Tag Archives: Events

Save the date: Community, Local, and Regional Food Systems Forum, March 29

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

Mark your calendar now for the Community, Local, and Regional Food Systems Forum hosted by Virginia Cooperative Extension on March 29, 2016, at the Carillon in Byrd Park, Richmond, Virginia.

The CLRFS Forum will feature presentations, exhibits, and posters of Extension and educational programming related to the development and strengthening of Virginia’s community, local, and regional food systems. The forum’s goal is to facilitate dialogue and a shared understanding of the innovative approaches and collaborations that comprise food systems in Virginia to collectively bring about social, economic, and ecological change that benefits all residents. This forum is one step in helping to develop a collective strategy to enhance and promote community, local, and regional food systems resources, information, and partnerships.

Registration deadline is March 15.

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Register for the 2016 VAFCS Annual Conference

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

Registration is now open for the 2016 Virginia Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Conference on April 21-22. Early bird registration fees end on March 20. The conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Charlottesville, Virginia. Conference attendees can earn PDUs from AAFCS.

For more information or questions contact Debbie Dunn-Frederick at 540-421-2148 or 540-828-5460.

Also happening at the conference:

Silent auction: Bring an item for the silent auction. Money raised from this event supports college student conference attendance at VAFCS/VEAFCS.

Local student service project: Bring canned or non-perishable food or gently used clothing to help support Hope Distributed Food Bank located in Harrisonburg, Virginia and servicing people below the poverty line of all ages living within a 150 mile radius of the food bank.

National student service project: Students will also be doing a Cardz for Kidz service outreach project. At the conference, cards will be available for people to make. All homemade cards will be sent to hospitalized and/or traumatized children across the globe. Contact Nicholas Zimmerman if you would like to provide craft materials for the cards.

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Virginia Tech Livestock Judging Team travels to first contest of 2016

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

The Virginia Tech Livestock Judging Team began their year by competing at the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo in Jackson, Mississippi on Feb. 13.

This was the first collegiate livestock judging contest in which Virginia Tech has been represented in over five years. Team members include: Andrew Saunders from Nelson County, Emmalee Edwards from Craig County, Grace Ott from Page County, and Troy Whittier from Montgomery County. The contest was an all-cattle contest and was divided into into four divisions: Brahman breed type, English breed type, Continental breed type, and market steers. A total of eight colleges competed in the contest.

With three contestants, Virginia Tech was not eligible for team awards, but team members gained valuable contest experience as they prepare for future contests in the spring and fall of 2016. The team would like to thank the staff of the University of Tennessee Bull Test Staton in Spring Hill, Tennessee; Deer Valley Farm of Fayettville, Tennessee; and Dyess Farms of Bassfield, Mississippi for providing excellent practices on the way to Jackson. This spring, the Virginia Tech Livestock Judging Team will also compete at the Southeastern Livestock Expo held in Montgomery, Alabama in March and at the All East Livestock Judging Contest held at Purdue University in April.

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2016 Block and Bridle Contests scheduled for March 18-19

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

The 2016 Block and Bridle Livestock Contests weekend is scheduled for March 18–19, 2016 in Blacksburg, Virginia at the Alphin-Stuart Livestock Arena. The contest schedule is similar to years’ past, beginning with Stockmen’s on Friday, followed by the State Meats Contests and then Livestock Judging on Saturday.

The contest rules, entry forms, and all other information can be found on the Block and Bridle topic page.

Please remember the following:

  • Entries are $4 per person per contest
  • Lunch is required for those youth competing in the Advanced Livestock Judging Contest. There is an additional cost for lunch at $5 per person
  • Lunch will not be available for those that have not pre-registered or any entries received after March 10
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Save the date

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

April 5-6: Virginia Agritourism Conference

  • Register online
  • Where: South Boston, Virginia
  • Contact: Kat Roberts (804-517-1971)

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Registration open for Fundamentals of Youth-driven Scientific Investigations workshop

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

Registration is now open for the Fundamentals of Youth-driven Scientific Investigations workshop! Workshop participants will learn the fundamental concepts behind the inquiry learning cycle through participation in a hands-on science investigation. Various models for scientific inquiry learning will be discussed in the context of specific opportunities for 4-H programming, with an emphasis on existing environmental and citizen science programs. Practitioners will leave the workshop with an understanding of how to apply the inquiry learning cycle when planning 4-H science programs and resources for engaging youth in citizen science programs.

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2016; 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Location: Skelton 4-H Center at Smith Mountain Lake

Presenters: Hannah Scherer (Virginia Tech, STEM Education), Michelle Prysby (Virginia Master Naturalist Program), Kristina McCullough (Driven 2 Discover), Ngowari Jaja (Virginia State University, Environmental Science)

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Save the date: 2016 Virginia Governor’s Conference on Agriculture, March 7-8

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

Registration is now open for the 2016 Virginia Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade: The New Virginia Economy – Expanding Agricultural Opportunities Worldwide. Register now!

Lodging is at the Hilton Richmond Downtown. You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations and getting reimbursed (fund 141493; org 002800 for lodging only). Either use the information online or call the hotel directly at 1-800-344-4300 and reference the Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade. Hotel reservations must be made by Feb. 18 in order to receive the special meeting rate.

Deadline to register is Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. No cancellations or changes can be made after this date!

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Virginia Tech Horse Judging Team competes in two national competitions

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

Football games may dominate the fall social calendar for many Hokies but not the Virginia Tech Horse Judging Team. This past fall, eight students came together to prepare for two national competitions.

Pictured from left: Stevie Williams, Hanna Bartnick, Lexy Golub, Harleigh Humphries, Taylor Franzreb, Rachel Bell, Hannah McDonald, Rachel Owens, and Julia McCann, coach

Pictured from left: Stevie Williams, Hanna Bartnick, Lexy Golub, Harleigh Humphries, Taylor Franzreb, Rachel Bell, Hannah McDonald, Rachel Owens, and Julia McCann, coach

This team of students made the extra commitment to learn the criteria for conformation and performance judging of 12 different events in the quarter horse judging contests. In addition to the challenges of judging everything from hunter under saddle to ranch riding, equitation, reining, and calf tie down, students became very competent in the delivery of oral reasons, a competition category where students orally defend their class placings to a judge and are scored on their accuracy and quality of delivery.

Judging in the limited division at the Ohio Quarter Horse Contest in Columbus, Ohio were Taylor Franzreb of Navesink, New Jersey; Lexy Golub of Leesburg, Virginia; Harleigh Humphries of Middleburg, Virginia; and Stevie Williams of Centreville, Virginia. The limited division competitors judge the full slate of classes but give fewer oral reasons than competitors in the senior team division. Competitors in the limited division only compete for individual awards. Lexy and Harleigh tied for fifth overall in the limited division. Both Stevie and Lexy placed in the top ten individuals in performance and reasons while Taylor was tenth in reasons.

Continue reading →

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2016 Virginia LifeSmarts competition coming up Feb. 12

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

Next month is our Virginia LifeSmarts competition. If you’d like to be an official for the competition, please read the following information.

This year’s competition will be held on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 at the VHDA Virginia Housing Center in Glen Allen. There is also a scheduled  snowdate for Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 in case of inclement weather. The day will begin at 8:15 a.m. with volunteer training (required for all volunteers) and followed by competitions until 3:30 p.m., with a break for lunch. Lunch is provided for volunteers.

We need all volunteers to attend the training. All teams will compete in the first four rounds before lunch (with scores being cumulative), so we need volunteers to stay until lunchtime (at approximately 12:20 p.m.)

Here are the descriptions for the volunteer roles:

Continue reading →

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Register now for 2016 South Atlantic Hops Conference

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Insights Editor

We are pleased to share this announcement about the 2016 South Atlantic Hops Conference, which will be held in Richmond on March 4 and 5 at the Clarion Hotel Richmond Central.

This event is a prime opportunity for beginner and experienced hop growers alike to learn and network. Brewers and other industry stakeholders may also wish to participate. Sponsorship and exhibit opportunities are still available.

This conference is an expansion of last year’s NC-VA Hops Conference and is being planned through a collaboration between faculty from North Carolina State University, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, and Virginia Cooperative Extension and grower members from Old Dominion Hops Cooperative.

On a related note, please be sure to visit the new Hops at Virginia Tech page on Facebook! There is also a Facebook Event page for the conference.

Virginia Cooperative Extension resources for hop growers can also be found on our hops topic page. 

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