Farmer Training
Spring is upon us! Unfortunately warmer air and soil mean more weeds and more bugs. The production team is implementing various strategies to manage these threats to our crops as we transition away from our late winter/early spring cropping cycles. So far, it looks as though our first major crops of the season, (big plantings with big distribution) are relatively unaffected.
Walking our fields, you will see young beets, summer squash, heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, romaine lettuce, kale, green onions, and garlic that will soon be ready for harvest. We are excited to soon be planting lots of basil, eggplant, sweet corn, peppers, and some interesting cover crops. It is certainly a busy time here at Sprouting Farms when it seems like you can see the plants grow in front of your eyes there’s always some extra motivation to push through the early mornings and long days.
Community
At our second Kids Cooking Class kids of all ages chopped and taste tested a variety of local vegetables. The kids were energetic and learned about veggies beside their families. We hope to hold more cooking classes in the future and to branch out to different locations as well.
The Alderson Community Farmer’s Market has begun and we will be in attendance every week on Tuesdays from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Alderson Visitor Center. We will be bringing a bit of what we grow at the farm, as well as local products from local farmers sourced through the Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective. Other vendors include Fruits of Labor, Sunset Berry Farm, Pie in the Sky, Dogwood Hill Gardens, and T. L. Fruits and Vegetables.
Our Educational Potlucks are ongoing this summer. We host a farm tour from 5:00 pm — 5:45 pm at Sprouting Farms. 4661 Route 3 And 12, Talcott, WV 24981. Then we have an educational talk, followed by a potluck, from 6:00 pm — 7:30 pm at the Graham House, down the road from the farm. WV-12, Pence Springs, WV 24962.
There will be a different educational topic each month!
June 13: Community Gardening — What is community gardening and how can I join in? Hear results from a two year study of community gardening in West Virginia.
(New date) July 11: Gardening 101 — Let’s learn from each other about the ins and outs of market gardening.
August 8: Growing Herbs — How to grow Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sage, and Rosemary.
September 12: Mushrooms — How to grow and identify mushrooms, and how to use them.
Education
Sprouting Farms Farmer Trainings
Come join Sprouting Farms and guest speakers from WVSU Extension for trainings on a variety of topics that could be useful to your current or future farming endeavors. These trainings will be hands on and interactive classes on topics useful for a sustainable farm business. The following is a list of our dates, topics, and times for the trainings.
May 16th high tunnel growing 2:00pm
June 20th cover cropping 6:00pm
June 27th soil health 6:00pm
July 18th transplanting 2:00pm
July 25th integrated pest management 6:00pm
August 1st hydroponics 6:00pm
August 15th cover cropping part II 6:00pm
August 29th season extension 2:00pm
Here is a bit of a break down into why these topics are useful to farmers.
May 16: High tunnel growing allows farmers to extend their season and generate revenue year round. It also allows for production of crops that otherwise need warmer climates.
June 20: Farmers that cover crop see gains in fertility, improved soil structure, reduced erosion, pest mitigation, and reduced input costs.
June 27: Healthy soil is an ecosystem unto itself. Managing it properly will increase yields and long term farm viability.
July 18: Transplanting can be costly but in organic systems it is crucial for managing weeds and ensuring reliable yields of some crops.
July 25: Integrated pest management gives farmers the tools necessary to manage pests and diseases in the least costly, most effective way possible.
August 1: Hydroponic growing can allow farmers to achieve consistency and yields that are very challenging to achieve through field production.
August 15: Our second cover cropping training will cover fall cover crops and show the latter stages of cover crop management topics introduced in the first cover cropping training.
August 29: This training will cover season extension techniques including low tunnels, high tunnels, and the use of fabric row covers. Farmers who attended the “high tunnel growing” training will see here systems for transitioning from summer to winter production.
All trainings will be held at Sprouting Farms, 4661 state route 3 and 12, Talcott, WV.
Come join us!
All are welcome.
No fee or registration needed.
If you have any questions please call 304–573–4242.
