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
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
REGISTER HERE
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.
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:
- Basic construction
- Basic fabrication
- Farm tool safety
- Build and install infrastructure
- Material supply calculations
- Infrastructure damage prevention
- Farm safety
- 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
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:
- Basic construction
- Basic fabrication
- Farm tool safety
- Build and install infrastructure
- Material supply calculations
- Infrastructure damage prevention
- Farm safety
- 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
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
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:
- USDA Processing Facility Tour: How beef is processed
- Product label requirements and development
- How to develop a cut list for processing
- How to use customer input and marketing data to develop cut lists
- Beef cattle processing requirements
- How to develop relationships between you and your processor
- 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.
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
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:
- Husbandry
- Alternative feeds
- Breed choice
- Construction
- Processing
- Food safety and handling practices
Register here by March 19, 2020
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!!!