Zebra Golf Tournament returning June 20
The Zebra Golf Tournament will return for its second year June 20 at the Pine Bluff Country Club.
The first tournament last year proved successful with more than 25 teams participating and $50,000 raised for Pine Bluff High School athletics, according to a news release from the Zebra Athletic Club, the organizer of the event. The ZAC was founded as a booster club to benefit the athletic department.
Team sign-ups and sponsorship support for the tournament are still being accepted. Fees are $400 per team or $100 per individual, with complimentary lunch starting at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at 1 p.m.
Details: Jason Lovell at (770) 366-3194 or zebraathleticclub@gmail.com.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
High tunnel workshops set
The Cooperative Extension Service will host a series of free high tunnel workshops beginning in June, helping growers get a running start on the summer production season.
Taunya Ernst, extension high tunnel and urban agriculture educator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said each workshop will offer attendees the chance to learn different aspects of high tunnel production, according to a news release.
“Each meetup offers something a little different, but all give attendees the chance to connect with an experienced high tunnel grower and take part in a hands-on tour of a producing high tunnel,” Ernst said.
“Common topics we cover include soil health, fertility programs, planting schedules, pest management and irrigation practices,” she said. “At upcoming events, we’ll also be demonstrating specific techniques such as pest management strategies and how to install a drip irrigation system inside a tunnel.”
On June 12, the first workshop, covering summer high tunnel management, will be held at WSBZ Farms in Little Rock.
On June 17, the second workshop, covering drip irrigation and soil management in high tunnels, is scheduled for the BWG Herbal Tea farm Casscoe. Both workshops take place from 5-7 p.m.
On Sept. 17, the third workshop, covering bed preparation and methods of transplant production, will be held at the St. Joseph Farmstead in Little Rock from 4-6 p.m. Registration for this event will be forthcoming.
“We scheduled it later in the year for a couple of reasons,” Ernst said. “Mainly because September is when many growers transition from summer crops to cool-season crops, so it’s a great time to talk about bed prep and transplant production. Plus, July and August are just too hot to be in a tunnel for long in Arkansas.”
Ernst said attendees do not necessarily need to have prior high tunnel production experience to benefit from the workshops.
“High tunnels help protect crops from harsh weather, like heavy rain or hail, which can wipe out field-grown crops,” she said. “When used effectively, they also extend the growing season. Some Arkansas growers are even producing year-round, which helps increase their farm income and market presence.”
Attendance for each workshop is free, but attendance is limited. Registration information is availble at https://uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/crops-commercial-horticulture/horticulture/high-tunnel-production.aspx.
Food Safety School set
Food safety basics and regulatory compliance are the focus of Food Safety School, an all-day workshop that will be held June 17 at the Fayetteville Public Library by food scientists with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Virginia Tech.
Jennifer Acuff, assistant professor of food microbiology and safety for the Division of Agriculture, and Alexis Hamilton, assistant professor at Virginia Tech’s food science and technology department, will co-host the workshop which begins with registration at 8:30 a.m. in the Pat Walker Community Room at the library in Fayetteville.
“The session is meant for local food producers who are small enough that they do not fall under the FDA’s Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule but still aim to make safe food and possibly grow or scale-up their business,” Acuff said in a news release.
The rule is mandated by the Food Safety Modernization Act and incorporates the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, which generally requires human food manufacturers, processors and packers to comply. However, “there are exemptions and modified requirements,” according to an FDA fact sheet.
The Food Safety School, which is for Arkansas residents only, has a $25 registration fee and offers training on the fundamentals of food safety and regulatory compliance for beginning, small and growing value-added food businesses. Lunch will be served at 12:15 p.m. and the workshop will adjourn at 4 p.m.
Online registration is open at https://register.ext.vt.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=3809471&selectedProgramAreaId=25579&selectedProgramStreamId=.