Media Contact: Lisa Forehand, 919-513-0954

The Seasons of Sustainable Agriculture is a series of education, extension and outreach events offered each year by North Carolina's Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS). Through these events, CEFS strives to share its knowledge and experience in sustainable agriculture with producers, agricultural professionals and the general public and to enable all citizens to take part in creating in a vibrant future for agriculture. This year's events will take place through November 2009. Additional events may be added throughout the season, so watch the Web site: www.cefs.ncsu.edu.

Unless otherwise stated all workshops will be held at CEFS, located at the Cherry Research Farm, 201 Stevens Mill Road in Goldsboro, N.C. Driving directions can be found at www.cefs.ncsu.edu. Workshops after 6 p.m. and on the weekends are free of charge, and other registration fees are noted. Contact CEFS (cefs_info@ncsu.edu or 919-513-0954) to learn about scholarship opportunities, some targeted at N.C. Cooperative Extension agents.

News organizations are invited to cover these events and to include them in calendar listings as well.

MAY
Organic No-Till Production Workshop
May 28, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Looking Back Farm, Tyner, N.C.
Contact: Molly Hamilton at 828-273-1041

JUNE
Organic No-Till Production Workshop
June 4, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Pocosin Farms, Pantego, N.C.
Contact: Molly Hamilton at 828-273-1041

Farm-to-Fork Celebration
June 14, 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Location: Breeze Farm, Hillsborough, N.C.
Contact: Meg Ryan O'Donnell at meg@wsgroup.biz

Small Farm-Small Field Pastures
June 19, 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Registration Fee: $10 (no lunch)
Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu

Understanding the 2008 Farm Bill
June 22, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $10 (no lunch)
Location:CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu

JULY
Farmscaping for Pest Management
July 15, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $20 (includes lunch)
Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu

AUGUST
Community-based Food Systems: Local Initiatives
August 18, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $10 (no lunch)
Location:CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu

Organic Certification
August, 25, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $50 (includes lunch)
Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu
(20-person minimum for this workshop)

SEPTEMBER
Egg Production in a Range Setting
September 2, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $20 (includes lunch)
Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu

Sandhills Summer Cover Crops Demonstration
September 10, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Sandhills Research Station, Jackson Springs, N.C.
Contact: Taylor Williams at 910-947-3177

Establishing Cool Season Cover
Crops in the Sandhills
September 29, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Sandhills Research Station, Jackson Springs, N.C.
Contact: Taylor Williams at 910-947-3177

OCTOBER
Transitioning to Commercial Organic Production in Western North Carolina
October (once a week for nine weeks)
Location: Buncombe County Cooperative Extension center, Asheville, N.C.
Contact: Sue Colucci at 828-697-4891

Hoop Houses Construction
(Part two of three-part series)
October 1, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Shoaf Plantation, Lexington, N.C.
Contact: Amy Lynn Albertson at 336-242-2085

Marketing through Community Supported Agriculture
October 20, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Chatham County Cooperative Extension center, Pittsboro, N.C.
Contact: Debbie Roos at 919-542-8202

Hoop Houses for Season Extension
(Part three of three-part series)
October 27, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Shoaf Plantation, Lexington, N.C.
Contact: Amy Lynn Albertson at 336-242-2085

NOVEMBER
Beef Cow Winter Feeding Management
November 12, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $20 (includes lunch);
Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu

Food Safety from Production to Sales
November 18, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Registration Fee: $20 (includes lunch)
Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.
Contact: cefs_info@ncsu.edu