Due to COVID-19, many events were cancelled and not reported here in past events. We apologize for the missing information for the month of March.
February 26, 2020 - St. Joseph, LA - Soil Health Workshop & Cover Crop Field Day - Interested in best management practices? Join us for field tours on current research and enjoy guest speakers and presentation on soil health and economics of BMPs. An open farmer forum will conclude the event! Lunch will be provided on site. The event will take place Febrary 26 from 8:30AM-4PM at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station, located at 4589 Hwy 605 in St. Joseph, LA.
February 22, 2020 - Violet, LA - Citrus Symposium - Save the date! Docville Farm, 5124 E St. Bernard Hwy, Violet, LA.
February 20-21, 2020 - Hammond, LA - PSA Grower Training + Optional GAPs Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop - Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety should attend this food safety training. Fee: $20 includes the PSA Growers Training Manual, the PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion, USB drive with educational materials, and light refreshments and lunch on both days. This training is heavily subsidized by the LDAF’s support through FDA Grant PAR-16-137 and the USDA-LDAF Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Register at https://store.lsuagcenter.com/p-394-produce-safety-alliance-growers-training-optional-gaps-workshop-hammond-2020.aspx. Questions? Contact– Achyut Adhikari: ACAdhikari@agcenter.lsu.edu, 225-578-2529.
*You must attend both days in February to receive PSA Certificate*
February 16, 2020 - New Orleans, LA - LA CRAFT Field Day - C.R.A.F.T. (or Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) is a national model of grassroots farm-to-farm training and networking, organized and hosted by local farms for farmers and farm employees/interns/apprentices. The effort to build a CRAFT network in Louisiana is a collaborative effort between the LSU AgCenter, Sprout Nola and the GREAT farmers of Louisiana! For the first field day of 2020, we will be at Compostella Farm learning their pre-emergent weeding tactics, the tools and strategies used to eliminate weeds before a crop goes in. The event will be held Sunday, February 16 from 2-5PM at Compostella Farm, located at 13021 John Wimmer Rd in Picayune, MS. Compostella is part of the Louisiana farming and market community but is located in Mississippi. The event will be followed by a farmer social where there will be food and drinks. Please come with ideas on future topics and we’re also looking for farmer hosts for future CRAFT events. To RSVP for this event, please visit: bit.ly/CRAFTLA For additional information about this CRAFT event, please email: compostellafarm@gmail.com.
February 11, 2020 - Jackson, MS - Mississippi Farm to Cafeteria Conference - The Mississippi Farm to School Network will host keynote speaker Wande Okunoren-Meadows at the JSU E-Center in Jackson, MS February 11 from 8AM-5PM. This event will focus on Early Care Education and K-12 and is open to Teachers, Students, Farmers, Community Advocates, Food Service Directors, School Administrators and all other stakeholers in the farm to school food system. Register now at https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=HXC2VH.
February 9, 2020 - New Orleans, LA - Permaculture Action Day - Join us to welcome in the new decade by taking direct action to build community resilience, showing up in solidarity with an incredible local project! Come for Yoga, Hands-on Projects, Workshops, Food, Music, Massage and Community at Gloria’s Garden in New Orleans! Themes include rainwater harvesting, flood mitigation, food access, food justice, cooking skills and plant knowledge.This is a free, family-friendly, day of action to build and plant new community spaces and infrastructure at Gloria’s Garden in the historic Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Moon Hooch will be sounding the call to action at their New Orleans show on 2/8/2020 at One Eyed Jacks. Please feel free to bring tools, work gloves, and potluck items to share, but do not feel obligated! Bringing a water bottle and reusable dishware is encouraged. The event will be held Sunday, February 9 from 10AM-6PM at Gloria's Garden, located at 900 N Claiborne Ave, New Orleans, LA. MORE INFO at www.PermacultureAction.org
January 23, 2020 - Alexandria, LA - LSU AgCenter Digital Agriculture Conference- "Practical Applications of Precision Ag" - Conference will be held from 9AM-3PM at the Dean Lee Research & Extension Center in Alexandria. Conference will include Speakers, Farmer Panel, and Vendor Fair. Register at https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/research_stations/deanlee/features/events. If you have any further questions, please contact Dr. Tara Smith at tsmith@agcenter.lsu.edu or 318-427-2661.
January 23, 2020 - Hattiesburg, MS - Join the Gulf South Blueberry Growers Association for the annual Blueberry Education Workshop to include: industry updates, disease and health of blueberries, new plant variety updates, marketing roundtable, panel discussion with growers, followed by lunch and an afternoon special feature on how to make wine with blueberries, grapes, and pears, and the laws of Mississippi winemaking and sales. The event is open to new and experienced blueberry growers. Cost is $35 at the door and includes lunch and membership renewal. Click here to register.
January 22-25, 2020 - Little Rock, AR - Southern SAWG Conference - The Southern SAWG Annual Conference is well-known as the must-attend event for those serious about sustainable and organic farming and creating more vibrant community food systems! This popular event attracts farmers and local food advocates from across the nation each year. We offer outstanding “field-tested” presenters, a full slate of hot-topic conference sessions and pre-conference courses, several field trips, a poster display and a trade show. Topics to be covered throughout the conference include organic vegetable farming, poultry production, cover crops, climate resiliency, cut flowers, equitable food systems, best farm business practices, market farming, hemp production, small ruminants, pest management, and many more. Early Bird Registration closes and prices increase December 21! https://ssawg.org/january-2020-conference
January 10, 2020 - Online/Alexandria, LA - FRESH CENTRAL 2020 Farmer Training Program - LEARN: Farm business operations, crop planning, profitability, farm-business marketing, niche production, and much more. EXPERIENCE: On-farm field days, workshops led by nationally renowned farmers and local experts. JOIN: A group of like-minded entry-level farmers from across central Louisiana MEET: Statewide networks of farmers with diverse experience and build links to national, statewide, and regional farmer support organizations that will help you build a sustainable farm business. Applications accepted NOW – January 10, 2020. A small class size means space is extremely limited! Find more information at https://cenla.org/freshcentral/ftp.
January 8, 2020 - Hammond, LA - LSHS Annual Conference & Membership Meeting - The Louisiana State Horticulture Society (LSHS) hosts a local plant conference each year. This year the conference will be held Wedneday, January 8 from 8:30AM to 2:30PM at the Hammond Research Station. This meeting will have fantastic speakers, a plant auction, and lunch, and is open to both members and non-members of LSHS. Annual membership is $35 if you would like to join, but the event costs only $10 to cover lunch for non-members. See the agenda below and contact Dr. Kiki Fontenot at kkfontenot@agcenter.lsu.edu if you have any questions.
December 18, 2019 - Baton Rouge, LA - LFVGA Field Day - Louisiana Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the LSU AgCenter will host a field day December 18 at the Horticulture Hill Farm Teaching Facility on the LSU campus. The field day will include multiple stations to visit around the site including blueberry and blackberry orchards, hydroponic growing, organic vegetable and herb gardening, farm to school, MarketMaker, and food safety programs. RSVP for a lunch headcount by contacting msexton@agcenter.lsu.edu. https://www.facebook.com/events/500170617234669/
December 6, 2019 - Alexandria, LA - Louisiana Forage & Grassland Council Annual Meeting - The annual meeting of the Louisiana Forage and Grassland Council will be held on Friday, December 6 at the DeWitt Livestock Facility, located on the south end of the campus at LSU-A in Alexandria. The meeting will begin with registration at 8:15 a.m. and presentations will begin at 9:00 a.m. Topics on the program should be of interest to livestock and forage producers and will include the production of industrial hemp, poisonous plants in pastures, sustainable beef production and grower experiences with Sunn Hemp. The meeting will conclude with a lunch at 1:00 p.m. The registration fee is $10, which includes lunch. For more information, contact Ed Twidwell at 225-281-9448 or etwidwell@agcenter.lsu.edu
November 26, 2019 - Baton Rouge, LA - Annual Fall Garden Workshop - Don't miss the annual Fall Garden Workshop! The event will be held from 8:30-2 in the MA Edmond Livestock Arena, 14600 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70807. This workshop will cover topics like Canning & Preserving, Eating from your garden, Cottage Food Laws & Regulations, Vegetable Grafting and Hydroponics. Register online at https://www.suagcenter.com/form/2019-fall-garden-workshop. For questions or more information, contact Zanetta Augustine at zanetta_augustine@suagcenter.com or 225-771-2591.
November 21, 2019 - Alexandria, LA - Practical Farm Certifications Workshop - THIS WORKSHOP WAS POSTPONED RESCHEDULED TO APRIL 9, 2020! Learn about the different produce safety certifications and labels for farm products, such as: USDA Certified Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, Certified Grass Fed, Certified Organic Oregon Tilth Program, Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, GAP Certification (Good Agricultural Practices), LDAF Certified Louisiana Grown, PSA Produce Safety Rule, SQF- Safe Quality Food Certification. Learn from actual farm certifiers what it takes to earn these labels and pass inspection, who should apply, what it costs, the benefits, and more. The workshop will also include a farm tour of Inglewood Farm, which has passed many of these program certifications. More detailed fliers and info will be distributed as soon as it becomes available.
November 15-16, 2019 - Bogalusa, LA - On Farm Composting School - Hosted by Local Cooling Farms' Grant and Kate Estrade. Course is designed for composting professionals, farmers, ranchers, gardeners. Cost is $250 per person and event is rain or shine. Must register in advance due to limited seating. Call Grant Estrade at 504-234-3564 or email grant.estrade@gmail.com to sign up.
November 13, 2019 - Alexandria, LA - 2019 Industrial Hemp Information Meeting - A meeting on Industrial Hemp production in Louisiana will be held at the Louisiana State Evacuation Shelter, 8125 Hwy 71 South, Alexandria, LA 71302. This meeting is an opportunity for interested parties to learn about the industry from experienced experts. Presentations from hemp researchers, producers, and processors from other states will educate attendees about this new and emerging crop. A panel discussion with LSU AgCenter faculty and an update from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will follow the presentations. In addition, there will be exhibit booth spaces available for vendors to connect to future Louisiana growers. Find more information and links to registration at www.lsuagcenter.com/industrialhemp.
November 7-8, 2019 - Opelousas, LA - Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower & Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Trainings - Southern University will host a produce safety training at the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Institute, located at 1209 Diesi Street, Opelousas, LA 70570. Cost is $25 and includes lunches, snacks, and resource materials. For more information or to register, contact Emily King at 225-771-2367 or emily_king@suagcenter.com.
November 7, 2019 - Cleveland, MS - Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training & Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Course
November 1, 2019 - New Orleans, LA - Southeast LA C.R.A.F.T. Farm Tour and Equipment Demo @ River Queen Greens - Join the farmers at River Queen Greens for a tour of their intensive half-acre urban vegetable farm, followed by a demo and technical discussion of tools and systems- specifically the Paperpot Transplanter. Event is from 2-5PM at River Queen Greens, 1020 Kentucky St, New Orleans, LA 70117. Pizza dinner to follow. All are welcome to bring a dish. RSVP to farmers@riverqueengreens.com. Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (C.R.A.F.T.) is a cooperative effort of local sustainable farms that provides on-farm training and networking opportunities for growers.
October 29, 2019 - New Orleans, LA - Know Your Farm Resources - Grow Louisiana Beginning Farmer Training Program will host an informational meeting on resources available to farmers. Representatives will be present from NRCS, Farm Service Agency, USDA Risk Management Agency, LSU AgCenter, Louisiana MarketMaker, Produce Safety/GAPs, and more. The meeting will begin at 6PM at the Delgado Community College Horticulture Classroom, located on the City Park campus at 615 City Park Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119. All New Orleans area farmers and beginning farmers are encouraged to attend.
October 22-23, 2019 - Baton Rouge, LA - Louisiana Farm to School Conference - Local food procurement, school gardening, and education are the three tenets of farm to school. This conference is for educators, extension, farmers, and all representatives of the local food system seeking to get fresh, locally-grown produce into Louisiana schools! A special Meet the Buyer, Greet the Grower procurement networking event will be held the evening of October 22 to facilitate connections between farmers, whole sale buyers, distributors, and child nutrition directors. Find more information and register at LAF2SC2019.eventbrite.com. Sponsorship options and limited resource scholarships available.