Watershed Landcare will once again be at the Mudgee Small Farm Field Days with our lecture series, workshops and informative displays.

The Mudgee Small Farm Field Days will be held on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 July at the Australian Rural Education Centre (AREC) Ulan Rd, Mudgee.

We have invited Doug Purdie from The Urban Beehive back this year to talk about how easy it is to keep bees on a small scale and produce your own honey. Doug's presentation will cover the types of hive, basic equipment and the do and dont's of backyard beekeeping. 'Backyard Beekeeping' will be on at 2:30pm on Friday and 10am Saturday but come early, last year was standing room only!

Have you ever been frustrated by the amount of time and effort you spend on eradicating weeds? Diego Bonetto's talk, 'Weeds as a money making venture', will cover the changing perceptions to weeds and the benefit of pioneer species. This talk will look at a number of common pesky plants that while you spend effort and time to eradicate, might just as well go a step further: harvest and sell. The market is there, the clients are awaiting, just package and send off! 4pm Friday and 11:30am Saturday.

Bruce Maynard, Stress Free Stockmanship, will talk about how the 'Basics of stockmanship' can help the animals, and you, have less stress. Bruce will show entertaining examples of how stockmanship can change animals, including weed eating and grazing management, Friday 11:30am.

Ever wanted to know the secrets of designing a home that's warm in winter and cool in summer?Sam Vivers, Strawbale Building Assoc & Viva Homes, will cover 'Solar Passive House Design and How It Saves You Money' by just making a few simple changes to your house design. 1pm Friday and Saturday.

Harriet Pfeiffer and Alex Baumber, researchers from the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales, will present some preliminary findings on models for landholder collaboration, including examples from the Central Tablelands. 'How can we support greater landholder collaboration on landscape-scale conservation and sustainable agriculture?' will be on at 10am Friday.

Solo female trail rider Belinda Ritchie was inspired to emulate the bush pioneers by tackling the Bicentennial National Trail with three horses Rube, Clincher and Trump. The Brisbane-based lawyer set out for adventure, but has found it's the people she's met on the way that's made her trail ride so special. Come along and hear about 'Belinda's 5000 km Adventure', 2:30pm Saturday.

We will have also have plenty of information and displays at the Waterwise Garden demonstration site (L9); grass identification and seed collection, germination and broadacre tree planting workshops; locally grown, native tube stock for sale; and, of course, our beautiful display garden of waterwise and salt tolerant plants for the Mudgee district.

Do you have a mystery plant growing in your paddock or bushland? Bring along a specimen to the Watershed Landcare botanist/grazier Christine McRae to identify (bring a GOOD sample, including leaves/roots/stems/flowers/seeds if possible).

Or just drop by for a chat with other Watershed Landcare members and thaw out by our fire.

These events are supported by Watershed Landcare through partial funding from the Central Tablelands Local Land Services and is part of the NSW Government’s Local Landcare Coordinators Initiative, supported through the partnership of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW.