2024 Conferences & Events -

SAVE THE DATE for our Annual Crops & Soils Field Day - Thursday, July 25, 2024

North American Manure Expo (click to go to their website)

The North American Manure Expo is coming to Auburn, NY on July 17-18, 2024. The Expo offers two full days of tours, demonstrations, education sessions and networking, all delivering the latest and greatest in manure management solutions and technologies in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. View the website for all details, including registration links, the agenda, and accomodations.

Day one includes offsite tours that showcase the innovative manure practices of the northeast, on-site demonstrations dedicated to agitation and safety, and plenty of industry networking.

Day two features educational sessions by industry experts, followed by solid and liquid manure application demonstrations, including a dragline application in corn and grassland injection.

For the full schedule, visit ManureExpo.com.

Registration is now open for tours and expo-passes. Take advantage of our early-bird rates (that end June 15) and secure your spot on your preferred tour! Register here today!

Interested in being an exhibitor? Book your space by clicking here or contacting Sharon Kauk, skauk@annexbusinessmedia.com, 519-410-4854.

Precision Dairy Farming From Hooves to Harvest Webinar Series - (click to view flyer)

Thank you for joining the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program for this webinar series that explored the new and upcoming technologies available to dairy producers that work to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve product quality, minimize adverse environmental impacts, and improve animal health and well-being.

The seven webinar sessions include the following and the recorded video is linked to each.

• Mon, March 18: Navigating CowManager’s Health and Nutrition Modules with Bryce Warriner, CowManager, and Accurate Internal Temperature as the Best Early Indicator of Subclinical Health Issues with Joe Gilbert, smaXtec Inc. CEU PD 1 credit. View the recorded video here.
• Wed, March 20: Genetic Selection Strategies for 2030 and Beyond with Kevin Jorgensen, Select Sires. CEU PD 1 credit. View the recorded video here.
• Fri, March 22: Virtual Fencing, Unlocking All the Power of Managed Grazing with Monte Bottens, Bottens Family Farm. CEU CM 1 credit. View the recorded video here.
• Mon, March 25: SCIO Cup: Analyze Feed to Boost Dairy’s Bottom Line with Damian Goldring, Consumer Physics. CEU PD 1 credit. View the recorded video here.
• Wed, March 27: Moving and Organizing Data for Variable Rate Applications with Scott Magnan, Scott Magnan’s Custom Services, and Cultivating Tomorrow: Innovations in Planting Technology with Mike Contessa, Champlain Valley Agronomics. CEU PAg 1 credit. View the recorded video here.
• Fri, March 29: A Closer Look at Emerging Sprayer Technologies with Chris Creek, Precision Planting, and Optimizing Forage Inventories with Drone Imagery with Adam Durrin, Aurox. CEU PAg 1 credit. View the recorded video here.
• Mon, April 1: Precision Weed Management with Muthu Bagavathiannan, Texas A&M University. CEU IPM 1 credit. View the recorded video here.

Past Events

Grass-Fed Dairy Workshop - (click to view flyer)

Healthy Soil, Pasture & Forage

This event was held on April 3, 2024 in Fort Plain, NY with Dr. Heather Darby and Sara Ziegler from the University of Vermont Extension and Sarah Flack from Sarah Flack Consulting that held a day long workshop focused on how soil health, soil fertility, and grazing management impact forage productivity and quality and your farm’s viability. Joshua Green from Trees for Graziers will be available to provide information and resources on successfully establishing trees in and around pastures.

Discovery Farms Multi-state Webinar - (click to view flyer)

Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

On March 26, the Discovery Farms® Programs in Wisconsin, Vermont, Arkansas and Minnesota hosted a virtual webinar titled “Emerging Contaminants and Water Quality: The Importance of On-Farm Research”.
This was a discussion about farmer-led water quality research in these four states and how the Discovery Farms® network is responding to emerging concerns. If you were unable to attend, you can view the YouTube video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZlgK9X959Y

On the Agenda -
- Wisconsin's Changing Climate and New In-Field Nitrate Monitoring
- Monitoring Neonicotinoids in Water and Soil from Discovery Farms Field Sites in Vermont
- Chloride: Water Quality Impairments & Edge-of-Field Losses from Discovery Farms Monitoring (Minnesota)
- Potassium and Sulfate loss in Runoff from Arkansas Discovery Farms

2024 Grain Growers Conference - (click to view flyer)

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - Growing Collaborations

The conference was held at The Essex Resort & Spa in Essex, Vermont on March 20.

Conference highlights included our keynote speaker Amber Lambke, founder and president of Maine Grains, Inc., as well as our lunch time speaker, Bill McDorman, cofounder of the Great American Seed Up & Heritage Grain Alliance. Other topics include managing soil health on grain farms, cover crop-based no-till and interseeding techniques, cleaning and drying seed, dry beans IPM, a sensory session, and baking sessions.

Thank you to our Grain Growers Conference Sponsors!

Additional sponsors include:

Naga Bakehouse

2024 Grain Growers Workshop (click to view flyer)

Thursday, March 21, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST at the Middlebury Extension Office

As more Vermont dairy producers look to increase homegrown forage and reduce purchased feed costs, there has been an increased interest in corn and soybeans grown for grain in Vermont.

This meeting was a collaboration among three UVM Extension teams — Ag Business, Northwest Crops and Soils, and Champlain Valley Crop, Soil and Pasture Team. It is co-hosted by the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition. The day’s agenda includes:

• Heather Darby and Northwest Crops and Soils team will discuss considerations on varieties of corn and soy optimal for the Northeast.
• Abby Augarten and Joshua Faulkner from the Champlain Valley Crop, Soil and Pasture team will present preliminary data on nutrient balances and the water quality impacts of growing soybeans.
• Mark Mordasky, Jack Kennett, Peter Briggs, George and Jeremy Foster, and Lorenzo Whitcomb are farmers who have integrated grain production into their operations. This producer panel will share the knowledge they have gained from their experiences.

2024 Organic Dairy Days - (click to view flyer)

This year, we offered two days at two separate locations for a choice to attend. We held the meetings in Newport and Vergennes, VT.

Thank you to our Organic Dairy Days Sponsors!
PLATINUM        GOLD     

2024 Dry Bean Production Webinar Series (click to view flyer)

In collaboration with Cornell University, we offered a three-part webinar series on dry beans! You can view the recordings below.

Tuesday, February 20 - Dry Bean Disease Management with Dr. Sarah Pethybridge, Associate Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section Cornell AgriTech. View the Recorded YouTube Video.
Tuesday, February 27 - New Dry Bean Varieties: Improving the production of heirlooms without losing the culinary characteristics. Travis Parker, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis. View the Recorded YouTube Video.
Tuesday, March 5 - Dry Bean Farmer Panel: Hear from growers about their experiences growing dry beans, from harvesting & cleaning to storage & markets. Speakers include: Nazirahk Amen, Purple Mountain Organics (Tacoma Park , MD), Kevin Messing, Sheridan Acres (Ubly, MI), and John Wepking, Meadowlark Farm and Mill (Ridgeway, WI). View the Recorded YouTube Video.

2024 Winter Farm Meeting - (click to view flyer)

This meeting was held on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the American Legion, 100 Parah Drive, St. Albans.

We learned about current programs, research, and other water quality related projects. Topic highlights included: Updates on precision sustainable agriculture, Discovery Acres, Rock River Sub Watershed Assessment, and other water quality monitoring program. We also heard program updates from state and federal agencies including USDA NRCS, ANR, VAAFM, and FSA.

2024 No-Till and Cover Crop Conference (click to view flyer)

Thursday, February 22, 2024 - Building Resiliency and Profitability into your No-Till System

The conference was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington, Vermont, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. View our 2024 No-Till and Cover Crop Conference webpage for details and to see our sponsors.

2023-2024 Soil Health Training for Technical Assistance Providers (click to learn more)

The Franklin County Natural Resources Conservation District has been working with a team of advisors from UVM Extension, USDA-NRCS, Vermont Healthy Soils Coalition, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, American Farmland Trust, and others, to create a soil health training course for technical assistance providers. The overarching goal of the training is to better prepare technical assistance providers for the assistance they will be providing to farmers, forest owners, and other land stewards in their roles with Natural Resources Conservation Districts, state and federal agencies, watershed groups, non profit organizations, and other related groups. This course was created to be directly applicable to the landscapes and land stewards in VT and the Lake Champlain Basin in NY.

​Click here to Sign up for the Training Course which includes:

•     One Fall 2023 Workshop on Tuesday, November 14, 2023: 9 am-2pm at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) Farm at 1949 East Main Street, Richmond, VT 05477
•     12 Winter 2023-2024 Webinars: Online on Tuesdays from 2-4 pm: 12/5, 12/12, 12/19, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/5
•     Four 2024 Field Season Workshops - TBD

​QUESTIONS? Please contact info@FranklinCountyNRCD.org

2024 Québec Farmer Panel on Transitioning Away From Neonic Treated Seeds (click to view flyer)

This webinar was held on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Click here to view the recorded YouTube video of the webinar presentation or go to https://youtu.be/N9OWx9XWIaE

University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Bee Lab collaborated a discussion with Québec farmers to learn about their experiences transitioning away from neonicotinoid ("neonic") treated seeds. In 2019, Québec limited neonic pesticide use to protect pollinators and our environment. Similar to the New York bill that was signed into law this past December, these restrictions applied to neonic coatings on corn and soybean seeds, two of the largest uses of neonics in the province.

In this panel discussion with four Québec farmers, we will learn how they navigated this transition and the challenges they faced. The panel includes the following farmers:
Jocelyn Michon from La Présentation
Renaud Peloquin from Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel
Stephane Pitre from Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague
Francis Quintal from Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge

Managing Neonicotinoids in Row Crops Webinar Series (click to view flyer)

This series was to educate policy-makers, farmers and educators on the role of neonicotinoids in managing pests and how best to minimize impacts on the surrounding environment. Following are the presentation titles and link to their recorded video.

December 12 - Intro to Agricultural Innovation Board (AIB) and their work, Steve Dwinell, VAAFM. View Recorded Video
December 14 - Neonicotinoids and Pollinators, Samantha Alger, UVM. View Recorded Video
December 15 - Using No-Till, Cover Crops, and IPM to Control Insects and Slugs, John Tooker, PENN State. View Recorded Video
December 18 (Noon to 1:30pm) - Integrated Management Strategy for Seed Corn Maggot in NY, Ken Wise, Dr. Alejandro Calixto, and Dr. Katja Poveda from Cornell University. View Recorded Video
December 20 - Reducing Bee Exposure to Insecticidal Corn Seed Treatment Dust, Reed Johnson, Ohio State University. View Recorded Video.
December 21 - Questions and Feedback. Provide valuable feedback to VAAFM to inform regulation on Neonics, Steve Dwinell, VAAFM and Heather Darby, UVM. View Recorded Video.

Fall Farm Meeting with a Focus on Forages (click to view flyer)

This workshop was held on October 25, 2023 at Four Girls Dairy in Fairfax. We discussed optimizing forage quality and increasing home grown forages in diet.

Grain Growers Workshop (click to view flyer)

This workshop was held at Woodlawn Farm in Pawlet, VT on November 8 to discuss integrating corn grain and soybean production into your farming operation. Seth and Kate Leach talked about their investment in grain infrastructure and the benefits to adding this enterprise to their dairy operation.

The meeting was a collaboration with the UVM Extension Ag Business and the Northwest Crops and Soils Team.

UVM Extension Livestock Workshops

Vermont Grazing & Livestock Workshops (click to view flyer)

We invite you to participate in our summer workshops by UVM Extension and other collaborators. Many workshops are listed in this flyer with the registration and contact information. The flyer also includes the above workshops, along with many others. These are all free workshops, but do request pre-registration.

PLEASE NOTE the actual address for the September 7 workshop is at their farm at 2248 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard, VT.

Thursday, July 13 - 9am to 2pm, Cedar Mountain Farm, Hartland, VT. Dairy herd health workshop (click to view flyer) with Dr. Dayna Locitzer. Register at https://go.uvm.edu/cedarmountain

Annual Crops & Soils Field Day - Thursday, July 27, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (click to view flyer)

Attendees received an update on ongoing and innovative crop and soil research trials, and UVM researchers shared highlights from their research at the farm. We had a great BBQ lunch with Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and an afternoon of additional information opportunities, including sessions for soil health, malt barley, pollinator protection, foarges, and hemp processing.

Birds, Bees, and Beneficial Bugs in Our Livestock Systems (click to view flyer)

UVM Extension had two farm tours this summer to learn about ways to enhance bird, bee, and beneficial insect habitats in your rotational grazing systems.

Friday, June 9, 2023 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Owl's Head Farm in Richmond, VT

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Rebop Farm in Brattleboro, VT

Registration was with Kelsie Meehan at 802-656-4829 or kelsie.meehan@uvm.edu

Grain Production Webinar Series (click to view brochure)

This was a 3-part webinar series in place of the Grain Growers Conference. View the Grain Production Webinar Series web page for all the details.

All videos from the Grain Production Webinar Series are available in a Playlist on our YouTube channel called Grain and Legume Production Series 2023, linked here:  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaZCgOs78cqjLvgw1M3Gh-3S0YHApNJhw

Direct links to the videos are below.
• 2/17/23, Growing Dry Beans in the Northeast:  https://youtu.be/96mC8qGwL2Y
• 3/3/23, The Basics of Dry Bean Production:  https://youtu.be/vtf_5lTSYxQ
• 3/23/23, Maine Grains Tour with Amber Lambke and Todd Hardie:  https://youtu.be/KBX4ZV3PCek
• 3/24/23, Reviving Heritage Grains:  https://youtu.be/HXelrg2hJMk
• 3/31/23, NGG Hits the Road:  https://youtu.be/hlrYUPPjVfw

Dry Bean Production in the Northeast - two-part webinar series

The recorded videos from these webinars are now available and are listed below and above as part of the Grain and Legume Production Series 2023.

February 17, 2023: Growing Dry Beans in the Northeast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96mC8qGwL2Y&t=1s

March 3, 2023: Basics of Dry Bean Production - https://youtu.be/vtf_5lTSYxQ

Discovery Farms Webinar

Discovery Farms® multi-state webinar – Tuesday March 28, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.

View the Discovery Acres web page to view the webinar recordings and for more information about Discovery Acres.

No-Till & Cover Crop Conference (click to view brochure) - Thursday, March 2, 2023

This conference has passed. We did not do any recordings of presentations.

View the No-Till & Cover Crop Conference web page for all the details.

Organic Dairy Conference (click to view brochure) - Thursday, March 9, 2023

View the 2023 Vermont Organic Dairy Producers Conference web page to view a PDF of the presentations.

Industrial Hemp Conference, virtual (click to view brochure)

This virtual conference was held on Thursday, February 23, 2023. View the Industrial Hemp Conference web page for all the details.

The 2023 Industrial Hemp Conference proceedings are now available online. You will find the presentation videos for all the presentations, as well as a PDF of the presentation (if available).

The proceedings are on the Extension Foundation website and are available for a fee of $50.

If you registered to attend the conference on February 23 virtually, you can send me an email request to receive a voucher code to access these proceedings at no additional cost, susan.brouillette@uvm.edu. I can confirm your attendance with our master attendee list.

You can access the 2023 Industrial Hemp Conference proceedings here – https://campus.extension.org/enrol/index.php?id=2341

You can choose PURCHASE/ENROLL to access.  NOTE: You will need to email me before hitting PURCHASE/ENROLL to receive the voucher code if you attended on Feb. 23 virtually. If you did not attend on Feb. 23, choose PURCHASE/ENROLL and complete the necessary information and payment. You will receive the Checkout information that has the link to access the proceedings/training once purchased. There is no limit on how long you will have access to these videos.

Grass-Fed Dairy Production Course (click to view flyer)

With increasing organic grain prices, many dairy farms are looking to reduce or even eliminate feeding grain. Grass-fed dairy is of growing interest and this online course will walk you through unique aspects of this production system. The online program will include weekly presentation/discussion and online resources. Webinars were recorded and are available on teh Extension Foundation web site (see below). Please contact Susan at 802-524-6501 ext. 432 or susan.brouillette@uvm.edu if you have any questions.

ACCESSING THE SITE – The course webpage is housed on Cooperative Extension’s online campus called Extension Foundation at: http://campus.extension.org. If you have not yet been to this website, you will need to create an account. To do so, click the grey button in the top right corner of the webpage titled, “Login” then click “Create new account.” You will complete some basic information and confirm your account via email.
Once you have created an account, you will enroll in the Grass-Fed Dairy Production Course by typing “Grass-Fed Dairy Production” in the Search Courses box on the homepage (select the course title). Under ‘Self-enrollment (Student)’, click the ‘Continue’ button to enroll.
Access the course anytime at: https://campus.extension.org/course/view.php?id=2287

Dairy Webinar: Alternative Milking Strategies (click to view flyer)

On December 13, 2022, UVM Extension’s Sara Ziegler and grazing consultant Sarah Flack joined for a webinar on alternative milking strategies including seasonal production, once-a-day milking, and other alternative milking frequencies. They shared insights on the prevalence of these strategies on dairy farms around the northeast region, as well as common challenges, barriers to adoption, benefits, and economic considerations.

If you were unable to attend the webinar, here is the link to the YouTube video of it.

Fall Farm Meeting (click to view flyer)

On October 20, UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program (NWCS), Farmer’s Watershed Alliance (FWA), and Friends of Northern Lake Champlain (FNLC) held a Fall Farm Meeting at Rolland Rainville’s farm in Franklin.

Topic highlights include: Corn harvest, planting cover crops, updates on pasture manure injection, precision sustainable agriculture, and the state of soil health in Vermont. We will also receive an update on Lake Carmi and hear program updates from State Agencies. We also enjoyed a tour of Due North Vineyards!

Summer Field Day with a Focus on Forages (click to view flyer) - Thursday, September 8, 2022

We joined with Richville Farm owners on September 8,2022 to discuss corn harvesting and explore options and opportunities for feeding a high forage diet. We also looked at equipment including a kernel processor and grain drills. Dairy nutritionists Patrice Vincent and Kurt Cotanch joined us to share tips and considerations for successfully feeding more homegrown forage.

Summer Dairy Series

We invite you to participate in our Summer Dairy Series hosted by UVM Extension, NOFA-VT, and VT Grass Farmers Association (VGFA). This Summer Dairy Series brochure (PDF) list all the workshops offered by our different organizations. Each event shares a registration link or contact name for more information.

Following were three events hosted by NWCS.

FOCUS ON FORAGE - Friday, June 17, 2022, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Click here to view the flyer (PDF).

TRANSITIONING TO MORE GRAZING - Friday, July 1, 2022, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Click here to view the flyer (PDF).

PASTURE WALK AND PARASITE MANAGEMENT - Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Click here to view the flyer (PDF).

Annual Field Day at Borderview Farm in Alburgh - Thursday, July 28, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

We held a successful in-person on-farm Annual Field Day (click to view PDF flyer) at Borderview Research Farm, where attendees enjoyed a farm tour, exhibitor tent, and presentations by UVM researchers. As well as a great lunch and Ben & Jerry's ice cream!

Grain Grower Series

The Northern Grain Growers Association and the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program joined to bring the 2022 Grain Growers Conference to you! Three virtual programs were offered over the course of three weeks with a series of videos, presentations, and hands-on activities, each highlighting a specific grain crop in the Northeast. View the Grain Grower Series brochure for the details. YouTube video links are included below that includes captioning.

RESILIENCE IN RYE

• 3/22/22, Ecological Rye Production with Sandy Syburg of White Oak Farm in Wisconsin. View recorded video.
• 3/24/22, Conditioning, Aeration, and Storage of Grain with Don Hosteler of Brock Grain Systems in Indiana. View recorded video.

DYNAMIC DRY BEANS

• 3/30/22, Dynamic Dry Beans with Heather Darby (UVM) and Sarah Pethybridge and Matthew Ryan of Cornell University. View recorded video.

THE ANATOMY OF WHEAT FLOUR

• 4/5/22, PART 1—From the Field to the Lab with Heather Darby of UVM Extension, Carrie Brisson of King Arthur, Randy George of Red Hen Baking Co., and Jeffrey Hamelman of King Arthur. View recorded video.
• 4/6/22, PART 2—From the Mill to the Bakery with Andrew Heyn of New American Stone Mills. View recorded video.

Industrial Hemp Conference

University of Vermont Extension and Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets hosted the 4th annual Industrial Hemp Conference virtually over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 15 and 16, 2022. The conference included live presentations on hemp trends, consumer knowledge, economics, CBD, grain and fiber hemp, pest and disease management, oil presses, Vermont rules updates, and more.

View our conference brochure here, to see the full agenda, speaker bios, and sponsors.

In May, we will post the videos from the Industrial Hemp Conference, either here on this website in this section, or we will share the proper link if we do not post them here.

Thank you to our conference collaborators (VAAFM and USDA NIFA) and our sponsors Bia Diagnostics Laboratories, Delmhorst Instrument Co., Neptune's Harvest, and King's AgriSeeds.

Dairy Webinar Series

The Northwest Crops & Soils Program hosted the Dairy Webinar Series  (click link to view PDF) from February 11, 2022 to March 9, 2022, which included seven (7) webinars covering a diversity of dairy-related topics from higher forage diets to cost of production to emissions and manure matters. Each webinar was recorded and we made the recordings available here.

2/11/22, Manure Matters: Sustainable Dung Ecology with Bryony Sands of UVM. YouTube video available.
2/18/22, Higher Forages Diet with nutritionists Patrice Vincent and Kurt Cotanch. YouTube video available.
2/23/22, Dairy Loose Housing Systems with Marcia Endres from the University of Minnesota. YouTube video available.
2/25/22, UVM Forage and Dairy Research with Heather Darby and Sara Ziegler. YouTube video available.
3/2/22, Green House Gas Emissions on Organic Dairy with Andre Brito of UNH and Horacio Aguirre-Villegas from University of Wisconsin-Madison. YouTube video available.
3/4/22, Genetic Considerations for Organic Dairy Herds with Glenda Pereira of the University of Maine. YouTube video available.
3/9/22, Cost of Production in Organic and Grass-fed Dairy Systems with Jen Miller of NOFA-VT and consultant Sarah Flack. YouTube video available.

Northeast Cover Crops Council Conference

The Northeast Cover Crops Council (NECCC), the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), and the University of Vermont Extension held the fifth annual Northeast Cover Crops Council Conference (click to view the conference brochure) on March 10 and 11, 2022. Check back at a later date for information on accessing the recorded videos from the conference.

In May, we will share a link here on this page of how to access the recorded videos from the 2022 NECCC Conference.

Thank you to our conference collaborators (NECCC, PASA, USDA NIFA, and VAAFM) and our sponsors NY FarmNet, Seedway, King's Agriseeds, Albert Lea Seed, BioTill Cover Crops, and Friends of Northern Lake Champlain.

Discovery Acres Winter Webinar

The Discovery Farms® network hosted a free webinar titled, Cover crop and water quality: A multi-state webinar featuring the work of Discovery Farms Programs (click to view flyer) on Wednesday February 16, 2022. This included presentations from the Discovery Farms programs in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Vermont. View this YouTubevideo recording here.

Learn more about Discovery Acres Vermont as well as the other programs in the Discovery Farms® network by visiting at our Discovery Acres website- https://go.uvm.edu/discoveryacres.

2021 Fall Field Day at Borderview Farm

View the Fall Field Day Flyer here (PDF). On October 22, 2021 we shared the latest research in small grains, cover crops, soil health, and forages. We toured research trials evaluating perennial grass varieties, fall forages, stockpiled forages, and a variety of cover crop trials. Roy Desrochers, UVM Sensory Expert, provided provide a fun and educational session tasting and describing local grains!

We also had a dedication of the new E.E. Cummings Crop Testing Lab and celebrated the lives of our friends Erica Cummings, Ken Van Hazinga, and Jack Lazor.

2021 Hemp Production Webinar Series

The Hemp Production Webinar Series went from April to November 2021. Thank you for joining us for one or more of the webinars. We recorded and have posted all of the webinars below. You can view the final Series Flyer for some of the final webinar details. All webinars were free and lasted one hour.

Following are the links to recordings of past webinars in this series and please note that the posted video will include closed captioning:

Growing High Quality Hemp Starts. Recorded April 12, 2021.
Hemp Irrigation Systems: Maximizing Efficiency & Productivity. Recorded May 11, 2021.
The Development of Seedless Triploid Hemp varieties. Recorded May 20, 2021.
Old Solutions to New Problems: Building with Hempcrete. Recorded June 24, 2021.
Manufacturing of Hemp Products. Recorded July 29, 2021.
The State of Play: Hemp in Vermont. Recorded September 13, 2021.
Hemp Chemicals and the Effects on the Human Body. Recorded September 14, 2021.
Researching the Market - Is there a Market for the Hemp you Plan to Grow? Recorded October 6, 2021.
Assessing the Market - How are Hemp Products Different? Recorded October 13, 2021.
Hear from Someone Who's Done It - A New Hemp Venture. Recorded October 20, 2021.
Fire Safety On-Farm: Building Requirements and Facility Safety. Recorded November 4, 2021.

2021 Summer Farm Meeting - On The Farm!!

On Wednesday, August 4, 2021, UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program (NWCS), Friends of Northern Lake Champlain (FNLC), and Farmer’s Watershed Alliance (FWA) held the Summer Farm Meeting at Bridgeman View Farm in Franklin. View our meeting Agenda here.

2021 Hemp Field Day (also the Hemp Training Program Intensive field day option)

UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils program hosted an on-farm 2021 Hemp Field Day (click to view detailed flyer) on August 10 at Borderview Farm in Alburgh.  The farm tour included visiting the flower/CBD, fiber, and grain trials. Then there were breakout session opportunities to participate in.

Measuring Healthy Soils - June 4, 2021, 1:00pm to 3:00pm EST

Part of the Northeast Healthy Soil Network Symposium. Includes Heather Darby as the moderator and panelists of farm owners, agricultural professionals, and researchers. Supported by the UVM Gund Institute for Environment. View the recorded YouTube video here. You can also view information on the Gund Institute web page, https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/northeast-healthy-soil-network.

Manure Application Water Quality and Education Credits

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture (VAAFM) is providing an online opportunity to earn water quality and custom applicator credits to maintain certification.  Visit VAAFM’s Water Quality and Educational Credits webpage: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/water-quality-educational-credits to access videos and submit a form to receive credit. The videos, including the Custom Applicator Webinar from April 21st on manure injection and inline sensing equipment, are listed midway through the page. Next to the video listing is a PDF form that the applicator or farmer should submit in order to receive credit.

2021 Grain Growers Conference - Out of the Box Webinar Series

The Northern Grain Growers Association and the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program brought the Grain Growers Conference to you virtually this year with three programs being offered - The Culture of Corn, The Resonance of Rye and The Splendor of Spelt.

View the Grain Growers Conference web page for the past conference details and YouTube links to the recorded presentations.

2021 Online Dairy Education Series

We offered an exciting two week online learning series covering a diversity of dairy-related topics from forage production to bedded packs to alternative milking frequencies. You will hear from researchers, local farmers, and agricultural professionals sharing the latest research and experiences from the field. View the detailed brochure here.

Following are the recorded videos, which include closed captioning, and a PDF of their presentation (if available):

March 9, Exploring Alternative Milking Intervals (YouTube video) and the presentation (PDF).

March 10, Evaluating Sensory Properties of Dairy Products (YouTube video) and the presentation (PDF).

March 12, Cow Comfort: Can it be Improved in your Barn? (YouTube video), the presentation (PDF), and the following handouts:

• Dairy Facility Risk Factors (PDF)
• Estimating the Impact of Cow Comfort (PDF)
• Seven Things that can improve Cow Comfort, Productivity and Well-being (PDF)
• Steps to Improving Existing Freestalls (PDF)

March 16, Forage Quality: How to Improve, Assess and Feed More Forage (YouTube video), the Quality Forage presentation (PDF) from Kurt Cotanch, and the Managing Forage Crops presentation (PDF) from Sid Bosworth.

March 18, Updates on Local and Regional Research Projects (YouTube video). Including Bedding Strategies presentation (PDF) from John Barlow, Feeding Legumes to Organic Dairy Cows (PDF) by Andre Brito, Impact of Forage Mixtures (PDF) by Miriam Snider, and Interseeding Forage Crops (PDF) by Kathy Soder.

March 19, Corn Silage Hybrid Testing Update and Management Tips (YouTube video), the presentation (PDF) from Joe Lawrence, and a Benchmarking Table handout (PDF).

2021 Industrial Hemp Conference - virtually

We had a successful Industrial Hemp Conference on Friday, February 26, 2021. Thanks to everyone that was able to join us!

The 2021 Industrial Hemp Conference proceedings are now available online. You will find the presentation videos for all the live presentations and the on-demand ones, as well as a PDF of the live presentation powerpoint (if available) and resources that were posted on the virtual conference website. The proceedings are on the eXtension website and are available for a fee of $75.

If you attended the conference on February 26 virtually, you can send me an email request to receive a voucher code to access these proceedings at no additional cost, susan.brouillette@uvm.edu. I can confirm your attendance with our master attendee list.

You can access the 2021 Industrial Hemp Conference proceedings here – https://campus.extension.org/course/view.php?id=2033

Northeast Cover Crops Council's Conference

The NECCC's first-ever virtual conference was held on March 4, 2021. Thanks to everyone that joined us!

View the conference link for details as they are posted - http://northeastcovercrops.com/2021-conference/.

Virtual Farm Discussion Groups

We have been offering an opportunity for farmer-to-farmer discussion groups that you can connect to online or by phone. We have hosted virtual discussion groups monthly since April and are scheduling another one for December 11, 12:00pm to 1:00pm.  View this letter (PDF) for the general information as well as the connection information for the discussion group. This discussion group will focus on gaining your input and suggestions for our programs upcoming outreach and educational activities

Brewer and Hop/Grain Grower Events

The UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program is excited to announce a series of fun and educational events to transfer valuable knowledge about ingredient and beer sensory quality while establishing standard methods and terminology to promote effective communication between suppliers and brewers. The three events will build on each other and result in a much deeper understanding of sensory analysis and meeting the changing needs of beer drinkers. Our goal is to help you be successful through education and networking. COVID-19 procedures will be followed.

View the flyer for details and event information (PDF). We have held two events so far in September and October. The third event will be in 2021 with date and location to be determined.  Events are free. See flyer for details.

Industrial Hemp Training Program - for Agricultural/Technical Service Providers

UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils (NWCS) program is offering this free course in collaboration with the following organizations: Vermont Agency of Agriculture (VAAFM), Food & Markets, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), SUNY Morrisville, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA), Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY (NOFA-NY), and Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (NE-SARE). This course is only for Agricultural/Technical Service Providers please.

Offerings include up to 13 webinars (7 are required), up to 5 in-field intensives (1 is required), and admission to attend the 2021 and 2022 Industrial Hemp Conferences! You will also be asked to complete a pre- and post- course survey. All this is FREE and you can also earn Certified Crop Adviser credits! Sessions will be live on Tuesdays, 12pm - 1pm.

Sorry, but we are not taking on new registrations at this time as registeration was required by October 26, 2020.

The program flyer (PDF) or the Eventbrite website includes more detailed information. View the July 2021 updated Hemp Growing Season Intensive flyer showing all the session opportunities for July, August, and September 2021.

Questions? Please contact Catherine Davidson, Catherine.davidson@uvm.edu, or Heather Darby, heather.darby@uvm.edu or 802-524-6501.

Virtual Field Day Fridays - We can’t host you at the farm, but we can visit virtually!

In lieu of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Annual Field Day, we held several Virtual Field Day Fridays. You can view our flyer of the dates and topics, as well as our Funding Sources and Collaborators for our program research here Flyer (PDF).

July 24 - Small Grains; Integrated Pest Management 
August 7 - Interseeding Cover Crops; Solar Corridors; Forages
August 21 - Hops; Corn Silage Trials
September 4 - Dry Beans; Flint Corn; Behind the Scenes at the Grains Lab
September 18 - Hemp; Cover Crops

All video's from the webinars are posted online on a Map of Borderview Farm (PDF). Open this PDF file and you can click on the video you wish to watch. The video locations, match up with the research trial locations at the farm. The videos/recordings will also include closed captioning.

2020 Hemp Growing Season Webinar Series     

Coordinated by the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Join us for these webinars being offered LIVE and FREE on Thursdays from noon to 1pm. See below for dates/topics. We will record the webinars and post them to this website, as well as our Hemp web page. These recordings will also include closed captioning.

June 11th – The Vermont Hemp Rules with Stephanie Smith, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/Z02EyQkkN9U. View the presentation here (PDF).

June 18th – Getting the Season Started with Heather Darby and John Bruce of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/7ErgkuUwUUc. View the presentation here (PDF).

July 9th – Identifying and Manage Arthropod Pests in Hemp with Heather Darby and Scott Lewins of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/KbKbDkEwk2I. View the presentation here (PDF).

July 30th – Identification and Management of Disease in Hemp with Ann Hazelrigg, UVM, and Chris Motyka. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/wouZy-3Ioxk. View the presentation (PDF) here.

August 6th - CBD Post-Harvest Handling (Drying focus) with Chris Callahan, UVM. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/dIPozbV-MuY.  View information and the presentation slides (PDF) here.

August 13th – Hemp Sampling Pre-Harvest with Robert Shipman and/or Michael DiTomasso of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/9NFlbdJyS-w. View the presentation slides (PDF) here.

September 10th – Hemp Testing at Certified Labs with Robert Shipman and/or Michael DiTomasso of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/LNw_4wQojB0. View the presentation slides (PDF) here.

This is material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588.

Webinar Series: Grazing & Forage Season Extension

Several webinars are being offered through this series collaborated by UMass Extension, UVM Extension, and UMaine Extension. Pre-registration is requested. Please click on this Webinar Series Flyer to see the details and the Go To Webinar link for registration. Following are the dates with webinar topics, which also includes the link to register (click on webinar title):

July 31, 12:15-1:00 PM, Brassicas and Other Cool Season Annuals with Heather Darby of UVM Extension
August 11, 7:00 to 8:00 PM, Stockpiling with Troy Bishopp: 60 Days From Your Fall Feeding Plan
August 28, 12:15-1:00 PM, Harvesting Over-wintering Cover Crops with Sam Corcoran of UMass Extension
September 18, 12:15-1:00 PM, Bringing it All Together: Integrating Alternative Forage into Your Feed Plan with Kathy Soder of USDA-ARS

Dig into Your Day…with Cover Crops & Conservation (click to view flyer) - The University of Vermont Extension is offering a FREE Webinar Series!
This webinar series will discuss current research on cover crops and conservation in various cropping systems, interesting findings, and common obstacles to implementing a successful cover crop and no-till program. Each webinar will be 30 minutes and will end with a 15 minute Q&A session.YouTube videos of completed webinars will be posted when available.

Dates & Topics Listed Below:
Monday, 3/23/20 9am to 9:45am - Precision Sustainable Agriculture (YouTube video available) with Steve Mirsky, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
Thursday, 3/26/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crops in the Corn/Soybean Rotation (YouTube video available) with Peter Tomlinson, Kansas State University, Department of Agronomy
Monday, 3/30/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crop Profitability with Rob Meyers (YouTube video available), University of Missouri Extension, Agricultural Engineering
Thursday, 4/2/20 9am to 9:45am - No-Till and Cover Crops in Organic Systems (YouTube video available) with Joel Gruver, Western Illinois University, School of Agriculture
Monday, 4/6/20 9am to 9:45am - No-Till and Cover Crops in Vegetable Systems (Organic Focus) (YouTube video available) with Natalie Lounsbury, University of New Hampshire, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Thursday, 4/9/20 9am to 9:45am - Stewarding the Birthplace of No-Till with John Young (YouTube video available), Young Family Farm, Innovative No-Till Farmer from Herndon, Kentucky
Monday, 4/13/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crop and Soybean Research in Vermont (YouTube video available) with Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension, Northwest Crops and Soils Program
Thursday, 4/16/20 9am to 9:45am - Cover Crops and No-Till in Soybeans (YouTube video available) with Cara Peterson, University of Maryland, Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab

Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) credits are available through online registration or by emailing your CCA number and/or farm name to catherine.davidson@uvm.edu within 2 days of the webinar.

Grain Growers Webinar (PDF) - was held Tuesday, March 24, 2020, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Included the following two webinar presentations that you can now access to watch. Each are 1 hour or under.
Growing Rye for Flavor and Function (YouTube video available) with Aaron MacLeod of Hartwick College.
Cover Crop Based No-Till and Interseeding Techniques (YouTube video available) with Erin Silva from University of Wisconsin.

Grain Growers Conference (program brochure and agenda) - Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at The Essex Resort & Spa, Essex, VT. View our Conference web page - go.uvm.edu/2020grainsconference. This conference has been CANCELED, sorry for any inconvenience.

2020 Winter Farm Meeting (click for meeting agenda) - Friday, February 7, 2020 at the American Legion, 100 Parah Drive, St. Albans, VT. Free event with lunch sponsored by Yankee Farm Credit. Conference web page https://2020winterfarmmeeting.eventbrite.com.

2nd Annual Industrial Hemp Conference (click for full brochure and agenda) - Thursday, February 20, 2020 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Burlington. View our Conference  web page - go.uvm.edu/2020hempconference.

No-Till Cover Crop Symposium (click to view conference web page) - Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington, VT

Hop Conference (flyer) - Friday, February 28, 2020 at the Delta Hotels Marriott Burlington, Burlington, VT. View our Conference web page - go.uvm.edu/2020hopconference.

Organic Dairy Producers Conference - Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at Judd Hall at Vermont Technical College, Randolph, VT. View our Conference web page - go.uvm.edu/2020organicdairyconference.

• 2019 Summer Farm Meeting - Wednesday, August 14, 2019, Bridgeman View Farm, Franklin, VT. View the detailed agenda (PDF). 

• Summer Organic Dairy Series - UVM Extension, NOFA-VT, and Organic Valley are collaborating and offering several organic dairy related workshops this summer. View our flyer for the details and registration information. Workshops are offered in July, August and September and are in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

• 2019 12th Annual Crops & Soils Field Day - Thursday, July 25, 2019. Our theme is Twelve Years of Research - But Wait, There's More! View the 2019 Field Day Booklet (PDF).


• Malt Flavor Evaluations - was held on Wednesday, June 26 in Burlington, VT. For brewers and growers.

• No-Till Training Program - In-Field Intensives. As part of the No-Till Training Program, Agriculture Service Providers (ASP) and program participants must attend at least one (1) in-field intensive training. We are also inviting ASPs working with farmers curious about implementing no-till. We are offered 4 workshops, In-Field Intensives information flyer (PDF)

• 15th Annual Grain Growers Conference (click to view brochure) is Thursday, March 28. Following are the PDF versions or links to most of the conference presentations listed chronologically.

Paul Schwarz, Impact of Disease on Malting Grains (PDF)
Erik Andrus, Growing Rice in New England (PDF)
Jeffrey Hamelman and Randy George, 100% Rye, NGGA Testing (PDF) and NGGA Rye Baking Test Evaluation Form (PDF)
Jason Furch, Recipes from Baking Session (PDF)
Jacob and Bruce Buck, Growing and Storage of Malting Barley (PDF)
Tom Molloy, Research and On-Farm Experiences with Camera-Guided Cultivation in Maine (PDF)
Jennifer Lapidus, From Grain to Loaf: A regional flour mill in the south (PDF)
Mark Bernard, Transitioning to Organic and Value Added Products (PDF)
Roger Rainville, Small Scale Oil Pressing (PDF)
Lynn Ellen schimoler, Joe Bossen and Elijah Massey, Financial and Technical Assistance Resources for Farmers and Processors (PDF)
Becca Regier, Baking session recipes. Caraway Rye Crisps (PDF) and Barley Cookies (PDF)
Rye Matthews, Basics of Growing Hemp for CBD (PDF)
Kristy Borrelli, Role of Cover Crops in Nutrient Cycling and Soil Health (PDF)
Joel Steigman, Growing, Processing, and Milling Spelt (PDF)

Additional links for information from Kristy Borrelli.
Making the Most of Mixtures: https://extension.psu.edu/making-the-most-of-mixtures-considerations-for-winter-cover-crops
Managing Soil Health: https://extension.psu.edu/managing-soil-health-concepts-and-practices

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• No-Till Cover Crop Symposium (PDF), was held Thursday, February 28, DoubleTree by Hilton, Burlington, VT.

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• 9th Vermont Organic Dairy Producers Conference (click to view brochure) was held Thursday, March 14. Following are the PDF versions or links to the conference presentations.

Gary Hirshberg, Perspective on Organic Dairy (PDF)
Linda Tikofsky, Milk Quality: It's the Little Things (PDF)
Research Updates, Combined Slide Show from all Presenters (PDF)
Larry Tranel, Economics of Grazing Dairy Heifers (PDF)
Larry Tranel, TRANS Iowa Low Cost Parlors - link to view video - https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/parlor
Larry Tranel, Transforming a Milking Parlor at Low Cost Fact Sheet - downloadable link - https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/12657

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• (click to view brochure) was on Friday, February 8 and was very successful!  Following are the PDF versions of the presentations listed chronologically. To access the presentation videos, contact susan.brouillette@uvm.edu.
• I have also included this PDF of our Sponsor and Exhibitor contact information (PDF).

Online proceedings for the Industrial Hemp Conference are available for $75 and includes video recordings of presentations conducted during the conference. The proceedings are housed at eXtension’s Online campus. If you have not yet been to this site, you will need to create an account. To do so, on the left bar under “Login,” click on “Create new account.” You will need to complete some basic information and confirm your account via email.  Once you have created an account, you may enroll in the proceedings. You will enter your payment into eXtension’s PayPal system.

Monique McHenry, PhD, Cannabis as a Plant: Taxonomy and Chemistry (PDF)
Christine Motyka, Propagation Techniques for starting CBD Hemp Plants (PDF)
Joe Veldon, Breeding and Selection of CBD Hemp (PDF)
Keanan Stone, Hemp Grain/Fiber Commercial Production (PDF)
Trevor Hardy, Plasticulture for Hemp Production (PDF)
Heather Darby, Hemp Production in the Northeast (PDF)
Steve Kostell, Micro-manufacturing of Agricultural products for Industrial Hemp (PDF)
Jane Kolodinsky, Markets for Hemp - Considerations (PDF)
Reuben Stone, Hemp Grain Harvest & Storage (PDF)
Jay Noller, Developing Sustainable Markets for Hemp (PDF)
Rye Matthews, Farming Hemp in Vermont (PDF)
Keith Morris, Permaculture Design (PDF)
Christine Motyka and Scott Lewins, Integrated Pest Management in Hemp (PDF)
Chris Bailey, Hemp Seeds 101: Processing, Products, and Markets (PDF)
Brenden Beer, Field to Market (PDF)
John DiGiuseppe, Harvest and Drying (PDF)
Marc Tardiff, Acadia Farms (PDF)
Zoe Stapp, Hemp Irrigation 101 (PDF)
Bob Escher AIA and Alex Escher, An Ancient Material to Solve Contemporary Problems (PDF)
Scot Waring, Hemp Processing and Analysis (PDF)
Jay Noller, CBD Production Systems in Oregon (PDF)
Heather Darby, Fertility Management (PDF)

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• 10th Annual Hop Conference (PDF), was Thursday, February 21, DoubleTree by Hilton, Burlington, VT. View detailed Conference Agenda (PDF).We had a great conference with informative and fun topics. Listed below are PDFs of the presentations.

Online proceedings for the 2019 Hop Conference are available for $35 and includes video recordings of presentations conducted during the conference. The proceedings are housed at eXtension’s Online campus. If you have not yet been to this site, you will need to create an account. To do so, on the left bar under “Login,” click on “Create new account.” You will need to complete some basic information and confirm your account via email.  Once you have created an account, you may enroll in the proceedings. You will enter your payment into eXtension’s PayPal system.

Tom Spilsbury, British Hop Industry & Growing English Hops (PDF)
Gene L'Etoile, Pests and Diseases of Hops (PDF)
Heather Darby and John Bruce, Historical Hop Evaluation Trial (PDF)
Ellen Dillenbeck and Lejla Mahmuljin, Brewing with Wild Vermont Hops (PDF)
Blake Crosby, Hops 101 (PDF)
Kevin Broderick, Whitefield Hop Yard (PDF)
Tom Spilsbury, Three Tier Hop Drying (PDF)

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• 2019 Winter Farm Meeting, Tuesday, February 12, 10am to 2:30pm, Champlain Valley Equipment, St. Albans, VT. Free event including lunch sponsored by CVE. View detailed Meeting Agenda (PDF).
• 2019 Precision Agriculture Forum (PDF), Friday, February 15, 10am to 3pm, The Abbey, Sheldon, VT. Coordinated by Farmer's Watershed Alliance (FWA).

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