Castroville – Agri-Land Resources Workshop

Workshop focused on assisting agri-land owners and managers Topics include: USDA/FSA, NRCS opportunities, programs for urban and small-scale farming, Rainwater Harvesting for Agriculture, Grazing Land Conservation and MORE!

Click to view agenda as a PDF

FREE for YOU! Seating Limited, Register ONLINE at www.alamorcd.org

AGENDA:

• 1:00 pm – Registration/Opening Remarks. Bertha T. Venegas, Director, Alamo Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area, Ken Weidenfeller (Invited), Regional Director, Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Serafin Aguirre, Outreach Consultant, Alamo RC&D Area
• 1:20 pm – Homesteading and Marketing through CSA’s— Michelle Steubing, The Betsy Blue Farm. Small acreage farming and marketing through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), select stores, chefs, restaurants, and roadside stands.
• 1:50 pm –  MVSWCD—Janet Zerr, District Technician. An introduction to the Medina Valley Soil & Water Conservation District will be presented.
• 2:00 pm – NRCS Programs— Kaitlin Friesenhahn, LaToya Irvin, Hondo, USDA- NRCS. Information will be provided about both technical and financial assistance through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
• 2:20 pm – Bale me out of this Drought!— Kason Haby, Grazing Land Specialist, USDA-NRCS. Grazing strategies to endure and recover from drought. A live demonstration of the Rangeland Analysis Platform website where you can map out your ranch and it will give you a carrying capacity estimate for grazing animals.
• 2:50 pm – Break
• 3:00 pm – FSA Programs and Loans – Clint Koenig, District Executive Director, Hondo, USDA – FSA. An overview of what Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs are available and how they can benefit landowners.
• 3:30 pm – Rainwater Harvesting for Agriculture — Taryn Titsworth, County Extension Agent, Texas A & M Agrilife, Medina County. Rainwater Harvesting Basics for gardens, wildlife, and livestock.
• 4:40 pm – Urban Ag Opportunities – Wilma Tichelaar, Texas State Urban Conservationist, USDA-NRCS. Information will be provided about how USDA NRCS supports urban and small acre agriculture through financial and technical assistance.
• 4:40 pm – Schattenbol at DeCock Farm – Maureen Tschirhart, Owner. A history of the DeCock farm and how operations have been diversified to meet new challenges in the agriculture market will be presented
• 5:00 pm – Wrap Up and Closing

This workshop sponsored by Alamo RC&D Area Inc. in cooperation with USDA , the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), and the Medina Valley Soil & Water Conservation District.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.