Friday, June 28, 2013

Outstanding Young Farmer Applications Due August 1st



Hopefully you have recently received some information about the National Outstanding Young Farmers Awards Program from your State President.  We all work with outstanding producers that need and deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments!

At this link you will find another copy of the entry form for this award, as well as a here for a copy of the rules.  The entry form must be submitted electronically by August 1, 2013.   

Please keep in mind that there are several eligibility guidelines that must be met by your nominated farmer.  Some of which include being between the ages of 21 and 40 and not becoming 41 prior to January 1, 2014, and deriving a minimum of 2/3 of their income from farming.

There were only 13 nominations across the county last year for this award.  NACAA is one of the National sponsors, so finding good candidates for this award will be beneficial to everyone!

Feel free to call or email with any questions you may have.
Thank you,

Wes Smith
706-647-8989
swsmith@uga.edu

Friday, June 14, 2013

2013 Galaxy IV "Same Stuff Different Day" Webinar Presented by NACAA


Wednesday, June 26, 2013
11 AM – 12 PM Eastern Time

Have you ever wondered what really went on at an Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference or this year at the Galaxy IV Conference? Have you ever wondered exactly what do I get for attending these conferences? If you answered yes to either question or just want to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your trip, then this webinar is for you! Information will be shared about the Galaxy IV Conference, the registration process, and tips and tricks from seasoned attendees to help you get the most out of the conference.

The Pennsylvania Association of County Agricultural Agents and the NACAA Early Career Development Committee would like to extend an invitation and encourage you to attend the 2013 Galaxy IV Conference in Pittsburgh, PA this September. We are very excited about this year’s event and confident that the program offers opportunities for program sharing, motivational speakers, and meeting agents from across the U.S. Plus, the registration fee for any first timer with less than 10 years of experience is FREE!

The first step you need to take is getting registered. For someone new to AM/PIC or Galaxy, this can be somewhat of a daunting task. There is a very comprehensive schedule to navigate through and numerous decisions that need to be made on what to attend. Well, we’re here to help. The NACAA Early Career Development Committee is offering a free webinar that will hopefully make your decision to attend the Galaxy IV Conference and the registration process much easier.

An hour-long webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 11:00 am Eastern Time. We plan to highlight the benefits of attending the Galaxy IV Conference, what events and activities first timers and others can and should attend throughout the week, and, finally, we’ll take you through the steps of the registration process. This will be a live webinar, so if you have any questions, the presenters will be glad to help you out.

Login instructions for Participants
At least 15 minutes before start time:
1) Plug-in your headset/microphone or desktop speakers
2) Select the following link to gain direct access to this training session:
Depending on your web browser settings, the next screen you receive may vary slightly.
a) If you receive a message "Pop-up blocked": click the message, select "Always Allow" Pop-ups from this site, and re-select the login link provided above.
b) If you receive a screen with the Room ID "ampic": click below this box, type your first_lastname, and select Enter. This will take you directly into the room for this session.
c) If you only receive a screen with Participant and Presenter login buttons: select "Participant Login", enter your first_lastname and select Enter
d) If prompted, run the Wimba Setup Wizard by selecting "Run Wizard".

Technical Support:
Please contact your university or institutional Tech Support office if you have any difficulties with the Wizard or accessing the Wimba room.

On the day of the webinar (June 26, 2013) you can enter the room 20 minutes before the scheduled start time of 11:00 AM Eastern Time. For questions beforehand, please contact Laura Griffeth at 229-828-2325 or lgriffet@uga.edu.

Also watch the e-County Agent and the NACAA website. Those sources will have an electronic link to the hosting site as well as the instructions for Wimba.

Monday, June 3, 2013

2013 Horticulture Post Tour

A note from NACAA Horticulture National Chair - Stacey Bealmear
 
As we get closer to this years AM/PIC, I'd like to remind you about the 2013 horticulture tour. It will be held as a post tour this year (September 20th and 21st 2013) due to Galaxy. Our Pennsylvania hosts have put together an OUTSTANDING tour that includes horticulture, local foods, turf and more. If you are interested in attending, please see the information below.

September 20th-
Stop 1) Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park. This course is Audubon certified to enhance wildlife habitat, reduce pesticide use and other possible harmful impacts.
Stop 2) Master Gardener demonstration garden followed by lunch with the Master Gardeners.
Stop 3) Harvest Valley Farms, a fourth generation family farm that provides produce through CSAs, farm markets, and roadside stands.
Stop 4) Quality Gardens of Valencia. This nursery/garden center offers landscaping services, educational seminars and a farmers market.

September 21st-
Stop 1) Janoski's Farm and Greenhouse is a 200 acre farm that grows vegetables and fruits for sale year round in their farmers market. They offer sessionally available produce along with freshly baked goods made on site. They also have a greenhouse where they grow a variety of plants from Easter flowers, spring bedding plants, fall mums and Christmas flowers.
Stop 2) Gardens of Ogelby Resort and Conference Center for lunch and a garden tour. The gardens are a re-creation of many that existed in Oglebay in the early 1900s. Visitors are enticed to wander on red brick paths through the ever-changing flower displays, hanging baskets and majestic trees. These lovely sites are made even more memorable by the addition of soft landscape lighting and water displays. 
 
Sponsorship for the tour has been attained from EcoScraps thanks to Jim Hruskoci, a former NACAA member and extension educator. With the sponsorship we hope to pay for most of the tour expenses (hotel, food, and tour transportation) for NACAA members. Non-members are welcome if room permits but their costs will not be covered.
The application will be excepted until August 1, 2013 or earlier if the tour fills up. For more information about registration please see page 7 of December issue of The County Agent. http://www.nacaa.com/countyagent/2012-12.pdf

For more information on the tour stops please see the following links.
      Harvest Valley Farms- http://harvestvalleyfarms.com/
      Quality Gardens of Valencia- www.quality-gardens.com)
Janoski's Farm and Greenhouse- http://www.janoskis.com/
Gardens of Ogelby Resort and Conference Center- http://www.oglebay-resort.com/gardens.htm

For more information on EcoScraps- http://ecoscraps.com/

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know!

Stacey Bealmear
Urban Horticulture Agent
Yuma County Cooperative Extension
928-726-3904