L.E.A.F. Workshops to Cover Raising Goats, Soil Health & Egg Production

CCE-Chautauqua Announces Upcoming L.E.A.F. (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Workshops

-by Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (October 31, 2016) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program will offer 3 workshops next week as part of their 2016-2017 L.E.A.F. (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Workshop Series. On Tuesday, November 8th from 6pm - 8pm at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center there will be a workshop entitled “Introduction to Meat and Dairy Goats”. On Thursday, November 10th from 6pm – 8pm at the Ag Center, there will be a workshop on “Soil Properties and Soil Health”. Then, on Saturday, November 12th, there will be a workshop on “Raising Poultry for Egg Production” from 10am – 12pm, also at the Ag Center.

The “Introduction to Meat and Dairy Goats” workshop to be held Tuesday, November 8th from 6pm to 8pm will cover the care, basic nutrition, common diseases, and marketing outlets for goat products of the most common breeds in the US – a perfect workshop for the homesteader or beginning farmer interested in raising goats. Kate Ewer, a crazy goat lady whose love for goats began as a 4-H youth fifteen years ago, will lead this workshop. She has experience with dairy, meat, and working goats and now keeps a few Boer Does for a hobby. She’s currently the 4-H Community Educator with CCE-Chautauqua.

“Soil Properties and Soil Health” will be Thursday, November 10th’s Workshop topic, to be held from 6pm to 8pm at the Ag Center. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn how to inventory the soils on their property, use a soil survey to determine the suitability of their soils for various cropping programs, and how to use crop rotations, cover crops, and the application of organic materials to build a healthy soil. Participants will receive a copy of the Chautauqua County Soil Survey. Leading this workshop will be Robert (Rob) Halbohm, who is currently the Water Quality Technician with the Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District. He retired from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service two years ago, after working for 35 years in the field of assisting landowners in the development and implementation of conservation plans to protect their natural resources and maintain a profitable farm operation. He currently works on the District’s Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program.

A workshop entitled “Raising Poultry for Egg Production” will be held Saturday, November 12th from 10am to 12pm. Backyard Chickens are a popular way to get started with homesteading and farming! In this workshop participants will have the opportunity to learn about raising egg-layers from baby chick to productive adult including information on housing and supplies, nutrition, breed selection, chick care, pest control, and marketing. There will also be a discussion on regulations and labelling requirements for sales of farm-fresh eggs. The instructor will be Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Educator and “Chicken Lady” with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County, who has had many years of experience raising poultry for egg production.

The L.E.A.F. Workshop Series is open to the general public, including homesteaders, beginning farmers, established farmers looking to diversify and grow, agriculture enthusiasts, and everyone in between! The 2016-2017 Workshop Series will feature 23 workshops to be held in October and November of 2016 and February of 2017. This season’s L.E.A.F. Program is made possible through the generous support of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Each workshop will be 2 hours long and led by an experienced instructor. The cost to attend is only $5/family/workshop and light refreshments will be offered. The L.E.A.F. workshops are designed to be interactive, so participants are encouraged to bring their questions and ideas to this collaborative environment! All of the workshops will be held at the Frank W. Bratt Agricultural Center located at 3542 Turner Road in Jamestown, NY.

Pre-registration is required prior to the workshop to allow for adequate time to prepare printed resources and materials. Interested participants can register online by visiting www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua/leaf1617, by emailing kaw249@cornell.edu, or by calling 716-664-9502.

The L.E.A.F. Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua) in line with the County’s 20/20 Comprehensive Plan. CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated October 31, 2016