Country Living Expo & Cattlemen’s Winterschool

Washington  residents (and others willing to travel) ... this is one of those well kept secrets. We tried to go for a few years and finally, last year, we finally were able to attend. I just got this notice and thought I would pass it along. It's looking like some particularly interesting classes are being offered this year. Notice the price for the youth as well - bring the older kids and let them learn while they're young! 

If you are from an area outside that doesn't offer anything like this, maybe it's time to send this email on to your county AG dept, extension office, Farm Bureau or public official....

 

Country Living Expo & Cattlemen’s Winterschool Jan 28^th 2012 Registration is Open!

For all of you previous attendee’s you won’t want to miss out on this year’s tremendous line up of classes. Presenting 160 classes, unveiling 40 brand new classes, a trade show with 60 vendors and of course the return of our gourmet smoked prime rib lunch or vegetarian dinner. Break you winter doldrums by spending a day at the Expo! Smokin’ Hot Barbecuing, Permaculture Homesteading 101, Beginning – Beef, Sheep, Goat, Poultry, Swine Classes, Smoking Fish, Sausage Making, Grinding Local Grains, Chick Embryology, Dried beans, Flower Arranging, Organic Gardening, Fibers, Slug & Snail Control, Chainsaw Maintenance, Poultry Processing, Canning, Hay Selection, Barn Restoration are just a small sampling of our classes.  

The 2012 Country Living Expo & Cattlemen’s Winterschool will be held on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 7:30 am to 5 pm, at Stanwood High School, 7400 272nd Street N.W. in Stanwood. Early registration is available until Dec. 31. The cost is $55 per person and includes a selection of five class sessions from the more than 160 offerings, lunch, and an all-day trade show with over 60 vendors. After Dec. 31 the cost will be $60 per person.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Northwest Farm Credit Services, Snohomish County Farm Bureau, Sno/Skagit Cattlemen’s Association and others, at least the first 200 youth will receive a reduced registration rate of $10.

Details, including the day’s full schedule, a listing and description of classes, registration information and access to online registration are available at http://skagit.wsu.edu/CountryLivingExpo/index.htm

Events sponsors, small farm vendors and non-profits are welcome to be part of the trade show. For more information please contact Vendor Coordinator Dave Schram at   hwt@wamedes.com. 

Mother Earth New Fair, Seven Springs, PA

Last week we were privileged to win some tickets to the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. We missed the ones they held on the West coast as we were already traveling.

We were amazed at some of the workshops that they were offering ... as well as some of the speakers, including Ed Begley, Jr and Joel Salatin. Some really exciting workshops that we attended were:

Baking healthy bread in 5 minutes a day
Powering your homestead with Renewable Energy
DIY Residential Solar for $3 Per Watt
Fall and Winter Gardening: eat fresh from your garden all winter, as well as a few others. The boys enjoyed some of their own classes, directed to the kids attending, as well.

We have already started with the bread - yum! And who knew how simple (and little space) it would take to do this on a daily basis! One thing that truly surprised me, was how much maintenance there was with the renewable energy systems. I don't have any idea why I thought it, but I really did think that it was more of a "plug and play" deal. Set it up and it will run on it's own. Nope, no ma'am, that's not how it works. I'm re-thinking adding something that will add more maintenance to start a new farm up again. Needs some more thought and research.

But really, one of the most amazing things we experiences with the Fair, was not actually even at the fair. We were out driving around the back country roads of the area, turned down this one road and wham! There we were, in a small forest of Sugar Maple trees. And there are tap lines leading into larger lines, leading back to the main building where it is all processed. Why do I even mention this little side trip? Well, two reasons actually. We were just studying maple trees (in addition to many other trees) and learning about them in science. Also, as it turns out, they were exhibitors at the Fair. We stopped by to visit during a lull and find out a little more about how it all happens. We also got to sample some of their absolutely amazing, award winning maple treats. Yes, we had to bring home some REAL maple syrup, but we also couldn't leave without their maple cream, maple candy and as a little treat for the boys behaving well, they got some maple cotton candy while we were there.


Photo by Mike Bowler

I cannot tell you enough how much we are enjoying the maple cream on pancakes, french toast and - by suggestion - even salmon! Crazy yummy stuff. See them at: Paul Bunyans Maple Syrup. No we aren't getting anything from them, but we just really wanted to share with you, one of those truly amazing, family farms that we've met along the way. Yum!

City Chickens - Raising Chickens Workshops

Scott loves his chickens. He loves teaching others about them almost as much. It never ceases to amaze me at how farm life can become so addicting. Not only are we addicts, but we know there are many more folks out there that have picked up our addiction. Did you know that Farmer Scott has been speaking at the local food co-ops and the farm about raising city chickens as well as suburban chickens?

Scott started last summer giving informal, educational lectures about raising chickens. They went over so well, that we had a couple people share the information with their local food co-oops and now Scott has been speaking and teaching about raising chickens - the good, the bad and the ugly parts of all of it.

Apparently he's done well and people have been learning as he's been asked back a few times now. If your group is interested in more information about raising chickens, please drop him a note at scott at willowsedgefarm dot com or call 425-402-6781. We will be traveling in different parts of the US, so even if you think we're out of the way, drop us a note - we'll see if we are going to be in your area and when.