This workshop will consist of a lecture to help Homesteaders understand how to properly manage and maintain homesteading properties by the use of Biological, Chemical and Mechanical control methods. The workshop will include understanding chemical labels and proper application techniques. We will conclude with an open Q&A session, so questions are welcome! Participants will leave with resources, handouts, and valuable information to be successful.

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, Bart Esplin!

Bart Esplin and his wife, Tina, began beekeeping in 2014 with a single hive in the back yard and before the end of that summer had grown to 4 langstroth hives and a top bar hive. Over the course of the next few years they grew their apiary to around 200 hives. Now the sole owner of Rockin’ Bee Honey LLC formed in 2017, Bart is involved in many aspects of the bee and pollination industry. Working with other beekeepers in and around Cache Valley, there has been an informal co-op, working together to help each other when needed. Together, with these partners they have been involved in the sale of nucs, packages, queens and of course, honey. This co-op has also arranged pollination contracts for the almond orchards in California and over the last 6 years have consistently shipped 2 semi loads containing 432 hives on each load back and forth to California.

Home and market gardeners can grow an abundance of vegetables in small spaces. This workshop is an introduction to growing common vegetable crops, as well as tips and tricks to pack more into less space. This 90-minute workshop will consist of a lecture and demonstration of specific techniques including vertical trellising, shade fabric, and more. The workshop will conclude with an open Q&A session, so bring your questions. Participants will leave with resources for valuable information, class handouts, and a packet of seeds to take home for planting. 

Learn More About Your Teacher, Professor Sheriden Hansen!

Sheriden Hansen is a Utah native with a background in horticulture and health. She has a B.S. (2015) and M.S. (2017) in plant science and fruit production from Utah State University, and a B.S. (2002) in Nursing from the University of Utah. She has taught hundreds of horticulture classes as a tenured professor for Utah State University Extension (2017-2023) with a focus on small-scale urban crop production of fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers. She currently works as a clinical nurse coordinator and nurse educator at the University of Utah Orthopedic Center, which she helped to establish in 2004. Sheriden is married to the love of her life, and they currently reside in Davis County with their two teenage boys. When not teaching or nursing, Sheriden and her family spend a ridiculous amount of time in the mountains skiing and hiking, as well as travelling the world as frequently as possible.

Are you interested in preserving food, but don’t know where to start? In this class you’ll learn about how to preserve food safely. We will review food safety, basics of water bath canning and pressure canning, how to avoid common canning mistakes, and much more! You’ll even experience a demo of how to can food and get to take home a jar of preserved food.

Learn More About Your Teacher, Jenna Dyckman!

Jenna is a Utah State University Extension Assistant Professor based in Cache County. She is a registered dietitian and graduated with her master’s in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Idaho. She became a dietitian because she loves helping others and teaching them how to achieve optimal health by making healthy and sustainable food and lifestyle choices. One way she does that is by teaching people how to preserve food. In her position with USU Extension, she loves working with community members across Cache County. Her areas of work include food preservation, health and wellness, diabetes, and more.