in this section: Friday tours and Friday workshops

PRE-CONFERENCE FRIDAY TOURS
Note: There are additional fees for pre-conference tours.

Time	Title	Location
9:00 am – 4:30 pm	SOLD OUT: Fruit and Vegetable Production Farm Tour, with lunch	Edible Earthscapes, Piedmont BioFarm and Screech Owl, Central Carolina Comm. College, and Harlands Creek Farm
9:00 am – 4:30 pm	SOLD OUT: Livestock and Farm Animals Farm Tour, with lunch	Fickle Creek Farm, Coon Rock Farm, Capt. John S. Pope Farm and Carls-Beth Farm
1:00 pm – 4:45 pm	SOLD OUT: Durham Urban Foodie Tour*	Durham Farmers' Market, Piedmont Restaurant, Hren House Urban Food Forest, and Fullsteam with a visit to the Sausage Wagon
12:30 pm – 4:30 pm	CANCELLED: Chatham Magical Places*	Lee Calhoun's apple orchard, Beausol Gardens, and Starrlight Mead
12:30 pm – 5:00 pm	SOLD OUT: Beginning Farmer Tour*	Milarkee Farm, Lindale Organic Dairy, and Cohen Farm

*Lunch not included

NOTE: Extension Agents, NRCS and other Ag. Professionals
>- Click here for details about special Friday programming just for you.

All-day Tours

Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Production Farm Tour 9:00am-4:30pm

SOLD OUT: Try the Social Media for Farmers or Beginning and Advanced Produce Growing Workshops!

We will start the tour at Edible Earthscapes, where Jason and Haruka Oatis have a small sustainable farm specializing in Asian heirloom varieties. They practice permaculture techniques to deal with pest and weed management and companion plant herbs and flowers to attract beneficial insects. They are in year two of heirloom rice production.  Next, we will visit Doug Jones at Piedmont Biofarm, a year-round vegetable, crop research and seed production farm, as well as Screech Owl’s Hydroponic lettuce greenhouse. Doug is known for his impressive variety trials and season extension work.  The tour will next head to the Pittsboro campus of Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) to visit its celebrated sustainable farming training program. We will learn about this two-year program, where students learn organic methods on 1.5 acres of land located on site.  We will also visit the school’s Natural Chef Culinary Program, where Chef Greg Hamm is training students to use whole, organic, and local foods. The tour will then conclude at historic Harland Creek Farm. Judy Lessler grows certified organic flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits on this farm from the 19th Century.  You will learn about her CSA and see the 1850s grand farmhouse.  Lunch is included.



Sustainable Livestock and Farm Animals Tour 9:00am-4:30pm

SOLD OUT: Try the Raising Animals the Organic Way with Guy Jodarski, Organic Valley's vet.

This fascinating tour will start at well-known Fickle Creek Farm in Orange County.  Ben Bergmann and Noah Ranells operate an integrated, sustainable farm with 1,000 free-range laying hens, a 60-ewe sheep flock, steer and pasture-raised pigs and broilers. Consisting of a patchwork of cleared and wooded land, the farm also features livestock guard dogs, a market garden, and small managed woodlots. Next, we will head to Coon Rock Farm, which sits on 55 scenic acres along the Eno River. You will learn how Richard Holcomb raises poultry, pigs, lamb and goat, as part of a diverse farm and how he partners with local restaurants.  We will then head north to historic Captain John S. Pope Farm.  Here we will be treated to a delicious lunch.  The farm has been family owned and operated for 200 years. Tour participants will see the several hundred sheep and lambs that are being raised in a sustainable manner by farm owners Robert and Tommy Pope.  The tour will conclude at the lush pastures of Carls-Beth Farm.  Roland Walters uses a rotational grazing system for the farm’s grass-fed cattle. The farm also raises free-range chickens, hogs and goats. Lunch is included.

Half Day Tours

Durham Urban Foodie Tour 1:00pm-4:45pm

SOLD OUT

Downtown Durham has an especially vibrant foodie scene these days, as noted in national publications like the New York Times and Food and Wine.  We will start this combined bus and walking tour at the Durham Farmers Market, one of the busiest markets in the state.  We will hear from market manager, Erin Kauffman, and learn about the market’s pavilion and programming We will also see the adjacent food and herb gardens. We will then walk one block to meet the chef of Piedmont, the award-winning farm-to-fork restaurant whose menu changes daily based on what is seasonally available.  From there, the tour will head a few blocks north to the Hren House Urban Food Forest.  Stephen Hren, co-author of The Carbon Free Home, will show us the beautiful edible garden that surrounds his off-grid home.  If there is time, we will tour the new basement mushroom facility located in a nearby house.  The tour will conclude at “farm-to-suds” Fullsteam Brewery where you will learn about and sample their distinctly Southern craft beer, which uses locally-farmed goods, heirloom grains, and Southern botanicals.  While at the brewery, try a free sausage from the amazing Farmhand Foods sausage wagon.  Jennifer Curtis will be there to explain their efforts to connect pasture-based livestock farmers with local food lovers, restaurants and retailers.  Come join us on this amazing tour of urban food meccas.

 

CANCELLED - Chatham Magical Places Tour 12:30pm-4:30pm


Note:  This bus tour will start at Old Chatham Mills at the Chatham Marketplace, which is  just north of downtown Pittsboro instead of starting from the Sheraton.


Come meet one of the South’s leading experts on heirloom apples and the renowned author of the newly reprinted and expanded Old Southern Apples, Lee Calhoun.  Lee will show us the over 300 varieties of Southern heirloom apples that he grows using his perfected espaliering techniques. This is a very rare opportunity to see this legendary orchard.  Part two of this tour continues across the road to the beautiful Beausol Gardens and Sanctuary.  Harry Leblanc and Deb Vail provide healthy produce and beautiful flowers and herbs to the local community.  Their farm uses permaculture and biodynamic practices and combines gardens, woods and a passive solar farmhouse into a beautiful whole.  We will end the tour back at Old Chatham Mills.  For those with additional time, we will stop by Starrlight Mead, located at the rear of the converted old mill building.  Owners Becky and Ben Starr use honey from local beekeepers to brew flavored meads. We will have a chance to hear from them about their production and the long-reaching history of this fermented honey beverage.

Tour participants are strongly encouraged to arrive early in order to have lunch and/or see Chatham Marketplace, a co-operative market and cafe that is owned by 2,000 local households.  Due to parking limitations, cars must be left at the market; the tour will travel by bus.

SOLD OUT: Tour for Beginning Farmers 12:30pm-5:00pm

SOLD OUT: Try the Social Media for Farmers or Beginning and Advanced Produce Growing Workshops!

This special tour is limited to people with under 10 years of farming experience and is tailored to the needs of beginning farmers.  Organic farm experts will lead the group and moderate networking and discussion as the bus rides from farm to farm.  The first stop will be beautiful Millarckee Farm in Graham. Daniel Tolfree, an early adopter of organics, has been growing organic vegetables for over 25 years. He uses an efficient crop rotational system that greatly reduces outside inputs and grows a wide variety of produce. Next, we will go to Lindale Organic Dairy, where Neill and Cori Lindley made the decision to convert their dairy to organic a few years ago. After fifty years of conventional farming, this was no small feat, but they now have a herd of 100 organic dairy cows and are part of Organic Valley’s farmer-owned co-operative.  The tour will conclude at Cohen Farm operated by Esta and Murray Cohen.  The farm raises beef cattle, hogs and heirloom chickens on pasture.  In addition, the farm has an impressive organic hay and grain operation.  The farm has historic buildings and many acres of fertile pastureland.  Tour leaders will facilitate a wrap-up discussion during the drive back to the hotel.  This tour is a great way to meet other beginning farmers and jump start your new farm efforts.   Special funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) - USDA.


Note:  Limited space for the ag professionals is available on the Beginning Farmer – Technical Assistance Provider Tour and Workshop. 
> Click here for more details!

 

PRE-CONFERENCE FRIDAY WORKSHOPS
Note: There are additional fees for pre-conference workshops

Time	Title	Location
9:00 am - 4:00 pm	NEW Social Media for Farmers, with lunch	Conference Center
9:00 am – 4:00 pm	SOLD OUT: Organic Certification , with lunch	Conference Center
9:30 am – 4:00 pm	SOLD OUT:Mob Grazing*	Offsite at Braeburn Farm
9:00 am – 12:00 pm	SOLD OUT:Community Gardens*	Offsite at Leigh Farm
9:00 am – 12:00 pm	Basic Organic Growing*	Conference Center
9:00 am –12:00 pm	School Lunch Forum*	Conference Center
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Commercial Mushroom Production*	Conference Center
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Advanced Organic Growing*	Conference Center
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	SOLD OUT: Permaculture Design Studio*	Conference Center
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Organic Livestock Health*	Conference Center
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Food Security and Farm Policy*	Conference Center
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm	SOLD OUT: Farmstead Cheese-making with Fleming Pfann*	Central Carolina Community College
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm	CANCELLED: Cooking Natural, Seasonal and Local*	Central Carolina Community College

*Lunch not included

All-day Workshops

Social Media for Farmers 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Presenters: Johanna Kramer and Grace and Cary Kanoy (GeoCore Films)

Want to harness the power of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to reach new customers and grow your farm business? You won’t want to miss this very inexpensive all-day hands-on workshop designed especially for farmers and taught by social media expert, Johanna Kramer (@durhamfoodie) and the team who created CFSA’s conference 2010 and Join the Revolution videos, Cary and Grace Kanoy (GeoCore Films). You will leave this workshop with a fully-functioning Facebook and Twitter page (or upgrade your existing pages), the skills to shoot your own short farm video using your cell phone, camera, or iPad, and the training to take better farm photos. Includes lunch. This workshop is funded by a grant from the Golden LEAF foundation. Limited to 25 participants!

Organic Certification Workshop 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

SOLD OUT: Try the Social Media for Farmers or Beginning and Advanced Produce Growing Workshops!

Presenters:  Jim Riddle and Marty Mesh

Thinking about getting certified, but haven’t taken the next step?  Ready to take advantage of the price and market opportunities of organic certification?  This very popular six hour hands-on workshop will get you to the next level by walking you through the entire certification process. Items covered include an overview of the National Organic Program standards, the certification process, the organic farm plan, how to pick a certifier, record-keeping templates, approved materials and cost-share opportunities.

Participants are encouraged to bring their field histories, farm maps, input labels and specific questions about the program, organic standards and approved materials.  We want you to leave the workshop confident and able to complete an organic farm plan and apply for certification. Nationally-known and outstanding presenter Jim Riddle will lead the course.  Jim helped write the standard, so he knows it.  He will be assisted by Marty Mesh, Executive Director of Florida Organic Growers, a very knowledgeable and experienced organics resource person.  Space is limited, so sign up early.  Lunch is included with the fee.


Pasture Management and Mob Grazing Intensive 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

SOLD OUT: Try the Raising Animals the Organic Way with Guy Jodarski, Organic Valley's vet.

OFFSITE - On-farm workshop at Braeburn Farm, Snow Camp, NC

Presenter:  Greg Judy

Join celebrated grazing expert Greg Judy for an all-day workshop on the art and science of optimal grazing for grass-based herds.  Greg is a highly sought-after trainer from Missouri and this is a rare appearance in the Carolinas.  The hands-on class takes place on the pastures of 500-acre Braeburn Farm.  The farm is owned by Charles Sydnor who practices intensive grazing with a small herd.  Greg will go into detail about key topics:  the desired trampled litter bank, percent residue removed with each grazing, timing issues, animal performance signs to monitor, animal mood, biological monitoring, rest periods, earthworms, watering, brix readings, legumes, and winter stockpile to eliminate hay.  Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to learn with Greg.

Note: Workshop participants meet at the farm in Snow Camp, NC, which is 45 minutes west of Chapel Hill.  Address:  6707 Bass Mountain Road.  Grass-fed beef lunch is included.


Friday morning workshops

Community Gardens: Food Forests & Urban Orchards 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

SOLD OUT

OFFSITE - On-farm workshop at the Edible Park at Leigh Farm, Durham, NC

Presenters:  Chuck Marsh, Lauri Lawson, and Bountiful Backyard Co-op Staff

Chuck Marsh from Useful Plants Nursery, Lauri Lawson from Niche Gardens, and the staff of Durham's Bountiful Backyards are noted teachers and plant enthusiasts who have come together around the edible park project at Leigh Farm.  This hands-on workshop will cover the basics of how they go about planting gardens built for ecological benefit and human nutrition.  More than 250 plants reside at the Leigh Farm Park, including fruit trees and berry bushes, dozens of beautiful plants for pollinators, and many medicinal, tea, and soil improving crops. Come out and learn how to do it in your neighborhood!  

Note:  Meet at Leigh Farm at 370 Leigh Farm Road.  Directions will be provided for registrants.

Beginning Organic Produce for Farmers & Gardeners 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Presenter:  Tony Kleese, Earthwise LLC

Learning how to grow organically is a lifelong journey.  It starts with a good understanding of the basic principles and practices.  Join veteran organic educator, Tony Kleese, for a lively discussion of the core knowledge you need to be a successful organic grower.  We’ll cover building good soils - the backbone of the system, followed by basic insect, disease, and weed management strategies.  There will be ample time for Q and A.  This is a very popular and useful class that will likely sell out fast.



School Lunches: What's Next? 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Presenters:  Alice Ammerman, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health; Representatives from the Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools and other guests

Improving the quality of school lunches has become a hot topic both at the federal level and within states and local school districts thanks to Jamie Oliver’s controversial television show.  How do we create healthier menus with fewer burgers, fries and pizza?  How do we serve food grown in school gardens and seasonal produce from local sustainable farms?  How do we improve school food when districts are dealing with major cutbacks and such meager meal budgets?  Come join in this interactive session to get updated on school lunch trends and plan action for your local situation.  Ample opportunity for networking with other school food advocates.  The session will be moderated by Alice Ammerman, Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at UNC’s School of Public Health, who is very active in the school nutrition debate.  We will also hear from area school officials.  Our kids deserve good food!


Friday afternoon workshops

Advanced Organic Produce Growing 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Presenter: Ken Dawson, Maple Springs Garden, Cedar Grove, NC;

Ready to take your vegetable and fruit growing to the next level in quality, variety and quantity?  Come learn from experienced organic grower Ken Dawson as he explains his system for growing lots of produce on a small farm.  Ken will discuss his soil fertility, cover cropping and crop rotation techniques.  He will also cover his use of irrigation, black plastic, transplants, greenhouses and row covers.  This class is for advanced growers and will not cover basic information.


Hands-on Permaculture Design Intensive 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

SOLD OUT: Try Beginning and Advanced Produce Growing Workshops!

Presenter:  Will Hooker, Professor, Permaculture and Design, NCSU

Join popular permaculture design expert Will Hooker in this exciting hands-on session where you have the opportunity to do your own permaculture design plan.  Participants will bring a plat of their land to the class and work out a permaculture plan to take home.  The class will provide a basic overview of of the history and theory of permaculture design principles.  You will learn practical ways to use permaculture on your land and see examples of outstanding designs from other projects.  Class size will be limited to facilitate discussion.

Raising Animals the Organic Way 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Practical Techniques to Keep Animals Healthy

Presenter:  Guy Jodarski, Staff Veterinarian, Organic Valley CROPP Cooperativ


We are pleased to offer a workshop with top organic veterinarian from Organic Valley, Guy Jodarski.  Dr. Jodarski has 25 years of animal experience, working with Organic Valley, in a large animal vet practice and with a supplier of organic animal health aids.  He will talk about the importance of a healthy system to prevent animal health problems and organic techniques for treatment when they do occur. Come hear this multi-species overview and learn how to have healthier livestock, whether it's a backyard pet or a commercial operation.

Commercial Mushroom Cultivation 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Beginner to Advanced Techniques  –  Considerations, planning, and strategies for taking on a growing industry

Presenter:  Tradd Cotter, Mushroom Mountain

Come learn from this enthusiastic and experienced mushroom expert. Tradd is one of the most popular teachers at the conference in recent years.  Tradd will focus his talk on the needs of commercial growers.  You will learn about different types of commercial mushrooms and growing techniques.  The workshop will look at market demand, plus storage and packaging considerations.  Avoid the common mistakes and take your Carolina mushroom enterprise to a higher level.  Plenty of time for Q & A.


Food Policy in the Carolinas 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

 Where Do We Head From Here?

Presenters:  Jerry DeWitt, Aaron Newton, Brian Snyder and Sun Butler

Come join a trio of noted food and farm policy experts to explore what needs to happen next to make stronger strides in local food policy.  How do we capitalize on public support before the window closes?  The three hour session will review what has been happening in the last year around the Carolinas and in other states.  The bulk of the session will focus on strategies to move food security and food policy forward in an effective way.  This will involve small group work, and move beyond mere brainstorming and priority-setting. Our goal is to come out of the session with concrete and doable action plans, with a strong dose of ambition.   Speakers include:  Jerry DeWitt, long-standing organics expert and staff member at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Aaron Newton, Local Food Systems Project Coordinator for Cabarrus County, NC.  Don't miss this opportunity to jump your food policy efforts to the next level.



Farmstead Cheesemaking with Fleming Pfann 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

SOLD OUT

Presenter: Fleming Pfann

Fleming Pfann of Celebrity Dairy has been making award-winning farmstead cheese for nearly 25 years.  Join us for this hands-on cheese-making experience using fresh goat milk, with lots of anecdotes from her experience in the farmstead cheese business.  We’ll be in the kitchen and making both an acidic cheese (i.e., fresh chevre) and a heated curd cheese (i.e., cheddar).  Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn from a cheese-making legend.  Limited to 26 participants.  Don't delay! 

Location:  Central Carolina Community College and its Natural Chef Program kitchen and cafe.  Their new building is located next door to the new library and is on the back side/north side of the campus.   CCCC is at 764 West Street in Pittsboro, NC.

Note:  we intend that the classes will end on time, so that participants can travel to the Sheraton Hotel in time for the 6:30 conference keynote dinner.  It is 45 minutes from CCCC to the conference hotel.

Cooking Natural, Seasonal and Local 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

CANCELLED

Cooking with local seasonal ingredients is more popular than ever.  Join us for a hands-on workshop at the renowned Central Carolina Community College’s Natural Chef Program to learn secrets of cooking local!  A Natural Chef instructor will lead a small group, using the program's facilities, giving you a chance to get your local food groove going.  Learn about sourcing food, seasonality issues, recipes, preparation techniques and more. The Natural Chef Program prepares graduates for successful culinary careers while promoting the use of whole, organic and local foods for general wellness and therapeutic applications.  It has been wildly popular since its inception in 2010.  Limited to 20 participants. 
 
 
Location:  Central Carolina Community College and its Natural Chef Program kitchen and cafe.  Their new building is located next door to the new library and is on the back side/north side of the campus.   CCCC is at 764 West Street in Pittsboro, NC.

Note:  we intend that the classes will end on time, so that participants can travel to the Sheraton Hotel in time for the 6:30 conference keynote dinner.  It is 45 minutes from CCCC to the conference hotel.