Fifth annual Small Farm Expo, March 18, offers essential resources to area landowners

Have you ever wanted to milk a goat, own land, drive a tractor, make cheese…become a farmer? Learn how to do all this and more at this year's Small Farm Expo, March 18 at the King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw.

Young girl with goat Presented by Washington State University-King County Extension, this free, day-long event is designed to assist small acreage landowners. Specialists will be on hand to provide farmers and landowners with the latest information on managing crops, livestock, small businesses and land.

What: 2006 Small Farm Expo
Where: King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw
When: March 18, 2006, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, experts will lead sessions on forestry, composting, small farm equipment, value-added processing, small business management, and animal care. FarmLink workshops will be available for participants who are interested in buying or leasing land, along with demonstrations on biodiesel conversion for tractors, and classes on making wine, cider and cheese.

The vendor hall will have more than 40 business, agency and organization booths full of useful resources. Full event programs will be available at Puget Sound libraries, nurseries, feed stores, and at www.metrokc.gov/wsu-ce/farmexpo by mid-February.

This event is presented by WSU King County Extension and sponsored by King County, the WSU Small Farms Program, The King and Pierce Conservation Districts, Bryant's Tractor and Motor, WRS Cover-All, The 4-H Foundation, Del's Farm Supply of Enumclaw and Mt. Rainier National Bank.

For more information visit the Small Farm Expo website at: www.metrokc.gov/wsu-ce/farmexpo or contact Hannah Cavendish-Palmer at 206-205-3206 or hacp@wsu.edu.