LITCHFIELD, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension will be sponsoring a workshop on March 24, 2017 entitled “Putting Small Acres to Work” at Lincoln Land Community College – Litchfield. The day will provide educational sessions on growing a profitable small farm enterprise. The sessions will offer information for those interested in creating additional income, exploring new enterprise opportunities, or taking an existing interest or hobby to the next level.
Registration kicks off at 8:30 a.m. The first session begins at 9:00 a.m. with two tracks are offered throughout the day. Whether your interests are in fruit and vegetables or livestock a variety of speakers will be able to answer your questions in person. Topics include soil management, essentials of managing equipment, social media for small farms, integrated vegetable production, pasture establishment and management, goats and sheep, composting livestock manure and poultry. Keynote speaker for the fruits and vegetables track will be Duane Friend – U of I Extension Educator, who will discuss how to increase the productivity of your soils, and for the livestock track, Jamie Washburn, U of I Extension Educator, who will be speaking on pasture establishment and management. There will be a special presentation by Bryce and Crystal Cooley from Cooley Farms in Centralia, who will give a growers perspective on “Tips for Small Farm Startup”.
The program will provide you with a number of economically viable alternatives for farming your small acreage. Registration is $25 and covers the course materials. Space is limited so those interested in attending are encouraged to register soon.
For more information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension office at: 217-532-3941 or Jefferson County Extension office at 618-242-0780. To register on-line go to: http://go.illinois.edu/smallacres-litchfield.
— University of Illinois Extension
For more news from Illinois, click here.