USDA Certified Organic Hay Supplier

Ladybug Farms recently became the first USDA Certified Organic Hay Supplier in Georgia as part of the Georgia Organics 100 Farms Campaign. The hay is a fescue grass mix which has been amended with white clover and vetch to increase nutritional value.  This hay is ideal for feeding to small herds of goats and sheep that are pursuing organic certification.  It is also an excellent option for folks seeking a chemical and fertilizer free mulch in their vegetable garden beds as well as for making biodynamic compost.

Farm Partner with Dave Matthews Band

Ladybug Farms has again been invited as the Farm Partner in the Dave Matthews Band Farm to Family program.  The band will perform at Lakewood Ampitheatre on May 30th.  Extra exciting this year is the Northeast Georgia Food Bank will be the Food Bank Partner.  The Farm to Family program was established by REVERB and each year raises over $100K nationwide for Local Farms and Community Food Banks.  Volunteers collect canned food items and donations for refillable Brita water bottles at the concert, the money is directed to the Farm who then donate produce in kind throughout the growing season to the Food Bank partner.  For more information check out http://www.reverb.org/DMB/farmfood.html.

Sweet Potato Farm to School Taste Test

Ladybug Farms joined up with Chef Ryan Spruhan of the Lake Rabun Hotel to offer a Sweet Potato Fry Taste Test to 440 Rabun County Elementary students.  Students tasted a baked sweet potato fry and then were asked to vote on if they would like to see that item on their lunch tray in the future.  The feedback was an overwhelming YES! with several comments such as "I don't like sweet potatoes, but these are really good!"  Earlier the morning of the taste test all the students at Rabun Elementary were shown a Video of Sweet Potato Digging at Ladybug Farms which you can watch at http://youtu.be/AfpU85UFxKo  The taste test was part of the Northeast Georgia Farm to School program sponsored by Georgia Organics.

USDA Innovations Field Day

This field day at Ladybug Farms on Saturday, June 29 from 9-3 will highlight progressive on-farm technology involving gravity-fed irrigation systems, a passive solar sunroom and portable electric fencing for deer/bear control.  Doug Towery from NRCS will update attendees on USDA resources, representatives from Georgia Organics will present on local and statewide nutrition initiatives and Terri Jagger Blincoe of Ladybug Farms will conduct farm tours and discuss pest management tips and tricks. 

This event is FREE and Open to the Public and will take place Rain or Shine!  Optional local farm-fresh lunch (registration needed in advance - $5 pay at the "door") provided by Fromage.  To register, please visit  http://georgiaorganics.org/goevent/innovations-in-organic-farming/

Passive Solar Sunspace

Been hard at work on a passive solar sunspace to start the farm seedlings.  Oriented to the South and protected from the Northwest winds, the space has a gravel floor and several 50 gallon water barrels to collect daytime heat and release at night and includes a wall of doubled paneled windows repurposed from the Clayton Habitat for Humanity Store to maximize sunlight.  We held a small Blessing Ceremony on February 2 - in the midst of a snow storm!  Ha - Mother Nature has a sense of humor :)

Gravity Fed Rainwatering System Presentation

Please join Ladybug Farms this Saturay, October 8 at 2 pm for a presentation on Gravity Fed Rainwatering Systems. In the spring of 2011 Ladybug Farms installed a gravity fed rainwater system capable of storing up to 6000 gallons and then delivering rainwater through a 300 foot run and 17 foot drop in elevation to two 1/4 acre fields and a greenhouse. The presentation is free and open to the public and will be held at the Moss Memorial Library in Hayesville, NC. For information call: (828) 389-8401. Event Funded by: The Fred A. Moss Charity Trust

SE Women's Herbal Conference

The 6th annual SE Women's Herbal Conference was held in Black Mountain, NC and attended by over 800 women that serve as herbalists, farmers, mothers and more. Conference Director, Corinna Wood, highlighted the philosophy that food is medicine with a quote in the conference program "If women take only one thing away from the conference let it be the importance of local, organic, nourishing food". Ladybug Farms was thrilled to attend the conference and supply winter squash and lettuce as part of the delicious menu. Check out the website www.sewisewomen.com for more information about the conference.