Backyard Aquaculture Workshop

A backyard aquaculture workshop is scheduled for Monday, November 21 at 6:00 pm at the McDowell County Extension Center, 60 East Court Street, Marion (2nd Floor of the County Administration Building).  If you have a pond, learn how to grow your own fish, and have homegrown trout and catfish for dinner with your homegrown veggies!  There is a registration fee of $5/$7 for couples.  Make checks payable to:  McDowell Cooperative Extension.  Mail to McDowell Cooperative Extension, 60 East Court Street, Marion, NC 28752.  Call Molly Sandfoss or Jane McDaniel at 828-652-8104 with questions.  Must register by November 17.

Workshop to Develop Water Resources on Your Farm

A workshop about developing water resources on your farm is scheduled on Thursday, December 2 at the Virginia Boone Mountain Heritage Center at the WNC Ag Center, Fletcher (across from Asheville Airport) from 9am-4pm.  The free workshop is focused on developing water resources. 

"The workshop is designed to educate landowners, public officials and others about the importance of developing water resources, such as ponds and spring heads," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "Development of these resources can help with the irrigation of crops and watering livestock.  They also can reduce the demand on municipal water systems."

The workshop will cover a variety of topics pertaining to water resource development, including regulatory issues, wildlife concerns, engineering resources and costs, and federal and state assistance programs.

The first 300 people to register for each workshop will receive a free lunch.  To register, log on to www.ncadfp.org/AWRD_Workshops.  Interested people with questions should contact Dewitt Hardee at 919-707-3069 or Vernon Cox at 919-707-3070.

The workshop is sponsored by the NC Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation through a grant from Altria Group Inc.