Featherstone Farm Community Care Coordinator

Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables (aka FFV, Featherstone Farm), Rushford, Minnesota, is seeking an energetic, self-motivated individual to fill a new marketing position, to begin work February 6, 2012. As marketing of FFV products and services—certified organic, fresh market produce—is a strategic function of Featherstone Farm, this new position will be one of mission critical importance to the organization.  The new Community Care Coordinator will immediately join the FFV leadership team, will report directly to FFV ownership, and will be responsible for promoting the farm’s vision through all their work-related activities.

Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative

DATES: Applications must be received by close of business (COB) on March 9, 2012 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding. Comments regarding this request for applications (RFA) are requested within six months from the issuance of this notice.

USDA Invites Applications for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is seeking applications to provide assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to complete a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Funding is available from USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill).

“Renewable energy development presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America,” said Vilsack.

Farm School for Women

The Farm Setting

The Farm School for Women is located on Genesis Farm, a twenty-acre market and educational farm located in Orange County, near Chapel Hill, NC. The farm includes open pasture, gardens, woods and a 1 1/2 acre pond overlooking the pastures. The farm is teeming with wildlife as well as domestic animals.

USDA Announces Funding for Water Quality Markets, Seeks Proposals for Projects

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a funding opportunity that will bring states, USDA and other stakeholders together to enhance the effectiveness of water quality credit trading. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing up to $10 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for these projects, with up to $5 million focused on water quality credit trading in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Proposals for projects are due March 2, 2012.

USDA Mississippi River Basin Partnership Project Proposals Due March 19

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White today announced that proposals for conservation projects addressing water quality and wetland conservation in the Mississippi River Basin are due to NRCS by March 19, 2012. Accepted projects would support conservation efforts already underway on agricultural operations in the basin, improve the overall health of the Mississippi River and help reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for conservation-minded farmers to do even more to protect and improve one of America’s most valuable resources,” White said.

National Organic Program Sunset Review Posted

The National Organic Program has published a proposed rule in the Federal Register regarding the 2012 Sunset Review of substances on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. This proposed rule would amend the exemptions or prohibition for seven substances and remove the exemption for three substances on the National List. Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted by mail or online until February 13, 2012.

 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5096391

Volunteer with Cherry Tree House Mushrooms

Many of us are browsing seed catalogs at this time of year, but I have already started ordering from my spawn supply catalog.  If you’d like to have a go at mushroom cultivation this year, or would just like to learn more about it, I can give you some pointers.

If you would like to learn more about cultivation, I’d suggest that you look at the cultivation tab on my newly launched website/blog. 

Paid Internship at Laughing Loon Farm

Laughing Loon Farm is a small-scale, diversified farm located 1 mile south of Northfield, MN.  We use sustainable methods to grow vegetables, flowers, and microgreens for over 20 restaurants and cafesin Northfield and the Twin Cities area. Laughing Loon is seeking 3 interns for the 2012 growing season–1 for the entire season (mid-March through November) and 2 for the summer (May through early September).

The Organic Field School at Gardens of Eagan is seeking an individual to serve as program director

This individual will:

• Increase visibility and effectiveness of the organization
• Fundraise immediately to find permanent funding for this position and to fund activities that carry out the mission of the organization.
• Manage and carry out program/project work currently underway