TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa County Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension office is hosting two Women in Agriculture seminars in conjunction with its fall Green Acres series slated Sept. 17 and 24. Green Acres is a rural living course designed to assist participants in learning basic country skills, making them more self-reliant. Participants will learn how to buy land; basic homesteading; vegetable, fruit and small grain production; livestock care and management (poultry, cattle, goats and sheep); pasture management, and how to market small farm products.
“Participants can learn the latest information relative to a variety of topics that empower women to solve issues and concerns of importance to them, their families and their communities,” said Kenda Woodburn, Extension educator, horticulture, 4-H youth development, Tulsa County.
The Women in Agriculture seminars are free with on-site registration at 8:30 a.m. and presentations from 9 a.m. to noon. Each Women in Agriculture seminar will be followed by the Green Acres classes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is available at noon for $5 per person, but attendance is not required. The Women in Agriculture miniseries will consist of a variety of speakers, including Sandra Stevenson, Oklahoma AgrAbility, presenting “Gardening with Ease;” JJ Jones, Southeast Area ag economist, presenting “Surviving a Farming Disaster;” and local grocery suppliers presenting “Marketing your Produce to a Local Grocery Store.” These topics will be presented Sept. 17.
Speakers and topics on Sept. 24include J.C. Hobbs, OSU Extension specialist, presenting “Tax Planning Issues for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers;” Steve Upson, Soils & Crops Consultant at the Noble Foundation, presenting “Hoop House 101: An Overview of Hoop House Structures and Crop Production;” and Erin Campbell-Craven, Livestock Program Assistant at the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will present “Pastured Poultry: Raising Chickens in a Grass-Based System”.
“We ask participants to pre-register if possible because it really aids in our planning and helps ensure that we have sufficient numbers of meals, refreshments and conference materials on hand,” Woodburn said.
Cost for all Green Acres courses – Sept. 17, 24 and Oct. 1 – is $30.00 per person or $35.00 per couple who share “Storey’s Basic Country Skills” book. The book is included in the registration fee. Other materials provided include the “Green Acres” guidebook and speaker handouts. Green Acres is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Instructors are Kenda Woodburn, Extension horticulturist and Bruce Peverley, Extension agriculture educator.
Sponsors for the conference are the OSU Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency.
The OSU Tulsa County Extension office is located at 4116 East 15th Street.
Additional information is available at http://www.OKWomeninAgandSmallBusiness.com on the Internet or by contacting Woodburn, [email protected], or Bruce Peverley, [email protected], or by calling 918-746-3725.
