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| Calendar of Events
This page is updated weekly for upcoming WICD events, workshops, and meetings, and other opportunities offered by our partners. All events listed are free of charge unless otherwise noted.
WICD Board of Supervisors meetings are usually the 4th Thursday of each month, please check here for schedule changes and exceptions. 2012 | | Feb to April Saturdays (tentatively)
| WSU Monthly Gardening Classes
WSU is planning to hold a series of monthly gardening classes this winter and spring. These classes are part of the Master Gardener training course and are open to the public. February: Soils and Compost
March: Pollinators
April: Tomatoes When: Tentatively scheduled for Saturdays
Where: Location to be determined *Check back for more information on this listing as it becomes available or contact Island County WSU Extension. | February 13 to March 5 2012 Mondays & Wednesdays 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Langley | Homestead Skills Classes - Homesteading on Whidbey Island
These classes will be taught by South Whidbey Tilth members and are co-sponsored the by South Whidbey Tilth and Deer Lagoon Grange.
Learn from local farmers how to start a small sustainable farm. Learn some of the best and most productive techniques for growing fresh food for yourself and your family without using chemicals. This year Tilth and the Grange team up to offer a course that will make your small farming efforts a big success. This series of classes are appropriate for quick learning beginners and for the more advanced too. Much will be covered in a short number of classes.
When: Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm and Wednesdays, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in the month of February Where: Deer Lagoon Grange Hall, Langley Feb 13th: Where to Start with Gary Ingram Feb 15: Building the Infrastructure to Raise Animals with Eric Conn and Gary Ingram, Feb 18: Pruning and Tree Care with certified arborist Gary Ingram at his farm in Greenbank Feb. 20th: Building the infrastructure to raise vegetables and fruit with Anza Muenchow Feb. 22nd: How to make Cheese in the Homestead Kitchen with Gary Ingram Feb 25th: (Saturday, 9-noon) Seed Saving Workshop and Seed Exchange - This is a special class and the cost is not part of the series, donations will be collected at the Greenbank Farm Feb. 29th: Growing Grains and other calorie crops with Eric Conn and Georgina Silby March. 5th: How to Preserve and Profit from my bounty? Panel discussion with Marc Wilson, Anza, Eric and Gary Cost: $15/class or $90 for the whole course (Grange or Tilth members pay half price) Go to http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2707142135 for schedule and prices. Call Gary Ingram 331-0373 for more information. | February 21 Tuesday 10:00 am - 12:00 pm WICD Office Coupeville | WICD Board of Supervisors Monthly Meeting Each month, the Board of Supervisors meet to discuss the District's programs and plans. This meeting is open to the public. For additional information, visit the Supervisor's page or call the District at 360-678-4708. When: Tuesday, February 21, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: WICD Conference Room Information: 360-678-4708 Whidbey Island Conservation District, 1 NE 4th Street, Coupeville, WA, 360-678-4708 | February 22 to April 25 6:00 – 9:00 PM Burlington | WSU Livestock Advisor Training - Sustainable Livestock Production This 10-week livestock course begins February 22 in Burlington. Whether integrating small livestock into your garden or raising a flock or herd, all this and more will be covered in the 10 week WSU Livestock Advisor training. This course covers not only housing, feeding, fencing, and handling techniques for sheep, beef, swine, poultry, goats, horses, and more, but also delivers a strong component on maximizing pasture nutrition and growth, weed control, minimizing mud and manure, and incorporating the best management practices. A recent graduate stated, “This class helped me refine my livestock choices to better match our small farm.” Cost: for the 10 week course is $200 with a second person from the farm or family welcome. When: Wednesday evenings, Feb. 22 - April 25, 6:00 – 9:00 PM Where: WSU Skagit County Extension, 11768 Westar Lane, Ste A, Burlington WA 98233 Registration: Download an application at http://skagit.wsu.edu/Agriculture/volunteer.htm Or contact program coordinator Joan DeVries at 360-428-4270-Ext. 240, e-mail joanrd@co.skagit.wa.us.
| March 2012 Details to be announced as available | Grange Field Trip: Shearing Demonstration at the Mutiny Bay Sheep Farm
Offered by Grange member Claudia Pettis. Eifion Morgan, a Welsh sheep shearer and hard cider maker, will be visiting Whidbey in March. When: March
Where: Mutiny Bay Sheep Farm
*Check back for more information on this listing as it becomes available. | March 2 & 3 Friday 1:00 - 6:00 pm WICD Office Coupeville Saturday9:30 am - 1:30 pm Greenbank Farm | Whidbey Island Conservation District - Annual Native Plant Sale Pick-Up Days Pick up your pre-ordered plants on the day you selected: Friday, March 2, 1:00 - 6:00 PM WICD Office, 1 NE 4th Street, Coupeville Saturday, March 3, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM WICD is seeking volunteers to assist with preparations on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Come join us at Greenbank Farm for a few hours. For more information visit our Plant Sale page by clicking here Plant Sale. | March 8 Thursday 9:00AM to 4:30PM Mount Vernon | Bringing the Farm to Market - Season Extension Technologies and Techniques to Help Specialty Crop Producers Take Advantage of Shoulder Seasons and Year-Round Markets
The Northwest Agriculture Business Center is pleased to offer this workshop which will feature three Oregon State specialty crop producers who have implemented production strategies to support year-round markets. These growers will share their experience, knowledge, skills, and lessons learned in the areas of variety selection, timing, rotations, storage, use of floating row cover, and low and high tunnels, and keeping concise records for tracking, analysis, and planning.
Sauvie Island Organics-Working the Shoulder Seasons, A Season Extension Story (Presenter-Tanya Murray, Manager of Sauvie Island Organics)
Tanya will share a story of adventure, disaster, and redemption that covers her first experiment with Haygrove tunnels, salad greens, and a 2003 weather event. With some valuable lessons learned, Tanya and Sauvie Island Organics have moved forward, implementing production and storage tactics that enable the farm's 400-member CSA program to operate effectively into December.
Going Year-Round (Presenter-Josh Volk, Owner, Slow Hand Farm)
Josh started harvesting year-round two years ago with most of his crops grown outside with no protection except floating row cover. Careful variety selection and keeping good records on timing have made this possible. He will share his methods for keeping detailed crop and rotation plans, concise records, and how he tracks the plans in order to make effective adjustments. Josh has will also share the work he's done with farms in Oregon and British Columbia with various types of tunnels and crops.
Using Tunnels, the Nuts and Bolts (Presenter-John Eveland, Gathering Together Farm)
Starting with one small PVC house in their first year, Gathering Together Farm now has 3 ¼ acres in hoop house production. John will provide the "nuts and bolts" of building tunnels and managing them for production of a wide variety of crops, including trellising, watering, and temperature control. When: Thursday, March 8, 2012 - 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Where: Skagit Valley Gardens, 18923 Peter Johnson Road, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273 Cost: $95 general registration / $85 with PSFN Member discount (membership will be verified). Includes morning refreshments and a lunch served by the Garden Café. Tickets must be purchased in advance from the NABC website Class is limited to 30 attendees.
For more information or questions, please contact Jeff Voltz, jeff@agbizcenter.org, 360-593-4744 | March 10, 2012 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Oak Harbor High School | Whidbey Gardening Conference WSU Master Gardeners put on this great event each year. This year's keynote speaker is Loren Forkner, author of several popular books including Handmade Garden Projects, Canning & Preserving Your Own Harvest, and Growing Your Own Vegetables. Her lectures are always enthusiastically received. When: Saturday, March 10, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm Where: Oak Harbor High School | September 15 & 16 2012 Saturday & Sunday | Farm Tour 2012 Join us for the 7th Annual Whidbey Island Farm Tour! Once again a variety of working farms on Whidbey Island will be show-casing their activities and products. You'll be able to visit with the farmers, purchase locally grown products, and enjoy the beauty of rural Whidbey Island. Check back this spring for more information about the 2012 Farm Tour. | | |
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