FFA Floral Design Competition

Friday, May 5
Location: Building

This competition will be open to students from Granite State FFA chapters and will be based on the Floral Arrangement activity from the National FFA Organization Floriculture Career Development Event.

Students will be given cut flowers and containers and will be assigned an arrangement type and retail price.  They will be given 30 minutes to select materials and create an arrangement within the given price range.  Judges from the floral industry will score results based on creativity, scale, balance and other design parameters, as well as on accuracy in accounting costs and prices.

NH Homestead Act Part 1: Selling Homemade Food in New Hampshire

Friday, May 5  • 10 AM
Location: Classroom

Anne Hamilton, Mary Saucier Choate, UNH Extension & Colleen Smith, Erica Davis , DHHS Food Protection

Starting a homestead food business is a dream of many home cooks. Beginning small, in your own kitchen, with shelf-stable baked goods and other allowed foods, is a practical way to try out this venture. Find out when you are exempt from requiring a New Hampshire Homestead license and when you are non-exempt and need a Homestead H license. This class is beneficial for anyone looking to sell food from their home kitchen, especially when selling at farmers’ markets and farm stands. The class will include an overview of the Homestead Act and will allow time for questions and answers from UNH Extension and NH DHHS Food Protection.

Sprayer Calibration and Safety Workshop for Women

Friday, May 5 • 11 am – 1 pm
Location: Outside

Kendall Kunelius, UNH Extension

Correctly calibrating a pump or backpack sprayer is a critical piece for any business risk management strategy. This hands-on workshop will provide learning opportunities for women in any agricultural sector- fruit and veggie production, green industry/landscaping, and livestock production. Instructors Rachel Maccini and Kyle Quigley will teach participants how to read pesticide/chemical labels, calculate correct formulations, and sprayer calibration methods to match desired application rates. This workshop is part of our Women in Agriculture program, offering support for women farmers in the areas of safety, farm efficiency, risk management, and profitability. This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021‐70027‐34693.

Pre-registration is required at: https://extension.unh.edu/event/2023/05/sprayer-calibration-safety-workshop-women

Managing Poisonous Plants in Pastures

Friday, May 5 • 1pm
Location: Classroom

Carl Majewski, UNH Extension

Potentially toxic plants are pretty common in pastures across NH. Don’t panic, though – it’s not as big a problem as you think. We’ll review some of the more notorious toxic species you may come across in your pastures, and we’ll discuss some management strategies you can use to minimize the risk to your animals. This session would benefit small and backyard livestock owners who are working to improve their pastures.

Getting Started with USDA

Friday, May 5 • 2:30 PM
Location: Classroom

Andrea Bye – USDA  NH Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinator

From farm loans to crop insurance, and conservation programs to disaster assistance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is here to support you and your operation. In this workshop, you will hear from your local Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Rural Development (RD) staff about how USDA can help you get started or grow your farming operation through a variety of programs and services. As the face of agriculture is changing USDA is leveraging its footprints to meet the needs of ALL producers. Realizing the USDA website can be a bit overwhelming when trying to do your own research, we’re hopeful this presentation will help you understand how to get connected with staff and begin working with the various agencies! Beginning farmers and ranchers are very much needed as the average age of the farmer continues to rise. USDA is striving to support this group of new farmers and ranchers and we invite you to join us on the journey.

Friday, May 5  • 3 PM
Location: Outside

Farming with Livestock Guardian Dogs

Karina Allayne, Greentwist Acres: Farm & Learning Center

What is a Livestock Guardian Dog, and will it work for me? We have been poultry farming with LGD for 8 years, and we wouldn’t/couldn’t do it any other way. We protect our livestock and coexist with wildlife. We are happy to share our experiences, tips, training techniques, and answer any questions. One of our Great Pyrenees will be present.

Invasive Plant Identification Lab

Friday, May 5  • 4:30 PM
Location: Classroom

Michael Gagnon, UNH Cooperative Extension

This session will be an interactive hands-on learning experience in upland invasive plant species identification. Through a guided activity, you will learn to identify many of the common woody trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennials listed on the prohibited invasive species list in New Hampshire. The focus will be on learning identification skills beyond just leaves through close examination of samples of woody material, twigs, and buds. This skill set can be useful in winter identification, distinguishing invasives from some of their native look-a-likes, and in applying Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR), one of our best defenses against upland invasive species invasions.

Friday, May 5  • 5:30 PM
Location: Classroom

Part 1: Exploring Affordable Solutions to in-home care, Medicare and long-term care insurance

Michael Healy, Advanced Life Management

Are you familiar with Medicare Parts A and B? Do you know where they pick up and where they leave off? Do you know what your situation would look like in the event you become Sick, or Injured and need in home services? Join me in exploring Medicare, and Long-Term Care insurance, and products designed to help all those with a potential in home care need, not just those eligible for Medicare. This will be an educational seminar to help you understand your picture and to help you navigate through those times.

Interesting Features of NH Barns

Saturday, May 6 • 10 AM
Location: Classroom

John Porter, NH Preservation Alliance

Do you know why some barns have small transom windows above the doors, cupolas high on their ridges, or those funny projecting roofs over their hay loft doors? Join other barn enthusiasts for this session presented by John Porter, UNH Extension Professor/Specialist, Emeritus, and co-author of Preserving Old Barns. Barns are admired for their architectural beauty, but look a little closer and you’ll see a lot of interesting features which help tell the story of how barns were used. This session will be an illustrated PowerPoint talk showing various features of old New Hampshire barns. It will include many things we take for granted when describing old barns like cupolas, cow stables, hay forks, barn bridges, built-in accessories, scuttle holes, and more.

Is Alpaca Ownership Right for You?

Saturday, May 6 •  9:30 AM
Location: Classroom

Gordon Long, Nodrog Farms

Curious about alpacas and what to expect when adding these gentle, curious animals to your family? In this workshop learn about the different types of alpaca, their care, breeding, and the luxurious products you can make with their fleece.

Light: What is it, how do plants use it and how can we grow our plants with it?

Saturday, May 6 • 11:30 AM
Location: Classroom

Jonathan Ebba – UNH Extension

While young, we learned that plants need light to grow. We may have even learned about photosynthesis in school. But what is it about light that plants need? How can we use that knowledge to grow better plants? From science-interested laypeople to windowsill seedling hobbyists to commercial greenhouse operators, this discussion is open to all and will teach us a little more about light and plants.

Living with Coyotes

Saturday, May 6 • 11:30 AM
Location: Classroom

Chris Schadler, NH Wildlife Coalition

Whether you farm sheep or grow trees, helpful coyotes make good neighbors. Learn how! Why not make use of this valuable predator? Living with coyotes can actually deter problem coyotes; coyotes can discourage deer from damaging understory trees and shrubs.

Pollinator Garden Certification

Saturday, May 6 • 12:30 PM
Location: Classroom

Donna Miller – UNH Extension

New Hampshire is home to a diverse array of pollinators, however, declines of insects, native bees, and birds are well documented. Habitat loss is a significant driver of those declines. UNH Extension staff and New Hampshire Master Gardener volunteers have been taking action to protect pollinators by planting pollinator-friendly gardens and providing education to the gardening public. Now, New Hampshire gardeners and landowners like you have the opportunity to certify your gardens or property as “pollinator-friendly.” This session will help to ensure you are providing for the needs of pollinators, and also to help spread the word about the importance of pollinators and how others can join this effort. In this interactive workshop a member of the Pollinator Garden Certification Committee will walk you through the 4-step process to help you review and prepare your garden/property for the application requirements.

Planning for Profitability: Everything you need to know about cost control in your livestock feeding program.

Saturday, May 6 • 1:30 PM
Location: Classroom

Kendall Kunelius & Dr. Sarah Allen – UNH Extension

This workshop will cover key information about getting a handle on the most variable expense on your farm: your feed bill. Dr. Sarah Allen, UNH Extension Dairy Nutrition specialist, and Kendall Kunelius, Agriculture Business Management specialist will be discussing specific management strategies to enhance profitability and how to create a strong relationship with your feed rep. Participants can expect to walk away with actionable next steps to improving their financial outlook for livestock enterprises.

Why Organic? Transitioning to Producing, Eating, Supporting Local Organic Foods

Time: Saturday, May 6, 2:30 PM
Location: Classroom

Julie Davenson, Northeast Organic Farming Association of NH (NOFA-NH)

Are you a farmer or home grower interested in producing organic foods, or a community member interested in supporting local farms when choosing organic products for yourself and your family? This workshop will introduce attendees to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire and its programs (from conferences to food access), mentorship and educational opportunities for organic farmers and gardeners, organic lawn care, the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program, how to directly support local organic producers across the state, organic agriculture as a climate change solution, and how the Farm Bill will impact our food system. Farmers, gardeners, homeowners, and eaters interested in joining and deepening their connection to the growing organic movement will leave this session with valuable tools and resources.

Preventing and/or Reducing Wildlife Conflicts Around the Home and Garden

Time: TBD
Location: USDA/Aphis/Wildlife services outdoor booth

David Allaben – USDA/APHIS/WILDLIFE SERVICES

Are you having issues with predators in the chicken coop, wildlife eating your garden, or nuisance animals in the backyard or in your home?  USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services (WS) will be demonstrating a variety of techniques that will assist with these issues and many more.  From proper fencing and exclusion techniques to keep animals out of valuable areas to finding practical and effective equipment to harass and/or exclude animals from your property, WS will be presenting best management practices for a number of situations to discourage nuisance wildlife from damaging your property.  If you are a homeowner, keep livestock, or grow your own crops this demonstration is for you.