Wordless Wednesday: Schuylkill County Ag Day

110 producers attended the Schuylkill County Agriculture Day in Pottsville, PA. Fifteen speakers presented on topics that were timely and focused on dairy, livestock, pesticides, organics, vegetable production, and so much more. The keynote speaker was Dr. James Dunn who presented on the "World Outlook in Agriculture".

Attention Begining Farmers: Here's A Program For You!

The Living On a Few Acres course is designed as an introduction to basic production techniques for a wide variety of topics from poultry and beef production to vegetables and organics.  As you consider your options for a new farm business, learn what is involved and the resources available to help.

The “Living on a Few Acres” program in Berks County is designed to provide individuals interested in beginning or improving upon an existing, small-scale agricultural operation.  Whether your intent is to produce food for your family or seek some income from your property, this series of seminars has something to offer.

Experts from Penn State Cooperative Extension will provide an overview of basic production topics and an introduction to the resources and support available for new producers.  The complete course (all seven evenings) is only $40/person or $60/couple.  All classes are held Thursday evenings from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM in the Berks County Agricultural Center, 1238 County Welfare Road, Leesport, PA 19533.

Specific topics and dates:

2/24 – Introduction to Soils, Amendments, and Compost

3/3 – Beef, Sheep, and Goats

3/10 – Vegetables Production

3/17 – Fruit and Berries

3/24 – Pigs and Poultry

3/31 – IPM and Organics

4/7 – Marketing 

For more information, check out the Penn State Cooperative Extension Start Farming website:  http://extension.psu.edu/start-farming/courses.

You are invited to a Sheep and Goat Producer Meeting!

YOU ARE INVITED!! 

Sheep and Goat producers in Southeastern Pennsylvania are invited to attend the Sheep and Goat Producer’s Meeting on February 9, 2011 at the Berks County Ag Center, Leesport, PA.  The program will cost $5.00 and it will begin at 7:00 P.M. and will conclude at 8:45 P.M.

The program will feature “Sheep and Goat Reproduction” presented by Dr. Pamela Reed, Associate Professor of Animal Science at Delaware Valley College and “Lambs and Kids: Top Tips for Survival” presented by Dr. Jennifer Krill, veterinarian in Berks and Schuylkill County.   Don't miss this great event!

For more information, contact Morgan Firestine at 610-378-1327 or email maf25002@psu.edu.

Clip, Dip, and Strip: It's Winter Lambing Season!

5:00 A.M. came quickly this morning for our farm when our sheep where having lambs. I thought it was only appropriate to post this article regarding lamb season written by Mike Fournier, County Extension Director in Bucks County, PA. 

February is winter lambing season. Lamb mortality is highest in the first few weeks of life with starvation and hypothermia the leading causes of loss. To see that your lambs get off to a good start, be sure you incorporate “clip, dip, and strip” in the lambing jug

Clip refers to trimming the umbilical cord.  When a lamb is born, it will have an umbilical cord of varying length still attached to the belly, and it’s an open highway for bacteria.  Also, if the umbilical cord is too long, the lamb could step on it, causing severe bleeding.  Use sterile scissors to clip the cord to a length of 1-2”. Another way of "clipping" the umbilical cord is to tie it up using dental floss.

Once the cord is clipped, treat the navel area with iodine to prevent infection.  This is where the dip comes in.  Keep a wide-mouth baby food jar filled with iodine near the lambing pens.  Hold the lamb belly side down, place the jar over the clipped cord and against the lamb’s body.  Then raise the lamb with the jar held firmly against its belly so that the whole navel area is treated with iodine.

Finally, the strip.  Put the ewe on her rump and make sure you can get a stream of milk from each teat.  A wax plug forms in the end of the teat during pregnancy, and it’s important to get the plug out and see that the ewe has milk.  If the udder is hard or inflamed, she may have mastitis and you might have a bottle baby on your hands – good luck.

Get your lambs off to a good start by using clip, dip, and strip in the lambing jug.