Come Visit Us at the Mizpah Craft Fest

We're heading to Rural Hall tomorrow morning to set up our Buffalo Gal's Soap booth at the Mizpah Craft Fest.

It opens at 10am (and runs until 2PM) and will be held at Mizpah Moravian Church, located at 3195 Mizpah Church Road in Rural Hall (historic Tobaccoville).

You'll be able to pick out handmade gifts for Mother's Day or the Spring time birthdays of your family and friends. Look for our red tent amongst the other crafters!

Hike to Tory's Den

Learn about the Revolutionary War era history of Tory’s Den by joining a ranger for a short (0.3 miles one way) hike to the cave. We will also visit a small waterfalls and talk about how Hanging Rock became a state park in the 1930s. Sunday, May 2, 2010 (2 - 5 pm ) Meet at the Tory’s Den parking area of Hanging Rock State Park

Homegrown Handmade Guidebook

The Homegrown Handmade Guidebook combines authentic arts and agricultural experiences and unique places and people into 16 self-directed driving tours through the rural countryside. The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, with support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, joined forces with community leaders to organize a series of "Agri-Cultural" trails that offer a new and engaging way of touring the Old North State. The trails comprise an insider's guide to 72 Piedmont and eastern North Carolina counties. The guide offers information about art galleries, artists' studios, performing arts, hands-on farm experiences, you-pick organic produce, favorite local restaurants and festivals, music and crafts, farmers' markets, specialty shops and foods, vineyards and wineries, museums, historic houses and sites, and picturesque bed-and-breakfasts. (Forsyth/Stokes Counties are listed in the Foothills Section of the Guide)

Mizpah Craft Fest

On Saturday, May 1st, we will be selling Buffalo Gal's Soap at the Mizpah Craft Fest from 10 until 2PM (rain or shine). The event will be held on the lawn of Mizpah Moravian Church, located at 3195 Mizpah Church Road in Rural Hall.

I will also have some soap gift baskets for sale at this event, which will be perfect for Mother's Day next weekend. Come out and visit with us! Also at the sale will be my Webnanny from Clinton, NC and her wares from Dinner Time Chimes. If you're on Facebook, we'd really appreciate it if you'd invite your local friends too! Event

The Museum of Stokes History

The Museum, formerly known as the Wilson Fulton House located at 403 Main Street, Danbury, N.C., will be open to the public on May 2, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The museum contains artifacts and furnishings from Stokes County and the surrounding area. Tour guides, in nineteenth century costumes (1850's), will assist visitors as they tour the two floors of the building.

The Museum is owned and operated by the Stokes County Historical Society. There is no admission charge, however, donations are appreciated to defray operating costs.

Dan River Cottage

Want to go tubing or kayaking down the Dan River? The two-bedroom completely furnished Dan River Cottage at 105 Dan River Road is available for daily or weekly rental. It is located adjacent to the Danbury General Store in Danbury, NC. This cottage is also conveniently located near Hanging Rock State Park. For rates and availability, call 336.593.8780.

Meat Animal Production Class

The Meat Animal Production Class (Course Code: 40500) has been listed in Forsyth Tech's 2010 May through August Corporate and Continuing Education Course Listing that was mailed this week. This class will begin on May 18 and run though July 27 from 7 to 9 PM on Tuesdays at the REACT Center in Room 7 at 450 W. Hanes Mill Road in Winston-Salem and will be taught by Amy Thomas and myself. You may now register on-line or by walk-in at West Campus Customer Service Center on Bolton Street in Winston-Salem, Mazie S. Woodruff Center on Lansing Drive in Winston-Salem, Grady P. Swisher Center on Dudley Products Drive in Kernersville, Stokes County Government Center on North Main Street in Danbury and at the Northwest Forsyth Center on Big Oaks Drive in King, NC. The class cost is $68. "Meat Animal Production The primary focus of this course will be on developing a basic knowledge of the livestock species and how to manage and care for them. Species covered will include cattle, sheep, goats and poultry. The course will be designed primarily for the smaller producer/operator. Also included will be business models and budget development to insure cost effectiveness and efficiency. Course Code: 40500 Cost: $68 Date: May 18-July 27, T, 7-9 pm Location: REACT Center, Room 7" --Corporate and Continuing Education Course Listing, printed page 9

Rabies Vaccination Clinic - Forsyth County

On Saturday, April 24, there will be a Rabies Vaccination Clinic for dogs and cats only that are 3 months of age or older. All dogs must be on leashes and cats must be in carriers. The clinic will be held at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds in the Cattle Barn in Winston-Salem from 11AM until 3PM. Enter at Gate #9 on 27th Street. For more information, call 336.703.3110. The fee is $5 (cash only).

More 2010 Nubian Kids

2010 Nubian Kids

These are two (out of fourteen) of our March 2010 Nubian kids. These two doelings are learning to graze. ADGA registered bottle and bucket trained Nubian kids born 3/2010 - wethers $100, bucks $150 and does $250. Disbudded, tattooed, CDT and Pneumonia vaccinations and boosters. Lots of color! These kids' dams are currently being milked! Many give 8 pounds of milk. Dams and sire on site. Contact information is on the right side of the blog if you'd like more information about the goats.

Krankies Farmers Market Opens!

We'll be selling Buffalo Gal's Goats Milk Soap at Krankies Farmers Market!

Look for us at the corner of Patternson Avenue and Third Street each week. The Krankies Farmers Market will kick off its second season this Tuesday, April 20, in a new, larger location outside Krankies Coffee, on Patterson Ave. between Third and Fourth streets in downtown Winston-Salem. The market will be open every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The April 20 market will celebrate spring greens with a cooking demonstration by healthy-cooking advocate Lee Newlin of Greensboro. Market shoppers who buy any spring greens may enter a raffle for a Krankies Farmers Market canvas bag made from recycled cotton and printed using water-based ink by TS Designs in Burlington. Krankies Farmers Market is an all-local, producers-only market that seeks to bring a wide variety of fresh foods to downtown Winston-Salem. Vendors are selected on the basis of their healthy, sustainable, and humane practices. The market is a joint effort between Triad Buying Co-op Inc., Krankies Coffee, and Piedmont Triad Research Park. For sale on opening day: Spinach, lettuce, swiss chard, herbs, radishes, bok choy, garlic scallions, cabbage, garlic Pasture-fed meat including beef, lamb, pork Cheese including chevre, flavored chevre, feta, and gouda from goat's milk; and a variety of cow's milk cheese Eggs from free-range chickens Bread Starter veggie and herb plants Goat-milk soap, lavender sachets Vendors at the market on opening day: Calico Farmstead Cheese - Jackie Gerringer Sanders Ridge Organic Farm - Cindy Conti Rail Fence Farm - Ken Vanhoy Shore Farms Organics - Nathan Pitts Grace Meadow Farm - Carl & Gay Gunn Plumgranny Farm - Ray Teugel & Cheryl Ferguson Crosscreek Farm - Colette Nester Heritage Homestead - Carol Coulter Mountain Memories Farm - Dawn Rhudy Buffalo Creek Farm - Johnny & Robin Blakley Gary's Organic Produce - Gary & Kay Owen Moser Manor Farm - Harvey & Susan Moser Sugar Creek Farm - Jeff Tucker Felsbeck Farm - Connee French Jay Dunbar & Eric Jackson Mooney's Mediterranean Cafe - Mooney & Nadine David Simple Kneads To find out what's available at the market each week, follow them on Facebook Krankies Farmers Market on Facebook (click image for a larger, easier to read version of the calendar)

Small Ruminant Integrated Gastrointestinal Parasite Control, Smart Drenching and FAMACHA

Season of Sustainable Agriculture Workshop Title: Small Ruminant Integrated Gastrointestinal Parasite Control, Smart Drenching and FAMACHA Coordinator: J-M. Luginbuhl Instructors: J-M. Luginbuhl/Nikki Whitley Date: April 21, 2010 Time: 8:45AM -12 noon Location: Center For Environmental Farming Systems, Goldsboro, NC Registration Fee: $10.00 for all participants. Participants who want to be FAMACHA certified will have to pay an additional $10.00 for the FAMACHA card. Description: Controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in their animals represent the biggest challenge facing small ruminant producers worldwide. Participants will learn about the biology of the gastrointestinal nematodes, where we are and why, a quick review of dewormers, and how to integrate smart drenching, FAMACHA and pasture management for more effective control. New alternatives being researched will also be discussed. A hands-on session will be held to teach participants how to use the FAMACHA card as an effective tool.

Saura Mountain Adventures

Days of the Saura Saturday, April 17, 2010 3:00pm - 4:00pm Hanging Rock State Park Join a ranger for a short slide program. Afterwards, stay and play some games that the Saura's may have played. Meet at the visitors center. Making of a Mountain. Sunday, April 18, 2010 3:00pm - 4:00pm Hanging Rock State Park Join a ranger for a short hands on talk and discover how the Sauratown Mountains formed. Meet at the visitors center. Spring Wildflowers Hike Saturday, April 24, 2010 2:00pm - 3:00pm Hanging Rock State Park Come see what is blooming at Hanging Rock. Meet at the visitors center. Black Bears Sunday, April 25, 2010 2:00pm - 3:00pm Hanging Rock State Park Join a Ranger and learn about this often feared creature. Black bears can be found throughout a large portion of NC. They often make the news when they pass through a populated area. This program will separate the facts and myths about black bears. Meet at the visitor center auditorium.

Southeastern Goat & Sheep Seminar

The Southeastern Goat & Sheep Seminar will be held near Clemson University in Pendleton, SC on April 17, 2010. Many of the workshops will be accredited. Small ruminant producers from the southeast are "WANTED." This event is hosted and sponsored by four goat associations and they have worked very diligently to keep the cost of this event affordable, but "PRICELESS." Nine Workshops are available... ~GOAT ETHICS~ ~GOAT NUTRITION AND FEEDING PROGRAMS~ ~BASIC HERD HEALTH—SCRAPIE~ ~INTERNAL PARASITES-ANTHELMINTICS RESISTANCE-FAMACHA~ ~FIBER ANIMALS - “From Goat to Glove” ~ ~KIDDING ISSUES - All Inclusive ~ ~FOOD REGULATIONS - Dairy & Meat Producer Guidelines~ ~AI/REPRODUCTION/EMBRYO TRANSFERS~ ~FARM PERFORMANCE / HERD MANAGEMENT~ Also on the agenda: FFA & 4-H contests, vendors with goat related and farm products. exhibits, catered lunch and a blue-grass band.

Cooperative Extension Service Newsletters

If you've not already seen these newsletters from the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Service, you should take a look... - Across the Fence (cattle) - R Ewe Kidding (sheeps & goats) - Equine Newsletter

Backyard Chickens

Small chicken flocks of 5-10 birds are becoming increasingly popular to provide fresh meat and eggs. This lecture will explore different varieties of chickens and their purposes, poultry nutrition, housing and predator prevention. Speaker: Amy Thomas, Area Agent – Agriculture-Livestock Contact Rachel Herring to register - (336)703-2867 or rachel_herring@ncsu.edu Forsyth Cooperative Extension Date: April 20, 2010 Time: 1:00 pm Venue Info: Malloy/Jordan East Winston Heritage Center 1110 E. Seventh St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Dinner Time

Small Space Vegetable Gardening Demo

Visit Mitchell's Nursery & Greenhouse in King on April 10th to learn how to put a small space to work for your garden. They will be conducting a Small Space Vegetable Gardening Demo. You will learn how to prepare soil, make amendments and mulch plants.

They will also be conducting a Mix Container Demonstration during their Spring Open House on April 17th at 10:00 AM. They will give tips on how to plant mixed containers that will bloom all summer. Bring your own container or buy one at the nursery to plant. Choose from their large selection of plants.

Where's Waldo?

Spring is Here!

Simon, the farm's secretary, sleeping on the job.

Union Grove Feed, LLC

In April of 2010, Union Grove Feed will be celebrating their 75th anniversary! The Union Grove feed mill was originally opened to bring electricity to the town of Union Grove, North Carolina. The mill originally opened as a flour mill with livestock feeds quickly following. Flour milling was discontinued in the mid 1970's and livestock feeds became the sole focus. It has been a family owned and operated business and continues with that tradition today. We purchase our goat, sheep, cattle, chicken and rabbit feeds from Union Grove. They deliver!