We’re having a get acquainted, have some fun, a little lunch and then enjoy a couple of workshops.

FMGA will have a meeting at 12 noon.

Then we will enjoy a light lunch. The lunch is furnished but you need to bring a dessert.

The first workshop is given by Johanna Davis and her son and will be on ‘What you need to know to show your goat successfully”.

Then we’ll go to Fainting Acres (1/4 mile drive) for the the 2nd workshop. It will be given by Denise Key who will teach you how to trim your goat hooves. The farm tour follows the workshop.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING A YARD CHAIR & A DESSERT.  PLEASE RSVP TO HELEN AT tranquilityhills@hotmail.com or 352-316-3834 so we know how much food to fix. WALK-INS ARE WELCOME. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED.

DIRECTIONS BELOW:

 DIRECTIONS: From Lake BUtler – Go south on Hwy 121 to the flashing light at Hwy 18 west (just north of Worthington Springs). Turn right on 18. Go to 4-way stop signs.Continue on 18 for half mile to CR 791. Turn right. Go about 1 ½ miles to 63^rd Street. (Big metal building on corner) Continue on 791 to driveway with eggs for sale sign and Tranquility Hills Farm sign on fence. Turn in. Electric gate with grey button that will open it.

From Lake City – Take I-75 to exit 414 at Ellisville. Turn left onto 441 then right on 238, toward Providence. At flashing light turn right. Follow until it dead ends into 791. Turn right. See mobile homes, then brick house on left. Ours in the next driveway. Small brown house set back from road on left. Eggs for sale sign at driveway. Push button to open gate.

From Gainesville – Take I-75 to exit 404. Turn left on 236, Go to 4-way stop. Turn left on 241. Continue until you cross the river and come to 4-way stop. Turn left on 18, go half mile & turn right on791. See directions from Lake Butler, above.

The Florida Meat Goat Association’s Fall Conference was in Ocala, FL on September 26, 2009.

It was very well attended (I counted 71 adults and several youths), the Speakers did a great job with their presentations and there was a lively question and answer period during each presentation. Everyone there learned a lot AND enjoyed chatting with old friends and making new contacts.

At the FMGA meeting we decided to try having farm meetings every other month and possibly going back to one conference a year, in the fall. This isn’t ‘written in stone’ but we’re going to try to have a November farm meeting. Location & date are not decided yet. Email Helen Hill, tranquilityhills@hotmail.com, if you’d like to volunteer to host this meeting.

FMGA’s COUNTRY STORE has something new to offer goat producers large and small, oldtimers or newcomers. It’s the newly released “HOW TO RAISE GOATS” by Carol A. Amundson. It’s everything you ever wondered about when it comes to raising goats.                                                                            VISIT OUR COUNTRY STORE TODAY!

SEPTEMBER 12-15,2010  TALLAHASSEE FL National Goat Conference — Meet goat (and sheep) people from all over the United States. MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Watch here for more information as it becomes available.

The 2nd Annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference (FSFAEC) is coming to Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, July 31 and August 1, 2010! If you were an exhibitor in our inaugural conference this past summer in Kissimmee, you know what a great conference it was for bothe the 800 participants and 80 exhibitors. If you missed it, now is the time to make plans to take part in the 2010 conference — either to attend or to have an exhibit of your own. 

for more information see http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu or contact Susan A. Kelly at 352-793-2728. I will post more information as I receive it. FMGA plans to have a booth again this year. If you can help man the booth please contact me.

Helen Hill, FMGA President — tranquilityhills@hotmail.com or 352-316-3834.

 The Statewide Small Farms Conference was a huge success. Exhibits were wonderful, learning sessions great, and the networking opportunities were fantastic! I’m already looking forward to next years’ conference.