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HOME AND FARM MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS Managing Mud, Manure, and Pastures: The Three Cornerstones of Livestock Farm ManagementKey Center - Saturday, December 19, 12–2 p.m. Graham - Sunday, January 10, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Gig Harbor - Sunday, January 17, 1–3 p.m. Has the winter been awful on your farm for you and your livestock? Are mud and manure piling up, with not a blade of grass to be seen? If so, than this is the class for you! These classroom power point presentations will allow participants to get information on the three key components of small farm management. Find out what materials are being used to keep paddocks dry and learn how to install them correctly (including grid systems). Hear how to turn the mountain of manure into a useful soil amendment for your pastures. And learn how to transform that patch of weeds and bare soil into lush pasture to get the most grazing for your animals this coming summer. A class notebook will be provided to each participant. Workshops Series for Horse & Small Farm Owners Enumclaw, Thursdays, Feb 11 to March 4, 6:30-9 p.m. Hands-on workshops co-sponsored by the Pierce and King Conservation Districts on livestock management practices. See a variety of options and work with technicians to discover how you can have less mud, better pastures, manage manure, and care for streams and wetlands. February 11: Streams and Wetlands: Living with Livestock near Water. February 18: Mud Management: Record Rainfall=Record Mud. February 25: Manure Management: Got Livestock? Got Manure! March 4: Pasture Management: Becoming a Grass Farmer. To register and receive directions contact the King Conservation District at 425-282-1904, or paul.borne@kingcd.org. Carcass Composting South Prairie, Saturday, March 20, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Although many people have "gone back to the land" and are now producing their own livestock for self-consumption, they may not know that both offal and other unusable carcass parts can go full circle through the composting process to contribute to the productivity of their farms. Composting also solves the problem of by-product disposal while preventing those materials from going to the landfill. Come learn from Andy Bary, Scientific Assistant in Crops and Soils at the WSU Research and Extension Center in Puyallup, about the process and how to set up the compost pile. Class participants will get hands-on practice building a pile and also see the finished product. Please contact Erin at (253) 884-9474 or erine@piercecountycd.org, or René at (253) 845-9770 or renes@piercecountycd.org to register for the workshops. A map will be sent to you upon registration. Special, No-Cost Pesticides Collection for Farmers and Small Businesses Preparing for Floods Flood season is here in western Washington, and it’s a good time to check storage sheds, garages, basements, or warehouses for pesticides or other chemicals that are no longer wanted or needed. Properly managing pesticides and other chemicals before flooding hits a community helps prevent contamination of property, soil, groundwater, and surface waters. Contaminated buildings and property are a threat to residents, neighbors, emergency responders, and livestock, and they are expensive and difficult to clean up. Pierce County residents can dispose of their household hazardous waste free of charge at the Hidden Valley Transfer Station or the City of Tacoma Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Contact the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s Hazardous Waste Hotline at 1-800-287-6429 or visit their website. |
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