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The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, held January 29 to 31 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, has become the premier grower meeting in the Northeast combining three days of six or more concurrent educational sessions with a large industry trade show and numerous networking opportunities - all designed to enable fruit, vegetable and berry growers as well as direct marketers to stay on the cutting edge of their industries. About 2,200 persons from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond gather each year at Hershey for the Convention. Registration is open to all interested commercial fruit, vegetable and berry growers, direct marketers and allied industry personnel.
The Penn State Agronomy Guide is designed for easy reading and quick reference.
Teens and safety rarely go hand in hand, but a group of Pennsylvania’s youth is proving that safety is an important part of rural work and life. Eight teams of FFA and 4-H students from throughout the commonwealth displayed a wealth of knowledge during the Pennsylvania State University Farm Safety and Health Quiz Bowl, held at the 2013 PA Farm Show on Wednesday, January 9.
Is it possible for you to interact with Penn State Extension Specialists and Industry Representatives all in the same place for only a $10 registration fee? Well, the answer is “yes”! Franklin County is one of 11 sites across the state that is holding a Penn State Extension “Crops and Pesticides: One-Day Seminar”. This seminar will be held on January 31st and it is open to everyone- you do not have to farm in Franklin County in order to attend.
Short on pesticide recertification credits? No snow to plow? Why not attend the Penn State Extension Winter Turf & Ornamentals School at the Grantville Holiday Inn on Monday, January 28, 2013. This all day program covers a wide variety of ornamental plant and turfgrass issues. Eight out of the ten sessions qualify for pesticide recertification credits. Registration fee includes lunch. For more information, contact Tim Abbey at 717.840.7408 or tma13@psu.edu.
Harrisburg – Mifflinburg FFA and Cumberland County Team A won their respective brackets at the Farm Safety Quiz Bowl on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at the 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.
This is her 4th Farm Show steer!
Winter manure application is probably the most sensitive nutrient management issue that farmers face.
You can earn pesticide, nutrient management, and certified crop adviser credits and gain knowledge of key current crop management issues.
Theme for the 2013 show is 'Made in Pa.; It makes a difference'
Everybody in the dairy industry loves to see a great cow, especially those wishing that cow was in their herd. That's the impetus behind Pennsylvania Holstein Association's favorite cow contest.
What about these markets? Can you recall a time when prices for farm commodities have gone through such large price swings? I don’t know about you, but my expectations and planning from this past year makes little sense today. I have had to modify my expectations of success. This was another great reminder on the benefits of being flexible in our marketing strategies.
A national Cooperative Extension program, is an eight-session class that empowers women in farming to manage information systems used in critical decision making, and to build local net-works of like-minded friends.
The idea of generating energy from biomass or biological material, particularly the byproducts of tree harvesting and thinning is receiving increased attention as an alternative and renewable energy resource to help reduce an over-reliance on imported oil. Communities are discussing biomass as it relates to job creation, sustainable harvesting, heat and energy opportunities, carbon use and storage, community health and economic development.
Still Much to Accomplish! Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) says farm families will significantly benefit from recent changes to state laws that provide exemptions from considerable tax burdens and remove obstacles impacting agriculture transportation.
Both say they bring a fresh perspective about dairy and agriculture.
Is your cover crop an assortment of winter annual weeds? Del Voight discusses getting a jump on your herbicide program with the pros, cons and recommendations of apply herbicides at this time of year
Bringing in the Next Generation. Penn State Extension, the Gettysburg Young Farmers and the Young Grower Alliance have teamed up to offer a workshop on how you can prepare yourself and your business for a transition to the next generation.
For new poultry owners, those interested in exploring a new venture or those interested in producing food for your family or for income from your property, to give prospective and beginning poultry raisers a general understanding of what it takes to have poultry. Penn State Extension of Lehigh County will host "Start Farming’s Small-Scale Poultry for Beginning Farmers" on March 14, 2013, 7 :00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Penn State Extension Office in Dauphin County, 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin, PA 17018
Penn State Master Gardeners, Pat Welfley of Newport and Mindy Wenger of Carlisle, are my guest columnists for this week. Pat and Mindy evaluated annual flowering plants growing this season in the Penn State Master Gardeners’ Trial and Idea Garden, located at the corner of Claremont Road and Army Heritage Drive on the grounds of Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center near Carlisle. Mindy and Pat selected a mix of new-to-the-market and tried-and-true varieties for trialing and evaluation. Here is their report:



