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5. 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 a great (mostly local and organic) lunch.
Rodale’s Farm Manager, Greg Moyer, Author
of “Sharing the Harvest” To Give Keynote Address.
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.
Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist
Michigan State University
C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resources Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
http://safs.msu.edu/
http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/
