Garden tips and

more planned

in workshops
By Scott Nicholson

Organic gardening, cost-share management, and agricultural funds are on the calendar in June for local farmers and growers.

“Organic Gardening 101” begins June 8 at the Appalachian State University Sustainable Development far, in Valle Crucis. The course is designed for beginning gardeners or those who would like to switch to organic methods. Topics include garden planning, seed starting, companion planting, attracting beneficial bugs, pest management, soil tests and amendments, composting and vermi-composting, growing herbs, landscape planning and edible landscaping.

The series continues daily through June 11, taking place Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost for the course is $20, and payments can be made at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, 971 West. King St., Boone. For more information, call (828) 264-3061.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has extended the deadline to apply for EQIP funds targeted toward organic growers. To apply for these funds, growers should already have, or immediately apply for, a tract number through their local Farm Services Agency office, and also have completed an Organic Farm Plan as part of their Organic Certification process. The NRCS EQIP Organic Initiative is a funding program for growers who wish to improve their conservation practices and expand their organic system. Enhancing environmental protection is the goal of EQIP, and the new EQIP Organic Initiative is an opportunity for farmland that is either currently certified or in the process towards becoming certified.

About $1 million is available to North Carolina organic farmers through this process. More information is available at www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EQIP/Organic.html.

Fruit and vegetable farmers can now apply for two cost-share grants offered through the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to assist with the costs for water analysis and independent certification of an operation’s good agricultural practices.

This is the first year for the Water Analysis Cost Share grant program, which will reimburse growers up to $200 for certified laboratory analysis of irrigation and packing house wash water for the presence of generic E.coli bacteria. Growers can be reimbursed for one water test or multiple tests throughout the year.

For more information or to obtain an application for the Water Analysis Cost Share program, contact Kevin Hardison at (919) 733-7887, ext. 234, or e-mail at Kevin.Hardison@ncagr.gov.

The Good Agricultural Practices Certification Assistance Program covers up to $600 for independent audits of a farm’s good-handling practices. The audit can be for farm review, field harvest and field packing activities, packing house facility, storage and transportation, and traceback.

For more information or to obtain an application for the GAP Certification Assistance Program, contact Shirley Nicholson at (919) 733-7887, or e-mail at Shirley.Nicholson@ncagr.gov.

A new Organic Certification Cost-Share Program is designed to assist organic growers with the cost of becoming certified under the National Organic Program. F

The program will pay 75 percent of the cost of certification up to a maximum of $750 to the certifying agency for any certification until Sept. 30, 2009.

More information about the Organic Cost Share Program can be found at www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/commodit/horticul/ncorganics/.