Two farming-related workshops are slated for later this month, one an estate-planning workshop Jan. 21 and the other irrigation water-management workshop Jan. 27.

Both workshops will be conducted at the Vernon James Research and Extension Center, 207 Research Station Road, Plymouth. A second estate-planning workshop will be conducted Jan. 31. Details of that workshop will be forthcoming.

Mount Olive College’s Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center is partnering with N.C. Cooperative Extension Centers in Beaufort, Hyde, Washington, and Tyrrell counties to conduct the farm transition conference for area farmers and landowners. The Jan. 21 meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m.

This effort will be a comprehensive review of farm transition and the tools and resources that are available to assist landowners with farm transition and estate planning. Ronald Hanson, a nationally recognized farm-succession specialist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as several state and local estate-planning specialists, will speak.

Registration is required by Jan. 15. For more information and to register, call Pam Allen at the Beaufort County Extension Office at 252-946-0111. One may also register online at http://beaufort.ces.ncsu.edu/2013/12/planning-the-future-of-your-farm-workshop-january-21-2014/

A registration fee of $10 for individuals and $5 for each additional family member will be collected at the event. A workbook and other materials, along with lunch, will be provided to all registered attendees. This workshop is open to all farmers and landowners.

The second workshop, the 2014 Irrigation Water Management Workshop, is designed to help growers with overhead irrigation systems use water and nutrients to increase crop yield, improve water use efficiency and protect waterways more efficiently. The workshop will consist of classroom and field demonstration.

The workshop will be led by Garry Grabow, extension irrigation specialist with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, N.C. State University, and is hosted by Beaufort, Hyde, Washington, and Tyrrell counties; Cooperative Extension Service offices. Extension agents and irrigation dealers will also participate to add their expertise and knowledge of equipment.

Topics will include new technologies that help manage and apply water more efficiently, irrigation scheduling, fertigation strategies and equipment and the use of irrigation controllers to help automate and record irrigation related activities. Field demonstration will include demonstration of various soil-moisture sensors and display of fertigation equipment.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the mee