15. SAVE THE DATE! 

BIOINTENSIVE GARDENING WORKSHOPS WITH JOHN JEAVONS

·         March 30-31^st – 2-day GROW BIOINTENSIVE Workshop

·         April 1^st – 1-day MINI-FARMING Workshop

·         For registration material and agenda go to: http://www.detroitagriculture.org/

·         This workshop will be directed by John Jeavons, author of “How to Grow More Vegetables”.

·         Biointensive system is based on soil building using compost and soil quality improving crops together with double digging where needed.

·         Crop scheduling and planting systems emphasize maximizing yields through crop rotations and crop diversity together with an understanding of meeting human nutritional requirements.

·         Registration is required and scholarships are available for gardens in the Garden Resource Program in Detroit.

16. Grand Rapids Food Film Series Feb 28, 2007

Winter Farmer's Market & Film Series

Food, Farming, Health, Education & Native Culture Foods available at events to include: Light Dinner & Snacks. Local, organic and healthy foods, and beverages, before the film and at intermission. This event is produced in partnership with the GRCMC and Paul and Nancy Jones Keiser, of "Agriculture and Health Alive.”

 

Wed. Feb 28 “BIOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE AT NEW HARMONY COMMUNITY FARM” 60 minutes (1997) Environmental activists and organic farmers Paul and Nancy Jones Keiser began the first CSA farm in West Central Michigan that was organized by Jacquelyn Lehman at Michigan’s first charter school, West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science in Walker City. This film contains many food, farming and related facts, including the first Medicine Wheel Garden in the region. “TROYER’S BARN RAISING” 60 minutes (1990) Watch the building of an Amish barn state-by-stage, with a majority of the workers being Plain People. This is ancient social cooperation in action!

 

Wed. March 14 “A BIG COUNTRY: A WINTER’S TALE” 30 minutes (1984) Alex de Podolinsky leads the Biodynamic farming movement “Down Under” in Australia, wherein there are more than one million acres in production using biodynamic principles and practices. Biodynamics began in 1924 in what was then war-ravaged Eastern Germany, when Dr. Rudolf Steiner gave eight lectures on how to solve the fertility problems in soils, plants and animals which had been caused by European industrialization. “ITS NOT JUST ABOUT VEGETABLES” 17 minutes (1986) In the Berkshire mountains of Western Massachusetts, the first CSA farm in the US was organized on the farm of Robin Van En in 1985. The idea of Community Supported Agriculture came from Japan and Europe. CSA farms get people connected to their food supply and a local farmer. Wed. March 28 “A FARMER TESTS VERMICOMPOST TEA IN TRANSITIONING CORN AND SOYBEANS TO ORGANIC CULTURES” 38 minutes (2006) At the 2006 Fertrell Conference, Ohio farmer and Fertrell Dealer Tim Kimpel shares his research and experiences using Great Grow Compost Tea in his transitioning corn and soybeans to organic cultures. Tim covers results with equipment, surface and subsurface tillage, chemistry and biology soil testing, C.E.C., weed control, nutrient balance, other organic fertilization materials, equipment used, test strips and more! Fertrell President Dave Mattocks, who has consulted with thousands of farmers and ranchers across North America comments. Tim is in contact with Dr. Elaine Ingham, the foremost soil micro-biologist in the English-speaking world. “SWINE HEALTH” 42 minutes (2006) Swine health advisor Don Brubaker of the Fertrell Company has spent many years working with pigs and hogs. He unlocks the secrets of specifically what swine need to be healthy and productive.

 

17.  Choices Conference, March 7 at Kellogg Conference Center

 

On behalf of the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University, we are pleased to provide you with a link to conference registration brochure for the 2007 Choices Conference.  The theme for this year is Take It Slow!

The registration brochure is available at http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/

 

 

The conference will take place on March 7, 2007, at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.  The early registration fee is $95 per person.  Please note that this year, there is a special pre-conference event on March 6th.  It is a special celebration of Slow Food, presented by Slow Food Red Cedar.  The fee for this program (also a fundraiser for Slow Food Red Cedar) is $45.  Complete details for the March 6th program is found on page 2 of this brochure.

 

 

Please contact Diane Drago if you have any questions.  We hope you can join us in March!

 

Diane Drago, Conference Coordinator

[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]

517-663-5147

18.  2007 Michigan Organic Conference

Saturday, March 3, Kellogg Conference Center, Michigan State University

   To register visit www.moffa.org

Sessions for Consumers, Gardeners and Farmers with an organic lunch.

Rodale Farm Manager, “Sharing the Harvest” Author To Give Keynotes  

This year’s Michigan Organic Conference will feature special new sessions for consumers alongside sessions already popular with organic farmers and gardeners, according to conference organizers. The all-day conference takes place on Saturday, March 3 at the Kellogg Center located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.

 “We’ve always held sessions that are of interest to organic farmers and gardeners,” said George Bird, the conference coordinator.  “But this year we are adding two educational sessions for consumers.  One will help them understand what’s really organic and the other is designed to guide them in choosing the kind of milk that’s best for them.”   

Sessions for gardeners and farmers will cover such production topics as heirloom versus hybrid seeds, building soil for organic crops, selecting animal breeds for organic farms, organic tree fruit pest management and equipment for medium-sized organic farms, according to Bird.  Marketing sessions include topics such as selling organic produce at farmers’ markets, marketing organic produce to restaurants, marketing organic fruit and selling grains in local markets.  

In addition to the educational sessions, the conference will include two keynote speakers.  Jeff Moyer, manager of the Rodale Institute research farm, will provide the morning keynote.  Rodale is famous for pioneering organic techniques and providing education and publications about organic growing.  

The afternoon keynote speaker will be Elizabeth Henderson, founder of a highly successful community supported agriculture farm or CSA, and author of Sharing the Harvest, a book about CSAs.  CSAs involve participation by local farm customers in the growing and financing of the food they eat.  

The conference will include exhibits from organic-related businesses and will be followed by a reception celebrating Michigan-produced foods.  A special musical program is available to participants in the evening.

The cost is $65 to pre-register and $75 at the door.  Registration forms and more information are available at www.moffa.org or by calling (517) 353-3890. The conference is sponsored by the Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance, a nonprofit organization which promotes locally produced organic food and educates consumers about its benefits, and the C. S. Mott Chair of Sustainable Agriculture at Michigan State University.