Agritourism World, are you Listed?

Agritourism World offers free listings to those who apply on their international website. We have very few listed from Louisiana.

This site helps those interested in agritourism tour our world seeing all the sights and sounds of agricultural operations. Click here to learn how to register.

Idaho Farmer Finds Success with Agri-tourism

Iowa Public Broadcasting's Market to Market program featured Mary Jane Butters, an agritourism professional, click here to see the video  .

She is inspiring and has some great ideas that would be perfect for Louisiana.

Test Your Soil

The LSU AgCenter Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Lab can test soils, as well as plants and water, to help home gardeners and agriculture industry professionals alike achieve better results.

Who should test soil? Soil testing can be helpful to homeowners who are sodding lawns or adding new trees, flowers, shrubs and other plants. Landscapers, farmers, agriculture consultants and scientific researchers can also take advantage of the lab’s services.

Soil testing kits are available at any LSU AgCenter parish extension office and numerous nurseries and hardware stores around Louisiana. People should send samples of soils that haven’t been amended with fertilizers or lime.

Testing fees will be assessed and vary depending on which tests are requested.

More information about the lab, including directions for collecting samples, is available on the AgCenter’s website by searching for “Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Lab” or by calling 225-578-1219.

Annual Small Ruminant Field Day Announced

Annual Small Ruminant Field Day, Saturday, April 30, 2016 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm; registration begins at 7:30 am at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. the cost is $5 a person or $10 for a family.

Morning Agenda:

Forage management/Nutrition/Health Synergies
Feeding with distiller grains
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Reproduction performance
Drug use and off-label issues

Afternoon Agenda

Herd management cycle
Southern University research and extension update
Demonstrations & Hands-on
- FAMACHA certification
- Fecal collection, blood collection, injections
- Banding, docking, castration, body condition scoring

Lunch--provided

For More Information
Field day: Jim Miller 225-578-9652 jmille1@lsu.edu
Ken McMillin 225-578-3438 kmcmillin@agcenter.lsu.edu
Small ruminant certification program:
Sebhatu Gebrelul 225-771-3841
Sebhatu_Gebrelul@suagcenter.com
Major Sponsor

Farm Stays

Overnight farm stays are gaining in popularity. In neighboring Arkansas, Thomas and Ruth Pepler, owners of Dogwood Hills Farm in Harriet, AR, include farm chores in their overnight stay.  With the help of daughter Grace, a 4-H’er, The Pepler’s share their daily chores: milking, gathering eggs and feeding animal with guests.

To learn how to start a similar agritourism operation, attend our Agritourism Workshop on May 10, 2016; click here for details.