Photo: The livestock advisers group visits “Our Lady of the Rock Monastery” on Shaw Island, with Mother Hildegard teaching a class on alpacas and llamas. (Photo courtesy of Joan DeVries.)
People new to acreage ownership often have many questions, and WSU’s Extension Livestock Adviser Program can be one of the best sources for answers.
The program began in Snohomish County in 1983 as a way to answer the many questions related to the development, growth and challenges associated with livestock, said extension faculty Michael Hackett, founder of the program.
“There were so many questions because people decided they wanted to own land, or have livestock, but had no idea how to do it,” Hackett said.
The program has since expanded to other counties and provides 120 hours of training, including classroom work and field trips, said Joan DeVries, program coordinator. Classes meet once a week for 12 weeks with two field trips. The program culminates with a three-day field trip to the WSU Pullman campus.
“The trip to Pullman gives folks real exposure to WSU,” DeVries said. “It also gives them contact people and information that they can rely on for future needs.”
After completing training, participants are required to give back 80 hours of volunteer time during the next two years, DeVries said. The options for volunteer work range from teaching classes in the community to returning calls from people with questions.
Forty-one advisers taught classes last year to more than 800 community members. Advisers also hosted more then 40,000 people through the petting farm at the 2006 Evergreen State Fair and other events.
“Most people do their hours and more,” Hackett said. “A couple of people from the first class in 1983 are still returning time.”
DeVries develops the course curriculum, which covers a range of topics from raising and breeding all kinds of livestock to fencing, grazing and pasture or pest management. WSU educators, local veterinarians and industry professionals teach the classes.
“We bring in top experts from their field,” she said.
People have traveled from the San Juan Islands to participate in the program, Hackett said, often staying the night after the evening classes have finished and the ferries are no longer running.
The next session will be offered Jan. 24-March 21 in Skagit and Snohomish counties. Classes will be Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. People interested in participating can contact DeVries at joanrd@co.skagit.wa.us or 1-360-428-4270, or visit http://snohomish.wsu.edu/aglivest.htm.
WSU at Large is an occasional series about WSU programs outside of Pullman. If you have a suggestion of a program to be featured, please contact intern Jessica Fitts at today2@wsu.edu.
