CT NOFA's 28th Annual Conference

Sustaining Connecticut: Growing Local,
Eating Healthier, Living Smarter

Co-sponsored with

Saturday, March 6, 2010
Manchester Community College
Manchester, CT
8:30 am to 4:45 pm

Join us in celebration of local organic farming, gardening, landscaping and sustainable lifestyles. This event will feature 30 plus workshops, a vendor and exhibit area, keynote speech, delicious potluck lunch, children’s program, and a series of hands-on cooking demonstrations.

 

SCHEDULE

8:30 - 9:30       Registration, Coffee Hour, Organic Marketplace & Networking
9:30 - 10:45     Workshop 1
11:00 - 12:30   Keynote
12:30 - 2:00     POTLUCK LUNCH (the best meal you’ll eat all year!)
2:00 - 3:15       Workshop II
3:30 -4:45        Workshop III

Directions and campus map

 

KEYNOTE~ REGISTRATION~ WORKSHOPS~ SPONSORS~VENDORS~POTLUCK

Keynote

Featuring Michael Shuman, author of The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition. Author and entrepreneur, Mr. Schuman has written nearly one hundred articles for such periodicals as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, Weekly Standard, Foreign Policy, Parade, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. His books and articles have explored people, practices, and policies in the fields of technology, national security, citizen diplomacy, municipal foreign policy, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and business development. To view Michael's blog, click here.

Michael co-authored a recent report, "Community Food Enterprise: Local Success in a Global Marketplace," spotlighting 24 ventures around the world that are pioneering models for local food.

Registration

NOFA Members:	$45
Non-Members:	$55
Students/Seniors:	$30

Children 12 and under are free.

NOTE: We are unable to provide daycare this year. We will have a children's activity room, where parents and children can take a break together.

Online registration is now closed. Please call the office at 203-888-5146 to preregister.

Walk-ins are also welcome. To save time at registration, please print and fill out this printer-friendly form.

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Workshops

WORKSHOP I   9:30 - 10:45

LOCAL ANDSTRONG: JUST HOW SIGNIFICANT CAN WE MAKE OUR REGIONAL FOOD ECONOMY?-Nancy Freeborn, Thomas Peterlik, Jonathan Rapp. A panel discussing strategies in which farms, farmers’ markets and municipalities can make connections and encourage positive steps toward a healthy, engaged community. AUDITORIUM

THE AMATEUR ARTISAN BAKER – Jiff Martin. Serious & not-so-serious home bakers learn new techniques and share old favorites.  Taste tests & take home live starter. KITCHEN

SARE NATURAL MEAT FOR CONSUMERS PROJECT-Michael Keilty
A review of project outcomes including: grazing workshops, tri-state meat farmer survey results, and planned 2010 activities with emphasis on "Collaboration Among  Farmers Conference". CLASSROOM

RAW MILK AND FOOD RIGHTS – David E. Gumpert, www.davidgumpert.com  CLASSROOM

THE 10 LEAST WANTED: VEGETABLE INSECTS PESTS & WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM – Robert Durgy, Farm Manager CT Agricultural Experiment Station, Griswold Research Center.  CLASSROOM

THE FUTURE OF COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY – Michel Nischan, Wholesome Wave Foundation www.wholesomewave.org  CLASSROOM

PERMACULTURE DESIGN FOR PRODUCTIVE CONSERVATION:  GROW FOOD, REBUILD THE ENVIROMENT  – Keith Zaltzberg, Regenerative Design Group www.regenerativedesigngroup.com  CLASSROOM

COMMUNITY GARDENING - Bettylou Sandy, Bettylou's Gardening.  How to start a Community/School Garden & keep it going. CLASSROOM

FARM TAXES SHOULDN’T BE TAXING – Ron Capozzi, “Class will be limited to those who think they can spend their money wiser than the government.”  CLASSROOM

SO  YOU WANT TO START A  FARMERS MARKET? – Winter Caplanson www.CoventryFarmersMarket.com  Basics of starting a market; defining a niche for your farmers market, state requirements, location, management, vendor recruitment, rules/regulation & marketing.    CLASSROOM 

SOLAR ENERGY- OPPORTUNITIES & OPTIONS IN 2010 - William Stillinger, PV Squared : www.pvsquared.coop Renewable energy choices for home & farm. A look at the changes  in state incentives slated to occur over the coming year. CLASSROOM 

WORM COMPOSTING – Nick Mancini,   www.OrganicGardeningSimplified.com  CLASSROOM 

 WORKSHOP II   2:00 - 3:15

FOOD FREEDOM: WHAT'S NEEDED TO MOVE PAST STIFLING REGULATIONS AND UNLEASH A
NEW HEALTHY FOOD REVOLUTION -  David E. Gumpert & Michael H. Shuman AUDITORIUM

RAISING DAIRY GOATS & MAKING CHEESE – Paul Trubey, Beltane Farm.  www.beltanefarm.com  KITCHEN

BACKYARD BARNYARD – Peter & Judith Rothenberg, Northfordy Farm.  Sustainable farm animal husbandry.  CLASSROOM 

GETTING INTO RAW FOODS – Rawdawg Rory  www.rawdawgrory.com  CLASSROOM 

SEEDY BUSINESS:  THE HISTORY, POLITICS, & FUTURE OF SEEDS – Ken Greene, Hudson Valley Seed Library  www.seedlibrary.org  CLASSROOM 

“LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, YOUR AGRICULTURE COMMISION IS THERE” – John Weedon, How to start a commission w/no money down.  What a Town Agriculture Commission can do to help farmers.  How to work effectively with a commission.  CLASSROOM 

EDIBLES IN THE LANDSCAPE - Bettylou Sandy, Bettylou's Gardening.  Ideas on incorporating fruits and vegetables while pleasing the neighbor’s view. CLASSROOM 

FIRST LESSONS IN BEEKEEPING – C. Marina Marchese, Red Bee Apiary   www.redbee.com. CLASSROOM 

HILLS AND VALLEYS – RAISED BED GARDENING – James Roby, Roby’s Organic Farm.  Raised bed, ridge till and trench planting methods.  Managing walkways, mulching, and cultivation. CLASSROOM 

HOW WE GROW GARLIC AT WAYNE’S ORGANIC GARDEN - Wayne Hansen, Wayne’s Organic Garden www.waynesorganicgarden.com. CLASSROOM 

GREENHOUSE/NURSERY ENERGY CONSERVATION – IDEAS THAT SAVE MONEY – John W. Bartok Jr. Extension Agricultural Engineer – Emeritus Univ of CT  Materials, tools, and techniques for reducing fuel  & electricity  use in small to medium size propagation & production structures.  Basics of wood, corn, waste oil, geothermal & solar systems. CLASSROOM 

MAKING FOOLPROOF COUNTRY WINE – Jack Kittredge, Many Hands Organic Farm.  www.mhof.net  CLASSROOM 

STARTING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS-Diane Wagemann.  Diane will share how she took her passion for chocolates, her knowledge of the health food industry and her international marketing experience and turned it into a slowly steadily growing business in a struggling economy. CLASSROOM

WORKSHOP III   3:30 -4:45

BACK (AND FORTH) TO OUR “ ROOTS” - Dr. Lisa Gengo, PA, ND, CNS, Chef John Turenne, President & Founder of Sustainable Food Systems & Farmer Wayne Hansen discuss & demonstrate uses and nutritional benefits of familiar and the less-well known winter vegetables. KITCHEN

CITY CHICKEN BASICS - Rebecca Holcombe, Common Ground www.commongroundct.org.  Basics of keeping chickens in the city. Breed selection, chick raising, DIY & pre-built coops, routine chicken care & recommended sources for supplies.  CLASSROOM

NATURAL NIBBLES, AN INTRODUCTION TO WILD PLANT FORAGING – Bryan Connolly, Massachusetts State Botanist, PhD student - Native Plant Horticulture. CLASSROOM

WEED ECOLOGY & ORGANIC WEED CONTROL – Robert Durgy, Farm Manager CT Agricultural Experiment Station, Griswold Research Center. CLASSROOM

REFORM OF THE “SUPPLY CHAIN”: INSTITUTIONAL FOOD SERVICE – Marydale DeBor, Plow to Plate/New Milford Hospital  www.plowtoplate.org   CLASSROOM

GROWING CUTFLOWERS – Alan Gorkin, Growing sustainable cut flower crops for to increase market diversity. CLASSROOM

THREATS TO THE HEALTH OF HONEY BEES AND WILD BEES – Dr Kimberly Stoner, Vegetable Entomologist at the CT Agriculture Experiment Station, New Haven.  www.ct.gov/caes  CLASSROOM

BUILDING A CSA – Dina Brewster, The Hickories Farm www.thehickories.org  CLASSROOM

SMALL SCALE WHEAT PRODUCTION - Tevis Robertson-Goldberg, Crabapple Farm. History & agronomy of wheat for small and medium wheat production in our region for livestock feed or bread.  Variety selection, growing & harvesting techniques. CLASSROOM

HOOP TUNNELS,  LOW & HIGH – Bryan O’Hara, Tobacco Road Farm.  Use, construction, costs, and appropriate crops for the extended season production of vegetable crops. CLASSROOM

BREWING YOUR OWN ORGANIC BEER - Michael Stefanowicz.  The art of crafting your own beer, both from kits and original materials. Stout to pale ale and various brewing methods. Organic ingredients & beers highlighted. CLASSROOM

 

Additional details and workshops still to come.

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Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors

Silver Level Sponsors

Supporting Sponsors

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Vendor - Exhibitors

If you'd like to reserve a space, please call the office at 203-888-5146.

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Potluck Details

Please bring a dish to share with everyone—it need not be local food or even organic—do what you can. A family-sized serving is fine, along with the recipe or ingredient listing. Drinks are always welcome if you are unable to cook.

Our impressive staff of kitchen volunteers will be on hand to pull it all together for us and make sure hot dishes are hot and salads are dressed.

Please click HERE for further potluck safety instructions. Thank you!

To help us conserve, please bring your own place setting, napkin, and utensils. Questions? Call 203-888-5146.

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