nofa-ny 2015 winter conference brochure

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Pre-registration closes January 16 Pre-registration closes January 16 th th Receive a $10 discount if you register by December 12 Receive a $10 discount if you register by December 12 th th Visit www.nofanyconference.org to view more information and to register online Visit www.nofanyconference.org to view more information and to register online

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Page 1: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

Pre-registration closes January 16Pre-registration closes January 16thth

Receive a $10 discount if you register by December 12Receive a $10 discount if you register by December 12thth

Visit www.nofanyconference.org to view more information and to register onlineVisit www.nofanyconference.org to view more information and to register online

Page 2: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

2 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

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W E L C O M EW E L C O M E

SOIL: Th e Root of the Movement In January 2015, NOFA-NY will hold its 33rd Annual Organic Farming and

Gardening Conference. Th e theme for the conference—“Soil: Th e Root of the

Movement”— honors the invaluable nature of healthy soil and highlights

how it is the key to organic agriculture. Everything we do in organic agricul-

ture ties into the soil.

We’re excited to off er a special series of soil intensive workshops and

a pre-conference fi eld day aimed at intermediate and advanced growers

thanks to the support of NYSDAM Specialty Crop Block Grant. To inspire

more thought and discussion, Wes Jackson, founder and President of the

Land Institute, will be our keynote speaker. Th e work of the Land Institute

is to address the issues of soil loss and degradation, ecosystem destruction,

and high energy use associated with agriculture.

Our 2015 NOFA-NY Farmers of the Year are Mary-Howell and Klaas

Martens. Mary-Howell and Klaas Martens farm 1,400 acres of organic corn,

soybeans, small grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, triticale, heritage grains),

dark red kidney beans, and edamame soybeans. Additionally, they own and

operate Lakeview Organic Grain, an organic feed and seed business serving

the needs of Northeast organic farmers.

Each year at our conference, we strive to inspire, as well as inform, and

to provide an unparalleled opportunity for networking and for recipro-

cal teaching and learning. We look forward to seeing you in Saratoga this

coming January!

Anne Rufl in Marne Coit

Executive Director Education Director

QUESTIONS? During this busy time of year for our team, we encourage you to contact the

individuals responsible for specifi c areas of inquiry.

[email protected]

[email protected]

General [email protected]

Sponsorship, Advertising, Trade Show & Exhibits

[email protected] Donation

[email protected]

Scholarships & Work-Study

[email protected] Questions

[email protected]’s Conference (for ages 6–12)

[email protected] (for ages 3–5)

[email protected]

Page 3: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

3Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

W E L C O M EW E L C O M E

WELCOMETh e Northeast Organic Farming

Association of New York (NOFA-NY)

is a statewide organization lead-

ing a growing movement of farm-

ers, consumers, gardeners, and

businesses committed to promot-

ing local, organic food and farming.

To learn more about us, our mis-

sion, and to become a member, see

www.nofany.org.

REGISTRATION To register for the 2015 NOFA-NY Organic Farming and Gardening

Conference, go online to www.nofanyconference.org, or contact Stephanie

Backer-Bertsch, Registration Coordinator, at (585)  271-1979 ext. 509 or

[email protected].

Pre-registration closes January 16, 2015. To receive a $10 discount,

register by 11:59pm on December 12th. Your registration is complete when

NOFA-NY receives payment accompanying your registration information.

Adult Conference

Children’s Conference (Ages 6–12)

Childcare (Ages 3–5)

Full Conference $285 $130 $130

Friday Full Day* $140 $55 $55

Friday Morning* $85(full day only) (full day only)

Friday Afternoon* $75

Saturday $120 $55 $55

Sunday $85 $55 $55

Dinner Tickets $16/meal $16/mealNo fee for children

5 and under

*Friday sessions are either full-day or half-day intensive sessions. You must select a session to attend when registering for Friday events,

and some sessions have limited capacity.

PRICINGConference registration fees include breakfast and lunch for any day you

are registered, and entrance to workshops, the trade show, keynote address-

es, meetings and all other scheduled activities. Dinner tickets, lodging and

transportation are not included.

Page 4: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

4 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

K E Y N O T E S & S P E C I A L M E E T I N G SK E Y N O T E S & S P E C I A L M E E T I N G S

WES JACKSON Wes Jackson, Presi-

dent of Th e Land Insti-

tute, was born in 1936

on a farm near Topeka,

Kansas. After attending

Kansas Wesleyan (B.A.

Biology, 1958), he stud-

ied botany (M.A. University of Kan-

sas, 1960) and genetics (Ph.D. North

Carolina State University, 1967). He

was a professor of biology at Kansas

Wesleyan and later established the

Environmental Studies department

at California State University, Sac-

ramento, where he became a tenured

full professor. He resigned that posi-

tion in 1976 and returned to Kansas

to found Th e Land Institute.

KLAAS & MARY-HOWELL MARTENSNOFA-NY Farmers of the Year

K laas and

Mary-Howell

Martens farm

1,400 acres of

organic corn,

s o y b e a n s ,

small grains

(wheat, spelt, barley, oats, tritica-

le, heritage grains), dark red kidney

beans, and edamame soybeans. Th ey

have been farming organically since

1993. Additionally, they own and op-

erate Lakeview Organic Grain, an

organic feed and seed business serv-

ing the needs of Northeast organic

farmers.

Keynote Speakers

NOFA-NY CERTIFIED ORGANIC, LLC OPEN ANNUAL MEETING

Grab some breakfast and join

our certifi cation staff and the Man-

agement Committee for an open

meeting to learn about certifi -

cation updates and National Or-

ganic Program changes. Th is is an

opportunity to ask your certifi cation

questions. Saturday 7:15am

NOFA-NY, INC ANNUAL MEETING

Th e annual meeting is your chance

to get the latest report on our or-

ganization’s work and to weigh in

on plans for the future. Help deter-

mine what issues NOFA-NY works

on in the coming years and vote on

2015 policy resolutions. Only mem-

bers may vote, so join NOFA-NY as a

member before the meeting! Saturday 11:00am

NEW YORK SMALL SCALE FOOD PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION MEETING Th e NYSSFPA was formed to represent and inform all small-scale food pro-

cessors. Th e organization’s workshops educate by mentoring, teaching mar-

keting, connecting farmers and processors for value-added production, and

guiding food-entrepreneurs in the use of current approved processing practices. Saturday 12:15pm

Annual Meetings

Page 5: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

5Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

G E T T I N G I N V O L V E DG E T T I N G I N V O L V E D

SPONSORSHIP, TRADE SHOW & ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES

Our Winter Conference welcomes

more than 1,200 participants for the

annual three-day event. Sponsoring

our conference, participating in our

trade show, and advertising in the con-

ference program are great ways to reach organic farmers, gardeners, and

food advocates with your marketing message while helping to promote local,

organic food and farming. Contact Sondra Gjersoe for more information at

[email protected] or at (585) 271-1979 ext. 510.

Work Shift Opportunities

Th e success of our conference

depends upon the hard work

of many helping hands. If you

would like to contribute as a spe-

cial helper during the conference

and receive a $50 rebate on your

registration (plus a free t-shirt),

contact [email protected] by January  6th. Our

working participants will be ex-

pected to commit to attending an

orientation and to help out for as-

signed tasks during the confer-

ence. Positions will be fi lled on a

fi rst-come, fi rst-assigned basis.

Food & Ingredient DonationsEach conference meal is a tribute to the diversity and bounty of New York

State’s organic agriculture, with many of the ingredients donated by farms,

small-scale food processors and food hubs in our midst. Food donors can receive

a rebate for registration based on the wholesale value of their donation or have

the value treated as a tax-deductible donation. To contribute food, please con-

tact Bethany Wallis at [email protected] or (585) 271-1979 ext. 513. Download

a food donation form at www.nofanyconference.org.

SCHOLARSHIPSTo learn more about receiving a

scholarship or to fi ll out an applica-

tion, please visit www.nofany.org/events/2015scholarships or call our

offi ce at (585) 271-1979 ext. 511. As-

piring and new farmers with less than

10 years of farm ownership/manage-

ment experience, as well as mentor

farmers, are eligible for scholarships.

All applications must be received by

11:59pm on December 1, 2014 with

winners announced December  9,

2014. Applicants who do not receive

scholarships will still be eligible for our

Early Bird Discount. All scholarship re-

cipients are required to work for an as-

signed shift during the conference.

Page 6: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

6 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

S P E C I A L A C T I V I T I E SS P E C I A L A C T I V I T I E S

THURSDAY WELCOME RECEPTIONIf you’re at the conference on Th ursday night, you may enjoy snacks and

live music to welcome you. Start your long weekend off in the right spirit!Thursday 7:00–10:00pm

BEGINNING FARMER MEET AND GREET

Time to party! Snacks, coff ee, tea and

a cash bar will fuel your dancing feet as

you enjoy an eclectic selection of music by

Mulberry Soul. Th e National Young Farm-

ers’ Coalition will share short fi lms about

the exciting organization and activism

spearheaded by beginning farmers across

the country. All conference attendees

are welcome to this party to celebrate

organic farming in New York State.Friday 8:30–10:30pm

CONTRA DANCE with Th e Russet Trio and Fern Marshall Bradley

Th e Russet Trio and caller

Fern Marshall Bradley will be

joining us once again in 2015.

Th e Russet Trio combines tra-

ditional Irish themes with a

modern energy. New to con-

tra dancing? No problem! Fern

Marshall Bradley is the perfect

caller to get you swingin’.Saturday 8:30pm

2015 House Band: MULBERRY SOULMulberry Soul formed in 2012 at the Folk Art Guild on East Hill Farm in

Middlesex, New York. Th eir music blends folk, bluegrass, and old-time fi d-

dle music with stunningly soulful original songs; the band members’ back-

ground in jazz, funk and rock add to an eclectic repertoire that you can hear

throughout the conference.

Thursday 7:00–10:00pm: Welcome Reception

Friday 6:15–7:15pm: Social Hour Entertainment

Trade Show

Friday 8:30–10:30pm: Beginning and Experienced

Farmer Meet and Greet

Saturday 5:45–6:45pm: Social Hour Entertainment, Trade Show

Page 7: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

7Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

S P E C I A L A C T I V I T I E SS P E C I A L A C T I V I T I E S

DISCUSSION GROUPSWe’re pleased to add a new activity in 2015! Join in these networking and

information exchange sessions throughout the weekend. Each hour-long

conversation will be facilitated by NOFA-NY Board or Staff .

Topic/Networking Group Time

State of Organic Seed Listening Session Friday 6:15pmMentor Farmers Friday 6:15pmGrain Harvest Quality Friday 8:00pmFarmer and Farmworker Justice Discussion Saturday 5:45pmLGBTQ Farmers Saturday 5:45pmFull-Diet Farming Saturday 8:00pmReducing Tillage in Organic Vegetables Saturday 8:00pm

FILM SCREENINGSGrazers (2013)

An unlikely group of farmers

struggle to form a cooperative to

sell their grass-fed beef, testing the

limits of the local food movement. A

short discussion will follow the fi lm

screening.Friday 8:00pm

Symphony of the Soil (2012)

Symphony of the Soil explores

the complexity and mystery of soil.

Filmed on four continents and shar-

ing the voices of some of the world’s

most highly esteemed soil scientists,

farmers, and activists, the fi lm por-

trays soil as a protagonist of our

planetary story. Copies of this fi lm

will be available for you to purchase

at the NOFA-NY Bookstore and Mer-

chandise Table.Saturday 8:00pm

BOOK SIGNINGSTh ese authors have graciously off ered to sit for book signings during the

conference. Bring your copy from home or purchase one from the conference

bookstore.

Jean-Martin Fortier, Th e Market Gardener Friday 6:15pm(New Society Publishers)

Tradd Cotter, Organic Mushroom Farming Friday 8:00pmand Mycoremediation (Chelsea Green Publishing)

Paula Marcoux, Cooking with Fire Saturday 6:00pm(Storey Publishing)

Ken Mudge and Steve Gabriel, Farming the Woods Sunday 11:00am(Chelsea Green Publishing)

Page 8: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

8 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

S P E C I A L W O R K S H O P SS P E C I A L W O R K S H O P S

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PRE-CONFERENCE FIELD DAY: Farm Tour and Lunch at Pleasant Valley FarmTh ursday, January 22nd, from 11am to 3pm; Pleasant Valley Farm, Argyle, NY

Registration is $10 for individuals/$15 for groups from one farm (regis-

tration is separate from conference registration).

Bring your own lunch or enjoy a delicious hot, homemade lunch from the

Arnold’s farm-raised meats and vegetables. Purchased lunches must be pre-or-

dered for an additional $15 per person, payable at the farm.

Paul and Sandy Arnold have grown winter greens with organic meth-

ods in unheated high tunnels since 2006, harvesting for weekly local mar-

kets arugula, spinach, salad mix, Salanova lettuce, kale, Swiss chard,

herbs, and more. On the tour, we will visit all the greens in their three

34' x 144' automated Rimol high tunnels and hear how the Arnolds manage

seeding/transplanting dates, variety selection, winter protection, soil nu-

trition and amendments, and harvest techniques.

We will also see their heated washing station, their automated, radi-

ant-heated greenhouse with new seedlings for the tunnels, smaller tunnel

structures with overwintering onions, kale and other greens, as well as

their many storage facilities for root crops, sweet potatoes, winter squash,

and onions. Pleasant Valley Farm is a full solar-powered farm and the

house is heated by a Finish masonry heater.

A follow-up discussion will be included in the Arnolds’ Sunday morning

workshop, Profi table Crops in High Tunnels Th rough Good Soil Management.

Th is fi eld day is supported by the New York State Department of Agricul-

ture and Markets Specialty Crop Block Grant.

Page 9: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

9Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

S P E C I A L W O R K S H O P SS P E C I A L W O R K S H O P S

SPECIAL EXPO AND FORUMS: Renaissance of Grains in the NortheastFriday, January 23rd, afternoon and eveningSaratoga Hilton and City Center

Join in this open forum and expo of enterprising farmers, millers, bak-

ers, maltsters, and craft brewers who are leading the Northeast grains

revival, and who will showcase their innovative grain based goods. Dur-

ing lunch (12:15pm), fi nd vendors and exhibitors with one thing on their

agenda: GRAINS!

After eating, networking and shopping the expo, settle in for an af-

ternoon round table. Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens of Lakeview

Organic Grain and Jack Lazor of Butterworks Farm (author of Th e Or-

ganic Grain Grower) will lead a discussion with millers, bakers and craft-

ers to illuminate issues about the current harvest, unique value-added

grains and the emerging craft industries supporting local grain farmers

(1:15pm).

Th e evening social hour (6:15pm) will include samples of edible and

drinkable creations from Northeast-grown grains. After dinner, we’ll

conclude the evening with a networking and discussion session on Grain

Quality (8:00pm).

MEMBERSHIPPlease consider making a dona-

tion to NOFA-NY as part of your

conference registration. Your gen-

erous support allows us to off er

high quality educational events

and resources for farmers, con-

sumers, gardeners, and busi-

nesses. Your gift of $45 or more

will provide you with a one year

membership. For a full descrip-

tion of member benefi ts, visit

www.nofany.org/join. NOFA-NY

is a 501(c)(3) non-profi t organiza-

tion. All membership donations

are tax deductible to the fullest

extent of the law. Join us today!

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Track Name Time

Friday 7:30am-9:00am

Friday 9:00am-12:15pm; please indicate Friday

workshop preference when registering

Making the Most of Soils with Recycled

Nutrients

The Many Rewards of Keeping

Honeybees*

Getting Your Orchard Up and

Growing

Six-Figure Farming for Small Plots

Down & Dirty: Evaluating Soil and

Land

Friday 12:15-1:15pm

Friday 1:15-4:30pm; please indicate Friday workshop

preference when registering

Pasture Planning and Management

The Many Rewards of Keeping

Honeybees (cont.)

Ecological Soil Management Strategies for

Perennial Crops

Intermediate Garlic Production

Full On Farm Finance: Budgets and Planning for

Start Up and Growth*

Friday 4:45-6:15pmFriday 6:15-7:15pmFriday 7:15-8:30pmFriday 8:30-10:30pm

Saturday 7:00-8:00am

Saturday 8:00-9:15amGrazing Grassfed

Beef

Achieving the Golden Yolk of

Pasture Raised Egg Production and

Marketing

Pears, Pears, Pears!

The Latest Innovations in Four-Season Vegetable

Production

Land, Credit, Capital: How to

Make USDA Work for You

Saturday 9:30-10:45am

Cooperatively Marketing Beef; Knowing Your Bottom Line

The Practical Pig Grape ExpectationsOrganic Sweet

Corn

Cultivating Tool and Equipment Efficiencies

Saturday 11:00am-12:15pm

Saturday 12:15-1:30pm

Saturday 1:30-2:45pmHow to Add Value

to your Milk

How Farmers Work Successfully with

Processors

Full Season Fruit CSA : The Highs

and Lows

Biological Control for Plant Disease

Management

Creating Production Plans to Meet Your

Market Goals

Saturday 3:00-4:15pmRaw Milk on a

Diversified FarmLivestock Mineral

BalancingPaw Paws &

KiwifruitsSoil Fertility

ManagementHow to be a Great

Farm Boss

Saturday 4:30-5:45pmSaturday 5:45-6:45pmSaturday 6:45-8:00pm

Saturday 8:00-11:00pm

Sunday 7:00-8:00am

Sunday 8:00-9:15amPastured Poultry

Basics

Basics of Goat and Sheep Nutrition

(Part 1)

Grafting and Perennial Fruit

Propagation

Profitable Crops in High Tunnels

through Good Soil Management

Land Access Tools and Resources

Sunday 9:45-11:00am

Different Milks Make different Cheeses: Milk chemistry & Composition

Explained

The Nuts and Bolts of Feeding Goats

and Sheep (Part 2)Pollinators

Season Extension Options for Your

Farm

Building an Incubator Farm

Curriculum

Sunday 11:00am-1:00pm

Sunday 11:30am-1:00pm

Breakfast

Last Chance to Visit the Trade Show and Bookstore

Lunch, Goodbyes and Next Steps

Breakfast & NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting: Everyone Welcome (Members Can Vote)

Dinner

Opening Remarks and Keynote Address: Wes Jackson

Dairy & Grazing Livestock Fruits VegetablesBeginning Farming

Discussion Groups, Film Screening & Contra Dance

Keynote: Klaas & Mary-Howell Martens

DinnerBeginning Farmer Meetup, Film & Discussion Group

Lunch

Social Hour, Trade Show & Discussion Groups

Social Hour and Grain Tasting, Trade Show & Discussion Groups

Lunch

Breakfast

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11Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

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City of Flows: Human-

Hydrosphere Relationships on the Urban Farm

Farm, Family & Health: Childcare & Healthcare's Impact

on the Farm*

New Opportunities for Organic Grain

Production (Keynote

Presenters)

Organic Hop Growing

Yes We Can! Ferment Change!

Preserve Your Harvest!

Carbon Farming: Regenerative

Agriculture for the Climate

Mycoremediation of Contaminated Soil

and WaterNegotiation Skills*

Grains Expo including vendor

tables, discussion and networking.

Vegetable Farmers and their Soil

Health Practices

Growing and Using Herbs for Colds &

Flu

Breaking Ground in Vacant Urban Lots

Get Ready (Small Scale Food

Processors Series, Part 1)

In-House Milling for a Microbakery

Soil Fertility and Management for

Field Crops

Potential of Living Willow Structures

Food Justice Certified

Urban Microlivestock

Get Set (Small Scale Food

Processors Series, Part 2)

Organic Grains A-to-Z

Mushrooms on Agricultural and Livestock Waste

Permaculture Strategies for the

Homestead

A Garden in Every School

Urban Mushroom Cultivation

Get Going! (Small Scale Food

Processors Series, Part 3)

Soial Organic Matter (Keynote

Presenter)

Update on Chinese Medicinal Herb

Production

Modular Cathedral Tunnel Building

Demo

Building Our Organic Policy

Voice

Urban Farming Risks and Rewards

Wholesale Local Meats to Institutions

You Can Grow Dry Beans

Crop Breeding for Organic Farms

Earthen Construction

Projects & Fire Cooking

GMO Labeling

Carribbean Vegetables for Urban Markets

Financial and Income

Assurance…Even When Disasters

Happen!

Value Added Grains: Meeting the

Potential Market Demand

Forest Mushroom Cultivation and

MarketingNatural Dye Garden

Why We Must Stop Fracking in New

York

Vegetable Pests and Diseases in

Urban Areas

Simple Social Media Marketing

Growing Grains for Booze

Farming the WoodsNative Plant Propagation

Farmers Pledge Forum

Breakfast

Last Chance to Visit the Trade Show and Bookstore

Lunch, Goodbyes and Next Steps

Breakfast & NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting: Everyone Welcome (Members Can Vote)

Social Hour, Trade Show & Discussion GroupsDinner

Breakfast

Opening Remarks and Keynote Address: Wes Jackson

Discussion Groups, Film Screening & Contra Dance

Keynote: Klaas & Mary-Howell Martens

DinnerBeginning Farmer Meetup, Film & Discussion Groups

Lunch

Social Hour and Grain Tasting, Trade Show & Discussion Groups

Lunch

Urban FarmingMarketing &

BusinessGrains & Field

CropsOther NY

EnterprisesGardening &

HomesteadingPolicy &

Community

Page 12: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

12 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

B E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P SB E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P S

DOWN AND DIRTY: Evaluating Soil and Land to Plan a Successful Farm

Th e native soil on a farm strongly infl uences what crops will grow well

and what degree of management that land will require for production.

Learn about assessing potential fi elds and farms using publicly available

soil maps, soil testing, what to look for “on the ground” before using or

purchasing land, and accessing loan and grant programs to improve the

layout and features of a piece of land for farming. Farmer case studies and

audience participation will provide you with a deeper understanding of

what to do with the land you have, and how to go about fi nding new fi elds.

Presented by Susan Decker, Blue Star Farm; Elizabeth Marks, USDA

Natural Resources Conservation Service; Crystal Stewart, Cornell

Cooperative ExtensionFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

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FULL-ON FARM FINANCE: Budgeting and Planning for Start-Up and Growth

Full On Farm Finance presenters are farmers and on-the-side educators

who focus on fi nancial planning and success. Join us for a mix of lecture,

demonstration and small group activities designed for intermediate farm-

er-accountants. Our aim is to help you achieve your farm dream, for the

long term! Attendance limited, pre-registration recommended.

Presented by Melissa Madden and Garrett Miller, Good Life FarmFriday 1:15–4:30pm

Page 13: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

13Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

B E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P SB E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P S

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LAND, CREDIT, CAPITAL: How to Make USDA Work for You

Looking for a low-interest-rate

loan, cost-sharing on conservation

structures or technical assistance?

USDA programs are here to help,

but can be challenging to navigate

for new farmers. In this workshop,

Lindsey Lusher Shute and Sophie

Ackoff of the National Young Farm-

ers Coalition (NYFC) will demysti-

fy the USDA, coach you on the most

relevant programs for your farm,

and off er tips and tricks for the ap-

plication process. We’ll also intro-

duce a number of local and regional

training programs, land-linking

service and private and public fund-

ing opportunities that can help

your farm.

Presented by Sophie Ackoff ,

NYFC; Lindsey Lusher Shute,

NYFC and Hearty Roots

Community FarmSaturday 8:00–9:15am

CULTIVATING TOOL AND EQUIPMENT EFFICIENCIES

Th is workshop will provide infor-

mation and resources on appropri-

ately-scaled tools and equipment,

in order to help growers make fi -

nancial decisions that will increase

crop production effi ciencies and

farm profi ts. Information on tool

and equipment safety, quality and

ergonomic components of tools,

evaluating new and used tractors

and farm equipment, and routine

maintenance will be included.

Presented by Andy Pressman,

National Center for Appropriate

Technology, Foggy Hill FarmSaturday 9:30–10:45am

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B E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P SB E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P S

CREATING PRODUCTION PLANS TO MEET YOUR PROFIT GOALS

How do you get from profi t goals

to actual profi ts? First, identify

your goals and market niche. Next,

budgets help you fi gure out if your

perfect product will actually make

money. In this workshop we will fo-

cus on the next step: creating pro-

duction plans that will make your

goals a reality. Without good plan-

ning it is easy for the weeds, in-

sects and diseases to take over! In

this interactive workshop educator

and farmer Tianna DuPont will lead

the group through a participatory

activity to create a comprehensive

production plan. She will also share

example production plans and how

they interact with profi t and mar-

keting goals.

Presented by Tianna DuPont,

Penn State Cooperative Extension,

Shooting Star FarmsSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

HOW TO BE A GREAT FARM BOSS!

Simply put, labor management

can make or break a farm business!

In this workshop hear basic princi-

ples for getting the most out of your

farm workers or apprentices, while

at the same time ensuring that ev-

eryone feels a sense of fulfi llment,

investment, and most importantly-

joy. Learn how to hire the best peo-

ple, how to make sure an employee

is a good fi t, how great leaders com-

municate, how to present new

tasks, how to check work and give

feedback, and how to manage work-

fl ow and transitions between tasks.

Presented by David Hambleton,

Sisters Hill FarmSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

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FARMLAND ACCESS: Navigating the Resources to Find Your Farm

Th is workshop explores how be-

ginning farmers can fi nd and use

existing resources to help prepare a

search for land, fi nd land on which

to start their farms, and secure

long-term tenure arrangements.

With the Hudson Valley Farmlink

Network as an example, this work-

shop will use presentation and dis-

cussion to review how beginning

farmers can connect with the right

resources and how they can use

these resources to identify and eval-

uate their land access needs and to

fi nd and evaluate farmland as well

as appropriate farmland access op-

tions. Th is workshop is geared to

beginning and intermediate farm-

ers as well as to farmland owners

looking to work with farmers.

Presented by Tim Biello,

American Farmland Trust;

Marissa Codey, Columbia Land

ConservancySunday 8:00–9:15am

BUILDING AN INCUBATOR FARMER CURRICULUM

Providing training to “incubatee”

farmers and beginner farmers can

be challenging given the other

constraints of a farm season. Th is

workshop details approaches used

on Th e Seed Farm to enmesh crop

planning, equipment operation,

business planning and market/

wholesale management into our

farm operations and through our

part time training program. Th is

workshop is meant to give other in-

cubator farm managers and farm-

ers with apprentices ideas about

how to incorporate these training

concepts into their own programs.

Presented by Becca Munro, Th e

Seed FarmSunday 9:45–11:00am

B E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P SB E G I N N I N G F A R M E R W O R K S H O P S

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MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR SOILS WITH RECYCLED NUTRIENTS

Th is half day intensive workshop will help you understand how to sam-

ple soils and manure and interpret the test results to help you get the most

benefi t from nutrients you already have available on your farm. Bring in

your manure and/or soil test results and learn what might be the missing

links in your soil health and crop productivity.

Presented by Mark Kopecky, Organic Valley and CROPP CooperativeFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

PASTURE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENTGrazing is an art based in science. Th e better the science the better the

art. In this workshop, the principles of ecologically sound grazing plan-

ning and management will be presented and interpreted as practices on

the land.

Presented by Darrell Emmick, USDA Natural Resources Conservation

ServiceFriday 1:15–4:30pm

GRAZING GRASS FED BEEF100% Grass Fed Beef is not only

good for you to eat, it is integral

to soil, animal and farmer health

on the farm. Tricia Park will share

how Creekside Meadows has devel-

oped beef herd grazing goals, breed-

ing, marketing, profi t potential,

and (the most important thing)

how to manage pastures holistical-

ly to increase fertility, production

and profi t. Be prepared to step out

of the usual grazing paradigm and

be a better grazer.

Presented by Tricia Park,

Creekside MeadowsSaturday 8:00–9:15am

COOPERATIVELY MARKETING BEEF: Knowing Your Bott om Line

Ms. Ortensi will discuss the cost

of production of raising fi nished

beef for slaughter. She will be draw-

ing upon the Adirondack Grazers

Cooperative’s analysis as well as

Th e Ortensi Farm’s participation in

the recent Cornell University fund-

ed study about cost of production of

fi nished beef.

Presented by Bernadette

Ortensi, Th e Ortensi FarmSaturday 9:30–10:45am

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BUILDING BUTTERWORKS: How to Add Value to Your Milk

Join Anne and Jack Lazor of But-

terworks Farm to learn how their

Jersey herd is managed to produce

a full line of exceptional cultured

dairy products year round. Hear

how Anne keeps her girls healthy

and producing high quality milk

through excellent feed (grown ex-

clusively on Butterworks Farm) and

homeopathic care. Share in the sto-

ry of Butterworks Farms, who they

produce for, how they market their

products, and what they have done

to maintain a small farm operation

that is able to support three genera-

tions of their family.

Presented by Jack and Anne

Lazor, Butterworks FarmSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

RAW MILK ON A DIVERSIFIED FARM

Matt and Gillian will discuss

the details of their small, raw milk

dairy operation including licensing,

insurance, herd management and

improvement, and marketing.

Presented by Matt Volz and

Gillian Goldberg, Greyrock FarmSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

PASTURED POULTRY BASICSJoin us for a beginner-level dis-

cussion of poultry raising from

chick hatching to butchering. Th is

will include brooding chicks, hous-

ing, fencing, feed, and some details

of processing.

Presented by Karma Glos,

Kingbird FarmSunday 8:00–9:15am

DIFFERENT MILKS MAKE DIFFERENT CHEESES: Milk Chemistry and Composition Explained

Th e composition and chemistry

of milk is integral to the type of

cheese made and the consistency of

the product. In this workshop, we

will explore the diff erences in cow,

goat and sheep’s milk and even dif-

ferences between breeds. We will

also explore how seasonality, lacta-

tion cycle, and diet all play a signifi -

cant role in quality control.

Presented by Julia Lowry,

Cheesemaker; Veronica Pedraza,

Meadowood FarmsSunday 9:45–11:00am

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GETTING YOUR ORCHARD UP AND GROWINGEver wonder how to select the best orchard site, plant a tree, or just get

your trees to produce fruit? So much of what you do in the fi rst few years

determines the long-term success of your orchard. Come learn the ins and

outs of getting your own orchard up and growing.

Presented by Mike Biltonen, Know Your Roots ConsultingFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

ECOLOGICAL SOIL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR PERENNIAL CROPS

Biodynamic and permaculture farming practices both provide eff ec-

tive strategies to improve understory management for fruit, perennial,

and annual crop farmers. Join Th reshold Farm’s Hugh Williams as he dis-

cusses how they turned their farm’s worn-down pastures into the grass-

es that drive the engine of farm fertility, while making a farming-based

living from day one. Above and below ground soil and biological interac-

tions, long term perennial crop management, keyline plowing, integrating

perennial and annual cropping, and a range of biodynamic and permacul-

ture practices will be covered.

Presented by Hugh Williams, Th reshold FarmFriday 1:15–4:30pm

PEARS, PEARS, PEARS!Once a mainstay of the NY tree

fruit industry, pears are on the

comeback. Easier than apples, more

diffi cult than a Rubik’s cube, recent

advances in production tools, espe-

cially with regard to rootstocks, and

insect and disease controls, now

make it possible for pear enthusi-

asts to tackle organic production of

this magnifi cent fruit. Come unlock

the secrets of Pyrus!

Presented by Mike Biltonen,

Know Your Roots ConsultingSaturday 8:00–9:15am

GRAPE EXPECTATIONS: From Choosing Varieties to Eating the Berries

Grapes are relatively easy to grow

and very fl avorful (over 5,000 vari-

eties!) as long as special attention

is paid to variety, site, and pruning.

Rounding out this workshop will be

other considerations, starting with

planning, for a bountiful harvest.

Th e emphasis will be on grapes for

eating rather than winemaking.

Presented by Lee Reich, Th e

FarmdenSaturday 9:30–10:45am

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FULL SEASON FRUIT CSA: Th e Highs and Lows

A fruit CSA may be a great addi-

tion to an existing farm plan or the

beginning of a new endeavor. How

does a twenty week season of fruit

work on the planning, planting and

fi eld management side? We will ex-

plore the diverse mix of annuals

and perennials needed to achieve a

full season in the Northeast.

Presented by John Reynolds,

Daring Drake FarmSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

PAWPAWS AND KIWIFRUITS: Two Uncommon Fruits for Backyards and Markets

Pawpaw is a hardy, native fruit

with many tropical aspirations,

right down to its fruit, which has

a texture and fl avor reminiscent of

banana with hints of mango and

avocado mixed in. Hardy kiwifruit

is a cousin to the fuzzy market ki-

wifruit with better tastes. Both

fruits are cold-hardy, have minimal

pest problems so, along with their

unique, delicious fl avors, are ideally

suited for growing in backyards or

for market, especially organic and

specialty markets. Th is workshop

will cover everything from variety

choice to planting, pruning, har-

vest, storage, and marketing.

Presented by Lee Reich, Th e

FarmdenSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

GRAFTING AND PERENNIAL FRUIT PROPAGATION

We will explore the history and

techniques of grafting and propa-

gating perennial fruit crops. Th ere

will be hands on instruction in per-

forming a whip and tongue graft of

an apple tree.

Presented by John Reynolds,

Daring Drake FarmSunday 8:00–9:15am

NATIVE AND WILD POLLINATORS OF APPLE ORCHARDS

Th is workshop will address the

role of native and wild bees in the

pollination of apple orchards. It will

look at factors that contribute to

bee diversity and abundance, such

as percent natural area surrounding

the orchard, pesticide usage, and

fl oral diversity.

Presented by Laura Russo,

Cornell University Danforth LabSunday 9:45–11:00am

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NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANIC GRAIN PRODUCTION

We will discuss a variety of new markets that are emerging for organ-

ic small grains, including food grade, feed grade, seed, distilling, malting,

and heritage grains. We will also discuss agronomic requirements to meet

the quality specifi cations of these markets.

Presented by Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens, Lakeview Organic

GrainFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

A BAKER BECOMES A MILLER: In-House Milling for a Microbakery

Elmore Mountain Bread takes

pride in the fact that each loaf is

handmade and attended to from

start to fi nish, a 16-hour process. In

2012, Andrew Heyn designed and

built a stone mill. Inspired by a bak-

er-miller friend, he wanted to add a

new aspect to his wood-fi red bak-

ery. After researching several com-

mercial stone mills, he bought two

700 pound granite stones and built

his own. He is now milling most

of the wheat for his bread. Join

Andrew and Blair for a presentation

about this venture and a discussion

about setting up a small millhouse.

Presented by Andrew Heyn and

Blair Marvin, Elmore Mountain

BreadSaturday 8:00–9:15am

ORGANIC GRAINS A-TO-ZJoin us for an opportunity to

learn from the legendary farmer

and mentor sharing a lifetime of

experiences learned from the soil

up. Hear how the Lazors combine

bootstrap organic farming and val-

ue-added grain products while sup-

porting a dairy farm and building

community.

Presented by Jack Lazor,

Butterworks FarmSaturday 9:30–10:45am

SOIL ORGANIC MATTER: Understanding the Holy Grail of Organic Agriculture

Growers often talk about the

need to “build soil organic mat-

ter” and many feel guilty or frus-

trated when they fall short of their

below ground aspirations. What de-

termines how much organic matter

one should expect to fi nd in a giv-

en soil? When and to what degree is

soil carbon sequestration in agricul-

ture possible? In this workshop we

will explore the concept of soil or-

ganic matter equilibrium in natu-

ral ecosystems, and consider how

this understanding informs what

might be desirable and achievable

in agriculture.

Presented by Wes Jackson and

Tim Crews, Th e Land InstituteSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

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YES, YOU CAN GROW DRY BEANS!

Sometimes it feels like plant-

ing edible dry beans is a lot of work

for a little yield. Join Anne Rior-

dan from Cayuga Pure Organics in

a conversation about making edi-

ble beans worth growing. We will go

over seed choice, soil management,

pest and disease concerns, nutri-

ent necessities, machinery choices,

planting through harvest and stor-

age, and much more!

Presented by Anne Riordan,

Cayuga Pure OrganicsSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

VALUE ADDED GRAINS: Meeting the Potential Market Demand

Regional production of organ-

ic small grains in the Northeast re-

quires building an infrastructure

to reach a market hungry for prod-

uct. People at every step of the val-

ue chain need to work together for

grains to reach the consumer. Th is

workshop will be conducted as a

roundtable that includes actors in

the value chain to discuss obstacles

and opportunities.

Presented by Brian Baker,

Value-Added Grains Project; June

Russell, GrowNYC Greenmarket;

Th or Oecshner, Oecshner FarmSunday 8:00–9:15am

GROWING GRAIN FOR BOOZE

We will start with a historical

overview, putting current NY state

distilling in context. We will ex-

plain the basics of turning grain

into whiskey, particularly the pro-

cesses that relate directly to agri-

culture. We will focus on growing

grain for distillers, highlighting

quality markers for distillers vs.

comparable quality standards for

fl our and brewing. We will discuss

diversifying a small vegetable oper-

ation with a plot of corn or rye and

the challenges and benefi ts of doing

so. We will also discuss our experi-

ence as growers and our experience

working with other farmers. Last-

ly, we will touch on variety and seed

sourcing concerns and end with a

tasting and QandA session.

Presented by Christopher

Williams and Sam Zurofsky,

Coppersea DistillingSunday 9:45–11:00am

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YES WE CAN! FERMENT CHANGE! PRESERVE YOUR HARVEST!

Using time-honored techniques of canning and fermentation, learn

the best methods for preserving the wide variety of produce you harvest.

As we demonstrate during our session, participants will learn the theory

and practice of both methods. We will discuss the nutritional benefi ts of

canned and fermented foods as well as how to implement canning and fer-

mentation safely.

Presented by Angela Davis, Just Food; Michaela Hayes, Crock & JarFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

GROWING AND USING HERBS FOR COLDS AND FLULearn natural ways to fortify your immune system and mitigate the

symptoms of colds and the fl u. We will sample tasty infusions made from

these herbs while we learn to grow and make our own remedies.

Presented by Betty Pillsbury, Green Spiral HerbsFriday 1:15–4:30pm

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THE POTENTIAL OF LIVING WILLOW STRUCTURES

Living willow structures are be-

ing integrated into a new landscape

design. Th ey are green, growing,

sustainable and beautiful to expe-

rience. Th ey can serve as a simple

living fence, arch, dome or gazebo

and can also be complex outdoor

living rooms, art sculptural forms

and multi-functional connected in-

stallations. Th ey have potential for

the homestead as well as commer-

cial applications. Th is presentation

will defi ne living structures, then

provide methods of construction

including grafting, fedge methods,

and poling. Th e elements of suc-

cessful design, growth, and devel-

opment will be covered. Th ere will

be review of international work and

the potential for living buildings.

Presented by Bonnie

Gale, Landscape Designer,

Permaculturalist, and Willow

ArtistSaturday 8:00–9:15am

PERMACULTURE STRATEGIES FOR THE HOMESTEAD

Th is presentation will start by

giving a brief introduction to per-

maculture (ecologically sustainable

land and human design). It will cov-

er ethics, principles, designs, and

applications. Th e bulk of the ses-

sion will focus on a dozen easi-

ly implementable strategies for the

homesteader to build integrative

and highly productive ecosystems.

Th ese strategies include pattern

language, zones of use, water stor-

age and collection, multi-function-

al crops, the role of animals, soil

building, and many more. Th is ses-

sion is an introduction to the sub-

ject and will hopefully whet the

appetite for more!

Presented by Bonnie

Gale, Landscape Designer,

Permaculturalist, and Willow

ArtistSaturday 9:30–10:45am

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MODULAR CATHEDRAL TUNNEL BUILDING FOR FOUR-SEASON VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

Join Clara Coleman as she leads

an interactive demonstration work-

shop on how to construct a modu-

lar movable Cathedral Tunnel for

small-scale four-season vegeta-

ble production. Clara’s father Eliot

Coleman designed this 14' x 16' mod-

ular movable tunnel at Four Season

Farm. Learn where to source mate-

rials, how to fabricate parts and the

steps involved in constructing this

tunnel for your farm or home gar-

den for as little as $2/square foot.

Best four-season growing practices,

techniques and crop scheduling will

also be discussed. Instruction man-

ual included.

Presented by Clara Coleman,

Four-Season Farm Consulting;

Adam Lemieux, Johnny’s Selected

SeedsSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

SIMPLE EARTHEN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS: Fun and Flavor in Your Own Backyard

Expand your backyard cooking

horizons with some simple con-

struction projects using earth,

stone, repurposed metal and fire.

Presenting a va-

riety of images,

Paula wil l show

technologies em-

ployed by pa st

c o o k s a n d a r -

t isa ns to t a me

and manipulate

fire and to pro-

duce some amaz-

ing foods. She’ll then demonstrate

a few recipes using the simplest of

live-fi re cooking techniques (trans-

lated to the gas stove this time by

necessity). Be inspired to incorpo-

rate these timeless ways of building

and cooking into your outdoor—

o r e v e n

indoor—fun.

Presented

by Paula

Marcoux,

Food

Historian

and AuthorSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

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NATURAL DYE GARDENTh is workshop will introduce par-

ticipants to the colorful world of

natural dye plants, many of which

are dual purpose edibles and have

herbal/medicinal properties. Learn

which plants produce which colors

and fare well in the Northeast cli-

mate, as well as how and when to

harvest, which parts of the plants

are to be used, and yield of color

potency per plant. Come to know

which plants have been most val-

ued through time for their light and

wash fast nature. Historical context

as well as traditional native plants

will be highlighted. Seed saving

techniques and basic natural dyeing

methods will also be covered.

Presented by Liz Spencer, Th e

Dogwood DyerSunday 8:00–9:15am

NATIVE PLANT PROPAGATION

Th is workshop will provide in-

structions on growing native plants

from seeds. Th e species selected are

suitable for: habitat restoration,

woodland or meadow gardens, and

community landscape projects. Th e

requirements and techniques to

successfully germinate seeds and

grow plants from seedling to ma-

turity will be covered. Learn, grow

and share!

Presented by Krissy Boys,

Cornell Plantations and Finger

Lakes Native Plant SocietySunday 9:45–11:00am G

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THE MANY REWARDS OF KEEPING HONEYBEESLearn how to keep honeybees and help reduce threats to declining pol-

linator populations. Beekeepers improve their vegetable and fruit yields,

improve local food security, and often receive a sweet bonus—delicious

honey. Learn about honeybees’ life cycle, important plants, and habitat

requirements. Th is workshop will cover apiary site selection and man-

agement. Learn how to install bees in a hive, good hive management to

minimize pest and disease problems, why bees swarm, and how to collect

swarms. Learn how to harvest honey and beeswax, and hear about other

products derived from beekeeping. A recommended reading list, plant list

and supplier list will be provided. Attendance limited and a $5 materials fee

is required of participants, please pre-register.

Presented by Sanne Kure-Jensen, NOFA/RIFriday 9:00am–4:30pm

ACHIEVING THE GOLDEN YOLK OF PASTURE-RAISED EGG PRODUCTION AND MARKETING

So many things go into egg pro-

duction on pasture—no matter the

fl ock size. Th is workshop will ad-

dress topics from shelter and pred-

ator problems to bugs and omegas.

Most importantly, we’ll examine

whether pastured eggs can be a prof-

itable venture to add to your farm.

Presented by Carrie Edsall,

Black Willow Pond FarmSaturday 8:00–9:15am

THE PRACTICAL PIGTh is workshop is all about hands

on, common sense ways to raise

pastured pork. Hear an exploration

of maintaining breeding stock year-

round and personal stories from al-

most 30 years living amongst the

pigs.

Presented by Brian Bennett,

Bittersweet FarmSaturday 9:30–10:45am

HOW FARMERS WORK SUCCESSFULLY WITH PROCESSORS

Farmers take great pains to raise

their livestock sustainably and hu-

manely. So why do they often feel

they are “twisting in the wind”

when they drop their livestock off

at the slaughterhouse? Th is presen-

tation will help farmers understand

what happens at the processing

plant, what kind of yields to ex-

pect in pounds of usable meat, how

to convey cutting instructions,

and some simple tips and common

courtesies that will make life much

easier.

Presented by Kathleen Harris,

Northeast Livestock Processing

Service CompanySaturday 1:30–2:45pm

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LIVESTOCK MINERAL BALANCING

Join Reuben Stoltzfus for an ad-

vanced workshop focusing on

balancing the minerals in your live-

stock’s diet. Hear how to manage

your farm for high quality pasture,

forage and feed stuff s from great

soils. Reuben will explain how to

couple quality feed with Recom-

mended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

in minerals to create a complete ra-

tion. Learn about the diff erent (and

certifi ed organic) minerals that are

available to organic farmers for cat-

tle, sheep, goats, poultry and hogs.

Th is workshop will discuss the nu-

tritional needs for health, produc-

tion and reproduction.

Presented by Reuben Stoltzfus,

Lancaster Agricultural ProductsSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

THE BASICS OF GOAT AND SHEEP NUTRITION: Part 1

We’ll cover the nutrients essen-

tial for ruminant animals as well as

nutrient requirements at diff erent

production phases. We’ll discuss

good feed management practic-

es and compare the feeding behav-

iours of goats and sheep. We will

also touch on some of the metabolic

illnesses associated with nutrition-

al problems and how to prevent and

treat them.

Presented by tatiana Stanton

and Maureen Valentine, Cornell

UniversitySunday 8:00–9:15am

THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF FEEDING GOATS AND SHEEP: Part 2

We will focus on balancing feed

rations, starting with reading a feed

tag and how to do a Pearson square.

We’ll walk the group step-by-step

through some ration balancers

available online for goat and sheep

farmers, and how these tools can

be utilized for real-life operations.

If time allows, we’ll review forage

analyses to see what they tell us

about the nutrition of our animals.

Presented by tatiana Stanton

and Maureen Valentine, Cornell

UniversitySunday 9:45–11:00am

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FARM, FAMILY, AND HEALTH: How Do Childcare and Healthcare Impact Farm Operations?

In recent years, there have been national eff orts to cultivate a young, vi-

brant farm population; however, farm families continue to report many

challenges in managing and growing the farm enterprise. Among these

challenges are the cost and availability of child care and health insurance.

Th is interactive session will ask participants to discuss how the availabil-

ity and cost of healthcare and child care infl uence their farm operation,

and what they see as potential solutions to these challenges. Th is session

is part of a larger study by researchers at the University of Vermont ex-

ploring child care and healthcare in farm families, with similar workshops

being held in other Northeastern states. Attendance limited, pre-registra-

tion recommended.

Presented by Emily Stengel and Shoshanah Inwood, University of

VermontFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

NEGOTIATION SKILLSTh is intensive will focus on the theory and practical use of a variety of

communication and negotiation skills. Participants will be exposed to a

range of current thinking on negotiation theory, but should also expect

a high degree of interactivity and participation as we practice using these

tools in short, small group exercises as well as full blown role play situa-

tions. Attendance limited, pre-registration recommended.

Presented by Peter Glassman, NYS Agricultural Mediation ProgramFriday 1:15–4:30pm

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GET READY: Taking Your Passion for Food and Making Money

What are your fi rst steps in tak-

ing your passion and creating a vi-

able food processing business?

How do you make sure your foun-

dation is strong enough to support

your growth? How do you get start-

ed? We know you have a great rec-

ipe, and while that is important,

there is so much more to plan. You

don’t need a 40-page business plan

with charts and graphs, but you do

need to know how to create a path

for yourself to walk. Th is workshop

is the fi rst of a three-part series

teaching you the basics of what you

need to do to start a business and

generate revenues.

Presented by Kathrine Gregory,

Mi Kitchen es su KitchenSaturday 8:00–9:15am

GET SET: Outgrowing Your Kitchen, the Next Steps in Processing

Are you ready to move out of your

home kitchen? Is your communi-

ty ready for a shared-use commer-

cial kitchen? Th inking of processing

food cooperatively? Uncertain

about the steps you need to take to

bring your products to market? Dis-

cover some options, ask questions

and learn fi rst hand about our expe-

riences navigating this process.

Presented by Jori Wekin, Essex

FarmSaturday 9:30–10:45am

GET GOING: Bringing Your Product to Market

Th is workshop will help you de-

velop an action plan to successful-

ly market your product. Jeri will

go over identity creation and how

packaging and branding can help

set your business apart from its

competition.

Presented by Jeri Woodhouse,

North Fork Specialty Kitchen, Inc.Saturday 1:30–2:45pm

WHOLESALING LOCAL MEATS TO INSTITUTIONS: Barriers and Opportunities

Institutional markets off er a high

volume opportunity, but is it right

for your farm business? If your

farm has expanded such that di-

rect marketing is not possible for all

your products or if you are fi nding

it too labor intensive, perhaps insti-

tutional sales should be considered.

Th is presentation will discuss these

basics along with some success sto-

ries about institutional meat sales.

Presented by Kathleen Harris,

Northeast Livestock Processing

Service CompanySaturday 3:00–4:15pm

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FINANCIAL AND INCOME ASSURANCE …Even When Disasters Happen!

Th e workshop will introduce the

new and greatly improved fi nancial

and income assurance tools of the

new farm bill and provide hands-on

demonstrations of how attendees

can use them to develop their own

personalized farm plans that will

assure fi nancial and income stabil-

ity when crop disasters occur. At-

tendees will be requested to share

their ideas/suggestions of improve-

ments needed to make current tools

and programs more eff ective for

small growers in the future.

Presented by Gene Gantz, USDA

Risk Management Agency; David

Holck, USDA Farm Service Agency;

George Wickswat, USDA Farm

Service AgencySunday 8:00–9:15am

SIMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: Best Practices and Easily Executable Plans

Social Media is an incredibly

powerful, low cost, and easy tool for

building, informing and infl uenc-

ing your audience. From butchers to

bakers, and farmers to fermenters,

everyone’s business or non-prof-

it can benefi t from a simple social

media marketing strategy. Rebecca

will (1) review social media best

practices, touching on Facebook,

Twitter, Yelp, Instagram and Linke-

dIn; (2) off er an easily executable

social media strategy and planning

framework, highlighting case stud-

ies; (3) touch on the benefi ts and

pitfalls of social media advertis-

ing; and (4) respond to social media

questions. Th is workshop is target-

ed to organizations and business-

es that already know how to create

posts and share photos.

Presented by Rebecca Frimmer,

Kitchen Table ConsultantsSunday 9:45–11:00am

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ORGANIC HOP PRODUCTIONWhether your hopyard is in the planning stages or already growing, you

probably know that producing organic hops is a great opportunity but can

be challenging! Join the University of Vermont’s Heather Darby and Ad-

dison Hop Farm’s Kris Anderson to focus on some of the production and

management aspects to organic hop cultivation, including soil manage-

ment and fertility building, a review of hop growth and care, pest and dis-

ease identifi cation and organic controls, variety selection, and more.

Presented by Heather Darby, University of Vermont; Kristofer

Anderson, Addison Hop Farm Friday 9:00am–12:15pm

VEGETABLE FARMERS AND THEIR SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES

Vegetable farmers use a wide variety of techniques to measure and man-

age nutrients, maintain organic matter, reduce tillage, use cover crops in

rotation, and address issues like compaction. Th is interactive workshop

will show diff erent practices that organic farmers in the region are using

to address the topics above, identify some key questions, then invite par-

ticipants to share their own experiences and knowledge in a facilitated

discussion of each topic.

Presented by Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont ExtensionFriday 1:15–4:30pm

SOIL FERTILITY AND MANAGEMENT FOR FIELD CROPS

Research at Cornell and else-

where has shown that optimal fer-

tilization can reduce weeds and

save money while producing excel-

lent grain crops. We will look at soil

fertility, soil health, cover crops,

weeds, and tillage for cash grains in

New York State.

Presented by Brian Caldwell,

Cornell Sustainable Cropping

Systems LabSaturday 8:00–9:15am

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CULTIVATING MUSHROOMS ON AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK WASTE

If you think growing mushrooms

is too complicated, here’s your

chance to see how easy and reward-

ing it can be. Th is workshop will get

you growing, and you’ll leave un-

derstanding the best ways to culti-

vate delicious mushrooms at home

or on your farm using agricultural

by-products such as straw or plant

waste, as well as livestock manures

to cultivate Oyster Mushrooms, Al-

mond Portabellas, King Stropharia,

and many more using similar tech-

niques designed to channel waste

streams into edible protein while

creating incredible compost as the

end product for your garden. You’ll

learn about inexpensive start-up

options for beginners, and many

commercial ideas.

Presented by Tradd Cotter,

Mushroom MountainSaturday 9:30–10:45am

GROUP EFFORT: An Update on Chinese Medicinal Herb Production

Since 2008, the direct-market

link between growers and licensed

Chinese herbal medicine practi-

tioners has evolved into a local-

ized network of groups. Th e key to

overcoming growers’ reluctance to

plant crops with 3–15 year matu-

rity, and an unknown price, proves

to be close cooperation with the

buyers based on personal relation-

ships, trust, and consensus on how

to build a future. We will look at ex-

isting groups and discuss the impli-

cations for New York.

Presented by Jean Giblette,

High Falls InstituteSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

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CROP BREEDING FOR ORGANIC FARMS

Organic crop breeding has the po-

tential to deliver crops that excel in

nutrient utilization, weed competi-

tion, pest management, and nutri-

tional quality when grown under

organic conditions. Organic agri-

culture is also highly diversifi ed in

location, scale, crops and markets.

How do we address the diverse ge-

netic needs of organic agriculture

and ensure organic farmers have

the seed necessary to thrive? Hear

from Organic Seed Alliance (OSA)

about new participatory models of

breeding partnerships, new vari-

eties that excel in organic systems,

and even new economic models for

supporting the livelihood of those

invested in on-farm breeding.

Presented by Micaela Colley,

Organic Seed Alliance; Ken Greene,

Hudson Valley Seed LibrarySaturday 3:00–4:15pm

FOREST MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

Th is workshop will provide an

overview of specialty mushroom

cultivation in the context of for-

est farming. Tree species selection,

inoculation, laying yard manage-

ment, fruiting and marketing will

be covered for shiitake, oyster, lion’s

mane, and stropharia mushrooms.

Presented by Kenneth Mudge,

Cornell University; Steve Gabriel,

Cornell Cooperative Extension and

Wellspring FarmSunday 8:00–9:15am

FARMING THE WOODS: Seeing the Forest for More Th an Just the Trees

For too long, forest management

focused on timber and fi rewood

as its main yields, thus limit-

ing the opportunities for farmers

and adversely aff ecting the long

term health of the forest. Th e au-

thors of the new book Farming the

Woods invite you to learn a remark-

ably diff erent perspective on forest

management: a healthy forest can

be maintained while growing a wide

range of food, medicine, and oth-

er products. Th is talk covers culti-

vation of non-timber forest crops

such as American ginseng, shiita-

ke mushrooms, ramps (wild leeks),

maple syrup, fruit and nut trees,

and ornamentals, along with com-

pelling stories of active forest farm-

ers from around the country.

Presented by Ken Mudge,

Cornell University; Steve Gabriel,

Cornell Cooperative Extension

and Wellspring FarmSunday 9:45–11:00am

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CARBON FARMING INTENSIVE: Regenerative Agriculture for the Climate

Th e global climate crisis is here and impacting communities, farms, and

ecosystems worldwide. Th is workshop will explore how regenerative agri-

culture practices can sequester atmospheric carbon and help slow or re-

verse climate change. First, we’ll look in detail at farming systems from

around the world demonstrated to increase carbon storage in perennial

plants and organic topsoil. Th ese strategies include agroforestry, planned

grazing, organic no-till, and a wide variety of other crop and soil manage-

ment practices. We’ll then focus on currently viable carbon farming appli-

cations for farmers in New York and the Northeast. Finally, we’ll examine

the state of global and regional carbon markets and recent developments

in carbon farming science.

Presented by Connor Stedman, Agroforester and Ecological DesignerFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

FOOD JUSTICE CERTIFIEDTh e Food Justice Certifi ed la-

bel brings a new approach to build-

ing market support for solidarity

among farm workers, farmers, buy-

ers, and ethical shoppers. Th e short

fi lm Hungry for Justice: Spotlight

on the South, will introduce you to

Food Justice Certifi cation. Eliza-

beth Henderson will talk about do-

mestic fair trade, the Agricultural

Justice Project, and what this new

label means for farmers and their

workers. Joe Romano, market-

ing manager for GreenStar Natu-

ral Foods Coop, will explain why

his store, already so well-known for

food justice, has gone to the trouble

to take on this certifi cation. Bring

your questions.

Presented by Elizabeth

Henderson, NOFA-NY and

Agricultural Justice Project; Joe

Romano, GreenStar Natural Foods

Co-OpSaturday 8:00–9:15am

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A GARDEN IN EVERY SCHOOL: A Scalable Model for Four-Season School Gardens

Learn how to bring academics

and healthy eating together in pub-

lic schools! Explore how to connect

schools with local farms, and dis-

cuss how local food distributors

play a key role in getting more lo-

cal fresh food into school cafete-

rias. Th is workshop will cover the

in’s and out’s of creating four-sea-

son school gardens that last, bring-

ing farmers into the classroom and

classrooms out to the farms. Partic-

ipants will have time to ask ques-

tions relevant to their own projects

as well as leave with some key re-

sources for starting your own Farm

to School program.

Presented by Ava Bynum,

Hudson Valley SeedSaturday 9:30–10:45am

BUILDING OUR ORGANIC POLICY VOICE

Obtuse policy initiatives put

through in far-off seats of pow-

er can end up dictating how farm-

ers farm and eaters eat. Building

NOFA’s grassroots policy capacity

is a key feature of organic advoca-

cy—but it requires eff ective NOFA

member participation. With a focus

on current policy issues like food

safety and GMO labeling, this in-

teractive workshop details how to

register your opinion to infl uence

decision makers and our fellow

citizens.

Presented by Steve Gilman,

NOFA Interstate Policy CoordinatorSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

CAMPAIGN TO LABEL GMOS IN NEW YORK STATE!

After making sure participants

are up to speed on GMOs and cam-

paigns to label them, we will focus

on our action plan for passing leg-

islation in New York State in 2015.

Th is is the year to win! Help us fi g-

ure out how to activate as many

NOFA members as possible along

with our friends, customers and al-

lies. Th is is a hands-on workshop.

Presented by Elizabeth

Henderson, NOFA-NY and

Agricultural Justice ProjectSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

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WHY WE MUST STOP FRACKING IN NEW YORK

Fracking poses serious risks to

our health, our drinking water, and

our food system. In this workshop

we will not only highlight the dan-

gers of fracking but also address

what we can do to keep fracking

out. Working together, we can win,

even against the behemoth that is

the oil and gas industry. We’ve kept

fracking out so far, now it’s time to

ban it across the state!

Presented by Alex Beauchamp,

Food and Water WatchSunday 8:00–9:15am

NOFA-NY’S FARMER’S PLEDGE FORUM

Th e Farmer’s Pledge was created

by the NOFA-NY Board and mem-

ber-farmers in 2002 as a means for

farmers to describe their sustain-

able growing practices to the con-

sumer. Each year, farmers are asked

to evaluate the stated principles

and make recommendations to the

Pledge. If you’re interested in learn-

ing more about this program and

how it might benefi t your farm, or

if you’re already a Farmer’s Pledge

farm and would like to contribute

to the program’s evolution, join us

for this annual workshop on our

Farmer’s Pledge program.

Presented by Sondra Gjersoe,

NOFA-NYSunday 9:45–11:00am

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CITY OF FLOWS: Human-Hydrosphere Relationships in the Resilient Urban Ecosystem

In this workshop, we’ll explore ways that it’s possible to form mutually

benefi cial relationships between humans and the hydrosphere in the ur-

ban ecosystem. Looking at hydrological processes in cities from the per-

spective of preventing and mitigating combined sewage overfl ows, topics

will include: rainwater harvesting, asphalt removal and pervious/impervi-

ous covers, micro-scale green roofs, stream daylighting, DIY water reme-

diation (fl oating island restorers, oyster restoration), sustainable urban

fi sheries, constructed wetlands, duck-a-poop-a-ponics. Emphasis is put on

designs and systems that are simple and aff ordable and that result in si-

multaneously meeting human needs and increasing ecosystem health.

Presented by Scott Kellogg, Radix Urban Sustainability CenterFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

MYCOREMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL AND WATER

Many species of edible fungi sweat powerful enzymes into the environ-

ment. Th ese enzymes are capable of molecular disassembly of complex

molecules such as hydrocarbons, aromatic chlorinated compounds, and

pesticides. Mushrooms native to this area of the U.S. are also well adapted

to fi lter, stun and destroy pathogenic bacteria that accompany failing sep-

tic systems, manure holding ponds, and even pet waste runoff . Learn how

these mushrooms perform these miraculous tasks and how to develop a

living barrier or fi ltration system that is customized to fi t your needs. Our

discussion will focus on biomass expansion, site engineering, and species

of mushrooms that can be used for mycoremediation projects and brown-

fi eld to greenfi eld conversion planning.

Presented by Tradd Cotter, Mushroom MountainFriday 1:15–4:30pm

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BREAKING GROUND IN VACANT LOTS

Th is workshop will provide a

practical framework for gaining ac-

cess to and preparing urban lots for

agricultural use. Participants will

learn how to research the feasibil-

ity of farming vacant lots, how to

identify and resolve soil issues, and

how to leverage and sustain com-

munity partnerships to ensure pro-

longed success. Using case studies

and Dan’s personal experiences as

farm manager at Grow Hartford,

participants will leave the work-

shop with a practical framework to

prepare any vacant lot for agricul-

tural production and learn that no

land is unworkable.

Presented by Dan Gregory,

Grow HartfordSaturday 8:00–9:15am

URBAN MICROLIVESTOCK: Keeping Chickens, Ducks, Pigeons and Rabbits in the City

In this workshop we’ll discuss the

many issues—ecological, econom-

ic, and social—related to raising

small birds and animals in urban

environments. Topics will include

species and breed choices, build-

ing a coop, urban predators, chick-

ens and lead safety, legal concerns,

keeping neighbors happy, integra-

tion with compost systems, and ed-

ucational possibilities. Participants

should come away with enough in-

formation to begin raising microl-

ivestock themselves in small spaces.

Presented by Scott Kellogg,

Radix Ecological Sustainability

CenterSaturday 9:30–10:45am

URBAN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION

Get inspired by rooftop, patio,

and indoor techniques for cultivat-

ing mushrooms in and around cit-

ies where space and resources are

thought of as obstacles. Th is work-

shop will help you break the mold

and explore ways to successfully cul-

tivate in small spaces, using grow-

ing materials commonly found or

used or recycled from kitchen and

home waste, converting it into ed-

ible mushrooms for you and your

neighbors! Ideas will incorporate re-

cycling, composting, hydroponic de-

signs, and intercropping with plants.

Presented by Tradd Cotter,

Mushroom MountainSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

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URBAN FARMING: Managing Risks and Increasing Profi ts

Urban farmers face many chal-

lenges that stand in the way of com-

mercial success. Th is workshop will

focus on strategies for overcoming

barriers that commonly aff ect ur-

ban farmers. It will provide infor-

mation particular to whole-farm

and business planning, market di-

versifi cation, and intensive crop

production techniques as a means

of lowering risks and increasing

farm revenue.

Presented by Andy Pressman,

National Center for Appropriate

Technology, Foggy Hill FarmSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

GROWING CARIBBEAN SPECIALTY CROPS FOR URBAN MARKETS

Over the past 15 years the grow-

ers of the East New York Farms!

Project have established a mar-

ket for specialty crops that match-

es the diversity of their Brooklyn

neighborhood. Th rough seed-sav-

ing, customer surveys, DEC and

SARE grant-funded farm research

on crops like bitter melon, dasheen,

pigeon peas and culantro, they

have been able to make selections

that meet customer demand. Th is

workshop will cover what they’ve

learned about growing and market-

ing these unique crops from around

the world.

Presented by Deborah Greig

and Shella Hair, East New York

Farms!Sunday 8:00–9:15am

VEGETABLE PESTS AND DISEASES IN URBAN AREAS

Management recommendations

for vegetable pests and diseases

are often aimed at rural, not urban,

growers. When developing pest

management strategies for urban

areas, the eff ects of limited land,

unique microclimates, pollution,

and other factors unique to urban

areas must be considered. Focusing

on common insect pests and diseas-

es, growers will leave with a strong

understanding of eff ective pest

management strategies for vegeta-

ble growing in urban areas.

Presented by Sara Rostampour,

Urban Farm ResearcherSunday 9:45–11:00am

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V E G E T A B L E W O R K S H O P SV E G E T A B L E W O R K S H O P S

SIX-FIGURE FARMING FOR SMALL PLOTSLearn essential tools and tech-

niques for successful market gar-

dening from Jean-Martin Fortier,

one of Canada’s most recognized

and infl uential organic growers. He

is the author of Th e Market Garden-

er in which he shares in detail the

techniques, tools and appropriate

technology that makes his 1.5 acre

of permanent beds gross him more

than $100,000/acre. Th is workshop

will give you in-depth instruction

about how adopting intensive meth-

ods of production can lead to the

optimization of a cropping system

allowing for farming with hand tools to be productive and profi table.

Presented by Jean-Martin Fortier, Les Jardins de la GrelinetteFriday 9:00am–12:15pm

INTERMEDIATE GARLIC PRODUCTIONSpend an afternoon focused on more advanced techniques to deliver a

consistently high-quality garlic crop, including cover cropping plans, fer-

tility management, weed control techniques, post-harvest handling, and

seed selection. Information will be based on research results, on-farm tri-

als and experience, and audience participation.

Presented by Ed Fraser, Fraser’s Garlic Farm; Crystal Stewart,

Cornell Cooperative ExtensionFriday 1:15–4:30pm

FOUR SEASON FORWARD: Th e Latest Innovations in Four-Season Vegetable Production

Join Clara Coleman and learn the

latest innovations in year-round

four-season vegetable production

for the small-scale farm. Topics in-

clude greenhouse/high tunnel de-

signs (including movable tunnels),

inner covers, temperature limits,

best crop scheduling practices in-

cluding sowing dates, crop variety

selection to minimize using sup-

plemental heat, irrigation methods,

specialized tools and overall winter

growing techniques.

Presented by Clara Coleman,

Four-Season Farm ConsultingSaturday 8:00–9:15am

Page 41: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

41Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

V E G E T A B L E W O R K S H O P SV E G E T A B L E W O R K S H O P S

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ORGANIC SWEET CORNSweet corn is an important part of

the CSA share. Good sweet corn cre-

ates customer loyalty and increases

retention of CSA membership. Jean-

Paul Courtens and John Gill will

describe their method of growing

sweet corn organically, what equip-

ment is used, how to eff ectively con-

trol weeds and insects, and how to

obtain a good yield. Th ey will share

an enterprise budget based on the

method of growing organic sweet

corn at Roxbury Farm.

Presented by Jean-Paul

Courtens, Roxbury Farm; John

Gill, Gill Farm and Hudson Valley

Farm HubSaturday 9:30–10:45am

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL FOR PLANT DISEASE MANAGEMENT: Understanding the Options and Th eir Eff ectiveness

Th is workshop will review plant

disease management options for or-

ganic agriculture while focusing on

application and eff ectiveness. Most

of the information provided in this

workshop will be pulled from re-

search studies, though anecdotal

successes and failures from grow-

ers will also be provided. Lastly, in

order to fully understand plant dis-

ease suppression, the mechanisms

associated with suppression will be

reviewed as well.

Presented by Rick Carr, Rodale

InstituteSaturday 1:30–2:45pm

SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT AT ROXBURY FARM

Jean-Paul and Jody will describe

how they manage soil health at

Roxbury Farm. Th ey will cover the

diff erent techniques that are em-

ployed to maintain and build soil

fertility on the 90 acres used to pro-

duce vegetables. While soil man-

agement of the grassland will be

touched upon, this workshop will

mostly address soil health manage-

ment for vegetable farmers in the

context of a diversifi ed farm, em-

phasizing crop rotation, the use of

green manures, and nutrient cy-

cling and budgeting.

Presented by Jean-Paul

Courtens and Jody Bolluyt,

Roxbury FarmSaturday 3:00–4:15pm

Page 42: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

42 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

PROFITABLE CROPS IN HIGH TUNNELS THROUGH GOOD SOIL MANAGEMENT

Th e Arnolds will review the cur-

rent plantings in their three 34’

by 144’ high tunnels, then teach

details of what soil management

techniques are used on Pleas-

ant Valley Farm to grow high val-

ue crops throughout the winter for

weekly sales in unheated high tun-

nels. Soil tests, amendments, till-

age, bed prep and biologicals will

be discussed which show how they

achieve high yields per square foot

in their French Intensive system of

winter production of greens such

as salad mix, Salanova lettuce, aru-

gula, Asian Greens, swiss chard,

and kale. (Don’t miss your chance to

attend the pre-conference fi eld day

and tour of Pleasant Valley Farm on

Th ursday, January 22nd! See page 8

for more details.)

Presented by Sandy and Paul

Arnold, Pleasant Valley FarmSunday 8:00–9:15am

SEASON EXTENSION OPTIONS FOR YOUR FARM

Th is workshop will focus on the

use of high tunnels, hoop houses,

and other structures to extend the

growing season. Topics that will be

addressed include: methods of sea-

son extension, design and installa-

tion options, placement and sight

considerations, and the economics

of high tunnel production. Farms

that have incorporated high tun-

nel production into their businesses

will be highlighted. Come and learn

about the season extension options

for your farm.

Presented by Chris Lent,

National Center for Appropriate

Technology (NCAT)Sunday 9:45–11:00am

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Win a High TunnelWith so much great season

extension education at this

year’s conference, why not try

your luck in our drawing to win

the 14-foot modular movable

high tunnel being built during

Saturday afternoon’s workshop

with Clara Coleman and Adam

Lemiux? Attend the NOFA-NY

Annual Meeting (Saturday,

11:00am–12:15pm) and be en-

tered to win all you need to set

up your own structure.

Page 43: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

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Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

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C H I L D R E N ' S C O N F E R E N C E & C H I L D C A R EC H I L D R E N ' S C O N F E R E N C E & C H I L D C A R E

Each year we encourage attendees to bring their children ages

6–12 to attend our Children’s Conference.

Our session leaders are farmers, permaculturalists, urban home-

steaders, students focused on environmental and food studies, art-

ists, musicians and educators. Space is limited and pre-registration is required!

Check out this year’s

lineup of activities.

FRIDAYFRIDAYROOT ENERGY

Connect with the energy of

animals and plants that depend

on the soil for their lives and

growth. Th rough movement

experience how trees, worms,

small plants, seeds, animals

and birds experience the world.

Led by Sarah van Leer and

Jennifer Kotary

Parents will need to pick up their

children promptly at 12:15pm; no

children’s programming or childcare

will be off ered during lunch.

BEES AND BATIKHere’s the buzz: we’ll extract

honey from honeycomb. Using

beeswax, we’ll create a batik

banner for the children’s pro-

gram. We’ll learn about keeping

honeybees, and make a sweet

treat.

Led by Karen Kerney,

Azuré Keahi and Christian

Grigoraskos

Page 44: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

44 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

C H I L D R E N ' S C O N F E R E N C E & C H I L D C A R EC H I L D R E N ' S C O N F E R E N C E & C H I L D C A R E

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STORYTELLING THROUGH ART AND MUSIC

Stretch your imagination by

learning to tell stories in drawings

and song.

Led by Cathy Winter and Azuré

Keahi

PRINTMAKING FROM NATURE

Using root vegetables and fab-

ric ink, we’ll make special prints on

fabric to take home.

Led by Madeleine Welsch and

Christian Grigoraskos

BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES, FROM GRAIN TO TABLE

We’ll hand grind locally grown

buckwheat, mix up some batter,

heat up the griddle, and have a

feast.

Led by Amy Halloran and

Howard Stoner

SUNDAYSUNDAY

SATURDAYSATURDAY ADVENTURE IN LISTENINGBundle up in warm clothes for

this amazing adventure in tracking

and deep listening.

Led by Connor Stedman and

Laura Mindlin

ROOT PEOPLEUsing roots and fruits to create

imaginary beings, we’ll play with

our food and eat delicious snacks.

Led by Madeleine Welsch and

Laura Mindlin

RADICAL MOVEMENTWe’ll stretch ourselves in every

direction as we get physical with

nature themed games.

Led by Jewels O’Brien and Alex

Briggs

MYCELLIUM RUNNING!Learn about the wonderful world

of fungi through games and tast-

ing. We’ll inoculate straw so we can

grow oyster mushrooms at home.

Led by Alex Briggs and

Jennifer Kotary

THE ART OF COMPOSTMaking compost is a great way to

use waste and create soil. We’ll use

vegetable waste from our program

to start that process.

Led by John Inman and Jewels

O’Brien

Parents will need to pick up their

children promptly at 11:15am; no

children’s programming or childcare

will be off ered during lunch.

Page 45: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

45Early Bird Registration Discount ends December 12th | Pre-Registration ends January 16th

Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

C H I L D R E N ' S C O N F E R E N C E & C H I L D C A R EC H I L D R E N ' S C O N F E R E N C E & C H I L D C A R E

CHILDCAREChild care will be available for youth ages 3–5 and includes many ac-

tivities to keep your young ones engaged and inspired. Th e childcare

program will be led by Linda Stallard, an experienced teacher and af-

terschool leader at the Saratoga Waldorf Schools since 1987. Each day

will include a walk outside and fun inside with crafts and activities.

Children must bring warm outside clothes (boots, snow pants, jackets,

hats, mittens, etc., and an extra change of clothes). Pre-registration is required, and no childcare services will be off ered during lunch.

Parents should plan to pick up their children promptly after the morn-

ing sessions end, and then again following the afternoon’s last work-

shop. Childcare is located onsite at the Saratoga Hilton.

Childcare ScheduleFriday: 8:45am–12:15pm and 1:15–4:30pm

Saturday: 7:50am–12:15pm and 1:15–5:45pm

Sunday: 7:50am–11:15am

CLOSING AND CLEANUP: Saying Farewell Th rough Song, Story and Art

One last chance to fi nd and fi nish

our artwork while we sing our fare-

wells to new and old friends.

Led by Rebekah Rice and Cathy Winter

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Parents will need to pick up their children promptly at 12:15pm; no children’s programming or childcare will be off ered during lunch.

Page 46: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

46 For the most current information, including presenter and workshop updates and additions, see www.nofanyconference.org

HOW TO GET THERETh e Conference is held at Th e Saratoga Hilton & City Center534 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

888-866-3591 • 518-584-4000 • www.thesaratogahotel.com

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

Hotel rooms at the Saratoga Hilton are available at a rate of $100/night, based on double occupancy. To receive this discounted rate, you must identify yourself as a NOFA-NY Conference Attendee. To make a reservation, please visit the Winter Conference Hotel Reservation site at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/2015NOFA or call the Hilton Reservations Department at 888-866-3596. Rooms go quickly!

See the conference website for more details on area accommodations and Saratoga Springs activities.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIONAir: Albany International Airport (ALB)

Train: Amtrak off ers direct service to Saratoga Springs. Use convention code X24U-914 when you call Amtrak at 1-800-872-7245 or use www.amtrak.com to access a 10% fare discount, valid for travel 1/19/15–1/28/15.

Bus: Greyhound, Adirondack Trailways and Pine Hill Trailways service Saratoga Springs.

SAVE GAS & MONEYShare a Ride!

Are you concerned about carbon emissions and/or interested in saving a

few bucks? Share a ride! We have set up a page on RideBuzz.org so that you can

arrange your own ride (and roommate) shares. Go to http://tinyurl.com/WC2015rideshare to arrange your own ride.

T R A V E L & A C C O M M O D A T I O N ST R A V E L & A C C O M M O D A T I O N S

Page 47: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

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Walk-in Registration Price in eff ect during conference!

THANKS TO OUR THANKS TO OUR 20152015 WINTER CONFERENCE SPONSORSWINTER CONFERENCE SPONSORSPATRON OF ORGANICSPATRON OF ORGANICS

PLATINUMPLATINUM

GOLDGOLD

SILVERSILVER

Downto EarthFARMERS MARKETS- formerly Community Markets

An employee-owned company

United States Department of AgricultureRisk Management Agency

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Deep GrassDeep GrassNurseryNursery

Page 48: NOFA-NY 2015 Winter Conference Brochure

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