BURLINGTON – The 2011 Country Living Expo & Cattlemen’s Winterschool will offer more than 150 classes on how to raise livestock, grow vegetables, develop a small farming business and more.
Classes will cover a broad range of topics on rural living, including how to raise backyard chickens, naturally dye wool and fabric, prune fruit trees and keep a family milk cow. Other popular classes cover growing tomatoes; making cider; preserving food; raising a variety of livestock such as beef, swine, sheep, horse, goats, poultry and alpacas.
The 2011 Country Living Expo & Cattlemen’s Winterschool will be 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29, at Stanwood High School.
Joan DeVries, livestock advisor program coordinator with WSU Skagit County Extension, said last year’s Country Living Expo attracted more than 1,000 participants.
“This is a very popular event and it’s not just for small-scale farmers and ranchers,” she said. “It has something of interest for anyone interested in learning skills associated with country living, including the urban backyard gardener.”
Given the popularity of the event, DeVries suggests people register early.
Early registration is available until Dec. 31 and costs $55 per person. Registration includes five class sessions, a smoked prime rib lunch and an all-day trade show with more than 70 vendors. After Dec. 31 the cost will be $60 per person.
Thanks to the sponsorship of Northwest Farm Credit Services, Snohomish County Farm Bureau, Sno/Skagit Cattlemen’s Association and others, the first 150 youth will receive a reduced registration fee of $10.
Online registration and details of the event, including the day’s full schedule, a listing and description of classes, are available at http://skagit.wsu.edu/CountryLivingExpo/.
Event sponsors, small-farm vendors and nonprofits also are welcome to part of the trade show. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Joan DeVries at 428-4270, ext. 240.