Nice announcement- thanks!

Lini Wollenberg
Director

Center for Sustainable Agriculture
106 Highpoint Center, Suite 300
Colchester, Vermont 05446 USA

Tel. +1 (802) 656-9891

Website www.uvm.edu/~susagctr <http://www.uvm.edu/%7Esusagctr>

[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>



Jennifer Colby wrote:
>
> Please pardon the cross listings, and we look forward to seeing you there!
>
> Jenn
>
> *From:* UVM Extension [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *UVM 
> Center for Sustainable Agriculture
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 08, 2009 10:37 AM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:* 2009 VT Grazing & Beef Conference January 16 & 17
>
> ****PRESS RELEASE: Contact: Rebecca Haskell, UVM Center for 
> Sustainable Agriculture
> (802) 656-5459, [log in to unmask] 
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>, www.uvm.edu/pasture 
> <http://www.uvm.edu/pasture> ****
>
> **
>
> * **2009 VT Grazing & Beef Conference January 16 & 17*
>
> The UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Vermont Grass 
> Farmers Association present the 13^th Annual Vermont Grazing 
> Conference, titled */It’s Not What You Do, It’s How You Do It./*/ /The 
> conference/ /will feature grazing behaviorist and NY-NRCS State 
> Grazing Specialist Dr. Darrell Emmick as keynote speaker. The main 
> conference will take place at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, 
> VT on Saturday, January 17, 2009. The schedule includes themed tracks 
> for dairy, beef, small ruminants, animal behavior, poultry & small 
> animals, business, grazing partnerships, technical and on-farm energy 
> options. A full day kids’ conference for children ages 6 to 12 will 
> take place on site. Pre-conference workshops on Friday, January 16 
> will focus on composting and water systems. Walk-in registration 
> registration is accepted on both days, but preregistration is encouraged.
>
> Dr. Emmick has worked for over 25 years promoting grazing-based dairy 
> production systems in the northeast region of the U.S. This work 
> includes the development of practical application guidelines and the 
> provision of on-farm technical assistance. His primary research 
> interest is in the foraging behavior of lactating dairy cows and the 
> influence of supplemental concentrate feeds. In addition to the 
> keynote, he will conduct a two-part workshop focusing on animal behavior.
>
> In an exciting new partnership, the VT Beef Producers’ Association 
> will be sponsoring a beef-themed track as a concurrent conference, and 
> will be holding its annual meeting on site. The beef conference title: 
> */Improving the Quality of Our Beef/*/.// /
>
> The pre-conference workshops Friday January 16 will take place on the 
> VTC campus in Randolph Center, starting about 9 am. The composting 
> intensive will be led by Tom Gilbert of the Highfields Institute. A 
> morning classroom session focuses on principles of composting, site 
> selection, recipe development, pile construction and monitoring. After 
> lunch, these principles will be tested hands on at a new VTC 
> composting site. The watering systems intensive will be led by 
> agricultural consultant Chuck Mitchell, including NRCS and watering 
> system supply staff as resources. Morning classroom instruction will 
> look at types of systems used for multiple livestock situations, 
> system layout, winter-oriented systems and NRCS water system plans. 
> The afternoon includes discussion and evaluation of real systems and 
> equipment.
>
> The main conference Saturday January 17 cuts across ten grazing 
> livestock themes, by species (beef, dairy) and by general topics 
> (business, on-farm energy). Speakers include Dr. An Peischel, 
> University of Tennessee State goat specialist; Dr. Steve Van Wie, 
> veterinarian and biosecurity consultant; engineer and off-the-grid 
> resident Paul Kenyon; UVM Extension specialists including agronomists 
> Sid Bosworth and Heather Darby; agricultural economist Bob Parsons; 
> livestock specialist Sam Comstock; and farm transfer educator Deb 
> Heleba. Over 15 farmers from VT, NH, NY and MA will present workshops 
> about their farm systems.
>
> The conference is co-organized by the UVM Center for Sustainable 
> Agriculture and the Vermont Grass Farmers Association, with major 
> support from the VT Beef Producers’ Association. Online registration 
> is available at the web site. Discounts and raffle prizes will be 
> available for early registrants. Walk-in registrations will also be 
> accepted.
>
> To learn more, contact Jenn Colby, Pasture Outreach Coordinator, at 
> (802) 656-0858, [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>, or visit 
> www.uvm.edu/pasture <http://www.uvm.edu/pasture> for downloadable 
> conference brochure and online registration.
>
> -- 
> UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture
> 106 High Point Center, Suite 300
> Colchester, VT  05446-8800
> 802-656-5459
> www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture <http://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture>