10th Annual Vermiculture Conference, Durham, May 27-28

Register by April 22 to save $50 off the conference registration fee....
NCSU's 10th Annual Vermiculture Conference - May 27-28, 2010 - Durham, NC
- Dr. Clive Edwards (Ohio State University): "The Effects of Vermicompost and Vermicompost 'Teas' on Plant Pests and Diseases."

- Dr. Norman Arancon (University of Hawaii): Vermicompost and teas effects on plant growth and pest/disease suppression.

- Jeff Budzich (WeCare Organics, Pennsylvania): Systems design, technological and operating parameters, and process characteristics of the Class A stabiliation of biosolids through vermicomposting.-- generating a high quality, high value end product.

- Dr. Suneet Dabke (Fulbright Scholar from India): Bioremediation of contaminated soils via vermitechnology.

- John Harris (Harris Worm Farm, North Carolina): Low-cost, mid-scale outdoor worm farming.

- Tom Herlihy (RT Solutions-Worm Power, New York): Dairy manure vermicomposting, continuous-flow reactors, marketing vermicompost, vermicompost tea.

- Jamie Melvin (Sansai Environmental Technologies, Ohio): Vermicomposting food residuals, yard debris, cardboard and other materials in indoor windrows; selling vermicompost and tea.

- Mark Purser (The Worm Farm, California): Indoor and outdoor windrows, applying feedstocks, harvesting and sales.

- Maria Rodriguez (Byoearth, Guatemala, Central America): "Fostering Entrepreneurship and Social Change via Vermiculture." Adding value to degradable waste found in Guatemala City's garbage dump through the empowerment of women with the experience "Fertilize Your Future."

- Dr. Sarah Sathyavathi (India): Vermicomposting biosolids and its use in plant growth.

- Rhonda Sherman (NC State Univ.) - "The Status of Vermicomposting in North America."
See conference website for speaker bios, registration, accommodations, etc.:

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/worm-conference/
Questions:
Rhonda Sherman
Biological & Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University
rhonda_sherman@ncsu.edu (best way to reach me)
(919) 515-6770
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/people/faculty/sherman

Help! I Need Your Recycled Pots

I've completely run out of small individual pots for marketing seedlings.  AND I can't even find paper Dixie cups to substitute, they're all plastic, even the little bathroom size.  The last thing I want to do is supply more plastic and/or styrofoam to the landfill!  PLEASE recycle to me your plastic pots as you plant your annual beds.
Thanks soooo much.  It's urgent!  Market opens this coming Satruday.

How to Prune, Plant Blueberry Bushes

TO GET READY FOR FARM UP'S BLUEBERRY CROPMOB BLITZ!  (see Monday's post)

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service will hold a blueberry pruning and planting demonstration on Saturday morning, February 27, at 1460 Red Hill Road in Cameron. The workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 10:30 a.m.
Ag. Ext. Agent Taylor Williams will cover varieties, site selection, soil preparation, pruning mature blueberry bushes, and planting “stool” plants (shoots from base of existing blueberries).
The meeting is free and open to the public. Bring pruning tools and a shovel. Please call 947-3188 for more information, for directions, and to register for this class.
Directions: From Carthage, take 15/501 North 2.7 miles and turn right on NC 24/27 East toward Cameron. Go 2.5 miles, and turn left on Bryant Road. Go 0.6 miles and turn right on Red Hill Road. After 0.9 miles, 1460 Red Hill Road will be on your left.