The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference brings together thought leaders, innovative farmer-mentors, and experts in the sustainable agriculture movement. It is a Conference that’s about big ideas, practical learning, and meaningful connections. It’s also a great place to cross off those pesky “I’ll get to that someday” tasks on your farm to-do list. Well, someday is Nov. 4-6 in Durham, NC at the Sustainable Ag. Conference. It’s the food and farm event of the year.

1. Figure out my farm’s finances.

Ever feel like running a farm requires you to be a farmer, marketer, epidemiologist, lawyer and investor, all in one day? Experts Scott Marlow (RAFI), Andrew Brannan (Ag. Attorney), Savi Horne (Land Loss Prevention Project), and others, are teaching a two-part Sunday Conference workshop designed to help you get expert answers on your farm’s legal, tax, and financial management issues. Considerations for intern management, understanding your schedule F, entity formation, land tenure, estate and transition planning, foreclosure prevention, access to USDA services, document management for farm tax deductions and more will be discussed in this highly relevant workshop. Come ready for a deep dive and leave with greater confidence in your understanding of your farms legal and financial systems.

2. Look into Agritourism on my farm.

Agritourism is becoming a popular option for scenic, sustainable farms looking to add income to their operations. From hosting farm weddings, farm-to-fork dinners, or on-farm workshops to U-Pick operations and farm stays, agritourism has a lot of potential. But, is it for your farm? Annie Baggett, agritourism expert from the NC Dept. of Ag., is hosting a Friday preconference bus tour that will help you decide. The tour will visit two farms that have successfully incorporated agritourism into their farm business plans. She’s teaching a Saturday Conference workshop, too.

 

3. Find out if those expensive soil amendments doing anything.

Molly Haviland, of a Microherder’s Manifesto, is coming to the Conference. She will show you how to put your soil under a microscope to see what’s going on there. In her Friday preconference, she’ll teach you to see for yourself how the inputs you create or purchase affect the soil food web in your growing system. Molly is also teaching a Saturday workshop. For other practical ways to improve your soil, there are workshops on cover crops, no-till, dry farming, the Haney soil test, and vermicompost.

4. My back is killing me! Get better tools.

Find all the stuff you can’t find anywhere else at the Sustainable Agriculture Conference Exhibit Hall. 70 vendors are coming to the Conference. You can bring home everything from high-quality tools, inputs, and seeds, to new connections and face-to-face sessions with the organizations and businesses you need to know about. If you’re not sure what you need yet, don’t miss helpful workshops on Slow Tools and Tool Sharpening and Maintenance. Plus, hands-on workshops on how to do things the right way (without sacrificing your back!): building drip irrigation systems and money-making projects for non-carpenters and how to install everything from well pumps to wind turbines.

5. Increase sales!

This Conference is made for you! Whether you want to sell to chefs, wholesale markets or CSAs there is so much for you to learn at the Conference. The Friday preconference Selling to Chefs bus tour will show you the ins and outs of selling to farm-to-table restaurants. You’ll learn from two farms that have built strong partnerships with local restaurants. Also, don’t miss the Saturday workshop on how to build relationships with chefs.

One of last year’s Conference attendees said it best: The Sustainable Ag. Conference is “such an awesome shot in the arm at this time of the year to get inspired by the movement.”

If a piece of the wholesale market is what you’re after, check out our preconference intensive on Navigating the USDA Good Agricultural Practices audit. GAP certification is a crucial prerequisite to selling to many wholesalers, as well as major grocery stores and institutions. This workshop will teach you how to pass a GAP audit AND introduce you to buyers at our Grower-Buyer Meet Up hosted by NC Growing Together and CFSA! There are also Conference workshops on GAP and breaking into the mainstream retail and wholesale market.

Or, if you are interested in upping your sales by starting a CSA, don’t miss this Saturday workshop, The Anti-Farmers’ Market Farmer Survival Guide by Cory Mosser of Natural Born Tillers.

6. Improve production in my High Tunnel.

If you are interested in taking your high tunnel knowledge to the next level – or building your very first high tunnel – put this Conference on your must-do list. Season extension expert, Clara Coleman, is Conference keynote! Take a Friday preconference intensive taught by Clara and a panel of renowned experts that will take you to two farms that use high tunnels. You’ll learn all about crop planning, irrigation, crop rotations, season extension market demand, and much more! And, representatives from FreshPoint and Lowes Foods who are eager to buy four-season produce will be there to meet with you after this intensive. This intensive is close to selling out, so if you don’t get a seat, Clara is also speaking on Friday night at the Local Food Feast and teaching a Saturday Conference workshop.

7. Should I add goats?

Take the Sunday workshop on raising goats and you’ll learn the pros and cons and get the basics of what you need to raise goats. Plus, there are excellent workshops on raising adapted animals for quality grass-fed meats, raising ducks for meat and eggs, pastured poultry management, fence building and livestock forages and grasses. You’ll also want to consider a Friday preconference workshop on heritage livestock where you’ll visit Prodigal Farm, a farmstead goat cheese dairy, as well as Bull City Farm, which raises heritage-breed, pastured hogs, hens, cattle, and sheep.

8. Find time to date…

Several matches made in heaven have happened at the Conference. It makes sense: when you bring together people with similar interests and passions, there are bound to be some sparks! And, CFSA is bending to the popular demand: This year we will be hosting a Singles Meet Up.

9. Make more friends who get what I’m doing.

The Conference is an amazing place to make connections and network. As you walk amongst the conference halls, you will be surrounded by leaders in the local, regional, and national movement for food and farming that is good for consumers, good for farmers and farmworkers, and good for the land. CFSA’s conference gathers farmers, food entrepreneurs, chefs, teachers, community advocates and many others to share the knowledge, connections, and enthusiasm necessary to build the local and organic food system. So, you’ll meet lots of new friends.

10. What next?

This Conference offers plenty of opportunities to be inspired. From the Exhibit Hall and the expert speakers to the farms doing amazing things on our bus tours and our keynote by Clara Coleman, you’ll find your next big idea for your farm. Maybe you’re looking to add a new crop. There are inspiring workshops on Saturday on sweet potatoes, medicinal herbs, mushrooms, and okra. Or, how about Sunday’s workshops on flowers, epic tomatoes, and unusual vegetables?

Ready to get started on that to-do list? We’ll see you in Durham, Nov. 4-6!

For all the details on Conference workshops, preconference tours and intensives, Clara Coleman’s keynote, and more, and to register visit: https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/sac/

Or, call the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association at 919-542-2402.