This is not an endorsement for any of these events, just information being shared for those interested.

March 2006

Bio-Systems & Life Time Foods Upcoming Educational Programs

Bio-Systems and Life Time Foods will be holding two educational programs on Friday, March 31^st from 4:00 to 8:00 and on Saturday, April 1^st from 9:00 to 3:00.  Friday’s program will be focused on food and will include no charge and an organic pancake dinner. Speakers for Friday’s program will be Amanda Sollman and Kate Dekoski from FFA, Christina Meinka from The Tree House in Farmington, and Joe Scrimger form Life Time Foods and Bio-Systems.

Saturday’s program will be focused on Farming and Health.  There will be a $40 charge for this day’s event and this will include lunch. For Saturday’s program the feature speakers will be Amanda Sollman from FFA, Ruth Knight who is a consultant, Justin Morgan from Morgan Composting, Kim Lockard, Joe Scrimger and a few others. They will be speaking on topics including Community Supported Agriculture, Grain Quality/Soil Quality issues, Composting, the Weston A. Price Foundation, Nitrogen Cycle and Weed Control, and Organic Food vs. Whole Foods.  Additionally, there will be displays set up for program attendees at both programs.

Please call and RSVP at 989-635-2864 as soon as possible.  Seating is limited.

Food – Farming – Health:

Presented by Life Time Foods & Bio-Systems, March 31 – April 1, 2006 at 2320 Van Dyke Road, Marlette, Michigan, for more information please call (989) 635-2864 (see ad above)

April 2006

Advanced Biological Compost:

Presentation by Dr. Elaine Ingham, President of Soil Foodweb Inc.  April 4, 2006 at The Lions Hall, 40 South Street West, Elmira, ON. To make reservations or for more information, call Global Repair: 866-271-0719 or 416-686-3690.

April 12 - Edible Forest Gardening Lecture - Traverse City, MI
Gardening Like the Forest: Home-Scale Ecological Food Production by Dave Jacke, Healthy forest ecosystems are self-maintaining, self-fertilizing, and self-renewing. Wouldn’t it be nice to grow food in an ecosystem like that in your back yard?  Well, you can!  Edible forest gardening is the design of gardens that mimic the structure and function of natural forests, but grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, and “farmaceuticals." This talk provides an overview of the concept, with inspiring and practical ideas, images, and examples, as well as information on the 
multiple uses of some key forest garden plants.
7 pm to 9 pm Michigan Works! Service Center 1209 S. Garfield Rd., Traverse City
This event is FREE (donations appreciated!) - no registration required
More information www.ARTmeetsEARTH.org

April 13th - Full-Day Workshop - Traverse City, MI
Fundamentals of Ecological Gardening by Dave Jacke. Ecosystem agriculture attempts to mimic the structure and function of natural ecosystems in food-producing ecologies. This workshop explores the vision, theory, design, and practice of ecosystem agriculture using the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem as the model, deriving practical design principles, practices, patterns, and processes from the ecology of the model ecosystem.  We will use field trips and experiential classes to grasp the nature of ecosystem architecture, social structure, underground economics, and succession.  We will draw conclusions from these experiences, developing patterns and principles for garden design and management.
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Meet at the MSU NW Horticultural Research Station 6686 S. Center Hwy (in Leelanau County). The workshop will move in the late morning to the Eco-Learning Center (10277 Bingham Road) for a hands-on demonstration.
$55/per person. This event is limited to the first 25 applicants. You must register and send payment to hold your place!
More information www.ARTmeetsEARTH.org

May 2006

All Things Organic:

Conference & Special Events: May 6-9.  Exhibits: May 7-9; both at McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois.  All organic conference and trade show. For more information, visit www.organicexpo.com.

November 2006

Michigan Community Supported Agriculture conference and pre conference training-Raising Vegetables and Civic Values

Nov 10-12, 2006 at Kettunen Center, Tustin, MI with Steven McFadden (Journalist and Visionary), co-author of Farm of Tomorrow Revisted-Community Supported Farms, Farm-Supported Communities and Scott Chaskey (Farmer at Quail Hill CSA) Author or This common Ground, Seasons on an Organic Farm. For more info email [log in to unmask] or go to web site at www.csafarms.org/csaresources.asp

February 2007

February 22 - Organic University - La Crosse, WI
Day-long classes in organic agriculture. Mark your calendar!
www.mosesorganic.org

February 22-25 - 18th Annual Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference - La Crosse, WI
Mark your calendar!
www.mosesorganic.org