NCAT Event Calendar

NCAT sponsors and co-sponsors appear at many conferences, workshops, seminars and other events across the country each year. Here are some events you may want to attend:

Southwest Marketing Network 6th Annual Conference
May 5-7, 2008
Santa Fe, New Mexico

The Southwest Marketing Network is expanding markets for southwest small-scale, alternative, and minority producers. NCAT helped launch the Southwest Marketing Network, and will be represented at this conference with a display. Program Specialist Tammy Hinman will be moderating sessions on "New Farmers, New Opportunities" and "Marketing with Your Community."

SPIN Farming Workshop
May 19-20, 2008
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

NCAT joins with Wilkes University to sponsor the first "in-the-field" SPIN (Small Plot INtensive) farming workshop, conducted by Wally Satzewich, one of the founders of SPIN farming. The workshop will kick off a Wilkes University demonstration project on growing food for market on a small urban plot.

Biodiesel Processing and Oilseed Ranch Tour
May 28, 2008
Helena, Montana

This free tour at the Rocking Z Ranch is the first of three sponsored by NCAT, the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO), the Montana Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Montana Farmers Union. The afternoon tour will highlight Zack Wirth's bio biodiesel processor, and oil and biofuel storage on the Ranch, as well as a stationary engine that can burn straight vegetable oil (SVO), biodiesel or petrodiesel. Pre-registration is encouraged. Call Al Kurki at 406-449-0104 or e-mail alk@ncat.org by May 22nd to confirm your attendance.

Energy on the Farm: A Toolkit for Taking Control of Energy Bills
May 29, 2008
Shavertown, Pennsylvania

NCAT, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), Piedmont Biofuels, and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) are pleased to announce a full day workshop on farm energy audits and biodiesel production and use. The workshop will take place at the Lands at Hillside Farms, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Funding for this workshop is provided by the USDA-Risk Management Agency, through a cooperative partnership agreement with NCAT, as part of a project called “Managing Farm Energy Risks.” The day will begin with an introduction to biodiesel production presented by Piedmont Biofuels. This field day will also focus on emphasizing farm energy audits as a means for farmers to explore potential energy savings. A tour of The Lands at Hillside Farms and its milk processing facility will demonstrate how farmers can benefit from an energy audit. Information on how to have an energy audit performed on your farm will be provided along with a description of what resources are available to improve energy efficiency in your operation. For more information or to register visit the PASA website or call 814-349-9856.

Biodiesel Processing and Oilseed Ranch Tour
June 20, 2008
Big Sandy, Montana

This tour at the Bob Quinn Farm is the second of three sponsored by NCAT, the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO), the Montana Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Montana Farmers Union. The morning portion of the tour will focus on camelina production and crushing oilseed using a new German crusher. Following lunch, the tour will focus on dryland cropping systems (small grains, oilseeds and legumes), dryland vegetables and heritage turkeys. Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Jim Barngrover at 443-7272, jbarngrover@aeromt.org.

Biodiesel Processing and Oilseed Ranch Tour
June 26, 2008
Geraldine, Montana

This tour at Leonard Stone's farm is the third of three sponsored by NCAT, the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO), the Montana Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Montana Farmers Union. See Leonard's 4th year of growing camelina and wheat following camelina. We'll also have updates on oilseed crushers and biodiesel processors—what brands to watch for. Call Sandy Courtnage at Montana Farmers Union, 452-6406 for more information. Pre-registration is encouraged.

Fueling the Farm II
July 10, 2008
Goldsboro, North Carolina

NCAT's Mike Morris is one of the leaders for this workshop sponsored by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems. The day-long workshop will provide farmers and other participants with information and tools to explore and evaluate farm energy use, potential economic risk and ways of reducing on-farm energy usage and expenses. Renewable energy and energy efficiency projects will be discussed and demonstrated and potential funding sources will be identified. Biofuel production topics will be a specific breakout thread and will include the step-by-step demonstration of biofuel production.

Home Energy Rater Training by NCAT
New date TBA (Rescheduled from May 5-9, 2008)
Butte, Montana

This workshop is a comprehensive energy auditor training with an emphasis on new residential construction and the HERS rating process. This workshop will incorporate information about how the Energy Star New Homes program is operated both nationally and in the four northwest states. This training is intended to prepare the participant to take the tests necessary to become a certified HERS Rater, an Energy Star Homes Northwest Energy Star Verifier, and an Energy Star Homes Northwest Performance Tester. The National Rater Exam will be administered. This training is the first step to becoming qualified to provide certification for the Federal Tax Credit for energy efficient new homes. The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is a RESNET accredited HERS Rater Training Provider. The training cost is $1150 per person. For more information about the training contact Dale Horton, (406) 494-8653.