Forest Mgmt, Tourism and More
Trees are among the longest living things on this earth. Along with their long life is an exposure to risk over time. Yet as a forest landowner, you can take steps to lower your risk of growing a forest. The upcoming Master Tree Farmer Special Series will address these risks. The course theme is “Forest Risk and Risk Management”. This course will be held at the Warren County Extension office here in Vicksburg via our interactive video network.
The program is being broadcast across the south from Clemson University. Three sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings from September 9-23, at 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Course topics will include the nature of risk in forestry, how to prepare for managing that risk, and what tax policy and regulations allow in forest risk. I believe that forest landowners will find this course very beneficial and enlightening.
The cost of the course is $80 per person or $130 per couple. The registration fee covers lecture notes, notebooks, course CD, and certificate. In addition, a meal and refreshments will be served at each session. There is an early registration deadline of August 29 to order materials. Participants registering after this date cannot be assured course materials will be available at the beginning of the course.
For a brochure and additional registration information, please contact the Warren County Extension office.
For those of you wanting something fun to do this week, let me recommend you participate in the Miss-Lou Regional Tourism Summit, which is this Tuesday thru Thursday. The theme of this year’s summit is Cultivating Your Community With Fresh Air and Fresh Ideas. For those who want to check out some interesting ways to enhance local tourism, this summit is for you. Participants will discover ways to turn their rural properties into tourist destinations.
Parts of the summit include a bus trip up to Rolling Fork, where a few of my fellow Extension Agents will be coving topics such as developing a corn maze, making teachers love your farm, and hosting farm tours. A full agenda for the Summit can be found at http://srdc.msstate.edu/misslou/agenda.htm. Cost for the entire Summit is $100 per person or there is a per-day of $35 if you only have time for part of it.
This final item I want to mention in this column today is for those who want to explore the manufacturing and marketing of a food product. I talked to a fellow who operates a car repair shop here in the county about that concept a year or so ago. This gentleman and, according to him, lots of his friends seem to think he’s got a great recipe for beef jerky. Perhaps you or someone you know makes the best whatever you’ve put in your mouth.
Our “Food as a Business Workshop” on Thursday, August 28, at Raymond, MS will cover business plan development, keeping it legal, marketing and marketing research, “Make Mine Mississippi”, food processing regulations, labeling regulations, internet sales and more. The registration deadline is August 18 and there is a $35 per person fee. Contact the Extension office for further details.
