Spring 1998

WAgN on the Road to DC 
The second International Conference on Women in Agriculture is scheduled for June 28-July 2, 1998 in Washington, DC.  Members of the WAgN staff will be sharing some of the exciting work that we see happening all over the Northeast with women from around the world.

This conference recognizes the pivotal role of women in agriculture and seeks to continue the work begun with the first conference held in Australia in 1994. Women need strong networks and sound information to tackle the new technical and societal changes facing today’s agricultural and rural communities. The conference will focus on practical solutions and strategies that women can take back to their respective communities. Women will come together to share best practices and learn from one another. They will also engage in a forum with policy makers.

If you would like to attend the conference, call immediately. The early registration deadline is April 30. Financial assistance is available to help participants attend this conference. If you’d like more information on how to apply for this assistance or if you would like to receive a brochure, contact:
 Marylan Chapman
 US Department of Agriculture
 Room 5302-South Building, MS-0107
 14th & Independence Avenue, SW
 Washington, DC 20250
 202-720-4356, fax 202-205-3658
 

Resource Help for Small Business
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in partnership with KeyBank, has opened a SBA Business Information Center (BIC), in KeyBank’s Corporate Plaza office located in downtown Burlington. The BIC is a self-help reference and resource facility with a library of reference materials, computers, Internet access and CD-ROMs to assist people who are planning to start a small business.

From 10 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday, staff are on hand to answer questions and guide interested individuals through the process of creating and maintaining a business. Existing businesses will find valuable assistance covering the many issues related to businesses: cash flow, marketing, inventory, distribution, etc. All services are free and available to all. Walk-ins are welcome or call the BIC at 802-660-4580.

For those of you in the southern part of the state there is a second BIC located in Randolph at the Vermont Technical College. The number there is 802-828-4518.

Keys to Healthy Livestock
When it comes to livestock, disease prevention is a lot cheaper than disease treatment. Here are ten tips that will help you keep your animals healthy:

  1. Keep barns and storage areas clean and tidy. Messy feeding systems, excess manure, and general messiness are an invitation for bacteria as well as for disease-carrying insects and rodents.
  2. If animals are confined make sure there is adequate ventilation. Damp, humid air is a perfect environment for pneumonia.
  3. Have a health maintenance plan and follow it. Know when your animals are due for vaccinations, parasite treatments, etc. Clean and disinfect areas between groups of animals.
  4. Learn from an expert.  Find a veterinarian or experienced farmer that you trust and who will teach you how to care for  your animals.
  5. Introduce only healthy animals into your herd/flock. Quarantine new animals for 3 weeks before allowing them to mix with other animals.
  6. Know where your animals are coming from and in what type of management system they were raised. New animals will be under a great deal of stress until they establish themselves.     
  7. Group your animals by age. Not only will this help to prevent spread of disease but young animals will be thriftier if they don’t have to compete with larger animals for food and water.     
  8. Isolate animals that are presenting any unusual symptoms immediately. Don’t wait until an illness is fully present to take action.
  9. Make sure that every animal has access to clean, fresh water at all times.    
  10. Make time every day to observe your animals. In this way, you’ll get used to their behavior, body condition, and habits. Changes in any of these can indicate a problem.

Normal Temperatures

Species   Degrees Fahrenheit
Human   98.6
Beef Cow 101.0
Dairy Cow   101.5
Goat  102.3
Mare  100.0
Stallion    99.7
Pig  102.5
Rabbit  103.1
Sheep    102.3

Home Based Business Network Meets Monthly
Bellows Falls - - The Home-Based Business Network of Southern Vermont meets regularly on the first Wednesday of the month from 9:30 - 11:00 am to discuss issues relevant to home businesses as well as to offer support and advice. The network meets at Parks Place, 44 School Street, in Bellows Falls.

Each month has a new topic and members are encouraged to present topics of their expertise. In the past, topics such as pricing strategies, office organization, marketing materials, webpage design, and stress reduction have been presented.  Next month's topic on May 6 will be on networking.  Members are encouraged to bring information about the various community, professional and business networks that have been helpful in their home-based businesses.

The Home-Based Business Network of Southern Vermont is supported by the Micro Business Development Program of Southeastern Vermont Community Action, Inc.

For more information about the Home-Based Business Network, call the Micro Business Development Program at (802) 463-0701 or e-mail microbiz@sover.net. These meetings are free and open to anyone who currently has a home-based business or is considering one.

Upcoming Workshops Scheduled 
Spring and Summer WAgN workshops are being scheduled now. Again, thanks to a generous contribution from Kraft Foods, Inc., many of these offerings will feature low or no cost registration. Below we have listed the topics and locations:

  • “Financing Options for Future Farmers,”   Wednesday, April 29, 5:30-8:30, Burlington.
  • “Small Ruminant Nutrition/Management,”  Thursday  May 21, 6-9 pm, Bennington.
  • “All About Hay,” July, TBA
  • “Poisonous Plants and Livestock,” August, TBA
  • “Tractor Safety/Driving Clinic,” TBA.

For more info, call the WAgN Program Office.
 
 Previews of Coming Attractions...

Information Sessions:   6-8 pm
Wed Apr 29  Rutland
Wed Jul 1  Rutland

Getting Serious: 5:30-8:30 pm
BurlingtonWed: May 6, 13, 20, 27 
Rutland Wed: Jun 3, 10, 17, 24

Growing Places:
Cycle 7 is scheduled for Fall of ‘98, in the Burlington area. Growing Places is designed for individuals considering a farm or ag-related business, especially for those who don’t have much experience in ag. Registration materials will be available in early September.

Start Up:
Applications for Fall ’98 Cycles of Start Up will be available soon!!  For more info, call the WSBP office nearest you.
Burlington: 802-658-0337, ext. 372
Rutland: 802-747-9941
Lyndon: 802-626-6206

Other Related and Interesting Events...

April 25-26 - Vermont Maple Festival: Specialty Food Show.   An expanded and improved specialty food show will take place at the Vermont Maple Festival in St. Albans on April 25 and 26 at  City Hall auditorium. The cost for the event is $50 per table.  For more information, call Brian Norder at the VT Food Venture Center, 802-849-2000.

May 2-3 - Farm Fence Building Clinic, Wellscroft Farm, Chesham, NH. A free electric fence building clinic will be held from 10-12 and 1-3. The same program will be repeated on both days. The morning session focuses on portable fence systems and their applications, including a discussion of intense rotational grazing. The afternoon session will focus on construction of permanent high tensile smooth and woven wire fences as well as semi-permanent low tension Maxi fence. Information: 603-827-3464.

May 9 - Farm Fence Workshop, Flack Family Farm & Gallagher Power Fence, Enosburg Falls. A free clinic will introduce participants to portable and permanent electric fencing systems, use,   construc-tion, energizers, and grounding. Topics will include defending crops from deer, raccoons, woodchucks, etc., and controlling and protecting all classes of livestock including horses. Info: 802-933-7752.

May 9 - Lambing on Pasture: Open Barn Program, David Hoke Farm, Enosburg Falls. The Vermont Sheep Breeders Association and the Vermont Grass Farmers’ Association are co-sponsoring an open barn program focusing on the advantages and challenges of lambing on pasture. For specific information contact: Sarah Flack, 802-656-3834 or Jim McRae, 802-483-9357.

Oct 2-4 - Mid-Atlantic Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Conference, Charles Town, WV.  For further info, contact Allan Balliett 304-876-2373.

Growing Places 6 Concludes
Although every cycle of Growing Places is unique, Cycle 6 will probably be remembered for a long time just for the weather. Three snowy, stormy Saturdays finally gave way to one unbelievably beautiful Saturday. In spite of the uncooperative weather we made it through. Congratulations to the graduates of Cycle 6!!

Thomas Bachand II Gabrielle McDermit
Paul Bushey  Sandy Pagniucci
Cynthia Canfield  Robin Simpson
Faith Douglass  Katrina VanDine
Marie Harm  Vicki VanZee
William Harm  

Announcements
Got an urge to farm? Garden plots, barn space, and/or fields for rent. Water, power, equipment available. Several other farming ventures here too. Grow your crop & sell it at our farmstand on Rte. 2 in Richmond. Call to make a proposal: Jennifer Gilligan, 434-2999 or email lookout@together.net.
 
 Burlap bags available. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., located in Waterbury, VT, empties 200-300 large burlap bags each day. If you have a use for these bags to keep them out of the waste stream please call Zoe at 800-545-2326, ext. 1169.

“The International Link” http://ctr.uvm.edu/trade
has been set up by Linda Aines, Business and Export Specialist, UVM Extension.  It is a tool for Exporters, persons involved in International Trade, and has hundreds of links for obtaining trade leads, for posting buy/sell offers, market research, agricultural research, trade shows, ag market prices, distributors, manufacturers, export resources, grants for international jobs or travel.

The National Commission on Small Farms cited the following findings in a report entitled “A Time to Act”: Government policies and practices have shown not only racial and gender bias but also discriminate against small, poor and beginning farmers.

  • More than 30,000 family-sized farms, or some 600 a week, are lost each year in the US.
  • Economists expect this loss to accelerate in the next decade.
  • About 94% of the nation’s farms are small farms, but they receive only 41% of all farm receipts.
  • In 1980, the farmer received 37 cents of every consumer dollar spent on food.  Today the farmer receives 23 cents.
  • In 1980, four firms controlled 36% of the beef slaughter.  Today, four firms control 80%.
  • From 1910 to 1990 the share of the agricultural economy received by farmers dropped from 21% to 5%.


WAgN
Women's Agricultural Network
590 Main St., UVM
Burlington, VT  05405
(802) 656-3276
or wagn@zoo.uvm.edu

 University of Vermont Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, notional orgin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.