2007 Sustainable Agriculture Conference
NEW! Youth Program!
High school-aged youth are invited to attend a special Saturday Youth Program at SAC, hosted by CFSA and Durham’s urban
gardening and sustainability organization, SEEDS (www.seedsnc.org). The Youth Program includes attendance at all Saturday
workshops at a reduced youth-only rate of $20, including “The Future of Food” workshop presented by SEEDS on Saturday
afternoon. Plus there’s an open mic social for Youth to share spoken word, poetry, music, self-expression and more, open to
all conference attendees at 8:30 pm Saturday night. Lunch is not included in this price. Students can bring their own lunch
and eat in the Youth Gathering space at the Marriott. If you know someone in high school interested in sustainable living,
please invite them. For youth scholarship information, email kavanah@seednc.org. Register Now! |
 S at u rd ay Wo r k s h o p s
Yoga for Growers: 7:00 a.m.
Laura Woodall, MS, RYT 200
Begin your day with a class of gentle Yoga to open the body and spirit. All skill levels are welcome. Wear comfortable
clothing and bring a yoga mat, blanket or towel.
Session A: 8:30- 10:00 am
How to Start an Organic Farm
Tony Kleese, Organic Farm and Certification Consultant & Shiloh Avery, Shiloh’s Garden
Farming is one of the most risky ventures you can undertake. Many of us dream of starting an organic farm but don’t
know what the realities are. Join Tony Kleese and Shiloh Avery for a thorough discussion of the planning and resources
required to be successful.
Basic Seed Saving
Cricket Rakita, Seed Project Coordinator
Few things are as gratifying as running your hands through the seeds you have saved. Through seed saving, you can
save money, improve the quality of your garden, and connect the past with the future. Come to this class to learn the
basics of seed saving techniques and theories.
Pepper Production
Alex Hitt, Peregrine Farm
Learn some techniques for producing beautiful, interesting varieties of peppers for market and for chefs that one farmer
has found to work in his conditions. Some marketing tips and special varieties will be included in this session.
Dr. McBug’s Insect Specs
Dr. Richard McDonald, Appalachian State University & Patryk Battle, Sparkling Earth Farm
Do you have questions about the top beneficial insects, the worst pests, the best farmscaping plants and the best tricks
to control pests biologically? We arefocusing on vegetable production, but we also will talk about other pests, too. This is
an interactive session, so bring your questions!
Developing and Using an Organic Philosophy in Dairy Production
Ron Holter, Holterholm Farm
A very successful dairy producer from Maryland provides information about the philosophical shift as his farm moved
from conventional practices to being a pasture-based, seasonal-calving herd with use of many organic practices. The
farm received official organic certification in 2005. Workshop sponsored by Organic Valley.
NC Choices
Jennifer Curtis, NC Choices; Bailey Newton, Triple B
Farms; Diane Brinkley, Brinkley Farm;
Richard Huettman, Acre Station Meat Farm
This workshop will cover new value-added processing
and direct market opportunities for producers, including
integrating pork into vegetable CSAs and selling through
Meat Buying Clubs.
Year-round Production with Season Extension
Steve Moore, North Carolina State University
Basic techniques of season extension will be discussed.
Topics will include natural plant adaptations, natural microclimates,
and a variety of techniques and man made
enhancements for home and market scale vegetable
production.
An emphasis will be given to summer and
winter high tunnel production.
Droughts, Freezes and Floods- What Help is Available to
you for Natural Disasters?
Scott Marlow, RAFI-USA
Find out what’s available to you for natural disasters that
took place this year and what you can do about those
that happen in the future.
Farmers Market Start-Up: Bringing the Pieces Together
Ken Dawson, Maple Spring Gardens &
Additional panel presenters
Through the history of the Durham Farmers Market
you will learn which pieces are important in creating a
vibrant urban producer-only farmers market. There will
be a walk to the new Durham Farmers Market Pavilion
in the second half of the session. Come hear from some
of the different groups who came together to make this
project successful.
Collegiate Green Dining Efforts
Tavey McDaniel, Duke University & Elizabeth Pullan, Warren Wilson College
Institutions of higher education are edging their way into the local food scene by using more locally produced food on
campus and making campus greener in other ways as well. Hear about the progress at two North Carolina institutions
in greening their dining programs and making campus more sustainable. Workshop sponsored by Compass Group.
Connections: SARE and Current Research in the Carolinas
John Mayne, Southern SARE & Additional panel presenters
Enhancing production and increasing agricultural knowledge are paramount to improving farming but research on or
off the farm has costs. This two part workshop will highlight granting opportunities from SARE and researchers from
CEFS, NCSU and NCA&TSU will share their current research with an emphasis on immediate application for farmers.
Session B: 10:15 – 11:45 a.m.
How to Take, Read and Use Your Soil Test
Mark Schonbeck, Consultant
This session is designed for beginning and transitioning organic farmers, home gardeners and anyone interested in a
holistic approach to nutrient management based on caring for the soil as a living system. We will cover the basics of
taking an accurate and representative soil sample, interpreting the results, and developing your own recommendations
for organic crop production. Bring your soil test results and questions.
Growing Seed for Income
Ira Wallace, South Eastern Seed Exposure & CR Lawn, Fedco Seeds and grower presenters
Growing seeds may be a great way to diversify your market garden income or pay for your gardening hobby. As seed
crops tend to do well in semi-drought conditions, it can be a good way for the market grower to hedge against dry
weather. Here we will speak with successful seed producers and distributors about how you seed production can fit
into your system.
Risk Factors for Muscadine and Native Grape Production
Walker Miller, The Happy Berry
This session will discuss at length major risk factors for growing grapes [wine, table and muscadines] in the Southeast
and currently available and future control/management strategies. Pierces Disease, root borers, downy mildew, powdery
mildew, fruit rots, leaf spots, and various insects will be discussed by grape type with control strategies including
resistance, biological tools and plant pharmaceuticals.
Biodynamics and the Relationship to Soil
Jeff Poppen, Long Hungry Creek Farm
Biodynamic farmer and owner of Long Hungry Creek, Jeff Poppen, will discuss care of the soil with a biodynamic
philosophy. Methods of managing soil health and maintaining the soil ecosystem will be presented.
Transitioning to Organic Dairying in NC
George Teague, Reedy Creek Farm, Guilford County & Chris Hoffner of Rowan County
Two NC dairy farmers describe the reasoning behind their decisions to become organic producers and discuss the
challenges they faced in being among the first dairy farmers to transition to organic milk production in the Carolinas.
Workshop sponsored by Organic Valley.
A New Look at the Rabbit of Old
Jeannette Beranger, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Rabbit keeping has created a buzz with sustainable farmers as they look to diversify production on their farms. The
rabbit is again gaining a foothold on the American table as current demand overreaches supply in the US market. The
discussion will cover the evolution of rabbitry through the centuries including historic and modern breeds and how they
may play a role in the expanding niche market of pastured rabbit production.
Practical Management of Cover Crops in Vegetable and Agronomic Rotations
Ken Fager & Emily Vollmer, North Carolina State University
This session will discuss specific management considerations for successful cover crop integration on the farm and in the
garden. Results of current cover crop research at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems will be summarized to
reveal the influence of covers in organic no-till.
Organic Grain Production and Marketing
Molly Hamilton, North Carolina State University & Kenny Haines, Lookin’ Back Farms
Experienced organic grain pros will discuss the production and profitability of commercial-size organic grain production.
Demand for certified organic livestock feed, grain for milling and cover crops produced in the Carolinas is skyrocketing.
Learn how you can take advantage.
21st Century Farmers Markets: EBT Pilot Project
Robert Andrew Smith, The Leaflight, Inc
Leaflight, Inc provides farmers’ markets with access to a full range of non-cash, electronic payment and exchange
services to enable farmers to accept food stamp benefits. Come learn more about the 21st Century Farmers Markets
program in North Carolina.
Farm to School Program
Molly Nicholie, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Program
The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) Growing Minds Program is expanding in the mountain region
of North Carolina. A farm to school program, Growing Minds focuses on local food served in school cafeterias, school
gardens, farm field trips, and experiential nutrition education. This workshop will provide an overview of the program
and how farm to school is helping students and communities build positive relationships with healthy food.
Workshop sponsored by Compass Group.
Local Food: The Dream and Making It Happen
Jerry DeWitt, Leopold Center
Local food systems bring security and sustainability to agriculture and communities. {Jerry DeWitt, interim director of
the Leopold Center, will share his vision of profitability, stewardship and practice in agriculture.} Working applications
of local food systems will be highlighted by North Carolina farmer-Extension agent teams from across the state. This
empowering workshop is focused for Extension agents and producers
Session C: 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
The Future of Food: Youth and the Sustainable Food Movement
SEEDS D.I.G. Youth
Come hear youth discuss the challenge of choosing sustainability. How do we educate ourselves to make that choice?
How do we reach others? The teenage members of Durham Inner-City Gardeners will lead this interactive workshop.
They will share their experiences working in an urban garden, talk about their role in creating sustainable food systems,
and offer simple suggestions for sustainable living.
Seed Patenting: Alternatives
CR Lawn, Fedco Seeds
Should breeders be rewarded for their innovations and if so, how, and are there better alternatives than patenting that
can protect both breeders’ interests and the public’s interest in unfettered access to the seed? Join this session for some
thoughtful discussion.
Raspberry Production
Walter Harrill, Imladris Farm
Raspberries are a great product for the small scale producer, whether sold fresh or processed, retail or wholesale. Come
learn raspberry production from site selection to harvesting, fertilizing to pest management. This class will focus on
no/low spray methods of production and season extension for higher value.
Pollinator Conservation on Farms
Debbie Roos, Chatham County Extension Agent
Learn about the important pollinators in North Carolina and how they can help improve yields on your farm. Look
at actual specimens and learn how to provide forage habitat and nesting sites for these important beneficials. Be
among the first to see Cooperative Extension’s new Pollinator Conservation Guide - a web-based resource with tons of
information on farmscaping for pollinators that includes plant lists and hundreds of photos of plants and pollinators!
Herd Health Strategies for Organic Dairy and Livestock Production Systems
Dr. Hubert Karreman, Penn Dutch Cow Care
Dr. Hubert Karreman, author and practicing organic dairy veterinarian in PA, shares his philosophy in use of natural
approaches to maintain and improve animal health. Learn more about plant-derived medicines, colostrum whey
products, botanical remedies, biologics, acupuncture, and other alternative treatments for routine and emergency
animal health situations. Workshop sponsored by Organic Valley.
Pastured Poultry Roundtable
Panel of Experienced Poultry People
Attendees will have the opportunity to write a specific topic on a large card to hold up for all to see. There will be as
many topics as we have experts, and once all are displayed you will move to the topic of greatest interest to discuss for
40 minutes, ask questions and learn from one another. At the halfway point there will be an opportunity to change to
another subject area, all about Pastured Poultry. The experts will be listed in the program.
Rye 101
Jim Burton, North Carolina State University & Chris Reberg- Horton, North Carolina State University
A thorough exploration of rye and its benefits as a cover crop. Information will include varieties, their unique traits
and availability, management of a rye cover crop, including seeding rates, planting dates, Nitrogen returns, biomass
returns and which legumes to mix with it. The allelopathic properties, and our breeding research for improved allelopathic
properties will be included.
Farm Credit
Jason Roehrig, Rural Advancement Foundation International & Gene Charville, East Carolina Farm Credit
The workshop is designed to assist farmers to understand how lenders evaluate new enterprises. Presenters will
discuss the different factors involved in making credit decisions and help you to understand how to communicate your
idea to have the best possible chance for a successful financing decision.
Farmers Market Roundtable
Panel of people involved with Farmers Markets
Attendees will have the opportunity to write a specific topic on a large card to hold up for all to see. There will be as
many topics as we have experts, and once all are displayed you will move to the topic of greatest interest to discuss for
40 minutes, ask questions and learn from one another. At the halfway point there will be an opportunity to change to
another subject area, all about Farmers Markets, e.g. start –up, partners, funding, rules, promotion, management etc.
The experts will be listed in the program.
Local Farm to Institution
Michael Aquaro, Bon Apetit Executive Chef/Managing Director at Duke University & Rich Backstrom, Bon Apetit
General Manager at Cisco Systems, RTP & Todd Dumke, Eastern Carolina Organics
Learn how Bon Apetit brings quality food service by incorporating local food to two different institutions in North
Carolina. Is selling to an institution right for your farm marketing plan? A distributor of local products will discuss the
role they play in getting local food to institutions. Workshop sponsored by Compass Group.
Addressing Legal Issues in Local Food Systems with a focus on Direct Marketing
Harrison Pittman, Director of the National Agriculture Law Center of Univ. of Arkansas
This session can help prevent and offer solutions to potential and existing legal problems arising in direct marketing
situations. While the focus of the workshop will be Farmers’ Markets, Harrison will also highlight other direct marketing
venues. |
