Our education programs have reached more than 50,000 people since 1980.
The 29th Annual Ecological Farming Conference is January 21 - 24, 2009 at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California on the shores of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
General Information
About Asilomar
Directions To Asilomar
Transportation
Parking and Rules
Meals
Lodging - Asilomar
Roommates
Local Motels
Youth Hostels
Camping
Refund Policy
Child Care
Scholarship Fund
CEU Units
About Asilomar
The conference venue is Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds located at 800 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove, CA, 93950. The park is known for its dune and beach environments; winter whale migration; sea otters, seals, and shorebirds; and architecture by Julia Morgan and John Carl Warnecke. Please be prepared for winter temperatures in the 40s to 50s, rain and/or fog and to walk the grounds.
Directions To Asilomar
From the North (San Francisco/San Jose) take Highway 101 to Highway 156 West. Take Highway 156 to Highway 1 South. From Highway 1 North or South - exit at Pebble Beach/Pacific Grove/68 West. Take 68 West 3.5 miles into Pacific Grove, where it turns into Forest Avenue. From Forest Avenue, turn left on Sinex Avenue (stoplight), which will take you directly to the front gate of Asilomar.
Transportation
By Bus or Train:
The Greyhound bus and Amtrak both stop in Salinas. From there, you can take the bus or a taxi.
By Rental Car:
Car rental from San Jose Airport to Monterey, arrange at the airport or through your travel agent.
By Air:
Monterey Peninsula Airport is the closest airport to Asilomar. It may be more cost effective to fly into the San Jose International Airport and either rent a car or take the Monterey-Salinas Airporter, (831-373-7777 or Early Bird Shuttle, 831-462-3933. Please let the shuttle companies know you are attending the Eco-Farm Conference. These shuttles also serve the San Francisco Airport. Central Coast Taxi serves the Monterey Airport: 831-626-3333.
Leaves SF and SJ Airports 11 times a day
(SFO) between 6:45 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and
(SJC) between 7:30 a.m. and 10:45 p.m.
Ends in Monterey at the bus / metro terminal on Alvarado St.
From SJC $35 per person, From SFO $45 per person
For an additional $15 the Airporter will take people all the way to Asilomar
Reservations strongly suggested, 831-883-2871 or 831-373-7777.
Advance reservations are required: 831-462-3933
$155 per trip from SJ Airport
$185 per trip from SF Airport
$195 per trip from Oakland Airport
Prices are for first three people in vehicle. Each additional person (up to seven in car) is $10 each. Call 831-462-3933 for reservations or book online. (If booking online, enter “Ecological Farming Conference” in the “Special Considerations, Other Information” box.)
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Parking and Rules
THERE IS NO PARKING on the Asilomar grounds for day use (conference only) participants; please park along nearby streets. Please do not bring firearms, dogs or other livestock to the conference. NOTE: You may check in upon arrival, but rooms will not be available until after 3pm on the day of arrival.
Meals
Meals come with all lodging packages, and we offer a limited number of meal passes, available on the registration form. Individual meal tickets may be available on site; inquire at the registration desk.
Meal times: Breakfast 7:30 - 8:30, Lunch 12:00 - 1:30, Dinner 6:30 - 7:30.
In the spirit of this year’s theme, “United We Grow” the crew behind the food at the Eco-Farm Conference has been working closely with the Asilomar staff to create delicious menus that will highlight our generous donors.
We consider mealtime at the conference to be an extremely important complement to what is being cultivated during the conference sessions. Our goal this year is to continue to choose the most sustainable products possible, while staying focused on fulfilling the desires of such a diverse group.
We are enthusiastic about the vegetarian lunch menus which were chosen to highlight the remarkable flavor and honor the hard work that goes into growing and handling the produce that so many of our farmers offer to us. Breakfast and dinner will include options for meat eaters and all meals will be conscious of those with food sensitivities.
ATTENTION: THERE WILL BE NO “OPTIONS” TABLE THIS YEAR, per new health code at Asilomar. Instead there will be a specific window for folks with dietary restrictions where your food will be distributed to you. PLEASE TELL US NOW IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS. You must fill out this form and it, fax ( 831-763-2112), or mail it to EFA, 406 Main Street, Watsonville, CA 95076 before you arrive. Or call Rachel at 831-763-2111 x11.
Lodging - Asilomar
Set among Monterey pines and cypress, clusters of richly rustic wood and stone buildings will house conference participants. Comfortable rooms vary in size, with two to four persons per room. Rooms have private showers, and bedding is provided. Asilomar rooms DO NOT have telephones. Rooms are available at 3pm on the day you arrive, but not before. Asilomar lodging always includes the following meals with each night’s stay: dinner on the night of stay, breakfast and lunch the next day. Because not everyone is able to attend for the full time, we also offer single night stays. A single night entitles you to the conference both the day of and the day after your stay, and three meals. As a service to our attendees who do not wish to stay at the conference site, we have booked a limited number of rooms at two local motels (see below for descriptions). These rooms are single or double occupancy plus meals as a package only. Contact our office if you wish to reserve a suite for slightly more money, or reserve the motel package without a meal pass.
Roommates
If you don’t specify with whom you would like to share a room on the registration form, you will be assigned roommates of the same gender. (One bed is assigned per person). Spouses will be automatically assigned together if they have the same last name or arrive in the same envelope or fax, but all other roommates must be requested. If you wish to request a roommate who is not registering at the same time as you, you must be staying for the exactly same nights that they are, and make sure that they have also requested you as their roommate. Roommate requests will only be held for 2 weeks from receipt for the other roommate to register. We can honor other types of room requests, especially for early registrants. These include specific buildings, older (and quainter) rooms, first or second floor, and a queen instead of two double beds (there are no king size beds). The later you register, the less flexibility we have with your rooming needs.
Local Motels
We are offering a choice of two motels as part of our conference package. If you do not wish to stay at Asilomar, this will provide you with proximity to the conference and motel conveniences. All motel rooms have telephones and televisions in the rooms, which the Asilomar rooms do not have. All motel rooms we offer are now non-smoking.
The Pacific Garden Inn is across the street from the conference center and offers rooms with fireplaces, coffee-makers, and a continental breakfast. Amenities include a choice of one or two queen-sized beds, two jacuzzis and complimentary wine and cheese.
The Deerhaven Inn is across from the entrance to the Asilomar grounds. Rooms are modern and comfortable. They have a variety of rooms with either king or queen-sized beds. Additionally some rooms are “Junior Suites,” with a sitting area and kitchenette in addition to the queen bed. Larger suites (one or two bedroom) are available by special request from our office.
We sell out of motel rooms before the winter holidays, so register early!
Click for a list of other motels in Pacific Grove
Youth Hostels
Monterey Hostel, $27.75/night, group rooms, (831) 649-0375.
Camping
Tent and RV camping is available nearby. CAMPING IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE ASILOMAR GROUNDS. Closest camping is Veteran’s Memorial Park (5 miles) with 40 sites; no hook-ups (831-646-3865). Carmel by the River RV Park (12 miles) has 34 sites (831-624-9329). Saddle Mountain Recreation Park (12 miles) has RV and tent sites (831-624-1617). Laguna Seca Recreation Area (14 miles) has 91 RV and 22 tent sites (1-888-588-2267). Further afield, Moss Landing RV KOA Park (24 miles) with 46 RV sites (1-800-562-3390) and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (33 miles) with 40 total tent and RV campsites (1-800-444-PARK).
Refund Policy
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. A $25 per person processing fee will be charged for cancellations received by December 31, 2008. Refunds of 50% will be issued for cancellations received between January 1, 2008 and January 9, 2009. There are no refunds for cancellations after January 9, 2009. Bounced checks will be charged a $15 fee, plus any bank charges. Full refunds for bus tour cancellations will be issued until the bus tour sells out, and only if cancellations are received prior to January 16, 2009.
Child Care
Children are welcome and child care will be provided in the daytime for children 30 months or older staying at Asilomar. Child care hours are Thursday and Friday 8:15 am - 5:30 pm, and Saturday 8:15 am - 12:00 pm. Children must be out of diapers. Registration by January 16th is required for child care. Please bring toys, books and other entertainment materials for your child. You will be expected to volunteer for one two-hour shift if your child is in the full child care program. Note: Child care is closed at lunchtime; you are expected to eat lunch with your child.
Scholarship Fund
We offer a limited number of scholarships for single day attendance and two for overnight on Friday. Day scholarships will be awarded to farm workers, low-income farmers, educators in farming or gardening programs, and students from high school or undergraduate colleges who are studying agriculture or environmental studies. Two overnight scholarships are available for low-income farmers. Low-income is defined as less than $50,000 net income per year. Applications in English or Spanish are available from our office and must be postmarked by Friday, December 5, 2008. Farmers are encouraged to apply!
CEU Units
We applied for CEUs with the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). We will post the workshops that are approved, as well as instructions to ensure you get the credits for attending Eco-Farm here.
Please contact us with questions and/or comments.
© 2008 Ecological Farming Association
406 Main Street, Suite 313, Watsonville, CA 95076
Phone: (831) 763-2111
