In this course, you will learn the “how to’s” of Vegetable Crop Production; from seed starting all the way through to harvest.  You will also learn Integrated Weed Management Practices including, rotational grazing, crop rotation and best practices to help elimiate and maintain a herbicide resistant weed environment.

Learn More About Your Teacher, Jake Forsgren!

Jake Forsgren is a Utah native with an agriculture background in crop and livestock production. He is a fifth generation farmer/rancher with 30 years’ experience in proper rangeland management and Noxious Weed control practices. He currently owns and operates Mill Canyon Farms raising produce, Dorper sheep and Boer Goats. He is a certified Master Gardener through USU Extension and is employed at Cache County as the Noxious Weed Supervisor. He has served on the Utah Weed Control Association board and is also a member of the Utah Weed Supervisors Association.  He was awarded the Environmental Awareness Award in 2011 and the Weed Supervisor of the year award in 2016 at the State of Utah Weed Control Association Conference. He is a certified Livestock judge for junior livestock shows and jackpots in the Intermountain West and enjoys traveling to different county fairs with his family judging crops and livestock. He enjoys working with future Ag producers and landowners to help them implement proper Noxious Weed Management practices for the future. He is passionate about the future of agriculture in the state of Utah.  His hobbies include, spending time with his wife Jana and daughter Mataya, taking yearly visits to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and tending to his livestock and farm.   

Ever wonder how to process your own poultry? Then this is the workshop for you! This Poultry processing workshop will include everything from harvesting to packaging broiler. It will be a two hour hands-on workshop and will limited to ten individuals. 

Learn More About Your Teacher, Colton Leatherow!

Colton Leatherow, with his family, is based in rural Western Weber County. Colton is the owner of both Wasatch Mountain Meats LLC, a mobile livestock and poultry processing company, and Wasatch Mountain Livestock LLC, which specializes in sustainable, pasture-raised livestock and poultry. His journey began with livestock and poultry retail sales in 2017, leading to the establishment of Wasatch Mountain Livestock LLC in 2020 and the subsequent founding of Wasatch Mountain Meats LLC in 2023, which expanded their livestock and poultry processing services to external farms and private individuals.

Colton attended Weber State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Education. Colton gained diverse experiences in various roles in Quality and Regulatory divisions within various companies and industries. In early 2024, Colton transitioned from the corporate sphere to dedicate himself wholly to sustainable agriculture and processing.

His aim is to advance sustainable agriculture practices through holistic livestock and poultry husbandry approaches and efficient processing techniques.

Regardless of your self-reliance preparations, water storage and purification should be number one…without purified water to drink, the future will be short-lived.  At this workshop, we will be discussing:

• The many uses of water in our daily routines
• How much water should be stored
• Choosing the right storage containers
• Water treatment methods.

We will also discuss how to filter any water source if we are forced to leave our home-based storage.  As mentioned earlier, being prepared with adequate water that’s been properly stored and treated will save your life!

Learn More About Your Teacher, Connie Getz!

Connie Getz was born and raised in a small, rural town in Wyoming.  After high school, she attended Utah State University where she graduated with a degree in Business and met her husband, Shane.  They have raised four children on the family farm, and are now enjoying the fruits of the labor…six (soon to be eight) grandchildren! Connie, from a young age, has always been drawn to self-reliance classes, “I’ve always wanted to be the one helping, rather than waiting to be helped, in a crisis situation.” Currently, she is serving on the board of a community group, Bear River Self-Reliance, where she specializes in water purification and sanitation classes.  She loves to learn and loves to share great information.

Attendees of this workshop will get an introduction to backyard beekeeping. Workshop discussion will include topics like:

• How you can get started!
• Basic hive configurations including advantages and disadvantages of different hive types
• What equipment you will need to get started
• Where & how to locate your beehive on your property
• Different species of honeybees with their traits & tendencies
• How to buy & install your bees

This workshop will also focus on the care of your bees including feeding, medicating and treating for Varroa mites. Time will be given to honey extraction equipment and techniques and you will learn about various bee diseases and illnesses, then finish off with a Q & A.

Learn More About Your Teacher, Matt Bangerter!

Matt Bangerter is the owner of Lazy B Honey Co. and an experienced beekeeper based in North Logan, Utah. His beekeeping journey began over 12 years ago when he was assigned to manage the beekeeping department at the Logan IFA Country Store. Today, Matt manages up to 40 hives annually, producing high-quality honey and other bee products. He has also been teaching beekeeping courses for the past five years, sharing his expertise with aspiring beekeepers. In addition to his beekeeping business, Matt helps manage IFA Country Store in North Logan.
Beekeeping is a family affair for Matt, with his wife and three kids actively involved in caring for the hives. Outside of his beekeeping work, Matt enjoys playing sports, camping, and spending time with his family. Through Lazy B Honey and IFA, Matt hopes to inspire others to embrace beekeeping, ensuring the vital role of bees in our ecosystem remains protected for generations to come.

Join us for an enriching and hands-on course designed to explore the multifaceted uses of tallow in both culinary and skincare applications. This class will guide you through the traditional methods of rendering tallow for food-grade and skin-grade use, ensuring you gain a comprehensive understanding of this timeless resource.

Learn More About Your Teacher, Kayla Stoker!

Kayla Stoker is the owner and operator of Natures Touch Tallow.
Kayla is a mother of five children with a passion for natural alternatives. She loves to garden and make food from scratch without all the unnecessary additives. She was excited to discover tallow as an all natural product that can be both consumed and used externally. She is excited to share her knowledge with others.

Workshop description coming soon!

Learn More About Your Teacher, Marjorie Ross!

Marjorie Ross, along with her husband Terry, is the owner/operator of Willard Bay Gardens.  Marjorie and Terry have lived in Willard Ut for the last 32 years, raising their family, helping their community and growing gardens and peaches.  Marjorie worked at the nursery for many years and in 2018, the opportunity came to purchase Willard Bay Gardens and that has been their life ever since.  She loves the challenge of growing all kinds of plants, connecting with customers and providing learning experiences for adults and youth in the nursery business.  Willard Bay Gardens grows all kinds of plants but specializes in waterwise and native plants.