Gardening

Horticulture Night: July 30, 5 p.m., University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the event will be online and include virtual tours of the garden and hands-on demonstrations from the backyards of horticulture experts. They will start at 5 p.m. and may be accessed online in the weeks following. Websites will be announced closer to the night.

Farming

USDA Farm Service Agency: Open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While our program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with our producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. In the event a Service Center is not currently available to serve customers on location, producers can receive assistance from the closest alternate Service Center by phone. Learn more at farmers.gov/coronavirus .

F arm Beginnings: Sept. 1 is the deadline for applications for the Farm Beginnings class that starts in October in Red Wing. The 12-month training session helps beginning farmers clarify their goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan and start building their operation. The course uses a mix of farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, and an extensive farmer network. It is designed for new and prospective farmers who want to plan a profitable farm business. Students do not need to currently own land, but some farming or production experience is helpful to get the most out of the class. More information and registration is on the Land Stewardship Project website at landstewardshipproject.org or email Annelie Livingston-Anderson at annelie@landstewardshipproject.org .