Farmers/Producers

“Man or bear?” asks a recent viral meme intended to draw attention to the risks that women face. Coming to the Profs and Pints stage to offer American black bears’ perspective is Dr. Jennifer Mullinax, who has spent more than 25 years trapping, collaring, and tracking black bears and other large animals.

In a talk that promises to be more fun than a pic-a-nic with Yogi and Boo-Boo, Professor Mullinax will discuss her research on black bears from Maryland to Louisiana to Tennessee. She’ll describe how researchers trap black bears and study their movements and behaviors, offering her own accounts of climbing 60ft trees to listen to cubs and of crawling into mother bears’ ground dens.

She’ll dive into the history of black bears populations in the Eastern United States and discuss bear ecology, describing how black bears survive in an ever-urbanizing world. You’ll learn how this once-disappearing charismatic megafauna is now expanding across the Eastern United States.

Professor Mullinax also will discuss bears’ omnivorous habits – with their tastes running from cheeseburgers to American cancer-root – and how they make they it through winter months without eating at all.

Finally, she’ll offer tips for dealing with bears that will increase your odds of walking away safely should you ever encounter one in the woods.
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June 10th, 2024
6:00-8:30 pm
Penn Social
801 E St NW
Washington, DC 20004
(Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.)
TICKETS: https://profsandpints.ticketleap.com/blackbear/dates/Jun-10-2024_at_060…

Join the Maryland 4-H Foundation for a day of fellowship and fun!
Golf Tournament to benefit the Maryland 4-H Program.

Event: Equine Grazing School (2 part)
Cost: Earlybird $45.00; Regular $65.00
Registration: https://go.umd.edu/equinegrazing

Enrollment is limited to 30 people to keep the group small and allow for more interaction, networking, and hands-on opportunities. Lunch and morning refreshments will be provided for the in-person portion. Activities will take place both indoors and outdoors, so be sure to plan ahead and dress accordingly.

Part 1
Date: June 19, 2024  | Wednesday
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Online Zoom session (a zoom link will be sent to those who register)
Description: This online session will cover several foundational topics related to pasture management and rotational grazing to help set the stage for part 2.

Part 2
Date: June 22, 2024  |  Saturday
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Baltimore County Extension Office, Center for Maryland Agriculture & Farm Park, 1114 Shawan Road, Suite 2, Cockeysville, MD 21030
Description: Part 2 will include a combination of classroom and hands-on exercises to provide participants with opportunities to work with grazing tools and fencing materials and to implement some of the practices learned. Participants will also have an opportunity to talk with course instructors to begin developing a customized grazing plan for their farm.

If you have questions or need assistance please contact either your local county Extension office or the Western Maryland Research and Education Center at 301-432-2767. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity please contact us at least two weeks prior to the event.

This event is brought to you by University of Maryland Extension, the Maryland-Delaware Forage Council, and the Maryland Horse Industry Board. Thank you to our event partners!

University of Maryland Extension programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity please contact us at least 2 weeks prior to the event.

University of Maryland Extension, in cooperation with Montgomery College, is pleased to announce the 29th Annual Procrastinator's Pesticide and Urban Nutrient Management Conference. The meeting will be in person only.

Topics include exciting happenings in the insect and mite world, turf organic herbicide efficacy trial results, using the pest predictive calendar, disease updates, and equipment calibration. The full agenda will be available in late May.

Yes, this year is a true procrastinator's meeting. And yes, this will still count for Maryland pesticide credits!

Pending credits:

Maryland Pesticide

Maryland Professional Fertilizer Applicator

Maryland Licensed Tree Expert (LTE)

D.C. Pesticide

Virginia Pesticide

International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

Join the University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources and the AGNR Alumni Network for a night on the farm! 

Held on the Central Maryland Research and Education Center - Clarksville Facility, this casual farm to table event will include a picnic dinner, wagon tour and showcase of the research and education happening at the facility. Connect with faculty, staff, alums and family, enjoy a delicious meal and support AGNR student clubs at the silent auction. 

Date: June 24, 2024  |  Monday
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: 14010 Montevideo Road, Poolesville, MD. 20837  |  Cost: Free
Description: Join University of Maryland Extension, NRCS, and Amanda Cather for an educational pasture walk at Plow and Stars Farm in Poolesville, MD (Montgomery county). Plow and Stars Farm raises grass-fed Katahdin lamb and poultry with a focus on diversified grazing and soil health practices. Topics of discussion will include raising grass-fed lamb, practices to build soil health, and parasite management on pasture. Sponsored by University of Maryland Extension and NE SARE
Registration: https://go.umd.edu/pw-june

May 9, 2024 9:30am-2:30pm
Planting green demonstration, Biomass and root sampling activities, Soil pit investigation, Slug scouting and control methods, Single species and mixes, sandy and clayey soils
The field day will include coffee, light breakfast and lunch

Attend this in-person event to receive certification for Good Agricultural Practices from the Maryland Department of Agriculture. All-day attendance is mandatory to earn the certificate.

Agenda:

PSA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) Grower Training
Date: May 18, 2024
Time: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Cost: $35
Location: 10789 Stewart Neck Rd, Princess Anne, MD 21853

This training will cover the Produce Safety Rule and how to reduce sources of microbial contamination in produce production.

Registration Includes:

• • Course Materials (Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v 1.2)
• • Course Certificate from the Produce Safety Alliance upon successful completion of course materials
• • Light breakfast & lunch provided

Who Should Attend?

Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires

‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?

The trainers will cover content contained in these eight modules:

• Introduction to Produce Safety
• Role of Maryland Dept. of Agriculture and On-Farm Readiness Reviews
• Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
• Soil Amendments
• Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
• Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
• Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions. Appropriate time will be made for breaks at the discretion of the instructors.

Participation requirements for in-person attendees include:

• Course attendance and participation will be monitored. Any attendee who does not participate for the duration of the course will not be eligible for certification.
• A hard-copy Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v1.2 will be available to each attendee prior to the course administration.
• Participants are expected to complete and return course evaluations after completing the course.

Funding for this series of work described in this article is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007444 totaling $523,497 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

For More Information: Megan Todd, motodd@law.umaryland.edu

Attend this in-person event to receive certification for Good Agricultural Practices from the Maryland Department of Agriculture. All-day attendance is mandatory to earn the certificate.

Agenda: