Small Farm Expo approaching

Jul 16, 2015

Expo will take place Monday, July 20

Have you been farming for years? Are you a new farmer? Do you wish to one day be a farmer?

Whatever your level of farming experience is, there’s sure to be something for you at the 6^th annual Small Farm Expo, scheduled to take place Monday, July 20^th at the Bridgewater Exhibition Grounds in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

Small farm

The expo will investigate how small-scale farmers use today’s technology, farm business and marketing skills with the traditional farm practices of yesterday.

The expo will also feature a variety of workshops, including:

Goats and cheese making
Jams and jellies
Bread and baking
Haskap production
Sausage making
Garlic 101
Heritage livestock
Pastured beef
Food safety
Getting started in organic farming
Small-scale beekeeping
South-short grape growing

"Farmer-led workshops provide new farmers with a great opportunity to learn from seasoned veterans in the agriculture community,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a release.” Our Government is proud to partner with the Province to help give Nova Scotia farmers access to the tools they need to grow their business and our overall economy.”

Events like these can help bridge the gap between experienced and beginning farmers, which can help the agriculture industry succeed in the future.

"The type of connections formed at events like this, between experienced farmers and new farmers continue to build our agricultural industry,” said Nova Scotia Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell. “This expo creates stronger ties and partnerships in the agriculture community, which is all part of the growth we are seeing in the agricultural sector in Nova Scotia."

Interested parties must register by Saturday, July 18^th.

About Nova Scotia agriculture:

The industry contributed $595.4 million in 2013, up 2.6% from 2012
Dairy, fur and poultry account for about 58% of cash receipts
There are approximately 3900 farms in Nova Scotia
Primary agriculture employed 5,361 people in 2012
Mink is Nova Scotia’s largest export ($124.2 million)
International Ag exports are valued around $359 million

Are you going to attend the Small Farm Expo? What kinds of workshops and information are you looking forward to?

Video: Crop duster agplane flying action Conger Minnesota Air Tractor Bell 206 Jet Ranger Airailimages

It's summertime in Minnesota as a yellow Air Tractor agricultural application aircraft -- a crop duster -- responds to the control inputs of its pilot in a low-altitude dance just above the tops of the cornstalks. Enjoy! And we found a Bell 206 Long Ranger spray helicopter perched on a support truck at the edge of the cornfields, and launching from there. In our video, you can occasionally hear the rotor sounds of the crop-dusting helicopter as we see the yellow Air Tractor in a nearby field.