University of Wyoming Extension News

Monthly Archives: January 2012

Planning farm, ranch succession subject of UW Extension workshops

Cole Ehmke

Helping producers develop a farm and ranch succession plan is the goal of a two-day workshop at the University of Wyoming in February.

Sessions for the Farm and Ranch Succession Workshop: Developing the Next Generation of Management are Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25, in Laramie. The sessions are hosted by the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and University of Wyoming Extension.

“The workshop is a chance for the two generations of management in an ag operation to get together and talk specifics about what they envision as the future of the ranch and make plans for how they’ll get there,” said Cole Ehmke, a member of the economics department and extension ag entrepreneurship specialist. “There will be sessions on finance, communication, legal issues, organizational structure and more.”

Registration is $35 per farm by Feb. 17 and $50 after. Those interested should register early to be sent a participant packet, said Ehmke.

Events start 9 a.m. Friday, and the last session begins at 7 p.m. Sessions begin at 8 a.m. and end at 12:15 p.m. Saturday. Sessions are in the Senate Chambers room of the Wyoming Union on the UW campus.

Each session will have a brief presentation followed by time for participants to separate into family/business groups and work together as they plan their future business arrangements, said Ehmke.

“It is important that all the players in the transition be present to participate in the planning process,” Ehmke said.

Special guest is professor and extension specialist Norm Dalsted of Colorado State University, who will share his experiences with facilitating transitions.

A detailed program and brochure/registration form are available at http://www.uwyo.edu/ces/succession/.

For more information, contact Ehmke at 307-766-3782 or cehmke@uwyo.edu.

Improving board member performance target of Laramie sessions

Board members train to be more effective.

A five-session program to help board members be more effective begins Tuesday, Jan. 31, in Laramie.

“Leading with excellence: Tools for being an effective board member” is offered through the University of Wyoming Extension. Workshops are 6-8 p.m. at the Albany County extension office at the Albany County Fairgrounds. Additional sessions are in March, May, July and September.

“The series is designed to help individuals who have never served and those serving on boards get more involved and become more effective leaders,” said Juliet Daniels, community development educator, who will teach the sessions. Daniels, based in Cheyenne, serves Albany, Carbon, Goshen, Laramie and Platte counties.

Topics and dates are:

Tuesday, Jan. 31 – Board responsibilities and good governance

Tuesday, March 27 – Tools for effective meetings and decision making

Tuesday, May 29 – Financial management of non-profit organizations

Tuesday, July 31 – The board building cycle, and

Tuesday, Sept. 25 – Strategic communications

There is a $60 fee for the whole series or $15 for individual workshops, and scholarships are available, said Daniels.

For more information, contact Daniels at (307) 633-4383 or at jdaniel6@uwyo.edu. To register, go to http://leadingwithexcellence-albanycounty.eventbrite.com.

UW Extension publications receive recognition

Ag News is published three times a year.

Magazines produced through University of Wyoming Extension in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources received recognition during the Wyoming Press Association’s (WPA) annual associate’s group communications contest.

  • Ag News, published three times yearly, was runner-up in publications. The magazine features people and programs in the college. UWyo Magazine, published through UW Institutional Communications, received first place.
  • Barnyards & Backyards magazine, published quarterly, placed third in publications. The magazine provides information from land resource professionals to be of help to small-acreage landowners in Wyoming.

The publications are produced by Tana Stith, manager, and Steve Miller, editor, Continue reading →

Spring wheat topic of grower workshop in Powell

University of Wyoming Extension educator Sandra Frost

University of Wyoming Extension and Simplot are having a free spring wheat workshop in Powell Wednesday, Jan. 25.

The session is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at the Park County Fairgrounds.

“Growers will learn how to stage wheat to better match crop treatments to crop growth stage,” said Sandra Frost, UW Extension educator in Park County.  Other topics include soil fertility, disease control, insect pests and weed control.

Kent McVay, Montana State University small grains researcher at the Southern Agricultural Research Center in Huntley, Mont., will discuss variety selection and crop rotation during the Simplot-sponsored luncheon.

For more information, contact Frost at (307) 754-8836 or sfrost1@uwyo.edu.

 

More than 35 sessions at this year’s Fremont County Farm and Ranch Days

UW Extension educator Alex Malcolm opens sessions at a previous Fremont County Farm and Ranch Days.

Winter horse care and nutrition, feed efficiency, hoop house construction and pesticide certification are among 35 different sessions at Fremont County Farm and Ranch Days in Riverton.

Activities are Wednesday-Thursday, Feb. 1-2, in the Armory Building.

“Farm and ranch days is jammed-pack full of great educational programs for farmers, ranchers, homeowners  and anyone interest in agriculture,” said Ron Cunningham, University of Wyoming Extension educator based in Fremont County. “The wide variety of programs provides those who attend the opportunity to keep up with what is new and exciting in agriculture.”

Lunches both days are sponsored and free.

“There will be 30 to 40 vendors who will have booths, will be present and will show off their new products and supplies,” said Cunningham.

Sessions include how to build up alkaline and heavy soils, GPS on the farm, farm management ownership succession, sage grouse, a mobile chicken coop, basic beekeeping, grazing kochia and many others. The schedule is available online at http://bit.ly/AEvMRA.

Private pesticide applicator’s training class is all day Thursday presented by Cunningham and Lars Baker from the Fremont County Weed and Pest Control District.