Farm, Garden & Outdoors calendar published Jan. 22, 2022
Jan. 22—Prepare for lambing and kidding season: Jan 26, 6:30 to 8 p.m., online; Kyle Rozeboom, University of Minnesota Department of Animal Science instructor, will provide guidance for small ruminant lamb/kid birthing, beginning rations, and overall lamb and kid health. Extension educator Emma Severns will walk through a "tool kit" of items to have on hand for lambing and kidding birthing. Pre-registration is required at
. If you are unable to attend the live session, you will receive the recording via email.
Strategic Farming: Let's Talk Crops webinar series. This free, live, online program will provide up-to-date, research-based information to help optimize your crop management strategies for 2022. Sessions will be held over Zoom from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesdays through March 30. Sessions will begin with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around farmer/participant questions on the topic. Register at
for the entire program series. Sessions will be recorded and posted for viewing later. The next three sessions are:
Jan. 26: New findings with sulfur fertility; U of Minnesota nutrient management specialists and researchers.
Feb. 2: Strategies for effective weed management in 2022, U of Minnesota weed scientists and researchers.
Feb. 9: Cover crops: Termination timing and planting green; Axel Garcia y Garcia, sustainable cropping systems specialist, and Anna Cates, state soil health specialist.
Regenerative grazing workshop: Feb. 1, 9 a.m. to noon, Vinje Lutheran Church, $10 per person, registration deadline Jan. 28, call 507-523-3366 or e-mail Barb Sogn-Frank at
bsognfrank@landstewardshipproject.org
. Cattle producer Alejandro Carrillo will tell the story of how he has used regenerative grazing to build soil health and bring his ranch back to life in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, about 250 miles south of El Paso, Texas. It consists of 30,000 acres, 25,000 of which are grazable and is operated as a dryland operation with no irrigated meadows, and the terrain consists of valleys with rugged canyons, mesas and mountains, all located within the Sierra Madre Range. No hay is produced on the ranch as cattle are expected to graze year-round. There will also be a panel discussion by Minnesota farmers Jim Van Der Pol of Pastures A Plenty livestock farm near Kerkhoven and crop farmer and grazier Terry Barchenger, who farms near Brooten, along with local County Soil and Water Conservation District specialists. A mask mandate will be in place and event attendees will be required to sign a waiver.
Farm Couple Retreats: Feb. 4-5, St. Cloud; the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is holding a couples retreat to forge stronger partnerships. Couples will explore creative communication skills, personality differences, and learn about resources that can help them reach their goals and manage the stresses of farming and family relationships better. Lodging and meals are included in the free retreat, although a refundable registration deposit is required. Each retreat starts at noon and ends at 1 p.m. the following day. Registration is limited to the first 10 couples who sign up. Participants must follow COVID-19 protocols in place at each venue. Find more information and registration forms at
mn-dairy-initiative.org/events.html
. Additional retreat is Feb. 11-12 in Thief River Falls.
Small grain workshops: University of Minnesota Extension is offering small grain workshops across Minnesota to address successful small grain management focusing on production agronomics, variety selection, and economics, and include an open-forum discussion for related topics and on-farm experiences. Workshops are sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council. Lunch is included at all sites with registration. Registration is free, and is required to assist with meal planning. Please register by visiting
or contact the number listed with each workshop. Workshops in the area include:
Feb. 18, Cold Spring, 9 to 11:30 a.m., Great Blue Heron, contact Nathan Drewitz at 608-515-4414.
Feb. 18, Benson, 1 to 3:30 p.m., McKinney's on Southside, contact Scott Lee at 320-760-6129.
Feb. 23, online, 9 to 10 a.m., virtual zoom workshop
The 35th season of Prairie Yard and Garden premieres Thursday, Jan. 20 on Pioneer Public Television. All the shows will be available for online viewing at
after the original showing.
Prairie Yard and Garden: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, and repeats 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Monday on Pioneer PBS; host Mary visits with Holm Frank Forcella of Morris about why it is important to identify grassy and broadleaf weeds and gives tips to control them.
Prairie Yard and Garden: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, and repeats 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Monday on Pioneer PBS; host Mary Holm will visit with Tim and Linda Johnson of Coon Rapids and enjoy a picturesque setting featuring 13 fountains, statues and 200 hostas.
Gardening for the Health of It: The Olmsted County Extension Master Gardener volunteers spring gardening seminar will be a series of weekly Zoom sessions, with a cost of $15 per session. There will be 10 classes between Feb. 15 and March 24. Topics include alternative gardening ideas. gardening with nature, bees and pollination, shade gardening, photographing gardens, tree and shrub care, beneficial insects, healing power of gardening, heirloom varieties and urban water and soil conservation. Register and pay fee at
extension.umn.edu/event/gardening-health-it-session-1
Gardening from the Ground Up: Feb. 22-25, 1 to 2:30 p.m., online; University of Minnesota Extension educators present the third annual webinar series. The free virtual workshops will cover a wide variety of topics ranging from soil nutrients, plant health and insects — useful for any curious beginner gardener or yard owner. More information and to register available on the West Central Research and Outreach Center website. Recordings of the webinars will be sent out at the conclusion of the series.
The 13th season of Prairie Sportsman premiers Sunday, Jan. 23 on Pioneer Public Television. All the shows will be available for online viewing at
after the original showing.
Prairie Sportsman: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23, and repeats 12:30 p.m. Monday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday on Pioneer PBS; host Bret Amundson visits Milan area conservationists —Roger Strand on his hunting property and Brad and Kristi Fernholz at a remnant prairie on their farm.
Prairie Sportsman: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, and repeats at 12:30 p.m. Monday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; join host Bret Amundson for "In Service and Healing." Ian Ives, an army sergeant who lost an arm in Afghanistan, is presented with a custom-made rod and reel; and at The Raptor Center, an eagle is examined after being hit by a car.
Ice fishing tournament: Feb. 19, noon to 3 p.m., Smith Lake in Douglas County; Alexandria Industries' 15th Annual "Fishing For the Cure" ice fishing tournament; advance tickets are $20 adults through Feb. 18, $30 day of tournament, ages 12 and under $10. Tournament allows fish house shelters and participants can fish anywhere on Smith Lake.
Sibley State Park: A vehicle permit is required to enter the park and is available online. Sibley State Park is west of New London just off U.S. Highway 71. For more information visit the state Department of Natural Resources website at
dnr.state.mn.us
.
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center: Phone number is 320-354-5894, office hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. Trails may be used during daylight hours at no cost. A bathroom with composting toilets is open by the pavilion. Pets should be on a leash. Pre-registration required for all classes. All equipment rentals (fat-tire bikes, cross country skies, snowshoes and kicksleds) will be handled on a reservation basis, made at least 24 hours in advance. To reserve equipment for the weekend, please call by noon on Friday. Two hour equipment rental is $20 for adults, $10 for members and $5 for all youth.
Intro to Cross Country Skiing: Feb. 10, 4 to 5 p.m., grades 2 and older, $10. Learn the basics of cross country skiing. Then hit the trails to practice your new skills. Instruction and equipment provided.