March 31 – April 1. Appleton, WI. The Student Initiatives in Sustainable Agriculture Conference (SISA) is a national event for current and recent college students  dedicated to sustainable gardening and farming initiatives whether well  established or not yet realized. SISA facilitates an exchange of knowledge to  promote the growth of student-run projects and encourage continued involvement  in sustainable agriculture after college. This year’s conference will feature presentations and workshops from students, farmers, and entrepreneurs, a keynote address by agricultural economist John Ikerd, and much more! Visit their website for more information and to register. http://www.sisaconference.org/sisa2012.html

Sunday, April 1st. 2:00 pm-4:30 pm. The UNL Garden Friends annual meeting and botanical lecture is scheduled for Sunday, April 1, 2012, 2:00-4:30 p.m., Nebraska Union,
14th & R Street. Our guest speaker will be Kelly Norris, horticulturist and author of Iowa Gardener’s Travel Guide, who will present “Life on the Edge: Tough Plants for Tough Places”. Additional Public Info: $5 Admission. Free to UNL Garden Friends Members.Website: http://www.unl.edu/bga/friends/lecture.shtml

April 2. Fairmont, Minnesota. The last of the Third Crop Producer Meetings will highlight the work being done with bioenergy in south central Minnesota. Topics will
include discussion of renewable energy policy, the potential of harvesting restored grasslands for bioenergy, biomass research, and more. http://www.facebook.com/events/166495723449585/

Redwood Falls, MN. Ian Mitchell-Innes is a certified Holistic Management Trainer who ranches in South Africa. He is the leading teacher and mentor of mob & ultra-high stock density grazing. He is a fierce proponent of making ranching profitable, sustainable and fun! April 3-5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: VFW • 825 E Bridge Street • Redwood Falls, MN 56283. Cost: $500 per person. Classroom space is limited. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Contact Information: Grant & Dawn Breitkreutz (507) 641-5384 gdbreitkreutz@hotmail.com.

April 3. Ames, Iowa. The summit will engage participants from various sectors of the local food economy in a lively discussion on logical next steps toward the development of a more vibrant food system in Iowa. Participants will address these questions: What are the next steps for success? How can we meet the recommendations in the Local Food and Farm Plan? What might be missing in the plan that would help develop Iowa’s food system? http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/localfood/home.html

Redwood Falls, MN. Ian Mitchell-Innes is a certified Holistic Management Trainer who ranches in South Africa. He is the leading teacher and mentor of mob & ultra-high stock density grazing. He is a fierce proponent of making ranching profitable, sustainable and fun! April 3-5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: VFW • 825 E Bridge Street • Redwood Falls, MN 56283. Cost: $500 per person. Classroom space is limited. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Contact Information: Grant & Dawn Breitkreutz (507) 641-5384 gdbreitkreutz@hotmail.com.

Surface and Groundwater Modeling Subseries. Wednesday, April 11th. 3:30 pm-4:30 pm. David Steward of Kansas State University will speak on the topic “Modeling and Forecasting a Groundwater-Dominated Ecosystem.” An abstract may be found at http://go.unl.edu/modelingabstracts.  Website: http://watercenter.unl.edu/downloads/2012_SpringSeminarPoster.pdf

April 11 at 5:00 PM CDT. This Webinar is sponsored and produced by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm. Jeff Pettis will be discussing queen issues, including supercedure and swarming. He will walk us through what signs to look for and steps to take to avoid problems. Jeff is the Research Leader at USDA Bee Research Laboratory. He recognized globally for his work on CCD and honeybee health and in high demand for speaking events. This is an opportunity to hear from one of the leading researchers in our industry. To register, go to https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/112186082?utm_source=April+E-flier&utm_campaign=e-flier&utm_medium=email

April 13. Michigan State University specialists, researchers and Extension educators from throughout the university along with representatives from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will present a series of webinars for farmers, agricultural professionals, state and national agency personnel and interested stakeholders, discussing the important role water plays in modern agriculture production the long term impacts of a variable and changing climate. The free webinars run from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Friday afternoons, each with a different topic focus. http://www.news.msue.msu.edu/news/article/a_webinar_series_on_climate_water_and_agriculture

April 13 at 12:00 PM CDT. The Department of Horticulture and the Department of Crop and Soil Science have teamed up to offer the public a unique look into farming best practices, pest management and sustainable living—through a webinar series given by faculty and other experts involved with OSU. The viticulture webinars in this series are co-sponsored by the Oregon Wine Research Institute , whose mission is to engage, support and lead multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research, deliver knowledge and education related to vineyard and winery management, and improve the quality of Oregon grape and wine production. All webinars are open to the public and advance registration is required. The fee for each webinar is $25.00. Watch them on your own or with a group! After payment is received for each webinar, you will receive a confirmation notice with the registration link. Please print the confirmation for your records and register immediately after paying. Please contact Alice Formiga at formigaa@hort.oregonstate.edu if you have questions about the registration process.