Calendar of Events

January 16-17, 2009
Fort Smith, Arkansas

"Conserving the Future—Managing Risks" is the theme for the 28th Arkansas and Oklahoma Horticulture Industries Show. This two-day grower meeting and trade show is sponsored by the University of Arkansas, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa Community College, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture. It has consistently provided growers the latest information on vegetables, fruit, herbs, Christmas trees, farmers market crops and public gardening issues. Growers from Oklahoma, Arkansas and surrounding states are welcome to attend.

January 16-18, 2009
Madison, Wisconsin

This intensive three-day course demonstrates what it takes to set up and run a successful market garden or small farm. You bring your gardening background and interest and hopes for your own market garden or small vegetable farm. The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and accomplished organic grower instructors expose you to what you need to know and plan for as you set seeds and grow.

January 16-17, 2009
Lake Ozark, Missouri

At the 2009 Missouri Agritourism Conference you can explore everything from running school tours, retail shops, safety regulations, direct marketing taxes and more. Everyone from the beginning agritourism operator to the seasoned veteran should attend to network, visit the trade show and gain new ideas.

January 16, 2009
Boise, Idaho

The Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management at the University of Idaho and the Idaho Society for Range Management will jointly sponsor "Our Idaho Lands – Pathways for Restoration and Conservation," a workshop for those interested in land conservation and management. The workshop will benefit people who own, manage and study rangeland and pastureland. Workshop presenters will provide ranchers and small acreage landowners with tips and tools for land conservation and restoration. Expert practitioners and scientists will be on hand to address issues and challenges landowners face to improve their lands.

January 17, 2009
Worcester, Massachusetts

This 22nd annual conference has the theme Organic Agriculture:
The Roots of a Sustainable Community. Eliot Coleman will be the keynote speaker and will offer an all-day workshop on four-season growing. In total, the agenda includes thirty workshops on crops, gardening, livestock, farm management, organic land care and sustainable lifestyles.

January 17, 2009
Battle Creek, Michigan

This conference is for anyone interested in sustainable agriculture, family farms and new opportunities to help farmers connect to resources, network and improve their operations. Highlights include 18 educational sessions for small and limited resource farmers, keynote speaker Wayne Keith, and youth sessions.

January 17, 2009
Randolph Center, Vermont

The 13th Annual Vermont Grazing Conference, titled "Managing Animal Behavior: It’s Not What You Do, It’s How You Do It," will feature grazing behaviorist and NY-NRCS State Grazing Specialist Dr. Darrell Emmick as keynote speaker. The schedule includes themed tracks for dairy, beef, small ruminants, animal behavior, poultry & small animals, research, grazing partnerships, technical and on-farm energy options. A full day kids’ conference will take place on site. Pre-conference workshops on Friday, January 16 will focus on winter livestock management.

January 17, 2009
New Haven, Connecticut

This conference sponsored by Connecticut NOFA draws both beginning farmers who choose to farm organically and established farmers who are converting their operations to organic. Speakers will address organic certification, pest control, marketing and business.

January 17, 2009
Assaria, Kansas

The featured speaker for the day is Terry Gompert, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Grazing Educator, speaking on "The Functional Cow—picking the right cow for your system" and "Extending the grazing season—planning forages to reduce hay needs." Additional conference sessions "Ideas that make money for the beef producer" and "Lessons learned from beef producers" are followed by an interactive session facilitated by Kansas Rural Center's Dale Kirkham and grazier Dale Strickler. Contact Mary Howell at 785-292-4955 or e-mail her at marshallcofair@networksplus.net

January 17 and February 21, 2009
Sonoma, California

California FarmLink is co-hosting regional farm succession conferences. The two-session trainings support participants in taking action on succession planning. The conferences use speakers and resource materials to facilitate discussion, communication and teamwork among attendees. The conference will be helpful as a refresher for those who have attended previous trainings, as well as for traditional family farms and operations that do not yet have an identified successor.

January 18-21, 2009
Garden Grove, California

The International Carrot Conference is a biennial event that attracts people from private industry, government, and universities from throughout the world. The conference is an excellent way for people to exchange ideas and concerns in all aspects of carrot production. Topics, such as breeding, production, pest management, and new products, will be discussed in formal paper sessions, poster sessions, and a field tour.

January 18, 2009
Milan, Minnesota

The owners of Garden Goddess Greenhouse will provide an inside look at their innovative system for raising vegetables in the middle of a Minnesota winter during a special Land Stewardship Project Farm Beginnings tour. The tour will cover topics such as successful passive solar design features used in the Garden Goddess greenhouse, the best vegetable varieties to grow in the cool winter, and the expenses and potential income of winter greenhouse vegetable production.

January 19-21, 2009
Indianapolis, Indiana

The Indiana Horticultural Congress is an educational meeting designed to meet the needs of fruit, vegetable, wine, organics and specialty crop growers and marketers in Indiana and surrounding states. All interested individuals are invited to attend. A trade show is included.

January 20-21, 2009
Pacific Grove, California

This is the second annual educational conference of California Certified Organic Farmers. Experts from the organic sector will cover topics of interest highlighting the connections between the commitment of organic production methods to foster healthy soil, animals, crops and foods and the health and well-being of consumers and growing communities.

starting January 20, 2009
Traverse City, Michigan

Market research, legal concerns, financial planning, management and other topics will be a part of this business planning course for aspiring farmers, or those needing a business brush-up. The course includes eight classroom sessions, field trips to farm and food businesses, and personal business-plan counseling.

January 21-24, 2009
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Southern SAWG's exceptional conference will provide you with the practical tools and solutions you need to be successful in your farming enterprise, your community foods projects and your advocacy and outreach work. It will provide sustainable production and direct marketing information for horticultural and livestock producers, enterprise management lessons, farm policy education, community food systems development information, plus the opportunity to meet and learn from peers from across the region.

January 21-22, 2009
Kennewick, Washington

The theme of this year’s conference is "Meeting Global Demand" and the event offers two days packed with agronomics, technology and
direct seed cropping systems information. The large scale agriculture production of the Pacific Northwest will continue to be called upon to deliver more products with lower impact on available land and ecosystem resources. The 2009 conference will deliver information and insight into how PNW agriculture will change and adapt to meet the demand within this challenge.

January 21-22, 2009
Indianapolis, Indiana

The Midwest Organic Production and Marketing Conference and Trade Show is being held this year in conjunction with Indiana Horticulture Congress. The conference is sponsored by Purdue Extension, University of Illinois Extension, and the Agro-Ecology program at the University of Illinois.

January 21-24, 2009
Pacific Grove, California

The 29th Annual Ecological Farming Conference has the theme "United We Grow." The agenda offers pre-conference workshops and tours beginning January 19, plenaries, and numerous workshop sessions, including some in Spanish. Topics addressed include marketing, livestock, crop production, labor, energy, and more.

January 21-22, 2009
Columbus, Indiana

Indiana Forage Council and others sponsor this event featuring a trade show, Joel Salatin presentations, and workshops on forage growth and alternative forages, management-intensive grazing, marketing and more.

January 21 and 22, 2009
Piketon and Muskingum County, Ohio

Ohio State University Extension is offering a free one-day farmers' market workshop in two locations. Workshop topics will include food safety, quality standards, and utilization of 'locally grown' to enhance marketing promotions.

January 22-25, 2009
Guelph, Ontario

The 28th annual Guelph Organic Conference has the theme "O is for Opportunity." The event includes a trade show and organic food expo free to the public, as well as 30 organic workshops and seminars for paid registrants.

January 22-23, 2009
Rochester, Minnesota

"Farm and Home Added Value: Profiting from Renewable Energy and Regional Food" is the theme for the 11th annual conference. Learn how to profit from the growing market for local food and renewable energy. Visit the trade show, participate in round table discussions and eat your fill of great locally grown food.

January 22-24, 2009
Portland, Oregon

Sustainable Agricultural Technologies, Inc. presents a three-day intensive course on soils and agronomy with Dr. Arden Andersen. Learn the major schools of thought which form the foundation of sophisticated eco-agriculture. Gain a working knowledge of chemistry, physics, and plant biology as applied to agriculture. Discover what weeds, disease and pests are trying to tell you about your soil's fertility. Learn about implementing a program to produce crops, pastures, turf, landscape, or ornamentals of balanced nutritional and mineral content. Seating is limited and advance registration is advised.

January 23-25, 2009
Rochester, New York

"Meals Without Wheels: Revitalizing Our Local, Organic Foodshed" will feature 80 workshops and a trade show with 75 exhibitors. Intensive and full-day workshops are planned, as well as shorter sessions on a wide range of topics.

January 23, 2009
Portsmouth, New Hampshire

UNH Cooperative Extension and USDA Risk Management Agency present this day-long organic producers' meeting. Topics to be covered by speakers include producing eggs, broilers and beef, compost, recordkeeping, crop insurance and vegetables.

January 23, 2009
Mount Vernon, Washington

WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center presents an opportunity to learn about the potential for specialty market production of sweet cherries using high tunnel culture, and new ideas on pruning, training and mechanical harvest. There is no charge for the workshop.

January 24, 2009
Rochester, Minnesota

An advanced whole farm financial planning workshop will be offered by the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings program. This workshop will be led by certified Holistic Management instructor Larry Johnson, and will build on concepts covered in a typical introductory Holistic Management course.

January 26-27, 2009
Chattanooga, Tennessee

For aspiring agritourism farmers, the conference is a way to begin to assess whether they and their farm operations are well suited to this new farm business. New or prospective farmers get the chance to spend lots of time with experienced operators who can share plenty of useful stories and ideas. Serious agritourism farmers upgrade their professional skills and learn how to improve their farms’ attractions. A pre-conference tour visits local farms in the Chattanooga area, including an orchard, a “fall fun” agritourism farm and a winery.

January 27-28, 2009
Salina, Kansas

The 13th annual No-till on the Plains Winter Conference focuses on "continuous No-till". At the 2009 Winter Conference, you will have the opportunity to visit with other No-tillers from various regions, hear presentations by about one dozen “producer speakers”, and interact with another dozen recognized No-tillage experts.

January 27, 2009
West Middlesex, Pennsylvania

The Tri-State Conservation Tillage Conference is sponsored by: Ohio State University, Penn State University, Cornell University, USDA-NRCS (Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York) and Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council. One of the featured speakers is Steve Groff, who pioneered the "Permanent Cover Cropping System", which includes no-tillage, cover crops, and effective crop rotations as a way to increase profits, enhance soil and water quality, and reduce pesticides.

January 27, February 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2009
Athens, Ohio

Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association are sponsoring a small ruminant production school for sheep and goat producers. The school, held on five consecutive Tuesday evenings, will focus on marketing and breed selection and understanding what marketing options are available given the type of animal being produced for the best economic returns.

January 28, 2009
Lansing, Michigan

Take advantage of this opportunity and discover how to balance the environmental challenges facing your operation. More than 25 speakers and 12 sessions are designed to provide insight into real world issues facing farmers today with topics related to agriculture's sustainability: our changing energy landscape, community relations, the environment, market impact and more.

January 28-29, 2009
Morton, Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Extension is proud to host the 5th Annual Conservation Tillage Conference. This 2-day conference is designed to help producers improve their conservation skills by refining their fertility management, learning about new technologies, and reducing production costs. In addition to the research based presentations, a panel of experienced conservation tillage farmers will provide management tips and answer questions. The conference will include a tradeshow which focuses on conservation tillage management.

January 29-30, 2009
Dalton, Ohio

The focus is "Managing Resources." The speakers and panels will look at the different practices and systems that a dairy grazier has to make work. Both days offer beginner and advanced sessions for dairy graziers.

January 29-31, 2009
West Des Moines, Iowa

This 3-day conference of the Iowa Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, Iowa Farmers Market Association and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship focuses on Better Production, Safer Handling, Smarter Marketing. The first day looks at what’s new & different for fruit & vegetable production, the second day deals with ensuring food safety, and the final day concentrates on improving markets.

January 29, 2009
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

The 2009 conference is entitled "Going Green in a Black & White World: Understanding Sustainability and the Opportunities for Our Dairy Farms and Industry" and will feature numerous expert speakers. The Extension services of South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, along with the Southwest Minnesota Dairy Profit Group, are sponsoring the conference.

January 30-31, 2009
Puyallup, Washington

"Growing Green" is the theme of this conference for market managers, farmers, vendors, and board members.

January 31, 2009
Des Moines, Iowa

This workshop is being held in conjunction with the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference. Topics are geared for experienced as well as new marketers. Sessions will cover food handling and packaging; scales, weights and measures; food safety at markets; and customer service. A trade show will feature the latest equipment and services available to producers and marketers.

Begins January 31, 2009
Cumming, Georgia

Georgia Organics presents an opportunity for participants to learn the basics of organic farming and gardening in this series of seven classes taught by Lynn Pugh on alternating Saturdays at Cane Creek Farm. Each class starts with morning lectures, discussions, and videos; lessons are reinforced with hands-on activates in the field, greenhouse, or on a field trip to area farms. Targeted to adults who want to jump-start their organic growing projects; prior experience or education is not required.

January 31, 2009
Grayling, Michigan

"Building a Strong Community Supported Agriculture System" is the topic for this tenth annual event. The conference features keynote speaker Fred Kirschenmann, as well as a special youth conference track with keynote speaker Daniel Salatin and youth workshop sessions. Several concurrent sessions for adult participants are offered on various topics.

January 31, 2009
New Brunswick, New Jersey

"Greener Fields, Greener Pastures: The Way Forward" is New Jersey’s premier gathering for the organic and sustainable food, farming and gardening community. With an impressive mix of presentations, this conference is designed for all levels of expertise and covers a wide range of topics. Whether you are a new or experienced farmer/gardener, land conservationist, land owner, educator, or interested consumer, there is certain to be something for you.

January 31, 2009
Goochland, Virginia

The Center for Rural Culture, in conjunction with Ellwood Thompson’s Natural Market, is providing this educational opportunity for both new and experienced growers who wish to grow produce and provide value added products for market. Participants will gain valuable knowledge about the business of growing for market.

January 29, 30 and 31, 2009
Fulton, Kidron, and Burton, Ohio

Ohio State University Extension presents a workshop in three locations. The program will feature management tips, talks by experts and news and research updates. A two-part session on reverse osmosis (RO), which can cut the amount of fuel used to boil down maple syrup, will be included.

January 31 - February 1, 2009
Live Oak, Florida

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy offers an opportunity to learn how to do it right from the nation’s leaders in heritage turkey production. Topics include breeding, health, feeding, processing and marketing. Scholarships are available for qualified agricultural educators.