Released February 23, 2011
Updated February 27, 2011
Experts from land-grant universities, government and industry host webinars on seasonal topics and current research to help Americans improve their lives. These March webinars are listed on eXtension.org, an educational resource you can trust to take the best university-based research and turn it into hands-on practical information you can use to solve today’s problems and develop skills to build a better future.
Free webinars in March are
- March 1 on building a local food economy,
- March 2, 4 and 11 resources to teach local businesses how to develop business continuity and disaster preparedness plans (all webinars are the same),
- March 7 on environmental nitrogen issues on dairy farms,
- March 7 on groundhogs,
- March 8 on reducing heat stress in freestall and tie stall dairies,
- March 9 on how an organic farmer can minimize GMO contamination,
- March 9 and 23 on getting farmland for beginning farmers,
- March 10 on creating and using maps and geo-location tools for businesses,
- March 11 on sealing homes to save energy,
- March 15 on easy and free ways to market and sell farm products in your local area,
- March 18 on tools and techniques for facilitating dairy advisory teams,
- March 22 on the evolution, status and future of organic no-till in the northeastern U.S.,
- March 22 on gastric ulcers in horses, and
- March 25 on how manure contributes to healthy soil.
Webinars are available nationwide. The times listed are Eastern Time so viewers need to adjust the viewing time for Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian Time.
Webinar details
From the Organic Agriculture eXtension community
Tuesday, March 1 -- North Carolina's Statewide Initiative for Building a Local Food Economy
2 to 3:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Learn about the Center for Environmental Farming Systems local foods initiative in North Carolina. The Center recently led a statewide initiative which resulted in a guide to building a sustainable local food economy with one of the "game changer" ideas being the 10% campaign. After four months, the campaign was tracking more than $2 million spent in local foods and more than 170 business partners.
http://www.extension.org/events/2077
From the Agricultural Disaster Preparedness community
Wednesday, March 2 -- Ready Business Webinar
4 p.m. Eastern Time
Additional webinars on Fridays, March 4 and 11 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time cover the same information.
Extension educators, business leaders, government agency and nongovernmental organization representatives and others are invited to take part to learn how to use the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) resources to teach local businesses how to develop business continuity and disaster preparedness plans.
http://www.extension.org/events/2261
From the Dairy Cattle eXtension community
Monday, March 7 – Environmental Nitrogen Issues
1 p.m. Eastern Time
Mike Van Amburgh of Cornell University and a dairy producer will discuss regulations pertaining to nitrogen and how they can affect the dairy farm.
http://www.extension.org/events/2235
From the Penn State University Pennsylvania Forests Web Seminar Center
Monday, March 7 – Groundhogs - the Good, the Bad, and the Funny
12 noon and 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Groundhogs are celebrated on Groundhog Day but not when they attack the garden and the topic becomes wildlife damage management.
http://www.extension.org/events/2240
From the Penn State University Dairy Alliance
Tuesday, March 8 -- Heat Stress Abatement in Freestall and Tie Stall Dairies
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Now is the time to start considering housing modifications for upcoming summer heat and its impact on milk production and herd health. Dan F. McFarland and John Tyson, Penn State Extension engineers, provide options.
http://www.extension.org/events/1812
From the Organic Agriculture eXtension community
Wednesday, March 9 -- GMO Contamination: What's an Organic Farmer to Do?
2 p.m. Eastern Time
What should organic farmers do to minimize GMO contamination from genetically engineered corn, soy, canola, alfalfa? Jim Riddle, University of Minnesota, will share ideas to minimize genetic trespass during planning, planting, production, harvest, storage and transport. He has worked more than 26 years as an organic farmer, inspector, author, policy analyst and educator.
http://www.extension.org/events/2298
From University of Vermont Extension
Wednesday, March 9 -- Land Access for Beginning Farmers-Part I
5 p.m. Eastern Time
Kathy Ruhf, co-director of the non-profit Land for Good, and Ben Waterman, coordinator of the Land Access program for the University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will look at owning versus leasing farmland. They will touch on kinds of leases and landlords, affordability (land and housing) and financial readiness. They will also cover how to search for farm property and hints for negotiating. While some of the information will be specific to New England, most of the concepts will apply to new farmers regardless of geographic location.
http://www.extension.org/events/2180
From the Entrepreneurs and Their Communities eXtension community
Thursday, March 10 – You Are Here! Maps for Businesses
2 p.m. Eastern Time
Learn how to create and use interactive maps and geo-location tools to bring clients to your business. Many people use computers and handheld technology to make decisions about their next stop or purchase. Too often the commercial mapping and GPS tools are inaccurate for getting information to potential customers. Jennifer Nixon and Connie Hancock, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educators, are focused on helping communities and businesses improve through broadband access.
http://www.extension.org/events/2063
From the Home Energy eXtension community
Friday, March 11 -- Air Sealing
10 a.m. Eastern Time
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as much as 40 per cent of your energy costs are lost through air leaks. Reducing energy costs gives you more disposable income and reduces dependence on foreign oil. Learn what air sealing is and how to do it. Bill Robinson, building science educator for LSU AgCenter and independent building industry consultant and trainer, will define air barriers, identify air sealing details and explain safety concerns.
http://www.extension.org/events/2252
From the Organic Agriculture eXtension community
Tuesday, March 15 -- Local Dirt: Beyond Marketing -- Find Buyers, Sell Online, Source and Buy Product…Yourself
2 to 3:15 p.m. Eastern Time
From word of mouth to Facebook and Twitter, there are many free and easy ways to tell people about your farm and take orders. Presenters Heather Hilleren and Kassie Rizzo are from Local Dirt, a place to find and buy fresh, local food directly from the family farm. They will describe some of the easiest and best known free ways to market and sell farm products in your local area, along with a new free system to find buyers and manage your price sheets.
http://www.extension.org/events/2299
From the Penn State University Dairy Alliance
Friday, March 18 – Tools and Techniques for Successful Facilitation on Dairy Advisory Teams
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Online participants will discuss tools and techniques after a 20-30 minute presentation.
http://www.extension.org/events/1819
From the Organic Agriculture eXtension community
Tuesday, March 22 -- The Evolution, Status and Future of Organic No-till in the Northeast United States
2 to 3:15 p.m. Eastern Time
Organic farmers in the mid-Atlantic region face many production constraints including farming on erodible soils in vulnerable watersheds. Most organic farmers pass over their fields 7 to 12 times during the first half of the growing season. Excessive tillage is costly in diesel fuel and labor and can decrease soil quality and soil carbon. Farmers and researchers want less tillage intensive practices, yet sufficient weed control. This webinar will focus on grain production in a system that relies on growing high-residue cover crops and using a roller-crimper for cover crop management. Bill Curran from Penn State University and Steven Mirsky with the USDA-ARS will discuss their research along with Bill Mason, an organic farmer collaborator from Maryland.
http://www.extension.org/events/2300
From My Horse University and the Horses eXtension community
Tuesday, March 22 – Gastric Ulcers: How to Tell if Your Horse Has One, and What to Do if it Does
7 p.m. Eastern Time
Gastric ulcers can have many or no signs. Some horses will have behavior changes that seem to come out of nowhere as a result of gastric ulceration. Dr. Jenifer Nadeau from the University of Connecticut will discuss what causes gastric ulcers, how your veterinarian can diagnose and treat them.
http://www.extension.org/events/2088
From University of Vermont Extension
Wednesday, March 23 -- Land Access for Beginning Farmers-Part II
5 p.m. Eastern Time
Kathy Ruhf and Ben Waterman will talk through the many variables that should be considered when assessing farms, land and farm infrastructure for rent or purchase. Learn about the more important land use regulations and state programs, such as the Current Use Program, that will affect your tenure situation as a beginning farmer. Finally, you'll be introduced to existing programs and services in Vermont. While some of the information will be specific to Vermont, most of the concepts will apply to all farmland seekers regardless of geographic location.
http://www.extension.org/events/2181
From the Animal Manure Management eXtension community
Friday, March 25 -- How Nature "the Supreme Farmer" Manages Manure
2:30 p.m. Eastern Time
What is healthy soil? How does manure contribute to a healthy soil ecosystem? Ray Archuleta, conservation agronomist with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, will present an informative and entertaining session on the science of soil. Learn how manure is an indispensable part of the ecology behind healthy and productive soils and see real world case studies and comparisons of "good" and "bad" examples.
http://www.extension.org/events/2091
About webinars
A webinar is an acronym for web-based seminar. Instead of traveling somewhere to attend a seminar, you meet in a virtual conference room on the Internet.
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Writer: Lynette Spicer, lynette.spicer@eXtension.org
