Four Placer County Farmers have received a grant from the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program to put on the third annual Sierra Nevada Small Farm Progress Days event.
The event will feature four workshops this fall, as well as a Farmer Fair in Auburn. During the spring of 2009, the farmers will organize four additional workshops. Flying Mule Farm, Edwards Family Farm, the Natural Trading Company and Twin Peaks Orchards are collaborating on the project.
Dan Macon of Flying Mule Farm in Auburn is the overall coordinator for the project. "These workshops are designed to help small-scale farmers and aspiring growers by demonstrating new equipment and production techniques," Macon says. "We've expanded on last year's event by organizing full-day crop-specific workshops," he adds.
Crop-specific workshops are scheduled for:
-California Sheep Academy – September 12-14, 2008 – Thompson Ranch, Auburn.
-Vegetable and Row Crop Field Day – September 28, 2008 – The Natural Trading Company, Newcastle.
-Forestry Field Day – October 26, 2008 – Edwards Family Farm, Colfax.
-Orchard Field Day – November 8, 2008 – Twin Peaks Orchards, Newcastle.
The Small Farm Progress Day and Farmer Fair event will be held on October 18, 2008, at Thompson Ranch in Auburn. This full-day event will feature a tradeshow, horse-drawn and conventional equipment demonstrations, "farmer show-and-tell," a technical resource fair for farmers and ranchers, and an evening potluck. Lynn Miller, noted horse-farming expert and editor/publisher of the Small Farmer's Journal, will be the keynote speaker.
Macon, who farms and logs with mules, says the workshops will feature the latest in tractor-based technology as well as new horse-drawn equipment. "For many small farmers and timberland owners, low-power horse-drawn and tractor-pulled equipment can be a more viable option than large-scale equipment," he indicates, adding, "Most of us like to see new equipment demonstrated before we buy it."
More is at www.smallfarmprogressdays.org. or by calling Dan Macon 530-305-3270.