ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office is pleased to announce the following Commercial Horticulture Programs for November, 2014. These programs are being offered by Aparna Gazula, Commercial Horticulture Agent, at the UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office (2800 NE 39 Avenue, Gainesville), unless otherwise indicated.
Grants & Cost-Share Funding Available for Growers – October 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (with Cindy Sanders, Director/Livestock Agent)
The Florida Department of Agriculture – Office of Agricultural Water Policy works with multiple partners including USDA-NRCS, DEP, Water Management Districts, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts to provide funds that assist farmers in implementing Best Management Practices.
In addition, USDA-NRCS has many programs available for agricultural producers. Some of these include Conversation Stewardship, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Innovation Grants, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and many more.
This program explains how these federal and state agencies can assist with information about different grants and cost-share funding available for growers.
There is no cost to attend this program.
Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance – November 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with Barton Wilder, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent)
This class includes six hours of the required training for LCLM license applicants. Participants needing recertification can attend the first four hours of class, but are encouraged to take the Advanced Landscape Training Workshop instead. The LCLM license exam will be given the same day as the class. Participants must have all license application paperwork completed to sit for the exam.
Continuing Education Units will be offered in the following categories: 3 General Standards/Core, 3 Ornamental & Turf, 3 Private Applicator Ag, 3 Limited Lawn & Ornamental, 3 Limited Landscape Maintenance, 3 Commercial Lawn & Ornamental.
The registration fee is $30.00 and includes program materials, refreshments, and lunch for the day.
Microgreens – A New Specialty Crop – November 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (with Robert Hochmuth, Multi County Extension Agent – Vegetables Small Farms Statewide Coordinator & Wendy Wilber, Environmental Horticulture Agent)
Frequently called "vegetable confetti," microgreens are young, tender greens that are used to enhance the color, texture, or flavor of salads, or to garnish a wide variety of main dishes. Harvested at the first true leaf stage and sold with the stem, cotyledons (seed leaves), and first true leaves attached, they are among a variety of novel salad greens available on the market that are typically distinguished categorically by their size and age. Participants will learn about producing microgreens for home use, commercial and local markets.
This class is free of charge.
Growing Shiitake & Oyster Mushrooms – November 15, from 10 a.m. to noon (with Wendy Wilber, Environmental Horticulture Agent)
This workshop will teach how to grow both Shiitake mushrooms, which are grown on hardwood logs, and oyster mushrooms grown in straw.
This class is free of charge.
Drip Irrigation School – November 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. & November 19, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center (8202 County Road 417, Live Oak), with Robert Hochmuth, Multi County Extension Agent – Vegetables Small Farms Statewide Coordinator and Mace Bauer, CED & Agricultural Agent, Columbia County Extension.
Topics include: drip irrigation system design, components, installation, scheduling irrigation events, fertigation & chemigation, movement of water in mulched beds, system maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Cost to attend is $80.00 (early bird if registration is postmarked by November 7), $55.00 per extra person (November 18) and $105.00 regular, $70.00 per extra person (November 19). Registration includes materials, snacks & lunch. Click to register.
Beginner Beekeeper Short Course – November 22, from 9 a.m. (registration begins at 8:45 a.m.) to 4 p.m. (with Barton Wilder, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent)
Explore the world of honey bees and steps to becoming a beekeeper at the “Becoming a Hobby Beekeeper Short Course.” This course will allow the participants to receive a complete perspective of the process and expense involved with keeping honey bees as a hobby or alternative farm enterprise. It should allow the participant to decide if this is something they want to do.
Topics include: bee equipment and how to set up a hive, packaged bees & queens and sources for help, installing bees and how to get them off to a good start, honeybee pests, the Africanized honeybee, honey collection and extraction techniques.
The registration fee is $15.00 and includes program materials, refreshments, and lunch for the day.
Pre-register at least 3 days prior to classes by calling 352-337-6209 (voice mail).
For more information about these programs, call 352-955-2402. Visit the Extension Office calendar for additional programs offered by the UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County.
An Equal Opportunity Institution. Extension Service, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Nick T. Place, Dean. Single copies of Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county Extension offices. Information about alternate formats is available from IFAS Communications, University of Florida, PO Box 110810, Gainesville, FL 32611-0810.