Friday, March 12, 2010
Farm Forestry Field Days
2008 Farmers Union Farm Forestry-Forestry Energy Workshops
NFU will co-sponsor, along with state Farmers Unions, farm woodlot workshops in five states: Clear Lake, Iowa (Sept. 20), Brainerd, Minn. (Sept. 18); Doniphan, Mo. (Oct. 10), La Plume, Pa. (TBD) and Wisconsin (TBD). These one-day workshops will cover a range of issues about managing the forested acres on farms, conservation, biomass utilization and cooperative development. Workshop speakers will address agro-forestry, how to conduct a successful timber harvest, renewable energy projects, fire mitigation, drought and sustainable grazing, chainsaw safety, using buffer strips to prevent flooding and erosion, wildlife enhancement, and forestry offsets with carbon sequestration. For more information contact the Farmers Union office in each state or send an email to Jeff Moser. 
Check out our Photo Gallery to see pictures from last year’s events.
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Tentative 2008 Schedule:
Check this regularly for updated times, links to speaker topics, registration costs and other details.
- Thursday, May 29, Vaughn Juhnke Farm, McPherson, Kansas (See below for news from this event)
- Thursday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Northland Arboretum, Brainerd, Minn. Brochure
- Saturday, September 20, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., with optional farm riparian buffer sites tour following, Landfill of North Iowa Education Center, Clear Lake, Iowa Flyer
- Friday, October 10, 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Forestry Building on Hwy 160 (5 miles East of Doniphan), southeastern Missouri, in conjunction with Timber Fest. Flyer
- Saturday, October 4, Keystone College, La Plume, Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin – Fall 2008
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Kansas: Thursday, May 29
Agroforestry Day: tips for landowners
By Rhonda King, staff writer
The McPherson Sentinel
Fri May 30, 2008, 11:29 AM CDT
McPherson, Kan. - The Agro-Forestry Field Day, held at Vaughn Juhnke’s farm Thursday, was well attended by 70 landowners and professionals. Those in attendance rotated through a series of six sessions where they learned about the different aspects of agro-forestry from professionals trained in the specific fields.
In the session on protecting rural homes from wildfires, fire specialist Jason Hartman, Kansas Forest Service, gave information on house construction including what sidings make homes and other buildings less susceptible – or safer – if a wildfire should occur.
Hartman said it is not a good idea to have grass within three feet of any structure. Other non-flammable landscaping such as river rock, lava rock or sidewalks can be used in the area between the structure and grass. Any plants or shrubs planted in the three-foot area should be spaced out and of varying heights to break up the continuity of fire.
“You don’t want to allow a steady path of fire,” Hartman said.
At least 30 feet of grass mowed to four inches or shorter should be between the landscaping surrounding the structure and other vegetation.
“If your house is on top of a slope, you will need up to 100 feet,” Hartman said. “Fire burns at twice the intensity when going uphill.”
During the session on pond management for fish and wildlife, KSU Extension specialist Charlie Lee said Juhnke’s pond was well-designed. It doesn’t have a lot of run-off, which will help keep the pond clean.
“Most pond owners want a pond that’s crystal clear like a swimming pool which is hard to do,” Lee said. “The clearer it is, the more problem you will have with aquatic vegetation.”
Lee said Juhnke’s pond was just about the right color which is possible through prevention and good design.
In regards to stocking a farm pond with fish, he said grass carp are not a practical fish for a farm pond.
“They will eat themselves out of house and home and you will have a pond just like a pasture over-stocked with cattle,” Lee said.
Other topics of the day included “secrets for success” from Juhnke; how to attract wildlife by wildlife biologist Jeff Rue, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; prescribed burning of native grass by fire specialist Ross Hauck, Kansas Forest Service; practical ways to plant and grow trees and shrubs by Kansas Forest Services foresters Dennis Carlson and Thad Rhodes; and managing riparian buffers by Extension forester Dr. Charles Barden, KSU.
