Horse Farm Tour
Rancho Poquito, Eatonville
Saturday, September 11
4-5 p.m.
The District’s Farm Resource Specialist, René Skaggs, invites you to visit her 10 acre, 7 horse farm where a lot of experimentation in farm management techniques has been undertaken. This tour is a unique opportunity to learn what has worked and what has not. We will look at heavy use area paddocks covered with sand that have been retrofitted from geotextile fabric to geogrids. We will also look at and discuss management intensive grazing using minimal permanent fencing and temporary electric fencing, stream buffer enhancement for wildlife and water quality, and static pile composting taking place in roofed wood and concrete manure bins. Come tour the farm and learn from René’s experimentation, successes, and mistakes.

Weed Control for Large Acreage
Saturday, September 11, 11 a.m.-noon
Sunnycrest Nursery, Key Center
Join Sunnycrest Nursery and the Pierce Conservation District to learn techniques and tools to reduce and control noxious and obnoxious weeds in pastures and other large acreages. Speakers will also discuss methods for weed control around sensitive areas including the fundamental differences between synthetic and organic fertilizer use.

For more information, or to register for this workshop, please email Sunnycrest Nursery at info@sunnycrestnursery.biz or the Pierce Conservation District erine@piercecountycd.org, or call (253) 884-9474.

Getting Ready for Winter
King Feed, Eatonville
Tuesday, September 28
6:30-8 p.m.
During this power point presentation, you will learn best management practices that will get the farm ready for winter.  We will discuss and look at practices to help make your livestock’s lives more comfortable, prevent pollution, make farm chores easier and more pleasant, and ensure that your pastures will be more productive next spring and summer.  Attendees are encouraged to participate in the discussion and share first hand experience on what has worked on their farms at this information exchange and educational event.

Managing Mud, Manure, and Pastures:
The Three Cornerstones of Livestock Farm Management
Gig Harbor: Sunday, October 3,1-3 p.m.
Key Center: Thursday, October 21,6-8 p.m.
Summer is still here, but winter rains are right around the corner. It’s not too late to get your farm projects done in time to keep mud at bay, reign in that manure pile, and perk up those fall pastures for a great spring grazing season. Join the Pierce Conservation District for an extensive but brief overview for tips on where to start and how to get these actions checked off the “honey-do” list with plenty of time left over for riding, fairs, and all the other fun stuff to do around here.

These classroom power point presentations will allow participants to get information on the three key components of small farm management. Find out what materials are being used to keep paddocks dry and learn how to install them correctly. Hear how to turn the mountain of manure into a useful soil amendment for your pastures. And learn how to transform that patch of weeds and bare soil into lush pasture to get the most grazing for your animals next summer. A class notebook chock-full of take home information will be provided to each participant.

Cattle Farm Tour
Shaggy Moo Farm, Graham
Sunday, October 17, 1-3 p.m.
Visit Zura Wilson’s 8 acre farm where she breeds and sells Scottish Highlander cattle.  Zura has installed cross fencing and a travel lane to implement a rotational grazing system that has increased pasture grass production to feed her 13 cattle.  She has installed small pens to facilitate cattle weaning, and also uses three small winter rotational feeding pastures to minimize mud and maximize productivity of her other pastures.  Come tour the farm and see Zura’s teddy bear cattle.

Small Farm Information Booth
Cenex Store, Purdy
Saturday, October 23
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Stop by the Pierce Conservation District information tables for quick one-on-one answers or discussion on small farm topics, tools, and resources. Learn about soil amendment applications and pasture management, or sign up for a free site visit.

Please call René or Erin at (253) 845-9770, or (253) 884-9474 to register for the workshops. A map will be sent to you upon registration.

The EnviroHouse is hosting free workshops for Tacoma and Pierce County residents on how to develop a more sustainable lifestyle. Topics include home composting, rain barrels, residential rain gardens, solar power, home water use and more. You can see a complete list of offerings and pre-register for workshops at www.cityoftacoma.org/EnviroHouse or (253) 573-2426.

The City of Tacoma EnviroHouse is a permanent model home showcasing more than 150 interior and exterior green building and natural landscape ideas, materials, and techniques.

The EnviroHouse provides visitors a way to see and touch a wide variety of sustainable living products.

The EnviroHouse is located at the Tacoma Landfill, 3510 S. Mullen St.Tacoma 98409. Hours: Wed–Fri., 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sat–Sun., 11 a.m.–5 p.m.