Many times in the office, I receive phone calls or walk-ins from people who want to do something productive with their property. Generally, these people have 10 to 20 acres of land and want to put some of it into production, say small fruits.

I always enjoy these calls because it makes me happy to see people wanting to get into agriculture and they see their property to be more valuable growing something. This translates to green space for everyone in the county.

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is planning a series of programs to help beginners and even experienced farmers learn more about agriculture. The series will begin in January and will run through April at the J. Campbell Research and Education Center in Watkinsville. The workshops are part of UGA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s joint Piedmont Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Partnership.

Held at the Oconee County Extension office, the series will feature natural pest controls, sustainable grazing practices, food safety for small farmers and local marketing basics. The series was organized so that farmers can make the most of their new knowledge for this year’s growing season.

“This series of workshops has something for the many small farmers we have in Northeast Georgia,” said Julia Gaskin, UGA’s sustainable agriculture coordinator. “With the growing demand for local food, we hope this information will help farmers make their operations more profitable and more sustainable.”

Each course is only $15; well-rounded farmers can save $20 by paying $40 for the entire series. Those wishing to register for all four classes must do so by Friday. The other registration deadlines and topics are:

Jan. 29: Organic Insect and Disease Control in Fruits and Vegetables (register by Jan. 22)

Feb. 12: Food Safety for Small Farms (register by Feb. 5)

Feb. 19: Small Farm Grazing Management (register by Feb. 12)

March 5: Profitable Marketing for Small Farms (register by Feb. 26)

While these courses are suitable for “beginning farmers,” they will offer the latest research-based techniques and information that all growers can implement.

Even farmers who have been through a few crop years will find something of value in the classes, Gaskin said.

Each class starts at 5:30 p.m. with a locally grown meal and provides a chance to network with other farmers and learn what’s working — or not working — in each other’s fields.

There is a limit of 30 participants, so don’t delay registering. Those wishing to register for the upcoming program should call the Oconee County Extension office at 706-769-3946.

More information about UGA’s sustainable farming resources can be found at www.extension.uga.edu/agriculture/sustainable and at www.SustainAgGA.org.

Source: Merrit Melancon, UGA Columnist, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Growinggeorgia.com

Michael Wheeler is county extension coordinator for the UGA Cooperative Extension in Hall County. You can contact him at 770-535-8293, www.hallcounty.org/extension. His column appears biweekly on Thursday’s Business page and at gainesvilletimes.com.