Otter Tail County Extension Update

Happy March!

It certainly feels like spring is here, and the recent warmth has been a welcome change from the bitter cold we had. But if we know one thing for certain about Minnesota weather, it's that we never know for sure what will happen next, and winter isn't over yet. While we wait for spring to fully arrive, there are plenty of opportunities coming up shortly around the county to take advantage of. Join Extension tonight (March 3rd) for Winter Garden College in Fergus Falls, or attend the East Otter Tail's Irrigation and Nutrient Management Clinic tomorrow, March 4th. Interested in having fruit trees on your property? Sign up for the apple tree grafting workshop on March 24 or April 3 to take home 3 of your own grafted apple trees. For those interested in livestock or wildlife, check out the Beef Quality Assurance Training, or the Forest Management for Wildlife learning sessions. Details for these events and more can be found below, and spring will be here before we know it!

As always, please reach out with any questions you may have, or topics you'd like to see featured in the newsletter.

Take care,

Olivia Olson

olso7655@umn.edu

office: (218) 998-8308

cell: (218) 282-5963

Seasonal resources

Winter Garden College

Horticulture Day

Irrigation and Nutrient Management Clinic

Sustainable Agriculture Webinar Series

Apple Tree Grafting Workshops

Beef Quality Assurance Training

Forest Management for Wildlife

SWCD Year in Review

Do you know an outstanding farm family in Otter Tail County that you'd like to nominate for the Farm Family of the Year award? The University of Minnesota Farm Family Recognition Program honors farm families from throughout Minnesota for their significant contributions to the agriculture industry and their local communities. You can find a list of 2024 winners here.

Winter Garden College is a two-hour deep dive into backyard gardening and small-scale farming topics. In this course, you will learn how cover crops improve soil health by preventing erosion, providing nutrients, building organic matter, and feeding beneficial microbes. This course is split into two 45-minute presentations along with a 30-minute hands-on session. These free workshops will be held six times across the state, with the dates and locations as follows:

Monday, March 3 – Fergus Falls, 5-7 pm

Fergus Falls Public Library, 205 E Hampden Ave, Fergus Falls, MN 56537

Tuesday, March 11 – Park Rapids, 5-7 pm

The Event Room, 1104 Park Ave S Suite 2, Park Rapids, MN 56470

Join the East Otter Tail Master Gardeners for their annual Horticulture Day! This full day educational event provides you with access to 5 learning sessions on a range of topics, as well as vendors and a lunch. Pre-registration is requested, and more details can be found on the registration page or the Facebook event. Session topics include tree pruning, roses, hydrangeas, succulents, food forests, tomatoes, seed saving, plant propagation, prairie wildflowers, deer deterrents, using chemicals in the garden, and more.

When: Saturday, March 15, from 9-3

Where: Prairie Wind Middle School, Perham

Cost: $35

Registration: z.umn.edu/EOTHortDay2025

Facebook Event with more details

Join the East Otter Tail SWCD for their annual Irrigation and Nutrient Management Clinic, held on Tuesday, March 4th. This event is free to attend, and will feature several speakers on the topics of VRI, aquifers, and soil moisture management.

Registration can be accessed via the link below, or by calling the EOT SWCD office at 218-346-9105.

Join the West Central Minnesota Food Council for a series of inspiring lightning talks from some of the most interesting initiatives and businesses in Minnesota's food and farming ecosystem. This free, virtual event takes place every Tuesday throughout the month of March. Consider this a lunch and learn opportunity! The weekly topics are Year-Round Production, Small Scale Livestock and Dairy Direct Marketing, Small Scale Fruit + Veg Production, and Regional Aggregation Models.

Dates: March 4th, 11, 18, and 25th

Time: 12:00-1:15 p.m. CST.

Registration through Eventbrite. More details will be added to the agenda as our speakers are finalized in the coming weeks!

This webinar series is sponsored by the West Central Food Council and made possible by funding provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Local Climate Action Grants.

Join Otter Tail County Extension and Dave Vaske from Miltona Greenhouses for an evening of apple tree grafting! In this workshop, you will learn different techniques for grafting trees, and have the opportunity to graft three of your own apple trees to take home. All materials will be provided at this workshop.

New York Mills workshop:

Monday, March 24

6:30-8:30 pm

118 North Main Ave

$30 fee

Registration link

Fergus Falls workshop:

Thursday, April 3

6:30-8:30 pm

505 S Court Street

$30

Registration link

University of Minnesota Extension will host Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) trainings in the fall of 2024, and spring of 2025. Producers attending any of the free workshops will receive a three-year BQA certification.

In the past, beef producers have been asked to complete the BQA program to market cattle to

certain processors. However, BQA certification is still voluntary. Specific companies have

chosen to extend their own quality assurance protocol requirements to cattle producers who are a

part of their supply chain. BQA certification is now being required by many major industry

buyers and processors.

When: March 20, 7-9 pm

Cost: free

The University of Minnesota Extension is excited to bring back the online Wildlife Webinar Series this spring! This year’s series will explore how forestry management impacts wildlife habitats, economic decisions, and climate resilience. Forests play a critical role in supporting Minnesota’s diverse wildlife, providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds at every stage of succession—early, mid, or late.

Join us to learn how to identify the stage of your forest, discover which wildlife thrive in each stage, and explore management strategies that create resilient habitats while meeting economic and environmental goals.

When: April 2, 9, and 16

Where: online webinar

Cost: free

More information on the webinar can be found here.

Learn how to optimize your practice with insights from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and see the impact firsthand through a live rainfall simulator demonstration. Discover how to implement effective grazing infrastructure, like fencing and water systems, to improve land productivity and reduce erosion. This workshop is designed for producers looking to improve their operations while conserving natural resources. Don’t miss this opportunity to network and gain practical tools for resilient land stewardship.

Link to find a location near you and register: https://www.mnglca.org/events

Ever wonder what the Soil and Water Conservation Districts are up to? Check out the EOT and Wadena SWCD Year in Review reports below for a highlight of the conservation work happening in our shared watersheds!

Looking for help in coping with business, family, or mental health issues? This resource list from the MN Department of Agriculture has a list of trained professionals to assist in a variety of ways.

MN Farm and Rural Helpline:

Phone: 833-600-2670

Text: FARMSTRESS to 898211
Email: farmstress@state.mn.us

Crisis Text Line:

Text: MN to 741 741

Are you a beginning farmer looking to rent or purchase working farmland in the Midwest? Or are you an established farmer/landowner in the Midwest who is seeking a beginning farmer to purchase or rent your working farmland, or to work with in a partnership situation? The Land Stewardship Project's Farm Beginnings project has simple application forms available for people seeking farmland or farmers. More information and the forms can be found at this link.

Email: olso7655@umn.edu

Phone: office (218) 998-8303 cell (218) 282-5963
Website: extension.umn.edu
Location: 118 N Main Ave, New York Mills, MN 56567

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