Calendar

Mar
2
Sat
Cover Crop Planning and Planting @ Mesquite Field Farm
Mar 2 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

As we all move to improve our soil quality we have found that conventional no-till methods work however, we have the ability to improve this process by reducing chemical usage and introducing cover crops into our processes.

This class will provide a discussion of the benefits of cover crops, which crops to plant, when to plant them, and a planting demonstration.

Instructors:

  • Doug Havemann, Army Veteran, Co – Owner, Mesquite Field Farm
  • Melissa Havemann, Co-Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

Skills Taught:

  • Farm tool safety
  • Crop planning
  • Seed Supply calculations
  • Material supply calculations
  • Farm Tractor Usage
  • Farm implement usage (no-till drill)
  • Seed Characteristics
  • USDA planting zones and cover crop recommendations
  • Seed suppliers and recommendations
  • Crop Planting techniques

Cover Crop Planning and Planting Flyer

REGISTER HERE

May
4
Sat
Market Garden Planning @ Mesquite Field Farm
May 4 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

As we move toward the development of our market gardens to meet our customer needs it is important that we prepare our soil, prepare our planting spaces, plant the appropriate crops, plant companion crops to reduce insect stress and maximize our garden space for successive plantings and profit.

This class will provide a discussion of the benefits of cover crops, which crops to plant, when to plant them, and a planting demonstration.

Instructors:

  • Koen Stokes – Horticulturist, Veg’d Out Urban Farms
  • Doug Havemann, Army Veteran, Co-Owner, Mesquite Field Farm
  • Melissa Havemann, Co-Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

Skills Taught:

  • Farm tool safety
  • Crop planning
  • Seed supply calculations
  • Compost development
  • Soil amendment requirements
  • Farm implement usage (small scale planters)
  • Soil preparation
  • Planting bed preparation
  • Watering methods

Market Garden Planning Flyer

REGISTER HERE

Jun
22
Sat
Marketing 101 & Website Design @ Mesquite Field Farm
Jun 22 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Marketing 101 & Website Design @ Mesquite Field Farm

Join Mesquite Field Farm’s Doug and Melissa Havemann for a farm and ranch Marketing 101 workshop.  With backgrounds in marketing and advertisement, Doug and Melissa have developed successful marketing plans for farm events, farm product sales, and for telling their farm story.

Topics covered will include

  • Product
  • Pricing
  • Place
  • Promotion
  • Web for business
  • E-Commerce
  • Social Media
  • Digital Marketing

Web Design 1-on-1 

There will be a Web Design 1-on-1 workshop on June 23, 2019 that focuses on building a website for your farm.  This web design 1-on-1 workshop is only available to Military Veterans enrolled in the Battleground to Breaking Ground Program. There are only 5 spaces open for this workshop. If you meet the criteria for the second day and you would like to purchase a ticket, please send an email to doug@mesquitefieldfarm.com requesting one of the 5 tickets available for the 23rd. After your status in the Battleground to Breaking Ground program is validated, you will be sent a second link to register and pay for the Web Design 101 time-slot.

Jul
6
Sat
Pipe Fence Building @ Mesquite Field Farm
Jul 6 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pipe Fence Building @ Mesquite Field Farm

Participants will learn the basic concepts of designing a pipe fence, arc welding, cutting torch, setting corner posts, setting line posts, cutting saddles, welding pipe rails, and building and installing a pipe gate

Skills Taught:

  1. Basic construction
  2. Basic fabrication
  3. Farm tool safety
  4. Build and install infrastructure
  5. Material supply calculations
  6. Infrastructure damage prevention
  7. Farm safety
  8. Farm infrastructure development planning

Instructors:

Joe Medina Vietnam Veteran, Retired Professional Welder

Doug Havemann, Army Veteran, Co – Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

Melissa Havemann, Co-Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

 

Register HERE by July 3

Jul
7
Sun
Pipe Fence Building @ Mesquite Field Farm
Jul 7 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pipe Fence Building @ Mesquite Field Farm

Participants will learn the basic concepts of designing a pipe fence, arc welding, cutting torch, setting corner posts, setting line posts, cutting saddles, welding pipe rails, and building and installing a pipe gate

Skills Taught:

  1. Basic construction
  2. Basic fabrication
  3. Farm tool safety
  4. Build and install infrastructure
  5. Material supply calculations
  6. Infrastructure damage prevention
  7. Farm safety
  8. Farm infrastructure development planning

Instructors:

Joe Medina Vietnam Veteran, Retired Professional Welder

Doug Havemann, Army Veteran, Co – Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

Melissa Havemann, Co-Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

 

Register HERE by July 3

Jul
27
Sat
Preserving the Harvest Canning Class @ Mesquite Field Farm
Jul 27 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

When all of your perfect produce has been sold, what do you do with the rest? Or do you just have an abundance of produce from your garden this year?

How about creating Value Added Products and generate more revenue!!

In Texas, the Cottage Food Bill allows individuals to create canned goods for sale up to a certain amount without the use of a commercial kitchen. This could be a new revenue stream for you!!

Topics Covered:

  • Cottage Food Law Requirements
  • Food Safety
  • Canning Safety
  • Strawberry Jam Making
  • Pickling Making

Cost is $30: this includes a handy reference handout, lunch AND students will get to take home jars of jam and pickles they create during the class!!

Register HERE by July 25th

Aug
3
Sat
Beef Processing, Cut Lists, and Labels @ Mesquite Field Farm
Aug 3 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

It is always difficult for new livestock producers to understand all of the moving parts required to move their livestock from farm to table. This class provides a site visit to a USDA certified processing facility, cut list development, and labeling requirements for TDA and USDA.

Skills Taught:

  1. USDA Processing Facility Tour: How beef is processed
  2. Product label requirements and development
  3. How to develop a cut list for processing
  4. How to use customer input and marketing data to develop cut lists
  5. Beef cattle processing requirements
  6. How to develop relationships between you and your processor
  7. Product labels and marketing

Instructors:

  • Doug Havemann, Army Veteran, Co – Owner, Mesquite Field Farm
  • Melissa Havemann, Co-Owner, Mesquite Field Farm

Registration link coming soon.  Contact Doug Havemann for details.

Oct
26
Sat
Setting Up Your Farm Business @ Mesquite Field Farm
Oct 26 @ 8:30 am – Oct 27 @ 5:00 pm
Setting Up Your Farm Business @ Mesquite Field Farm

This 2 day (Sat. Oct. 26th and Sun. Oct. 27th.) training session will focus on items needed to complete business plans, costing models, advertising models etc. required for your business plans and to address items not normally discussed that you should think about before purchasing a farm.

This workshop will cover topics such as: insurance, social media, websites, land purchase decision, and product marketing

Mar
21
Sat
The Cluck Summit @ Mesquite Field Farm
Mar 21 @ 8:00 am – Mar 22 @ 4:00 pm

Description:

Poultry Summit with industry leaders discussing breeds, animal husbandry, legal considerations, alternative feeds, chicken tractor build, and on farm poultry processing

During this training session you will learn from industry experts the following information:

    • The law related to raising and processing chickens on your farm
    • What breeds work best in this area
    • How to take care of and manage the health of your flock
    • How to grow your own food or fodder for your chickens
    • What feeds to purchase if you are not growing your own feeds
    • How to build a Suscovich style chicken tractor
    • How to process chickens on your farm

Skills Taught:

  1. Husbandry
  2. Alternative feeds
  3. Breed choice
  4. Construction
  5. Processing
  6. Food safety and handling practices

 

Register here by March 19, 2020

Apr
29
Sat
Hands-on Learning: Preserving the Harvest Canning @ Mesquite Field Farm
Apr 29 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

When all of your perfect produce has been sold, what do you do with the rest? Or do you just have an abundance of produce from your garden this year?

How about creating Value Added Products and generate more revenue!!

In Texas, the Cottage Food Law allows individuals to create canned goods for sale up to $50k without the use of a commercial kitchen. This could be a new revenue stream for you!!

Topics Covered:

  • Cottage Food Law Requirements
  • Food Safety
  • Canning Safety
  • Jam Making

Cost is $30: this includes a handy reference handout, lunch AND students will get to take home some of the finished product!!!

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