmers Jamie and Amy Ager, of Fairview, were recognized as the winners of North Carolina Farm Bureau’s (NCFB) Achievement Award for 2011.

The Agers accepted the honor during a Dec. 4 ceremony as part of NCFB’s 76^th Annual Meeting at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons.

“With the demands of the nation and world requiring a more innovative approach to agriculture, it is important for young farmers to adapt to the trends and innovations that will allow them to continue producing the safest and most affordable food supply on the planet,” said Larry Wooten, president of NCFB.

The Achievement Award recognizes farmers between 18 and 35 years of age who are involved in NCFB’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program (YF&R) and whose farm practices are judged to be the most outstanding in production efficiency, innovation, improvement and environmental stewardship.

The Agers now move on to the national competition, where they will vie for American Farm Bureau Federation’s Achievement Award, which will be awarded during that organization’s annual meeting Jan. 8-11, 2012, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

You can also view the rest of the finalists' videos on The NC Farm Bureau's YouTube page.

1,661 Pound Pumpkin

For those of you who know me personally you know how much I love North Carolina. But you also know how much I love my great home state of little Rhody, Rhode Island (the smallest state in the union with the longest name. Technically it is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, but why get technical?). But you may not know that Rhode Islanders grow some of the world's biggest pumpkins. Check out this video courtesy of the Providence Journal to see world record pumpkin grower from Scituate, Rhode Island, Joe Jutras's 1,661 pound giant!

Also, if you think I have a strong northern accent this video will prove you wrong!

Local Grower is WLOS Person of the Week

Van Burnette, of Hop'n Blueberry Farm in Black Mountain was the WLOS person of the week last week. Van grows hops, blueberries and medicinal herbs in addition to having a butterfly flight house and milkweed nursery.

Van is also a blogger for his blog Hop'n Blueberry Farm News. In this post he blogs about the experience of being interviewed for this segment.

In addition to be an innovative farmer, Van is a great person and a wonderful friend to the NC Cooperative Extension Service. Way to go, Van!

Check out Van and Buncombe County Small Farms Agent, Melinda Roberts in the Person of the Week Segment below.

Asheville. NC :: Person of the Week - Van Burnette

WNC Tailgate Market Video

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) has created a great commercial for our local tailgate markets that are members of the Mountain Tailgate Market Association (MTMA). The purpose is to introduce our local tailgate markets to new clients. The commercial is visually stunning and features a local grower.

The commercial will run on cable channels (it will not run on Direct TV or Dish) in all counties where there is a market that is a member of the MTMA. The 30 second commercial began running this Wednesday. The commercial will also air in the Spring.

WNC Tailgate Markets are encouraged to embed this commercial to their websites, blogs or Facebook pages.



To view the commercial in YouTube visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYUBiOxwHf0

To learn more about the MTMA or to sign-up your tailgate market to become a member, visit the MTMA website for details.

Henderson County Father and Son Team Featured in Times-News

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate some local growers.

Stepp's Plants, etc. is a great local farm in Henderson County that is run by father and son team Larry Stepp Sr. and Larry Stepp Jr. The pair have a great dynamic and it is a joy to talk and learn with them. The Stepps grow a wide variety of small fruits, asparagus, diverse vegetables, bedding plants and hanging baskets.

Recently, the duo was featured in the Hendersonville Times-News. They even shot a video (below).



To read the entire article, visit "Son Leaves Corporate World to Join Dad in a New Farming Venture".

You can find Stepp's Plants, etc on Facebook.
Visit Stepp's Plants, etc! Stepp's Plants, etc and other local farms will be part of ASAP's Family Farm Tour on June 26 and 27!

Congratulations!

Free Workshop: Sustainable Agriculture with Joel Salatin

Interested in organic gardening or pursuing a career in sustainable agriculture? The Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC) Sustainable Agriculture Program and Burke County Cooperative Extension will host a workshop entitled “Entrepreneur’s Guide to Success in Sustainable Agriculture with Joel Salatin”.

Events will include a panel discussion, farm projects tour, exhibits by area organizations involved in sustainable agriculture and a presentation by Joel Salatin.

Salatin is the owner/operator of Polyface Farms in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. A third generation alternative farmer, Salatin carries his message of environmentally sustainable farming practices to audiences nationwide. Salatin’s farming methods have been profiled in the film Food, Inc. and in the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma by investigative journalist Michael Pollan. Salatin has written several books about farming including You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start and Succeed in a Farming Enterprise.

This free workshop will be held on Monday, November 16 from 1-5 P.M. at the Burke County Cooperative Extension Office in Morganton.

Registration is from noon to 1 P.M. and space is limited, so be sure and arrive early. For more information about this event or if you or your organization would like to have a free exhibitors table, please contact Chip Hope at chope@wpcc.edu or 828 448-3554 or Donna Teasley at donna_teasley@ncsu.edu or 828 439-4460.

This event is being held in conjunction with WPCC’s Fall Speakers Forum. This year, the theme is “Food for Thought: Reinventing Our Food System for a Healthier World”. Speakers on international food issues will appear at Western Piedmont’s Leviton Auditorium from Monday, November 16 through Thursday, November 19. Joel Salatin, author and food activist Anna Lappé and Joel Bourne of National Geographic will speak at 7:15 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings respectively. Chip Hope, Coordinator of WPCC’s Sustainable Agriculture Program, will speak on Wednesday, November 18 at noon. For more information about the forum, contact Mary Charlotte Safford at msafford@wpcc.edu or 448-3539.

**All events are free and open to the public. Sign Language Interpreters will be at each event. Western Piedmont complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make every effort to honor reasonable requests made by individuals with qualifying disabilities. Accommodations must be requested three (3) business days in advance of school events or activities through the Disability Access Office in room 103 Hildebrand Hall or call 828.448.3153.**

WNC Growers Testify: The Future of Specialty Crops For Small Family Farmers

I am extremely proud to share the following post with you.

Three WNC growers testified before Congress on July 30 about the 2008 Farm Bill regarding the Specialty Crops Program. Each grower expressed the need to protect small, family farms. They voiced their opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the current Farm Bill, as well as other government programs. The growers, which represent vegetable and fruit growers in WNC, discussed food safety, crop insurance, the importance of research and the challenges of being a small farmer. Each grower represented WNC and small farms very well!

Read the Hendersonville Times-News article: Area Farmer Headed to Congress.

I have posted each growers' testimony below (Thanks to YouTube) for you to view.







I would like to thank each of these gentlemen for their eloquent words and for representing the farmers of WNC. I would also like to thank Congressman Heath Shuler, who represents the 11th District of NC and acts as the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade.

This is a very important topic for growers in WNC and it is exciting to see our fellow growers voicing their opinions in Washington!

Pesticide Furadan on 60 Minutes

The video above is a preview of a fascinating segment that 60 Minutes just had the on their program about lions in Africa and a well-known pesticide. Many farmers remember the restricted use insecticide/nematicide/miticide, Furadan (FMC Corporation). Furadan has a 24(c) registration label.

Apparently, Kenyans are using it to poison and terminate lions that kill their cattle. After a member of their herd is killed, Furadan is sprinkled on the carcass so that every other lion, or any animal, that feeds on that meat becomes poisoned and dies.

Kenyans can purchase a container of Furadan for only $2.

The read/learn more about this story visit Poison Takes Toll on Africa's Lions.