Retail Farm Market School

What:  Missouri Retail Farm Market School Course

The Missouri Retail Farm Market School is a comprehensive program that educates participants about utilizing produce science knowledge to prolong the marketability of fresh produce.  The program utilizes hands-on exercises, videos and lecture to address the use of produce science, sanitation, crisping, customer service and merchandising to prolong the life of fresh produce.

When:  Thursday, March 24^th, 10AM-2PM

Where: University of Missouri Extension Office, 105 East 5th Street. Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64106

Park within the City Market or in public parking lots located next to the Steamboat Arabia Museum. 

Registration Cost:  $20

Includes all Retail Farm Market course materials and lunch.

To register: email webercd@missouri.edu or call 816-407-3490.  If you need special accommodations because of a disability, or if you need materials in an alternative format, please inform me immediately.  I may be contacted at (816) 407-3490.

Farmers' Market and Local Food Promotion Program Grant Writing Workshop

University of Missouri-Extension is partnering with the USDA AMSTA this year to offer a one day training about the LFPP (Local Food Promotion) and FMPP (Farmers Market Promotion) grant opportunities. This training is designed to provide technical assistance to interested groups that are looking to apply for the newly released USDA Local Food Promotion Grants and the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Grants.  During the training, we will discuss how to increase the quality of applications, increase awareness of the program and to support those who successfully apply. You can find more information about the program here: http://www.amsta.net/

We’re asking that prior to attending the training that you have applied for your SAM and DUNS number which you can do so by clicking here: https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1

And

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

Missouri will be hosting one training in the St. Louis area at:

Tuesday, March 29^th

MU Extension Center in Warren County

107 W. Walton

Warrenton, MO 63383

10 am to 2 pm

RSVP’s must be made in advance. To RSVP or if you have any questions regarding the trainings themselves please email fahrmeierl@missouri.edu or call (660) 259-2230. 

MU Extension hosts acidified foods workshop, March 28-29 in Kansas City

University of Missouri Extension will host a workshop for processors of acidified foods such as salsa and pickles, March 28-29 in Kansas City.

The two-day workshop meets FDA training requirements for those wanting to sell acidified, shelf-stable canned foods, said Londa Nwadike, MU Extension consumer food safety state specialist. Out-of-state participants are welcome, she said.

Teaching the workshop will be Andrew Clarke, associate professor of food science at MU; William McGlynn, horticulture products processing specialist at Oklahoma State; and Steve Seideman, extension food processing specialist at the University of Arkansas.

Topics will include FDA regulations, principles of thermal processing, food plant sanitation and microbiology. Upon successful completion of the workshop, participants will receive a certificate that can be used to verify training for FDA or Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services records.

The workshop will be held at Kansas City office of MU Extension in Jackson County, 105 E. Fifth St., across the street from the City Market.

Registration is $450 for the first person from a company and $350 for each additional participant from the same company. The fee covers educational materials, exams, a food safety textbook, refreshments and a laboratory analysis of pH and water activity for one product per participant.

To register, send contact information (name, company, address, phone number and email address) to NwadikeL@missouri.edu. Checks should be payable to the University of Missouri and mailed to Celeste Tilley, MU Extension in Jackson County, 105 E. 5th St., Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64106.

For more information, contact Nwadike at 816-482-5854. Registration deadline is March 14.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is offering a limited number of $225 scholarships to AgriMissouri members. Additional information and a scholarship application are available at http://foodscience.missouri.edu/afw/.

The workshop was designed as a Better Process Control School to meet FDA regulations on acidified foods (21 CFR Part 114).

High Tunnel Workshop for Intermediate and Advanced Growers

20th Annual Greenhouse Growers' School

The Missouri State Florists Association and University of Missouri Extension announce the 20^th Annual Greenhouse Growers’ School (Presented jointly with MLNA ‘Nuts and Bolts’ Event) on Thursday, February 18^th.  The event will be held at the Bradford Research and Extension Center, 4968 Rangeline Road, Columbia, MO.  (From U.S. 63 travel east on Rt. WW to Rangeline and turn right)

Agenda

8:30 - Registration/Coffee and donuts

9:00 - What’s new in the world of ornamental plants?, Kerry Meyer, Proven Winners

10:15 - Break

10:30 - ‘Grow Native!’ – Panel discussion on diverse topics & programs of ‘Grow Native!’

12:00 - Lunch (furnished) - Various program updates will be presented during lunch.

Concurrent sessions in the afternoon—your choice of topics.

                                                           

 Room A (Greenhouse programming)

1:00 - Specialty Cut Flower Production, Karen Davis, LU Extension, Urban Buds

2:00 - Growing My Way, John Graham, Callaway Fields                                                        

3:00 - Break

3:15 - Hydroponics 101, David Trinklein, MU Plant Sciences

                                   

Room B (Nursery/Landscape programming)

1:00 - What’s wrong with my container trees? Tim McDonnell, Kansas Forest Service

2:00 - After the storm, drought, etc.—ideas to restore trees. Tim McDonnell, Mike Rood, Dr. Sven Svenson
3:00 - Break

4: 00 - Pests to beware and prepare (for) Sarah Phipps, Forest Pest Program Dir., MO-AG

4:15     Closing discussion—door prizes                           

Registration is $30 per person (includes lunch and break items) payable on the 18^th.  Advanced registration is

not necessary.

For additional information contact: David Trinklein, State Floriculture Extension Specialist, 573/882-9631 or trinkleind@missouri.edu

Safety for You and Your Livestock

With winter approaching, we have more opportunities to work with our livestock in a more confined setting.  Handling livestock can sometimes be stressful for both people and the animals.  A lot depends on our attitude, methods, and our understanding of how an animal behaves.  Trying to load a balky horse into a trailer, gathering or herding animals in a pasture, or trying to pen or catch animals for treatment can all be stressful situations and even unsafe at times for all involved.

Safety becomes an important issue when handling livestock.  Livestock safety applies to both the animal and the animal handler.  It involves much more than simply “being careful” around livestock.  In fact, many livestock accidents are not directly related to the animals themselves but are caused by improper use of equipment and poorly-maintained or poorly-built facilities.

People tend to give animals human qualities and forget that animals quickly revert to primal reflex reactions when they are threatened or under stress.  Animals will fiercely defend their food, shelter, territory, and young.  This is especially important to remember during late winter and early spring when livestock may be giving birth.  When frightened or in pain, animals may react in ways that threaten their and our health and safety.  While livestock fatalities are not nearly as frequent as deaths involving tractors or machinery, animals are involved in more total accidents and with more work related accidents.  Typical animal-caused injuries to the handler range from cuts and sprains from falls, to broken bones and whole body injuries from being kicked, pushed, shoved, or run over by an animal.

Livestock handlers must be fully aware of the different ways livestock and humans react to certain situations.  Handlers must remain in control of potentially dangerous situations and avoid actions which make them vulnerable to injury.  The more predictable our actions, the less likely we are to injure livestock or be injured.  The better we understand livestock, the less risk of the animals harming us or themselves.

Observing animals to determine their temperament can alert the handler to possible danger.  These signs include raised or pinned ears, raised tail or hair on the back, bared teeth, pawing the ground, and snorting.  Male animals are always dangerous.  Males of some breeds are more aggressive than others, but protective females, especially new mothers, can be just as dangerous.  Often injuries occur from animals that do not openly exhibit aggression or fear.  This reaction may be triggered by excitement caused, for example, by a person walking nearby.  Typical injuries from this type of situation are usually a result of being kicked, bitten, stepped on, or squeezed between the animal and a solid structure as the animal tries to flee.

Treat livestock with respect.  Always know where you are and where the animal is in relation to you when you are working with livestock.  Never overlook warning signs exhibited by animals being handled.

An ounce of patience when handling livestock will be worth a pound of good working relationship when farm animals are concerned.  Take time to understand how animals respond to various situations.  This understanding should reduce the potential for accidents.

(By Steve Tonn, Nebraska Extension Educator - Livestock; Source: Introduction to Livestock Safety, Auburn University)

Beekeeping Workshop across Missouri

This is the time to look for beginning beekeeping classes across the state.  Here are a few that are upcoming.  If you don't see a location near you, go to the bottom of this post to find one in your area.

Willow Springs

Beginning Beekeeping

This beekeeping class provides resources to local beekeepers and design networking opportunities for you to learn and grow from experienced beekeepers.  Learn about equipment, sources of bees and how and when to start your own hives.

Class will be held at Jan, 25, 27 & 28 from 6-8 pm each night at the Ferguson Builing, 127 E Main, St, Willow Springs, MO.

Registration is $65 per person and includes reference materials.  To register call 417-256-2391.

Versailles

Keeping Honeybees beyond the First Year

This all day workshop will be taught by Jim and Valerie Duever.  Learn how to manage and maintain productive honeybee colonies beyond the first year.  Also learn about marketing products of the hive.

The class will be held Feb 27^th at the Hunter Civic Center, 201 W Jasper St, Versailles, MO. From 9 am to 5 pm.

Class is limited to the first 50 paid registrants.  Cost is $30 for individual or $50 for a couple.  Contact the Morgan County Extension Center at 573-378-5358.  Registration deadline is Feb 19^th.  You can also register online here.

Hillsboro

Beginning Beekeeping Workshop

The Jefferson County Beekeeper Association is offering a Beginning Beekeeping Workshop on Saturday, February 13 from 8 am to 4:30 pm. The workshop will be held at the Jefferson County Extension Office at 301 Third St, Hillsboro, MO.

The workshop will include information on characteristics of a good colony, apiary location, equipment, honey plants, disease prevention, mite control and protection from insecticides. The workshop will be taught with local beekeepers with over 100 years of experience.

Price of the workshop is $50 per person, $25 for each additional person from the same family. Lunch is on your own.

To register, call 636-797-5391. Space is limited to 25 people, so register soon.

Oscelola

Beginning Beekeeping Workshop

The St. Clair County MU Extension Center is offering an all-day beginning beekeeping workshop on Saturday, February 20th. The workshop will be taught by Pomme De Terre Beekeepers. The topics of the class may include:

• hive components, construction and accessories
• Setting up the hive
• Putting bees in the colony and management of the colony
• Races of bees, their attributes and were to get them
• Starting with nucleus hive or package of bees
• Disease and pest of bees, identifying the queen, workers and drones, their function in the hive
• Honey harvesting, equipment needed, when to harvest, how to package honey, what needs to be on the label, comb or extracted honey, how to market the honey
• Fall and winter management to bring the hive to the second year

There will be a starter hive and bees raffled off during the workshop.

The workshop will be held at the First Baptist Church at 505 Walnut Street, Osceola, Mo. and will begin with registration at 8:30 a. m. and end around 4:00 p. m.

Food and refreshments will be provided. Cost of the event is $20.00 and payment along with registration needs to be done by February 17th to the St. Clair County MU Extension Center. For questions, more information or to register, contact the St. Clair County MU Extension Center (St. Clair County Courthouse, P. O. Box 523, Osceola, Mo. 64776) at 417 – 646 – 2419 or by email at stclairco@missouri.edu. If the workshop has to be canceled due to inclement weather it will be made up on February 27th same time and place.

Kansas City

Beginning Beekeeping Workshop

Saturday, March 12, at Lakewood Oaks Golf Club, Lee's Summit, MO 64064

21^st Annual all-day class presented by the Midwestern Beekeeper’s Association. The complete course offers professional classes, a handbook, association membership, refreshments/lunch, a monthly newsletter, prizes, and beekeeping supply vendors on site.  $65 Pre-registration.

Visit: www.midwesternbeekeepers.org or call: 

Cathy (660) 656-3485 cathymisko@earthlink.net / Ezekiel (816) 616-7619 zekeamador@aol.com

To find out if there is a beekeeping class in your area of the state go to the Missouri State Beekeepers Association calendar of events or the local associations page for a club in your area.