DALLAS – If you are looking for ways to make a living or supplement your income off of your land, attend the Putting Small Acreage to Work Conference held 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Gaston County Citizens Resource Center in Dallas.

The goal of this conference is to encourage the success and viability of small farm operations through educational workshops, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities. Explore alternative enterprises by speaking with successful producers, university personnel and experts in the field who are already growing, producing and researching various crops, livestock and field techniques to enhance production.

Conference tracks include sessions on aquaculture, fruit production, pastured pork, pasture management, beef cattle production, parasite management for small ruminants, growing specialty crops, direct marketing of meats, forages for free-range birds, importance of cover crops and QuickBooks for farmers.

The program will include three breakout sessions, plus a special session on parasite management for small ruminants. Three to four topics will be discussed concurrently during each of these breakout sessions.

Registration forms and a fee of $35 per person ($20 for each additional person) are due Jan. 23. Checks can be made payable to Gaston County Cooperative Extension. To register go to http://smallacres.eventbrite.com or call the Gaston County Cooperative Extension at 704-922-2112.