January 2009

January 5 & 6: Answering Questions on the Vegetable Farm: Conducting Research, Maintaining Records, Evaluating Production Practices, a Two-Day Farmer-to-Farmer Conference, Fairlee, VT

Hulbert Oudoor Center, Fairlee, Vermont
Speakers:
Paul & Sandy Arnold, Pleasant Valley Farm, Argyle, NY
David Colson, New Leaf Farm, Durham, ME
Dan Kaplan, Brookfield Farm, Amherts, MA
...and more to be announced!
Co-Sponsors:
John Merck Fund
NE-SARE
NOFA Vermont
University of Vermont Extension
Vermont Vegetable & Berry Growers
Why Come?
Come learn from experienced farmers how to answer specific questions on your farm to help you be more efficient, manage resources, and make more money.
More information to come. To request a copy of the conference brochure, call the office at 802-434-4122.

Friday, Jan. 9: Earth & Cosmos - The Biodynamic Preparations, Redwood Valley, CA

With Dennis Klocek. A Coros Institute event in conjunction with the Biodynamic Association of Northern California (BDANC). The principles of the polarity of cosmos and earth in the Biodynamic preparations will be presented using images from embryology, physiology and natural science. The activity of forces in natural systems will be explored as the basis for understanding the unique pairings of organ and substance in the different preparations.
Topics will include: the activity of boundary layers in nature; the action of center and periphery as formative principles; silica as the archetypal form principle of sheaths; the function of nerve and blood in organ processes; secretion and sense activity in organisms; the infinitely distant and infinitely inward in plant growth.
Registration: sliding scale $65-100. Preregistration by January 5 includes lunch and refreshments. (Amounts above $75 can be considered a donation for scholarships: receipt is available upon request.) Use registration form at www.corosinstitute.org or call (916) 342-5718.

January 10: Direct Marketing Conference, S. Royalton, VT.

Vermont Law School, South Royalton
NOFA-VT holds an annual Direct Marketing Conference to provide a networking and educational opportunity for farmers’ market managers and vendors and farmers marketing through Community Supported Agriculture and farm stands.
Please check back for details coming soon at www.www.nofavt.org/annual-events/direct-marketing-conference, or contact the NOFA-VT office.

Saturday, Jan. 10 - Sunday, Jan. 11: BDANC Meeting, CA

With keynote lecture by Dennis Klocek, "The Harmony Between the Natural World and the Soul." Open to the public. For more information, email lauraliska at cs.com.

January 10/11, February 14/15, March 14/15, April 18/19, May 16/17, June 13/14, 2009: 9th Annual Willamette Valley Permaculture Design Certificate Weekend Course

The Cascadia Permaculture Institute, in collaboration with Permaculture Institute (USA), is offering the much-anticipated 9th Annual Weekend Permaculture Design Certification Course in Eugene, Oregon. The weekend format makes this exciting training available and affordable for busy professionals, students, educators, farmers, community members, government officials, engineers, architects, landscapers, gardeners, horticulturalists, activists, artists, and anyone interested in effective design.
During this highly praised* course, participants will be empowered to advocate for meaningful change by becoming certified Permaculture designers with Jude Hobbs and guest instructors.
Discover the many aspects of Permaculture design, including:
* Permaculture Ethics And Principles
* Natural Cycles And Pattern Recognition
* Observation Skills And Site Analysis
* Mapping And Design Exercises
* Water Harvesting And Management
* Soil Ecology And Building
* Animals And Their Place In The System
* Edible Landscaping And Organic Gardening
* Integrated Pest Management
* Agroforestry And Tree Crops
* Green-Building Design And Energy Conservation
* Urban Permaculture And Village Design
* Community Economics
* And Much More!
To learn more about this course and register, please visit: www.cascadiapermaculture.com/WVPDC09Weekends.html. Or contact: Denise at cascadiapc@gmail. com or 541-688-1442

Thursday, Jan. 15 - Monday, Jan. 19: The Agriculture Course, An Intensive Study of the Origins and Future of Biodynamics, Chestnut Ridge, NY

In January 2009, some of the leading practitioners and exponents of biodynamic agriculture will gather at the historic Threefold Center - site of Ehrenfried Pfeiffer's pioneering work - to study and share their knowledge about the origins and future of Biodynamics. Those with an active interest and working knowledge of Rudolf Steiner's Agriculture lectures are invited to join in this enlightening seminar. Contact Mimi Satriano, (845) 352-5020 x15, mimi@threefold.org, www.pfeiffercenter.org. PDF version of the flyer is also available.

Friday, January 16 & Saturday January 16: Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Agriculture Conference: Connect Locally, Frederick, MD

Eldersburg, Md. — On January 16 and 17, 2009, aspiring, transitioning, and experienced farmers will come together with regional buyers, backyard
gardeners, parents, students and others interested in local foods to share
information and learn about sustainable agriculture at the 10th Annual
Conference of Future Harvest – A Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture (CASA). The 2009 conference theme, "Connect Locally: Food, Farms
and Communities," emphasizes making and sustaining connections between
producers and consumers.
Nina Planck, farmers' market maven and "real" food enthusiast, will present
the keynote address. After growing up in Virginia selling the ecological
foods from her family's farm, Ms. Planck started the successful London
Farmers' Markets in the U.K. and now runs the producer-only Local Food
Markets in Washington, DC. Her recent book, Real Food: What to Eat and Why,
explores the nutritional and cultural significance of traditional foods.
Seminars, panels and roundtable discussion groups on Friday will cover
agri-tourism, soil fertility, farm-to-school and hospital programs, and
raising healthy food. Saturday's workshops will cover the nuts and bolts of
sustainable agriculture, specialty crops, cultivating new farmers through
mentorships, grass based systems, profitable grain production, and market
gardening. Meals will feature locally-grown food, showcasing the region's
great local food options.
Future Harvest-CASA is an educational non-profit organization dedicated to
promoting profitable and environmentally sustainable food and farming
systems in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia and Delaware. For more information contact: Jack Gurley, 410-472-6764, futureharvestcasa@gmail.com or visit www.futureharvestcasa.org.

Saturday, Jan. 17: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Session 4: Seed Saving and Crop Rotation, Fair Oaks, CA

Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Session 4: Seed Saving, Crop Rotation (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with Harald Hoven. Learn to save your own seed instead of buying seeds from an outside source. Take important steps toward creating a self-contained farm by encouraging varieties best suited for your environment. Learn about crop rotation and companion planting—other important tools in keeping plants healthy and minimizing damage from disease and pests. For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Wednesday, Jan. 21 - Saturday, Jan. 24: Ecological Farming Conference, CA

Despite the odds, the sustainable food and farming movement continues to grow and flourish. We warmly welcome you to the 29th Eco-Farm Conference, both our steadfast returning participants and those attending this year for the first time. We may not always all agree on all of the details, but we do all share our desire for a transformed food system that respects soil, water, air, wildlife and all people. Let’s continue to work together to make that dream a reality, keeping in mind that United We Grow!! For more information visit www.eco-farm.org.

Wednesday, Jan. 21 - Saturday, Jan. 24: Southern SAWG's Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference, Chattanooga, TN

January 21–24, 2009. Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga, Tenn. This year the pre-conference courses will start earlier to give you more intensive learning experiences. We'll have two full days of pre-conference activities starting Wednesday morning, including a good variety of courses and field trips. The two full days of general conference will start Friday morning and will conclude after the big banquet dinner Saturday evening. Then on Sunday, we have a bonus event! We are partnering with USDA to provide a free grant writing workshop for those working with community based organizations and institutions that serve the agricultural community. The complete pre-conference and conference program, with registration information, is now posted on the Southern SAWG website at www.ssawg.org.

February 2009

The Agriculture Course - A Living Source of Inspiration, International Biodynamic Conference at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland 3rd - 7th February 2009

This year the conference programme deals directly with the eight lectures given by Rudolf Steiner at Koberwitz in 1924. Keynote speakers have been chosen to recreate elements of each lecture in turn. Two lectures will be in English and two in French and all we be translated into English, German, French, Spanish and Russian. Working groups held in different languages will offer opportunities for further in depth discussion of the topics raised by the main talks and the related lectures of the Agriculture Course. The whole event is also a celebration and there will high quality musical and dramatic performances each evening as well as a late night cafe, barn dance and social evening. Booking is direct with the Goetheanum. Visit www.www.biodynamic.org.uk/events to learn more.

Thursday, Feb 5 - Saturday, Feb 7: 18th Annual Farming for the Future Conference, State College, PA

February is just around the corner, and we are in high gear here at conference central. Brochures are out, registration is underway, and the team is abuzz with excitement. This year's conference has 13 pre-conference tracks and over 75 workshops to offer with expert presenters at the cutting edge of sustainable agriculture.
And if your interest isn't yet piqued, let me take this opportunity to share just a few of the highlights you'll find at the 18th Annual Farming for the Future Conference. For full conference information, or to request a brochure visit www.pasafarming.org/conf2009/index.htm.

Saturday, Feb. 14: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Series Session 5: Tree Care and Animal Husbandry, Fair Oaks, CA

Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Session 5: Tree Care and Animal Husbandry (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with Dan Crebbin. Fruit trees and animals complete a farm or large garden. The tree is a special bearer of life, providing bird and insect habitat, and shade. Learn how to select appropriate fruit trees for your locale and how to prune trees to respond with an abundance of fruit. Animals ensoul a farm or garden, bringing extra joy. Gain an understanding of their role in what Rudolf Steiner describes as the “farm individuality”, by learning how they process plant matter and produce manure as well as meat and other by-products. For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Saturday, Feb 14 & Sunday, Feb 15: 27th Annual Winter Conference, Vermont Technical College, Randolph, VT

More than 60 workshops for organic farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, and consumers! The conference also features a farmers' market, NOFA Vermont's extensive book table, live music, silent auction, and the largest potluck lunches in New England! The Saturday keynote will be given by Andrew Meyer, founder of The Center for Agricultural Economy and Vermont Soy. The Sunday keynote will be given by Eliot Coleman, farmer and author of The New Organic Grower, Four Season Harvest, and The Winter Harvest Manual. He will also give a farmer intensive workshop session on Monday, February 16 for advanced commercial growers.
For More Information: Registration brochures will be mailed out in early January. If you're not already on our mailing list, and would like to receive a copy, please contact the office at 802-434-4122 or info@nofavt.org.

Monday, February 16 - Intensive Winter Growing Workshop with Eliot Coleman, Old Dorm Lounge, Vermont Technical College

Intensive workshop session for advanced growers on Winter Growing with Eliot Coleman. In his workshop on winter growing Eliot will cover the yearly schedule, winter crops, growing in the cold greenhouse, growing in the cool greenhouse, succession sowing, harvest techniques, tools for efficiency, soil nutrients and winter hardiness, and greenhouse design plus marketing and economics. Eliot Coleman is co-owner, with Barbara Damrosch, of Four Season Farm, a market garden in Harborside, Maine, which produces vegetables year-round, and has become a nationally recognized model of small-scale sustainable agriculture. This accumulation of knowledge has enabled him to write several books including The New Organic Grower, Four Season Harvest and the Winter Harvest Manual.
Pre-registration is required to attend this workshop! More info in the NOFA Vermont Winter Conference Brochure, to be mailed out in early January.

Saturday, February 21, OSU, Corvallis, OR: Small Farms and Farm Direct Marketing Conference

The 9th annual Extension Small Farms Conference will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2009, from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The one-day conference will be held on the Corvallis campus of Oregon State University at the Alumni Center. The keynote speaker, Michael Rozyne, founder of Red Tomato, will speak on The Dignity Deal: Red Tomato's Fresh Approach to Marketing Produce. The Red Tomato is a nonprofit organization marketing fresh fruit and vegetables from family farms in the northeast and southeast US to supermarkets and other customers throughout New England. ODA Director Katy Coba is the invited capnote speaker. Find registration materials on-line after Jan1st at www.smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/ to learn more or call the Benton County Extension Office at 541-766-3556 or toll free at 1-800-365-0201.
The conference includes 12 concurrent sessions, covering a range of topics of interest to growers who market their production directly to the public, for farmers' markets managers, and for community food advocates.
· Farmscaping for Beneficials: Insect Biodiversity and On-Farm Habitat
· Tillage and Cultivation Strategies: Innovative Weed Management Equipment
· Building a Sustainable Business: A Minnesota Case Study
· Simple Ways to Promote your Farm
· Simple Ways to Promote your Farmers' Market
· Alternative Poultry Feeds
· Alternative Energy and Renewable Energy
· Management Structures for Farmers' Markets
· Conversation with Michael Rozyne
· Conversation with Community Food Security Coalition's Andy Fisher
Pre-registration is $30 or $50 for two registering together, and includes lunch; $40 at the door.

Saturday, February 21, Chestnut Ridge, NY: Introduction to Organic Beekeeping: Preparing a New Hive for Spring, with Chris Harp

Covers basic tasks for the first time beekeepers, with an emphasis on honoring the bees' needs. Contact the Pfeiffer Center 845-352-5020 X20, info@pfeiffercenter.org or visitwww.pfeiffercenter.org to learn more.

Tuesday, Feb. 24: Agricultural Astronomy: Planetary Influences Related to Work on the Land, Glen Ellen, CA

AGRICULTURAL ASTRONOMY: Planetary Influences Related to Work on the Land, with Dennis Klocek (at Benziger Family Winery, Glen Ellen, CA) In these two workshops (Feb 24/Mar 17) Dennis Klocek, founder of ClimaTrends, will explore how planetary movements can be used to guide work on the land. The first introduces basic astronomy concepts, including the solar cycle, lunar phases, star moon, lunar trines, eclipse patterns, and planetary loops. The second workshop takes these concepts and applies them to your 2009 planting calendar, highlighting optimal dates for sowing, cultivating, transplanting, harvesting seed, harvesting produce for storage, making compost, and spraying the BioDynamic preparations. Workshops to be held at Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, California. $80 per workshop, $45 for students/apprentices. Pre registration required -- Seating limited. Register online at or contact Laura Liska at lauraliska@cs.com for details.

Wednesday, February 25 to Sunday, March 1, 2009 at The Nature Institute, Ghent, NY: Cultivating Perception and Imagination: A Course for Farmers and Gardeners

Nature’s life can become more embodied in our work when we enliven own perceptions and enhance our ability to form dynamic and holistic pictures of Nature’s creatures and processes. Winter is a good time to step back from day-to-day concerns and concentrate on honing our inner skills. We will work with different content areas and at the same time practice what Goethe called “exact sensorial imagination”—a way of coming alive to nature, or we might say, bringing nature to life in us. Each day will consist of the following activities
9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Projective Geometry: Picturing and thinking in polarities
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Plants and Animals: Their essential and contrasting ways of being
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Observation exercises relating to plants and animals
7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Astronomy: Finding orientation in the night sky
The course will be led by Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege.
It begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25 and ends at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.
For more information contact us. Gloria Kemp, The Nature Institute, 20 May Hill Road, Ghent, NY 12075 (518) 672-0116 fax (518) 672-4270 gloria@natureinstitute.org or visitwww.natureinstitute.org to learn more.

Thursday, Feb. 26 - Saturday, Feb. 28: MOSES Organic Farming Conference, La Crosse, WI

Join us for our 20th Anniversary Organic Farming Conference. Celebrating 20 years of sharing knowledge, finding solutions, and growing the organic movement together. Join a community of 2000+ farmers, educators, and advocates for a variety of informative workshops, dynamic speakers, and incredible food.
This year, for our 20th Anniversary we are pleased to have Dr. Vandana Shiva and Dr. Alan Greene as our keynote speakers!
Visit www.mosesorganic.org/conference to learn more. Full conference details will be listed in November.

Thursday, Feb. 26 - Saturday, Feb. 28: About Organicology

Oregon Tilth, Organically Grown Company, Organic Seed Alliance and the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association have teamed up to create what promises to be the most intensive and outrageous trade event of the year. We have combined our experience and expertise to bring you a high energy networking opportunity loaded with unparalleled educational programming relevant to all aspects of the organic foods trade.
Seed producers, farmers, brokers, distributors and retailers, researchers and educators, logistics supporters, materials suppliers, chefs, food policy activists, and, of course, eaters of great food - all will find topics of interest and sources of inspiration at Organicology.
Complete with all day intensive trainings, workshops, tradeshow, fun and entertainment, do not miss this stimulating event to be held at the Double Tree Lloyd Center in beautiful Portland, OR.
Visit www.tilth.org/organicology to learn more. 470 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem, OR 97301 503-378-0690 or email organic@tilth.org

Thursday, Feb. 26 - Friday, Feb. 29: International Water Conservation and Xeriscape Conference, Albuquerque, NM

The 14th Water Conservation Conference will focus on the links among, global, regional and local water issues and how the interests of food/agriculture, ecosystem stewardship and management dovetail with landscape and reduced-water consumption. Keynote address by Maude Barlow, Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. Day two keynote is Wes Jackson, President and Founder of the Land Institute. Visit www.xeriscapenm.com for speaker information or PDF brochure.

Friday, Feb. 27 - Sunday, Mar. 1: National "Future of the Preps" Conference, Grass Valley, CA

National "Future of the Preparations" Conference, VALERIAN, PHOSPHORUS & WARMTH: ENKINDLING COMMITMENT AND COMMUNITY AMONG PREP MAKERS (at Fulcrum Farm in Grass Valley CA). If you have been involved in prep making and are interested in working with other prep makers to ensure the goals of this group, please join us at our 2009 conference. Each conference focuses on a different preparation. This year we deepen our understanding of the Valerian preparation through a series of lectures (including a keynote by Dennis Klocek), discussions, and sharing of information and experience. In addition, the pre-conference meeting "Envisioning the Future of the Preps in North America" will continue the work begun at the 2008 conference to address availability of the preparations into the future. We are particularly interested in having representation from various regions of the continent and from various BD organizations. Contact Karen Davis-Brown for details and registration form at
karendavisbrown@yahoo.com or 916-415-0984.

Saturday, Feb. 28: Flowers and Animals: The Soul of the Backyard Garden, Fair Oaks, CA

Flowers and Animals: The Soul of the Backyard Garden (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with David Basile. In this workshop we will continue our exercises in observation as we leap into the Air with chickens, bees, flowers, and ourselves. We will learn how to care for backyard animals and look into the role we play in designing and planning a sustainable home garden individuality. $95 (Full), $75 (Students/Seniors). For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu • rsc@steinercollege.edu.

March 2009

Saturday, Mar. 7: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series 6: Cosmic Rhythms and Planting Calendars, Fair Oaks, CA

Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Session 6: Cosmic Rhythms and Planting Calendars (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with Harald Hoven. Life is rhythm. The plant is embedded in cosmic rhythms of days and seasons, guided by sun, moon, and planets. Learn about cosmic influences that affect plants and how planting calendars help you see plants in relationship to cosmic events, increasing your awareness of the land’s cosmic surroundings. For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Tuesday, Mar. 17: Agricultural Astronomy: Planetary Influences Related to Work on the Land, Glen Ellen, CA

AGRICULTURAL ASTRONOMY: Planetary Influences Related to Work on the Land, with Dennis Klocek (at Benziger Family Winery, Glen Ellen, CA). In these two workshops (Feb 24/Mar 17) Dennis Klocek, founder of ClimaTrends, will explore how planetary movements can be used to guide work on the land. The first introduces basic astronomy concepts, including the solar cycle, lunar phases, star moon, lunar trines, eclipse patterns, and planetary loops. The second workshop takes these concepts and applies them to your 2009 planting calendar, highlighting optimal dates for sowing, cultivating, transplanting, harvesting seed, harvesting produce for storage, making compost, and spraying the BioDynamic preparations. Workshops to be held at Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, California. $80 per workshop, $45 for students/apprentices. Pre registration required -- Seating limited. Register online at dennisklocek.com or contact Laura Liska at lauraliska@cs.com for details.

Saturday, Mar. 21: Natural Beekeeping Workshop: The Honeybee, Fair Oaks, CA

Natural Beekeeping Workshop Series Session 1: The Honeybee (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with David Basile. The series begins with an in depth look at the honeybee and the beekeeper. As we come to understand the natural wisdom expressed in her instincts, we will discover how to work with the honeybee to restore her to sweet health. We will review the respectful ways of Biodynamic beekeeping and get practical experience as we assemble a hive, house or catch a swarm, and inspect a hive. By day’s end you will know enough to practice natural beekeeping and set up bees in your own school or garden. $95 (Full), $75 (Students/Seniors). For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Saturday, March 28, Chestnut Ridge, NY: Beginning a Vegetable Garden, with Mac Mead.

Topics covered will include: planning the garden (what goes where and when), preparing the soil, planting and raising seedlings, companion planting, and weeding and mulching. Contact the Pfeiffer Center 845-352-5020 X20, info@pfeiffercenter.org or visit www.pfeiffercenter.org to learn more.

April 2009

Saturday, April 4, Chestnut Ridge, NY: Raised Beds in the Garden and Farm Organism, with Mac Mead.

Create the most favorable conditions for growing garden produce or crops with this simple, effective technique. Work with both hand tools and machines will be presented. Contact the Pfeiffer Center 845-352-5020 X20, info@pfeiffercenter.org or visit www.pfeiffercenter.org to learn more.

Saturday, April 4: Spring Planting, Weed Management, and Herb Growing, Fair Oaks, CA

Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Session 7: Spring Planting, Weed Management, Herb Growing (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with Harald Hoven. Spring is an important time to prepare the soil for planting and starting or transplanting summer crops. Various techniques will be demonstrated. Strategies for dealing with spring’s quickly-appearing weeds will be explored.
Herbs—as medicinal, culinary, or tea plants—play an important role by bringing diversity and keeping other plants healthy. Herb growing, propagation, and processing will be discussed. For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Saturday, Apr. 18 - Sunday, Apr. 19: BDANC Spring Meeting, Fair Oaks, CA

The Spring gathering of the Biodynamic Association of Northern California. Details to be announced. For an agenda, please email lauraliska@cs.com.

Friday, April 24 - Saturday, April 25, Chestnut Ridge, NY: Organic Beekeeping Weekend with Ross Conrad, Chris Harp, and Mac Mead.

This annual event has become a must for many regional beekeepers wishing to keep up with the latest natural and holistic methods. Optional session for beginners. Contact the Pfeiffer Center 845-352-5020 X20, info@pfeiffercenter.org or visit www.pfeiffercenter.org to learn more.

May 2009

Saturday, May 16: Pest Management, Beneficial Insects, and Into to Beekeeping, Fair Oaks, CA

Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Session 8: Pest Management, Beneficial Insects, Intro to Beekeeping (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with Harald Hoven and David Basile. When the natural balance is disturbed, pests of all sorts creep in: fungus appears where there is too much moisture; insects destroy weak crops. This workshop demonstrates ways of addressing pests and introduces a highly beneficial insect that can be kept in a garden—the honeybee. For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Saturday, May 30: Natural Beekeeping Workshop: The Hive, Fair Oaks, CA

Natural Beekeeping Workshop Series Session 2: The Hive (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with David Basile. This second workshop deepens our vision of what the honeybee truly is. Concurrently, it deepens our understanding and skills in hive management according to Biodynamic standards. We will work with and study both sides of beekeeping - what the bees are doing and what we are doing; the growth of the colony throughout summer and our oversight and management. We may even harvest some goods of the hive (honey, pollen, wax) and learn what they are and where they come from. $95 (Full), $75 (Students/Seniors). For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

June 2009

Saturday, June 6, Chestnut Ridge, NY: The Role of the Horse in the Farm Organism, with Mac Mead.

The horse is an important source of petroleum-free power for the small farm, as well as fertilizer, and plays a vital role when the farm is seen as an organism. This workshop will include hands-on sessions in caring for and working with draft horses. Contact the Pfeiffer Center 845-352-5020 X20, info@pfeiffercenter.org or visit www.pfeiffercenter.org to learn more.

Tuesday, June 16 - Thursday, June 18: All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show, Chicago, IL

The All Things Organic (TM) Conference and Trade Show will mark its ninth year in 2009. Presented by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and Diversified Business Communications, All Things Organic is the definitive annual meeting place of the North American organic industry, with an extensive conference program and a focused trade show floor open to only certified organic products and products approved for use in organic processing. The show has grown from 100 exhibitors in the 2001 inaugural event in Austin, TX, to over 600 booths of organic products and services and a buying audience of 12,000 in 2008. One hundred percent of all revenue OTA receives from All Things OrganicTM is reinvested in programs that support the organic business community.

Tuesday, June 16 - Thursday, June 18:The Second Annual Rural Heritage Institute at Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, VT

Panel, workshop, presentation, and roundtable proposals are solicited for The Second Annual Rural Heritage Institute at Sterling College, a three-day series of experiential academic workshops scheduled for June 16-18th 2009.
This year's theme, Food, Farms, and Community focuses on the changing connections between rural communities and their food sources. The local food theme will be highlighted by discussions, field trips, and hands-on workshops featuring food historians, agricultural scientists, farmers, policy makers, journalists, artists, chefs, and food activists.
Northern Vermont has recently attracted national media attention for its growing local food network created and supported by area farmers, entrepreneurs, and community members. The Institute will consider emerging local food businesses and their capacity for developing agricultural economies, the health and cultural benefits of local food, local eateries and their farming partners, and a historical look at the back to the land movement and a return to traditional farming methods.
The Institute's host venue, Sterling College is located only 30 miles from the Canadian border in the heart of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom and is an ideal place to explore a community's connection to food, farming, and cultural identity. The intimate atmosphere of this Institute (between 40-60 participants) can empower generative conversations among a broad range of practitioners, teachers, scholars, community members, and under/graduate students — participants who share an interest in exploring the growing local food movement as they delve into the intersections of nature, culture, and economy in the rural Northeast.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
* Sustainable Agriculture
* Farmstead and Folk Arts
* Traditional Foodways
* The Rural Artisan
* Husbandry
* New Economy Agriculture
* Farm to Table Programs
* Radical Consumption
* Slow Food
* The Literature of Farming
* Nutrition
* Gender and Food Production
* Oral History and Community Memory
* Animal-Powered Agriculture
* Agrarianism
* Cottage Industries
* Farm Mutualism
* Glocalism and Globalization
* Bioregionalism
* Slow Money
* Farmstead Architecture
* Community-Based Food Systems
* Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
* Local Food: The New Organic
Preference will be given to presentations, panels, workshops, and roundtables that use an interdisciplinary and/or participatory approach.
Please email one-page proposals to Pavel Cenkl (ruralheritage@sterlingcollege.edu) by February 2nd, 2009.

Wednesday, June 17 - Sunday, June 21: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Week-long Session: Advanced Intensive, Fair Oaks, CA

Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Workshop Series Week-long Session: Advanced Intensive (at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA) with Harald Hoven and Cynthia Hoven. Culminating the year’s sessions, this week deepens the entire series’ experiences. It includes presentations on the self-enclosed farm organism, plant observations, theoretical discussions, hands on activities, and lectures and eurythmy based on the four kingdoms of nature. (The advanced intensive can be taken separately, with permission, by those who have some experience with biodynamics.) For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.

Sunday, June 21 - Saturday, June 27: Experiencing Wholeness in Nature, Ghent, NY

Public summer course offered by the Nature Institute in Ghent, NY. For more information, visit natureinstitute.org, email info@natureinstitute.org, or call (518) 672-0116.

July 2009

Sunday, July 5 - Saturday, July 11: Bringing Science to Life, Ghent, NY

Course for high school science teachers offered by the Nature Institute in Ghent, NY. For more information, visit natureinstitute.org, email info@natureinstitute.org, or call (518) 672-0116.

August 2009

Tuesday, August 25 - Friday, August 28, 2009: IFOAM Conference on Organic Animal and Plant Breeding, Santa Fe, NM

IFOAM and Seeds of Change will jointly host the Breeding Diversity conference to bring together experiences and views from a wide range of perspectives on organic breeding. IFOAM solicits abstracts for papers to be presented as well as seeds to be planted in the Seeds of Change demonstration plot.
IFOAM invites farmers and scientists, traders and certifiers, gardeners and animal breeders, professionals and dedicated hobby breeders to submit their papers by February 1, 2009. Topics will be methods, socioeconomic aspects, and legal aspects of both animal and plant breeding. For details on submitting an abstract, please visit www.ifoam.org/events to learn more.

September 2009

Saturday, Sept. 19: Natural Beekeeping Workshop: The Harvest, Fair Oaks, CA

Natural Beekeeping Workshop Series Session 3: The Harvest, Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks CA with David Basile. This final workshop in the series furthers our studies and experience to the point where we can understand how to care for the honeybee year round. We will explore what is required before and during winter, including hive size, ventilation, overwinter feeding, and preventing mites. We culminate our experience by enjoying products of the hive as we taste the honey of the year and dip beeswax candles. $95 (Full), $75 (Students/Seniors). For information and registration contact Rudolf Steiner College • 916.961.8727 • www.steinercollege.edu.