January 2011

January 19 - 22 – The 20^th Annual Southern SAWG Conference will take place at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN. The theme of this year’s conference is Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms. For more information, visit www.ssawg.org or call (678)494-0696          (678)494-0696      

January 18 - 23 –The American Highland Cattle Association 23^rd Annual National Show and Sale will be held at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. This is an opportunity to purchase show quality breeding stock. For more information about the event, email thistlebraefarm@frontier.com, call (217)935-2044 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (217)935-2044      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or visit www.highlandcattleusa.org. The sale will be broadcast live at www.LiveAuctions.tv.

 ++January 20 - 23 – The 15th Annual Maryland Horse World Expo will be held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, MD. There will be a booth promoting Colonial Spanish horses and ALBC’s work with them. For more information, visit http://www.horseworldexpo.com/MDmain.shtml.

 ++January 26 - 29 – The 31^st Annual Ecological Farming Conference (EcoFarm) will be held at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, CA. The purpose of the conference is to bring together food system stakeholders for education, networking, and celebration. For more information, email info@eco-farm.org, call (831)763-2111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (831)763-2111      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or visit www.eco-farm.org

February 2011

February 2 - 5 – The 20th Annual PASA Farming for the Future Conference will be held at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA. The theme of this year’s conference is Strength from Our Roots: Claiming Our Food System Future. There are a variety of different educational tracks available. For more information, email kristin@pasafarming.org, call (814)349-9856 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (814)349-9856      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or visit www.pasafarming.org.

February 3 - 6 – The 2011 Equine Affaire will take place at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA. The show features an impressive educational program of the horse industry’s top trainers, coaches, competitors, and other professionals. For more information, email kbrennan@equineaffaire.com, call (740)845-0085 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (740)845-0085      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or visit www.equineaffaire.com.

February 11 - 12 – The Virginia Biological Farming Conference will be held at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, VA. For more information, call (540)261-2562 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (540)261-2562      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit www.vabf.org.

February 18 – Workshop: Raising Heritage Chickens for Profit will be held in Concord, NC at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Cabarrus county. The workshop will discuss how to breed, market, and care for standard bred poultry. (Time: 1pm-5pm) For more information, contact Jim Adkins at (209) 890-5326 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (209) 890-5326      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email centre4poultry@aol.com.

February 19 – Workshop: Raising Heritage Turkeys for the Holiday Market will be held in Concord, NC at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Cabarrus county. The workshop will discuss how to choose your breed, prepare your pasture, and look at facility options for your flock. You’ll learn the basics to brooding poults – dealing with heat, feeding, watering, pastures, proper fencing, and even how to deal with predators. (Time: 9am-2pm) For more information, contact Jim Adkins at (209) 890-5326 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (209) 890-5326      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email centre4poultry@aol.com.

February 19 - 20 – The 32 Annual Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Conference will be held Granville, OH. The theme of the conference is Inspiring Farms, Sustaining Communities. For more information, visit www.oeffa.org or call (614)421-2022 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (614)421-2022      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

++ February 26 – A Lowcountry Heritage Breeds Festival will be held at the Coastal Discovery Museum in Hilton Head, SC. The festival is free to the public and will feature live animal displays of heritage breeds. ALBC staff will be providing education talks throughout the day. For more information, call (843)689-3033 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (843)689-3033      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email nhefter@coastaldiscovery.org.

++ February 27 – The Third Annual Marsh Tacky Beach Races will be held at Coligny Beach in Hilton Head, SC. Marsh Tacky horse racing derbies were a popular event in this area up until the 1960s. For more information, visit www.marshtacky.org or call Troy Smoak,(843) 562-7774 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (843) 562-7774      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Races begin at 11 am.

March 2011

March 1 & 8 – Two-Night Workshop: Raising Heritage Turkeys for the Holiday Market will be held in Asheville, NC at the NC Cooperative Extension Center in Buncombe county. The workshop will discuss how to choose your breed, prepare your pasture, and look at facility options for your flock. You’ll learn the basics to brooding poults – dealing with heat, feeding, watering, pastures, proper fencing, and even how to deal with predators.(Time: 6pm-9pm) For more information, contact Jim Adkins at (209) 890-5326 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (209) 890-5326      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email centre4poultry@aol.com.

March 5 – The Heartland Highland Cattle Association Regional Annual Membership Meeting will be held at the Branson Towers Hotel in Branson, MO. Registration begins at noon with a reception to follow. Learn about nutrition, marketing techniques, and meat quality of Highlands. Enjoy Highland beef at the evening banquet. Anyone interested in learning about Highland cattle is welcome. For more information, email highlandcattle@centurytel.net or visit www.heartlandhighlandcattleassociation.org.

++ March 5 - 6 – The 18th Annual Organic Growers School Conference will be held at the University of North Carolina Asheville, in Asheville, NC. The conference includes over 70 classes and hands-on workshops on a variety of topics about sustainable living. For more information, call (828)450-2026 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (828)450-2026      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or visit http://www.organicgrowersschool.org.

March 12 – The 37th Annual Wisconsin Bird and Game Breeders Association Spring Swap will be held at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds in Fond du Lac, WI. For more information, contact Jim Bleuer, (920)379-6188 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (920)379-6188      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit www.wbagba.org.

March 15 & 22 – Two-Night Workshop: Raising Heritage Chickens for Profit will be held in Asheville, NC at the NC Cooperative Extension Center in Buncombe county. The workshop will discuss how to breed, market, and care for standard bred poultry. (Time: 6pm-9pm) For more information, contact Jim Adkins at (209) 890-5326 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (209) 890-5326      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email centre4poultry@aol.com.

March 25 - 27 – The Carolina Meat Conference will be held at the Cabarrus Arena and Event Center in Concord, NC. The conference will bring together independent meat producers, processors, buyers, and allied professionals for a weekend workshops, trainings, and panel discussions. For more information, visit www.carolinameatconference.com.

April 2011

April 2 – The American Chinchilla National Show will be held at the Bullet County Fairgrounds in Shepherdsville, KY. This is an official American Rabbit Breeders Association sanctioned show. For more information, contact the show secretary Pam Summerlot at (812) 294-3421 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (812) 294-3421      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or (502) 294-3421 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (502) 294-3421      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

April 7 - 10 – Equine Affaire will be held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH. Soak up information and advice in a virtual “smorgasbord” of more than 230 clinics, seminars, and demonstrations on a wide variety of equestrian sports and horse training, management, health, and business topics. For more information, call (740) 845-0085 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (740) 845-0085      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit the website www.equineaffaire.com.

April 8- 10 – The Florida Cracker Horse Association Spring Gathering and Business Meeting will be held just north of Indiantown, FL. For more information about this meeting, contact jlevyjr@comcast.net.

April 11 - 14 – The 2011 Annual Conference of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture will be held in San Antonio, TX. The conference will explore the growing necessity of involving consumers as stakeholders in food production. For more information, call (719) 538-8843 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (719) 538-8843      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit www.animalagriculture.org.

April 13 - 16 – The Small Farmer’s Journal Horsedrawn Auction and SWAP Meet will be held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras, OR. For more information, call (800) 876-2893 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (800) 876-2893      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit http://smallfarmersjournal.com.

April 28 - May 1 – Heifer International Heifer U on Animal Well-Being will take place at the Heifer Ranch near Perryville, Arkansas. Discover how livestock are cared for in Heifer International programs. Discuss the selection of the best animals for the small holder farmers around the world. For more information, visit heiferu@heifer.org or call (501) 907-2865 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (501) 907-2865      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

May 2011

May 14 – The Annual Pineywoods Cattle Registry & Breeders Association Sale will be held at the Stone County Fairgrounds in Wiggins, MS. For more information about the sale, call (601)270-1619 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (601)270-1619      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit www.PCRBA.org.

May 22 – The Garfield Farm Museum’s 25th Annual Rare Breeds Show will be held at Garfield Farm Museum in LaFox, IL. Breeders from around the Midwest will display rare and historic types of livestock. Individual breeders may offer livestock and poultry for sale. Participation by members of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. For more information, contact the museum at info@garfieldfarm.org or visit www.garfieldfarm.org.

June 2011

++June 4 - 5 – The Mother Earth News Fair will be held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds outside of Seattle, WA. Dozens of hands-on workshops will cover renewable energy, small-scale livestock, green building and remodeling, organic gardening, DIY projects, real food, natural health, green transportation and related topics. ALBC staff and members will be attending and presenting at the event. For more information, visit http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/home.aspx.

June 9 - 12 – The American Dexter Cattle Association Annual General Meeting and Show & Sale will be held in Stillwater, OK. This a great opportunity for breeders to showcase their stock and for buyers to purchase quality Dexter cattle. For more information, call (952)215-2206 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (952)215-2206      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, email adca@dextercattle.org, or visit www.dextercattle.org.

June 10 - 12 – The Big Sky Fiber Arts Festival will be held at the Hamilton Fairgrounds in Hamilton, MT. For more information call (406) 529-6194 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (406) 529-6194      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, email info@bigskyfiber.com, or visit www.bigskyfiber.com.

June 24 – The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Navajo-Churro Sheep Association will be held in conjunction with the Sheep is Life Celebration at Diné College in Tsailé, AZ. For more information, contact (509) 773-3671 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (509) 773-3671      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email drycreeknc@gorge.net.