Ag Happenings Around Homer
Happy World Soil Day December 5th! A perfect day to get in on the first two events blow:
Thursday, December 5th: Understanding the Soil Test Report- Nutrient Management, 11:30 am-12:30 pm AND 5:15-6:15 pm. This is part of the KNOW YOUR LAND December Talks. Join Homer Soil & Water and the Homer staff from UDSA-NRCS at the Homer Public Library conference room to learn about your soil test analysis and what all those numbers mean. We'll look at typical or excessive levels for Alaskan soils. At what level should you be concerned if your goal is to protect the environment while helping your plants productivity? This will be a 20 minute presentation followed by plenty of Q&A.
Thursday, December 5: New! South Kenai Peninsula Farm Bureau Meeting, 6:30 pm, Kachemak City Community Building, 59906 Bear Creek Dr.
At the Alaska Farm Bureau's Annual Meeting held in November, it was decided the Kenai Peninsula Farm Bureau would split to North Kenai Peninsula FB and South KPFB. (FYI the split is Ninilchik goes South and Seward goes to North). No more traveling up the road!! Bring your favorite dish. Everyone interested in farming or supporting farming is welcome to attend. New officers will be elected and by-laws adopted. This is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor and support your farming community. 6:30pm potluck, meeting starts at 7:00pm
Questions?
Rita Jo 235-8116 or Beth 299-0301
December 6-8: The Thriving Farmers Virtual Summit. Grab Your FREE ticket now and learn about the speakers by following this link. This event has 30 speakers such as Joel Salatin, Curtis Stone, Charlotte Smith many more sharing what it takes to thrive today as a farmer. The presenters are sharing detailed, cutting edge techniques, tricks and tips on building your business, selling more with innovative marketing, and innovative crops they are growing and profiting from. Over 3,000 participants have already signed up.
Thursday, December 12: Organic V.s. Conventional Fertilizers, 11:30 am-12:30 pm AND 5:15-6:15 pm, in the Homer Public Library conference room. This is part of the KNOW YOUR LAND December Talks. By request of local growers, staff from Homer Soil & Water and the Homer office of UDSA-NRCS will discuss differences between organic and conventional fertilizers. How can each impact plant uptake and nutrient utilization? This will be a 20 minute presentation followed by plenty of Q&A.
Sunday, December 15: Homer Garden Club meets, 2:00 pm, Aspen Suites Hotel.
Other Cool Things to Know About
Homer Soil & Water's Food Systems Studies are OUT!
Our team interviewed 39 producers on the southern Kenai Peninsula who raise food for sale and 38 local commercial buyers who purchase large quantities- our local restaurants, grocery stores, the hospital and the senior center. The reports we produced offer a detailed snapshot-in-time of local, for-sale production and also perspectives on buying local foods. A great way to better understand Ag in our area and opportunities/challenges in getting to out to the people. The studies are available to read on Homer Soil & Water's home page www.homerswcd.org.
Another way to participate in World Soil Day is to watch the FREE documentary Living Soil, from the Soil Health Institute. A 60-minute documentary that captures the history – and significance – of the soil health movement. Watch the film and/or trailer at https://livingsoilfilm.com/
You can also view Living Soil Lesson Plans for high school and college students at:
https://livingsoilfilm.com/lesson-plans/
Here's an easy way to share the trailer via Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KenaiSWCD/
More information on FAO's World Soil Day: Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future campaign can be found on the FAO webpage.
About Local Waters and Fish- Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR) has several upcoming talks:
Lunch Lecture: Friday, December 6th 12 pm - 1 pm @ KPC - Kachemak Bay Campus - Pioneer Hall, Room 202
Sea Otter and Clam Population Dynamics in Kachemak Bay
Coastal habitats of the northern Gulf of Alaska have changed over time due to both environmental and biological changes. Bring your lunch and listen to NOAA Kasitsna Bay Lab Ecologist, Ben Weitzman, present on one of those biological drivers, sea otters! Listen to what has been conducted in multiple projects and programs, learn about recent trends in populations of sea otters and hardshell clams across the northern Gulf of Alaska, and more specifically in Kachemak Bay. This is free and open to the public.
Evening Lecture: Thursday, December 17th 5:30 pm @ Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center
Alaska Salmon Fellowship Update
Join us to discover to the various projects Donna Aderhold, Catie Bursch and Marcus Mueller took on as part of the Alaskan Salmon Fellowship. This is event is free and open to the public.
COMING SOON - Alaska Farm Bureau ONLINE BUYERS GUIDE
The Alaska Farm Bureau is working with Strategic Value Media to build an on-line buyer's guide. The buyer's guide will be a great resource available on-line at no cost and will contain information on where to obtain a variety of products and services related to farming. As an example of what to expect, check out Oregon Farm Bureau's buyers guide here
Are you planning on breaking new ground? Don't forget our local agency resources prior to shoveling in for land clearing or drainage type projects. Feel free to call the Homer branch of the USDA -NRCS to help you determine whether the area has highly erodible land (HEL) or wetlands. You could be eligible for technical or financial assistance programs! Call NRCS at (907) 235-8177 ext 3, or visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ak/home/
Did you know that Senator Lisa Murkowski has proposed Micro-Grants for Food Security Program as part of the 2018 Farm Bill.
The purpose of the program is to create grants for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the insular area Pacific islands to “increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations in food insecure communities in areas of the United States that have significant levels of food insecurity and import a significant quantity of food”. Individuals and a variety of organizations will be eligible to apply. Negotiations are ongoing in the U.S. Legislature about whether this program will receive $10 million or $2 million. Stay tunes for updates or contact Homer Soil & Water for more info.
Ag Matters Radio is a half-hour long program on Radio Free Palmer/Big Cabbage Radio, hosted by Amy Pettit of the Alaska Farmland Trust. It showcases farmers from around the state and others making products with AK grown or wild things. Check it out here.
From the Alaska Farm Service Agency:
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has implemented pre-authorized debit (PAD) for Farm Loan Program (FLP) borrowers. PAD is a voluntary and alternative method for making weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments on loans. PAD may be useful for borrowers who use non-farm income from regular wages or salary to make payments on loans or adjustment offers or for payments from seasonal produce stands. PAD can only be established for future payments. For more information about PAD, contact your local FSA office. To find a local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov
Want to become Certified Naturally Grown? It's easier and more affordable than USDA Certified Organic and lets your customers know you grow your food using natural techniques. CNG also has included a Community Observer option in their CNG inspections. See an article on their Barn2Door program here.
If you're interested in learning about what the U.S. Ag Statistics from the 2017 census show about how new and beginning farms around the country compare to established farms, you can check out the article on Civil Eats here.
UP The Road and Beyond
The NORTH Kenai Peninsula Chapter of the Farm Bureau will also be meeting on December 5th at at 6:30 pm at the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Building on K-Beach Road. Borough planner Bruce Wall will be presenting about the 2019 KPB Comprehensive Plan, especially as it relates to agriculture.
Friday, December 13: Farm & Food Friday, 8:30 – 9:30 am at Odie’s Deli in Soldotna. Farm & Food Friday is the informal monthly meet-up for Central Peninsula folks interested in local food or farming. This month's topic is technology on the farm: what apps, programs and web platforms work for you? The next Farm & Food Friday will be Dec. 13 instead of the usual third Friday of the month. Sponsored by Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District and Kenai Local Food Connection. Contact Heidi at kenaiswcd@gmail.com for more information.
Looking to start a seaweed farm in Alaska? Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) and partners, including Alaska Sea Grant, are excited to announce a new training program for people interested in starting a seaweed farm. The program will be held in Kodiak, Ketchikan and Sitka in February 2020.
Applications are due by December 20, 2019.
SAVE THE DATE: February, 20-22, 2020: 15th Annual Alaska Sustainable Agriculture Conference. Cosponsored by Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) and the UAF Cooperative Extension Service. The conference will be held at the BP Energy Center, located at 900 E. Benson Blvd, Anchorage, AK.
|
