There are plenty of opportunities to build farming and ranching skills in Kansas through the following educational events in February and March:

Cow-calf workshops

Kansas State University Extension beef specialists and agents will host several cow-calf production meetings across the state through February. Topics will cover risk management tools, cow herd nutrition after a drought, heifer development strategies and bull selection, depending on location. Here are the dates:

Feb. 5. “Rebuilding the Cow Herd,” 6:30 p.m. at Woolsoncroft Events Center, Seneca, meadowlark.ksu.edu.

Feb. 15. “Feeding Your Cattle Through Drought,” 6 p.m. at Smith Center First Christian Church, Smith Center, postrock.k-state.edu.

Feb. 20. “Cow-Calf and Risk Management,” 5:30 p.m., Eureka United Methodist Church, Eureka, greenwood.k-state.edu.

For more information, visit ksubeef.org or call Jason Warner at 785-532-1460, or Sandy Johnson at 785-462-6281.

Alfalfa winter school

K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Grassland and Forage Council will host the 2024 Alfalfa Winter School on Feb. 13 at the Burnside Room in Great Bend, Kan.

Learn about new technologies in alfalfa production, management practices for high yield, fertility management, pests and their control, bale management for high feeding efficiency, and management under both drought and irrigated conditions.

It’s free for Kansas Forage and Grassland Council members, or $45 at the door for nonmembers.

Hone farm management skills

Farmers and ranchers can now enhance their farm management skills via an online, self-paced course offered by K-State Research and Extension. The Risk Management on the Farm online course includes five lessons:

This self-paced course, taught by K-State Extension farm economist Robin Reid and K-State farm analyst LaVell Winsor, is available for education only, no college credit. Participants will have six months from registration to complete the course. The registration costs $100, and more information can be found at agmanager.info.

Farm and ranch transition conferences

The Kansas State University Department of Agricultural Economics’ Office of Farm and Ranch Transition is hosting a slate of three one-day conferences to help farm families prepare to transition their farms to the next generation.

Each meeting will feature Shannon Ferrel, professor and agricultural law specialist at Oklahoma State University.

Other speakers will include representatives from USDA’s Farm Service Agency, K-State, accountants and attorneys, all with insights to share about transition planning.

The three meetings will be March 6 at the Clarion Inn, Garden City; March 7 at the Great Bend Convention Center, Great Bend; and March 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan.

Registration is $60. Find more information at agmanager.info.