Newsletter - Winter 2008 by Mike Lorey

the

D I RT

The Quarterly Newsletter of Georgia Organics

Growing Healthy Foods, Farms, & Families • Winter 2007-08 REGISTER EARLY! GO’s 11th Annual Conference & Trade Show February 28 - march 1, 2008

Sign up by February 1 and save! Register on-line at www.georgiaorganics.org or use the registration form on page 13. See Conference Highlights on pages 4-5.

Georgia Organics Board Election

GO Members! Your annual board election ballot is enclosed. See page 17 for details.

Introductory Course in Organic Farming & Gardening

Georgia Organics hosts a seven-part course for farmers and gardeners this winter and spring. See page 15 for details.

Advancing Organic Agriculture in Georgia Third in a three-part series from the Agroecology Lab at UGA. See page 15.

IN THIS ISSUE... A View of the Future with George Siemon Page 1

Buy Local Materials Available Page 23 Conference Highlights Pages 4-5 Conference Details & Registration Pages 7-13 Event Calendar Page 23

A View of the Future with George Siemon by Judith Winfrey George Siemon is many things to many people: a dairyman, an organizer, an activist, a leader, and a populist. Now CEO of the largest organic dairy cooperative in the country, the Organic Valley Family of Farms, Siemon has been a champion for sustainable family farms for nearly 20 years. A farmer himself, Siemon served on the USDA’s Small Farm Advisory Committee, and the National Organic Standards Board. He participated in the development of national standards for organic certiﬁcation while chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Livestock Committee. He will be the keynote speaker at the Georgia Organics 11TH Annual Conference and Trade Show, and he recently shared some of his thoughts on taking food and family farms into the future.

GO: Alice Waters, the Berkeley chef, author, and food activist, has been outspoken on the topic of cheap food. She believes we need to pay more for our food. Do you agree? Siemon: I do. Since we started this co-op, the percentage of discretionary income that’s been spent on food has gone down from 11.5 percent to 9.5 percent. We are actually spending less on food, and we need to be careful about that. You get what you pay for, in environmental problems and health problems. It’s very important to control health costs, and I think there is no better health investment than organic foods.

GO: You’ve had a great deal of policy experience. What do you forecast as some of the issues on the horizon for small and organic growers? Siemon: The big thing in organics right now is concern about investment in the transition to organic given the high price of conventional commodities, ethanol, and a few other things. Ideally, we would come up with some transitional funds that encourage people to grow organic. Another important issue is proﬁtability. There’s the romance and glamour of small family farms, but we need to make sure that these farms thrive, and that the economic viability of these new models—of CSAs, or organic farming—is there. In terms of challenges, the price of land is a big, big challenge, as well as the transfer of land to the next generation and the economic burden of purchasing land for new farmers starting up. How do we provide the infrastructure support needed to keep as much of the gain as possible, rather than starting all over again with every next farmer? GO: Have you seen successful strategies addressing any of those challenges? Siemon: There’s nothing more successful than making farming proﬁtable. After that, there’s land ownership and conservation programs. That’s a tough issue when you look at the value of land right now compared with 20 years ago.

George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley and keynote speaker.

GO: How are you feeling about the 2007 Farm Bill? Siemon: It’s very disappointing because there were a lot of good creative ideas early on, and all of those got waylaid into good old support for commodities. There’s a lot of money that’s being spent the wrong way, and I had hoped this Farm Bill would be creative and that we’d see Cont’d on page 18

P.O. Box 8924 • Atlanta, GA 31106 678.702.0400 info@georgiaorganics.org www.georgiaorganics.org

Board of Directors goboard@georgiaorganics.org Barbara Petit, President Daron Joffe, Vice President Leeann Culbreath, Secretary Leslie Fellows, Treasurer George Boyhan, Ph.D. Juan Carlos Diaz-Perez Jennifer DuBose Mike Gilroy Will Harris Jay Lazega Daniel Parson Mary Reilly Alex Rilko Mike Smith Charlotte Swancy Edward Taylor Michael Tuohy

GO Staff Alice Rolls

Executive Director alice@georgiaorganics.org

Karen S. Adler

Mentoring Program Coordinator 404.633.4534 karen@georgiaorganics.org

Chaz Holt

Emory Farmer Liaison 770.608.4093 chaz@holtfarmsupply.com

Lynn Pugh

Curriculum Coordinator lynn@georgiaorganics.org

Relinda Walker

Program Coordinator for South Georgia relinda@georgiaorganics.org

Suzanne Welander

Communications Director suzanne@georgiaorganics.org

Judith Winfrey

Administrative & Membership Coordinator judith@georgiaorganics.org

Mary Anne Woodie

Conference Coordinator maryanne@georgiaorganics.org

Newsletter Editor Suzanne Welander

Graphic Design

Stephen R. Walker www.srwalkerdesigns.com

From the Director

Photo By Anthony-Masterson

Georgia Organics

ith the national Farm Bill wrapping up in the Senate, let’s turn our attention to real progress here in Georgia on the advocacy front. Sustainable agriculture has had some positive developments and victories this fall. Let’s review some reasons to celebrate our work and our partners as we close out 2007:

Raw Milk - The proposed rule change to dye raw milk gray was dropped by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. More than 150 individuals attended the public hearing on November 2 where 50 people spoke against the rule change. Leading up to the hearing, Georgia Organics worked closely with the Weston Price Foundation and dairy farmers to develop a strategy, publicize the proposed rule change, and encourage attendance. In case you think this was an easy win, look north to our neighbors in North Carolina where dyed raw milk became policy effective November 1. UGA College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences - This fall, Julia Gaskin, a long-time friend of the movement, became U G A’s f i r s t S u s t a i n a b l e Agriculture Coordinator. Julia will be developing opportunities for farmers, students, and researchers to make advancements in sustainable and organic agriculture. Georgia Organics Alice Rolls testifying at the raw milk hearing, petitions in hand. has been working with Julia to submit a grant to undertake a twoyear intensive farmer-to-extension training program. In addition, UGA launched its new certificate program in Organic Agriculture this fall, which opens up new opportunities for students to learn the fundamentals of organic growing. Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) - hosted the Georgia Grown Food Show in November to connect local producers and distributors with local chefs and businesses. The Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) was a significant partner in encouraging this event to take place, and Georgia Organics worked with GDA and GRA to encourage participation from local growers. In addition, GDA is an official sponsor of the Georgia Organics 2008 Annual Conference and Local Food Guide—the first time Georgia Organics has ever received a financial commitment from the department. These accomplishments do not just happen. Every step of the way, Georgia Organics has been there, sometimes cheering, sometimes prodding, often organizing. I am proud to see our nonprofit maturing and becoming a more visible presence with our partners. We are grateful to our members, volunteers, growers, and friends for helping give shape to these new landscapes. To honor these achievements, I hope you will consider making a contibution to Georgia Organics, so we may continue as a strong voice for healthy foods and farms in 2008. Visit us online at www.georgiaorganics.org/join to make a donation, or to join the organization if you are not already a member. We look forward to another great year! See you at the Conference,

the DIRT

Alice Rolls

Executive Director

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Winter 2007-08

Buy Local Makes A Big Splash

Fall 2007 Events Draw Crowds by Suzanne Welander

any authors can’t read their own work well. Not Barbara Kingsolver. On September 20, Barbara and husband Stephen Kopp wowed an audience of over 1,000 at Emory University with their thoughtful reading from their latest bestseller. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle chronicles their family’s pursuit of an all-local diet for one year, and brought the quest for wholesome food to legions of fans not familiar with the concept. Kingsolver’s reading kicked off the ﬁrst annual

Barbara Kingsolver models the Georgia Organics Eat Local Celebration in latest Georgia Organics t-shirt. late September. Over 36 restaurants featured

products from the Georgia’s sustainable farming community on their menus—customers responded with gusto to servers who shared stories about their restaurant’s relationships with farms. Farmer sales increased; even Atlanta’s city council expressed their enthusiasm and issued a proclamation for the week.

Alice Waters signing books at the CDC

Lest anyone believe that this interest was fleeting, chef and author Alice Waters made a rare appearance in Georgia at the invitation of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) two months later. The standing-roomonly audience was inspired by her gentle description of a “delicious revolution” where the good food that is central to our survival—food that makes us healthier and brings us together—is a right.

Georgia Organics’ Judith Winfrey accepts the Eat Local Week proclamation. from the Atlanta City Council.

Later that same month, Georgia Organics executive director Alice Rolls introduced an audience of 200 to the delicious revolution as a panelist at The New Green, a discussion hosted by City of Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin. Also in November, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with Chef Patrick Gebrayel of the Dunwoody Country Club, hosted the Georgia Grown Food Show where over 50 producers and distributors exhibited to ﬂocks of interested chefs. Growers, producers, and distributors gathered more than just future sales leads with the culinary end-users, some took the ﬁrst step toward starting future relationships, to be forged over seed catalogues at later meetings. Says organizer Chef Gebrayel, “Just getting the Department of Agriculture, Georgia Organics, the Georgia Restaurant Association, the Atlanta Chef’s Federation all united in the same cause— making sure that we take care of our small and independent producers—was a great start.”

Farmer Chaz Holt: Bringing it Home

n November, Georgia Organics hired Charles “Chaz” Holt as Farmer Liaison for Emory Univeristy. Chaz will begin sourcing local and sustainable food for Emory’s campus food service in pursuit of their goal to procure 75% of campus food from local or sustainably grown sources by 2015. A native Georgian, Chaz recently returned to his family’s farm in Kingston, Georgia from Joliet, Montana where he ran an organic farm supply business, started a farmers’ market, and served as agricultural innovation coordinator for his area, providing growers with marketing and ﬁnancial assistance, and helping them sell product to local restaurants and stores. “Chaz brings strong organic farming skills, as well as handson experience gained in Montana where he participated in building infrastructure for a local food system,” said Alice

Winter 2007-08

Rolls, Executive Director of Georgia Organics. “He has worked on both sides of the agricultural world— organic and conventional—and brings those unique perspectives as we work to encourage more local farmers to grow using sustainable methods.” Holt Heritage Farm began the transition to organic/sustainable production upon Chaz’s return with his wife Georgia and daughter Ellie. Their farm is on one of this year’s conference farm tours; see details on page 9. Stop in and welcome the family home!

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Quantum

Georgia Organics 11TH Annual Conference � Trade Show

ng Food an Taki d

Conference

s Back to the Futu m r r Fa

Leap

��

Georgia Organics 11th Annual Conference & Trade Show

February 28 - March 1, 2008 (Thursday-Friday-Saturday)

Sponsorships Georgia Organics would like to thank the following early-committing, top sponsors. Interested in being a conference sponsor, or donating to the Silent Auction? See page 12 for details.

Heirloom Tomato $5,000 +

magine a future where farm, family, and community values merge with sustainable innovation, and thriving family farms connect with consumers at school, at work, at play. At the Georgia Organics 11TH Annual Conference and Trade Show you’ll gather the tools, skills, and connections needed to take your food and farms into that future.

Selected Highlights for 2008:

P h o t o b y A n t h o ny - M a s

• More farm tours and educational sessions, many featuring nationally recognized speakers on sustainable farming, food systems, and traditional foods.

te r s

• The best food you’ve ever had at a conference! Chef Cathy Conway of Avalon Catering creates extraordinary meals that feature sustainably grown, organic food—much of it raised by the farmers in attendance. • The Children’s Program doubles as a Farmto-School track during Saturday’s concurrent sessions. See page 8 for details. • Sequatchie Cove Farm hosts a Pre-Conference Field Day, sharing their success reviving heritage livestock breeds. See page 7.

Les Dames d’Escofﬁer

Anyone with a passion for locally grown sustainable foods can attend. Growers, educators, chefs, food distributors, market managers, local food system advocates, and foodies alike join together to learn, network, and support each others’ efforts as together we make the Quantum Leap to Take Farms and Food Back to the Future!

Keynote Speaker George Siemon Sweet Potato $1,000 +

Destiny Produce Greenlife Grocery Organic Valley Sevananda Natural Foods Store Sodexho Team Agriculture Georgia USDA Risk Management Agency

Georgia Red Clay $500 + Sparkman’s Cream Valley

Track & Farm Tour Slow Food Atlanta Slow Food Chattanooga

ponsored by Sevananda Natural Food Store. Head of Organic Valley, the largest organic farmers cooperative in the country, George Siemon has been working side-byside with family farmers and consumers for 20 years. The company aims to be both organic and sustainable; in December, they were presented with Co-op America’s Green Business Leader of the Year award. “The social aspect of a conscious consumer and the value of a family farm culture are the foundation of the cooperative,” says Siemon, himself an organic farmer. It’s not just lip service. When pressured by WalMart to drop their prices, Organic Valley withdrew their product rather than compromise their standards. Georgia Organics is delighted to welcome Siemon as the keynote speaker for the 2008 conference. the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Winter 2007-08

Highlights

Quantum Leap: Taking Food and Farms Back to the Future

Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center, Dalton, GA

Conference Schedule at a Glance

Seed Saving

Thursday, 10am-3pm (ET) Pre-Conference Field Day at Sequatchie Cove Farm Registration Opens in Dalton February 28 6 pm

Registration Opens Breakfast, with Welcoming Remarks and Georgia Organics Membership Meeting 9 am–12:15 pm Concurrent Sessions 12:15–2:15 pm Lunch, with “Finding Food in Farm Country,”

ricket Rakita of the Saving Our Seed Project hosts this seed exchange for conference attendees. Seed saving and plant exchanges are key steps to regional self-determination, preservation of genetic diversity, and selection of regionally adapted and improved varieties. Bring your seeds to share, and make sure you label each seed or plant variety with species and variety name, original source if known, saver’s name, geographic place where grown, growing methods (organic or conventional), and any comments on the variety’s features, advantages, ornamental or craft uses, etc. Include information you have on the heritage of the seed. (www.savingourseed.org)

2:15–5:30 pm

Silent Auction

7 pm 8:30 pm

Networking Supper in Dalton King Corn Film Screening

Registration Opens Friday, 7 am 8 am-12 noon In-Depth Workshops February 29 12 noon–1 pm 1–5 pm 5:30–7 pm 7–9:30 pm

Box Lunch (for In-Depth Workshop attendees only) Farm Tours Organic Banquet Reception Organic Banquet, Awards, and Keynote Address by George Siemon

Saturday, 7 am March 1 7:30-8:45 am

a presentation by Ken Meter of the Crossroads Resource Center

Concurrent Sessions

Note: Conference schedule and sessions are subject to change.

Conference Scholarships

cholarships are once again avialable to new and transitioning organic and sustainable farmers through the continued generous participation of the Risk Management Agency (RMA) of the USDA and our new scholarship sponsor, Team Agriculture Georgia (TAG). We actively seek to serve minority, women, limited resource, and underserved farmers through the scholarship program, which will cover a signiﬁcant portion of conference tuition. For information and an application contact Karen Adler at 404.633.4534 or karen@georgiaorganics.org. Applications can be downloaded from www.georgiaorganics. org/conference/app.php. Completed applications must be submitted by January 25. Winter 2007-08

id on sustainable and organic goodies and growing supplies, including a year’s supply of organic milk from Organic Valley! See page 12 for details on donating.

King Corn Film Screening

feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast food nation. In King Corn, two best friends from an east coast college move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. An entertaining escapade ensues as the two raise a bumper crop of America’s most subsidized commodity. But when they try to follow their crop into the food system, what they ﬁnd raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm.

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Receive the Gift of Health Fresh Organic Produce all season!

Everyone Can Shop, Anyone Can Join! www.sevananda.coop to learn about co-ops

��

Adams-Briscoe Seed Company “The ABCʼs of Buying Seed” 325 E. Second St. / P.O. Box 19 Jackson, GA. 30233-0019

Since 1946 Adams-Briscoe Seed Company has been serving agriculture and the seed industry with all types of seeds, many of which are difficult to locate elsewhere. We stock all types of seeds for cover crops, forages, erosion control, wildlife enhancement, vegetables, land reclamation and other uses. As a dealer for National Garden Wholesale we also supply a good assortment of organic fertilizers and plant protection products. Please contact us for a seed and product list. You may visit our website at www.ABSEED.com

Phone: (770) 775-7826 FAX:(770) 775-7122 E-Mail : ABSEED@JUNO.COM Jimmy Adams Mail Orders Welcome * Credit Cards Accepted Greg Adams

PRE-CONFERENCE FIELD DAY at SEQUATCHIE COVE FARM Thursday, February 28, 2008

10AM–3PM ET, 9AM–2PM CT • $50 for Georgia Organics members, $70 for non-members (advance registration)

sustainable farm of 300 acres nestled in the Cumberland Plateau, Sequatchie Cove Farm is a highly diversified farming operation that focuses on preserving heritage breeds of livestock while inspiring young people to embrace farming as a living. Run by Bill and Miriam Keener along with their extended family and interns, Sequatchie Cove produces grass-ﬁnished beef, heritage pork, and pastured eggs. In addition, the farm runs a CSA, supplies produce to area restaurants and families, grows shiitakes, runs a

U-pick berry operation, and operates The Dancing Fern, an extensive, on-farm native plant nursery. Sequatchie Cove Farm is home to a small herd of the nearly extinct Milking Devon cows, known for their high quality cream, milk, and meat. The ﬁeld day will focus on holistic farming with heritage breeds: production; marketing; food storage; how rotational grazing supports vegetable production; working with interns to transition farm management responsibilities; and how you make a living as a farmer. Followers of biodynamics, the farming decisions consider the interrelated health of the land, water, air, livestock, and people. Remember to wear your boots for the farm walk. Lunch is included. This event will sell out early. Register now to reserve your spot!

WORLD-CLASS SPEAKERS This year’s conference roster features these prominent, nationally recognized speakers in addition to George Siemon, the self-proclaimed C-E-I-E-I-O of Organic Valley.

Alex Hitt: Over the past 26 years, Alex Hitt and his wife Betsy have developed a thriving operation at Peregrine Farm, near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Known for their many varieties of vegetables and cut flowers, Alex and Betsy have applied their skills and innovative thinking in planning, growing, and marketing that have allowed them to find the balance in sustainable farming that benefits the environment while achieving profitability and a good quality of life. Long-time leaders in the sustainable agriculture community, Alex and Betsy were named 1995 Small Farmers of the Year by N.C. State A & T University, Farm Stewards of the Year in 1995 by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, and in 2006 received the Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture. Amy Evans is the oral historian for the Southern Foodways Alliance, an affiliated institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. In recognition of her documentary work, Food & Wine magazine named Amy one of the “most fearsome talents” in the culinary world. Her work has twice been recognized by the Mississippi Historical Society and is featured in the Southern Arts Federation’s online Winter 2007-08

archive. An exhibiting painter and former art Minnesota and the John F. Kennedy School educator, she is co-founder of PieceWorks, of Government at Harvard. a non proﬁt arts and outreach organization serving the Deep South. Sandor Ellix Katz, from Liberty, Tennessee, Karen Bastow, Assistant to the is a fermentation revivalist, President of the Square Foot Gardening activist, and author who travels (SFG) Foundation, directs and is involved widely, teaching and sharing with international SFG humanitarian projects fermentation skills. His books around the world, particularly in Kenya. She are Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, assisted in writing and editing the All New and Craft of Live-Culture Foods and The Square Foot Gardening book, and is a popular Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside speaker and teacher of Square Foot Gardening America’s Underground Food Movements. nationwide. Mother of six and grandmother of two, Karen lives in Utach. Tracy Lerman, Policy Program Assistant of the Ken Meter, president of Organic Farming Research Crossroads Resource Center Foundation, has over seven in Minneapolis, has 36 years years experience as a political experience in community organizer for environmental capacity building as a and social justice campaigns. researcher, journalist, and Before joining OFRF, Tracy coordinated the educator. His pioneering studies Finding California based Genetic Engineering Policy Food in Farm Country and Neighborhood Alliance, and prior to that was the Senior Income Statement and Balance Sheet have Organizer for the Public Citizen’s Food helped spark local development in rural and Agriculture Campaign. Tracy, who and urban locales across the country. His lives in California, has organized campaigns economic analysis draws extensively upon for higher education, voter registration, the wisdom of those who live and work global warming, and water rights and has in the communities he investigates. He coordinated trainings, education events and has taught economics at the University of rallies for students and activists. the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

IN-DEPTH WORKSHOPS • Friday, February 29, 2008 8:30 am - noon Registration fee for workshops includes lunch. Workshop 1: Whole Farm Planning: Business Aspects of Operating a Farm With Alex Hitt, Peregrine Farms. Whether you are just starting out or have been at it awhile, this workshop will help you get your farm headed in the right direction. From farm design and infrastructure development through crop planning and rotations, and all the way to marketing, learn what has worked for over 25 years at Peregrine Farm. Alex will share the concepts and tools that have made them successful and happy.

Workshop 2: Square Foot Gardening

With Karen Bastow, Square Foot Gardening Foundation. Just what is it about Square Foot Gardening that has motivated over a million and a half book buyers and a national television audience of over 50 million to use this new gardening concept? Learn this uniquely simpliﬁed gardening method that concentrates production into one-ﬁfth the gardening space, and eliminates weeding, digging, and tilling while conserving water—all with no need for fertilizer or pesticides.

Workshop 3: Undercover Farming

With Jane Hoehaver and Jan Garrett of Auburn University, and Melanie Hernandez of Youngs Mill Farm. What makes a healthy organic greenhouse? This workshop blends academic research with live production perspectives in discussing pest management using beneficial insects and trap crops, commercial potting soil mixes, soil and plug tray selection, and light, water, and nutrient management. Get an overview of growing quality field transplants that increase yields and farm profitability.

Workshop 4: Medicinal Plants:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know (But No One Would Tell You) With Randy Beavers, OrganiPharm/Sleepy Hollow Farm, Robin Suggs of Moonbranch Botanicals, & a panel of growers. Medicinal plants have potential to improve your physical and fiscal health. Workshop topics include plant identification, ethical wildcrafting, and methods of preparation and use, in addition to commercial plant production issues including organic growing practices and value-added product development. Learn ways growers can work together cooperatively to significantly enhance their profitability.

Slow Food Track and Farm Tour Slow Food (www.slowfoodusa.org) envisions a future food system based on the principles of high quality and taste, environmental sustainability, and social justice—in essence, a food system that is good, clean, and fair. A conference ﬁrst, Georgia Organics is partnering with Slow Foods Atlanta, who is sponsoring a track of educational sessions on Saturday. The Slow Food Chattanooga convivium hosts Friday’s Chattanooga: From Farm to Plate farm tour. For more info see page 9.

NEW! CHILDREN’S PROGRAM & FARM-TO-SCHOOL TRACK

Saturday, March 1, 2008 • 9am - 5:30pm Connecting children with food, farms, and nutrition: the Children’s Program meets Farm-to-School in this ﬁrst-ever Georgia Organics Farm-to-School Children’s Program! Kids are the primary focus of this concurrent session track, and adults registered for Saturday’s educational sessions will also be accommodated. Kids ages 5-12 will explore the journey of food through interdisciplinary activities in art, music, science, and nutrition. Activities include: creating food art; cooking and eating delicious snacks with local ingredients; learning 8

and singing songs; critter investigations; and much more! Kid’s registration in the Children’s Program includes their Friday evening Organic Banquet and Saturday’s meals and educational sessions. A limited number of adult participants interested in learning fun, farm-based children’s activities will observe, leaving with information on how to incorporate these activities into their farm-to-school programs. See the concurrent sessions on pages 10-11 for a description of each lesson, and join in the fun!

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Winter 2007-08

FARM TOURS • Friday, February 29, 2008 • 1 - 5 pm Farm tour registration does not include lunch.

Grab your boots and choose from four different farm tours this year. Due to the increased cost of gasoline, each tour is subject to a minimum number of registrations. Buses will depart the conference facility promptly at 1:10 PM; no private vehicles permitted on the tours.

Farm Tour 1: Big Farm, Little Farm Riverview Farms

The largest diversiﬁed, certiﬁed organic farm in Georgia, 150 acreplus Riverview has been operated by the Swancy family for over 30 years. Riverview produces grass-fed beef and pastured Berkshire pork sold to restaurants and at area farmers’ markets, and over 30 varieties of vegetables sold through a 250-member CSA. With detailed attention to soil quality, animal husbandry, grass production, and diverse crops, their goal is to enrich the farm by working with the mutually dependent functions of soils, grasses, and animals.

Etcetera Farms

Utilizing intensive growing methods in raised beds and terraces, Chad McKinney operates a one-man market garden that supports a small 15-member CSA. Recently, the farm shifted emphasis to cold season growing, providing fresh local produce at a time when many farms are dormant. A landscape architect by training, Chad focuses on aesthetics as well as sustainability, and his gardens are often praised as much for their attractiveness as their productivity.

Farm Tour 2: Medicinal Herb Production Sleepy Hollow Farm

Sleepy Hollow Farm, located just outside of Dalton, is a small, family-run operation dedicated to providing high quality, sustainably produced herbs and made-on-the-farm herbal products. Randy and Cindi Beavers and their family produce premium quality medicinal herbs selectively hand-harvested from the forest ﬂoor and sunny meadows of their certiﬁed organic farm. Sleepy Hollow Farm is a founding member of the Institute of Nutraceutical Research at Clemson University, and their leadership in the area of medicinal plant production has been recognized by the USDA through four awards from the Small Business Innovation Research Program.

Farm Tour 3: Organic Greenhouse Production Plus Youngs Mill Farm

Youngs Mill Farm is a certified organic greenhouse operation specializing in potted herbs and vegetable transplants and plugs. Melanie Hernandez, owner and grower, began the company in 2003 with a desire to offer home gardeners an organic choice for their gardens. Last year, greenhouse offerings were expanded to include certified organic field transplants for small- and medium-sized organic farmers in the Southeast.

Holt Heritage Farm

Holt Heritage Farm is a 100-acre, 100-year old family farm that began transitioning to organic/sustainable production in 2006. The yield from the farm’s ﬁfteen acres of sustainable vegetable and fruit production (and a few dozen laying hens) is sold to U-pick customers, at a farm market store, and to local chefs and co-op CSAs. Future growth plans include grass-fed beef, goats, and hogs. The farm includes a store that sells exclusively organic growing supplies, stocking all of the crop and living inputs needed for organic farming.

Farm Tour 4: Chattanooga: From Farm to Plate

Sponsored by Slow Foods Atlanta & Slow Foods Chattanooga Crabtree Farms, Niedlov’s Breadworks, Greenlife Grocery, 212 Market Restaurant

We’ll take you on a behind-the-scenes tour at a few of Slow Food Chattanooga’s favorite spots! First, the farm: Crabtree Farms was formed in 1998 as a research and educational project promoting sustainable agriculture. Next, we’ll stop in at Niedlov’s Breadworks, Chattanooga’s only organic bakery for a chat with the baker and a sampling of their beautiful loaves. It’s on to the brand-new, LEED-certiﬁed Greenlife Grocery, 30,000 square feet of retail space focused on locally grown foods, including an in-store beehive. Finally, we’ll peruse and have a sample of the menu at 212 Market Restaurant, Tennessee’s only greencertiﬁed restaurant and a proud customer of local sustainable growers. Winter 2007-08

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

CONCURRENT SESSIONS • FRIDAY • 9 am - 5:30 pm TRACK F So You Want to be a Sustainable Farmer - Get a leg up by learning about sustainable and organic farming from some of the Southeast’s foremost experts. TRACK P Sustainable Production - Take your farm or garden to the next level by exploring some of the most vital foundations of sustainable agriculture. TRACK C Consumer and Urban Ag - Support sustainable farming in your neighborhood and community, and learn how your own backyard landscape can support you!

SESSION A 9:00 - 10:30 am

TRACK M Business & Marketing - Increase income in 2008 by using these tools and information to strengthen your operation’s marketing power.

F “A Day in the Life” of a Successful Organic/Sustainable Farmer. Alex Hitt, Peregrine Farms. Alex sheepishly tells his customers, “You know farm life is really not that hard.” With a look at their typical days, weeks, and seasons, see how Alex and Betsy Hitt of Peregrine Farm have structured their farm to keep themselves from wearing out and maintain their enthusiasm about farming. P Biodynamics and Farm Soil Health with Jeff Poppen, Long Hungry Creek Farm, Red Boiling Springs, TN. Long Hungry Creek Farm has been producing 50,000 pounds of biodynamic vegetables for 20 years using old-time farming methods. Jeff will explain how the farm’s soil health is built and maintained. Jeff will also discuss and make biodynamic preparations. C Building Community in Support of Sustainable Agriculture. Learn how over 55 diverse businesses and community groups with a shared vision of creating a healthier, more just, and sustainable food system came together to form the Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee. The session includes a panel discussion, strategies for uniting diverse stakeholders, and a hands-on activity for identifying needs and interests within your community food project. M A Co-Op Starter Kit. George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley and Bill Harris, President of Cooperative Coffees, and Mikhiela Sherrod, of the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative, join with co-op leaders from around the state to discuss co-op nuts and bolts, and share the lessons they learned the hard way. An inspiring and empowering workshop for anyone interested in organizing or participating in a cooperative enterprise, workshop participants will be offered time to pose questions to the panel. L Transitioning to Sustainable Production. Carter Swancy established Riverview Farms in 1975, using conventional methods to raise his livestock. The farm transitioned to organic methods in 1997; now, livestock is grass-fed, and supplemented with forage grown on the farm—which Carter says is the only sustainable method in times of extreme drought. Carter and his three sons are all involved in the production of heritage breeds of beef, pork, grains, and vegetables. S Fermentation for Health, Preservation, and Added-Value, with Sandor Katz. Fermentation is as ancient as agriculture itself. Learn about the history and cultural importance of fermentation and how farmers are using fermentation to add value to what they grow. This workshop will include a demonstration of simple methods for fermenting vegetables and an opportunity for participants to ask questions about fermentation techniques.

SESSION B 10:45 am - 12:15 pm

K I Like Bread & Butter. This hands-on session will have kids rolling up their sleeves to make delicious southern bread and homemade butter. During the baking and feasting, children will discuss where ingredients came from, how they arrived on our table, and why it’s important to eat healthy. Local jams will be integrated, as well.

F What Organic Is About. Daniel Parson of Gaia Gardens will give an overview of the principals and philosophy guiding organic farming, and describe the benefits for the farmer and the community. P Organic Grain Production in the Southeast. Kenny and Ben Haines, Looking Back Farm, Tyner, NC. Kenny Haines and his son Ben farm 350 acres of organic grain and soybeans in North Carolina, selling both feed-grade and food-grade crops to regional buyers for premium prices. They’ll share their twenty years of experience at Looking Back Farm and offer tips on successful production and marketing. C Unleashing Your Self-Sustaining Landscape with Lindsey Mann of Sustenance Design. This session focuses on the fundamentals of edible landscaping for the home gardener, including design, implementation and care of vegetables, fruit trees and shrubs. Optimal varieties for the Atlanta-metro region, methods of maintaining plant health, and other synergistic practices, such as rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse will be discussed. M Building Value with “Organic” with Theresa Marquez, Chief Marketing Executive from Organic Valley. Leverage organic sales and consumer trends in your farm’s marketing stratgegy, and hear results of recent scientific studies demonstrating benefits of organic food. L “Green” is the Secret to Success for Green Hill Dairy. Al and Desiree Wehner of Green Hill Dairy, founders of Sweet Grass Dairy. A pioneer among American dairies in adopting sustainable, New Zealand-style rotational grazing, Green Hill Dairy currently milks over 500 pastured cows, supplying milk to Sweet Grass Dairy. Al and Desiree will share secrets of their success—the grasses, irrigation methods, milking, distribution, and of course, the cows. S Preserving the Cultural Foodways of the South. In an effort to both preserve and celebrate our region’s rich culinary legacy, the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) documents Southerners who grow, create, serve, and consume food and drink. Amy Evans, oral historian for the SFA, will give a presentation on conducting fieldwork—highlighting many oral history interviews from the SFA archives—and the role documentary projects play in culinary tourism. K Critter Investigation & Planting Time. Children will explore what plants need to grow: sun, soil, water, and critters! Composting and vermiculture systems will be explored up-close-and personal, and children will have an opportunity to examine a variety of seeds and plant their own seeds for transplanting in the Spring.

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Winter 2007-08

Saturday registration includes breakfast and lunch. Advance registration for speciﬁc sessions is not required; pick one of the seven available tracks and follow it in depth, or mix and match to your liking that day. TRACK L Livestock - Cows, pigs, and chickens: learn from these experts on transitioning, grazing, and production. TRACK S Slow Food - Sponsored by Slow Food Atlanta, dive into each of these subjects and savor the backstory behind some of our most common foods. And as a special bonus, learn how you can bring your processed food products to market.

SESSION C 2:15 - 3:45 pm

TRACK K Children’s Program and Farm-to-School - Kids explore the journey of food through interdisciplinary activities. A limited number of adults observe, and in the process learn how to incorporate these activities into their the farm-to-school programs.

F Farming As A Profession. The average age of farmers is increasing, and fewer young farmers are entering the profession. Join Daron Joffe as he moderates a discussion exploring the challenges, barriers, rewards and incentives of choosing farming as a career with some of the state’s young emerging farm managers: Celia Barrs of Woodland Gardens, Daniel Parson of Gaia Gardens, Joe Reynolds of Glover Family Farms, and Paige Witherington of Serenbe Farms. P Farmscaping for Beneficials. John Ruberson, Professor of Entomology at UGA, Tifton. This session will review the ecology and behavior of the more common arthropod natural enemies of insect pests that occur in vegetable crops. Learn how to determine what those beneficial critters are doing in your garden or field, and the benefits and challenges of farmscaping to conserve these natural enemies of harmful pests. C Growing and Using Medicinal Herbs in the Home Garden. From seed starting to her favorite recipes for salve and lip balm, Ginger Kogelschatz of Shinbone Valley Farm covers the basics of growing, harvesting and using medicinal herbs in the home garden. Ginger will share a list of her favorite and easy to cultivate herbs, including the uses she is familiar with for each one. M You Can Build a Farm Website. This DIY workshop, led by Karen Smith of Longwood Plantation, will cover the basics of web hosting, design, and implementation for farmers. If you’re a farmer in need of a web presence, this will give you simple solutions for marketing your farm on the Internet. L Four Season Grazing. Bill Hodge, Hodge Common Sense Beef. This session will address the efficiency of multi-species grazing, how different species complement one another, forage varieties that are adaptable to the Southeast, and the relationship between animal species and forage varieties. S Adding Value to Farm Products—Jam, Jellies, Pickles, and Much More, with Mary Lou Surgi of Blue Ridge Food Ventures, a shared-use, valuedadded food processing facility in Asheville, NC. Are you a farmer or food entrepreneur interested in creating unique specialty food items with an emphasis on local? This session will discuss designing and marketing value-added food products, and the different types of products that can be safely and legally produced by farmers and food entrepreneurs with farm produce.

SESSION D 4:00 - 5:30 pm

K Veggie Art & Fruity Music. Kids will learn fun, interactive songs and play amusing food instruments made out of gourds, seeds, and other agricultural products. Children will also explore traditional agricultural songs from our region.

F Funding Support for Sustainable Farmers. Keecha Harris, Southern Coordinator for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute’s Producer Grantwriting Assistance Project, and John Perdew, an experienced grantwriter who has worked with extensively with nonprofits and farmers on funding projects will share information about grants and loans for farmers. Learn what programs might be available to you, along with practical information and resources on how to apply. P Soil Fertility 101 with Julia Gaskin, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, UGA, Athens. Soil fertility is the basis of organic production. This session will cover the basics of how soil texture, structure, nutrient status, and biology affect fertility. We will discuss soil tests and how to interpret them, sources of fertility, and general soil management, including recent research from organic production systems. Bring your soil samples and come prepared to get your hands dirty! C Making an Impact: Grassroots Activism for Organic and Sustainable Farms & Food, with Tracy Lerman of the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Farmers and consumers as individuals and in groups can have a huge impact on food and farm policies. This workshop will focus on the tools and resources for organic and sustainable farming advocacy. Successful efforts in other states and regions, as well as events from the 2007 Farm Bill, will be used as examples. M Emory University’s Pursuit of Sustainable Food. Emory University aims to procure 75 percent of its campus food from local or sustainably grown sources by 2015. Dr. Peggy Barlett from Emory University will outline the university’s Sustainable Food Initiative and unveil the new buying guidelines for food purchasing decisions. Chaz Holt, Emory’s Farmer Liaison, will discuss sourcing food from local producers and balancing the cost and supply constraints with sustainability criteria. L Pastured Poultry: From Field to Processing. Steve Skelton of Kentucky State University covers the basics of raising broilers on pasture, with a special emphasis on Kentucky’s solution to processing: a mobile abattoir system. Learn how Kentucky opened up the market for small-scale producers. S Just Like Your Mama (Should Have) Baked, with passionate baker Annie Stilwell and baker/writer Laura Martin. In this workshop, you’ll hear how to make a variety of yummy baked goods with organic natural sweeteners and whole grains. Learn about different sweeteners, whole grain flours, and how to substitute natural, organic products in place of white sugar and white flour. The presenters will share their favorite recipes using local produce, and there’ll be lots of tastings! K The Story of Food. Children will participate in an agricultural story-telling session. Afterwards, children will create and bind hand made books that tell the story of food with their own words and pictures.

Winter 2007-08

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

CONFERENCE MEALS The following meals will be served at the conference: Thursday supper in Dalton, Friday lunch (with registration for that morning’s In-Depth Workshops only), Friday’s Organic Banquet dinner, Saturday breakfast, and Saturday lunch. The Thursday supper requires a separate ticket, and is not included in Conference Package Pricing. See the Conference Schedule at a Glance on page 5, and the registration form (facing page) for details. With the exception of Friday lunch, meals are served buffet-style with ample vegetarian options. Those with additional dietary restrictions may want provide for their own needs.

SUPPORT THE 2008 CONFERENCE Exhibit at the Trade Show: Share your research, services, or products. In addition to a 10-foot wide exhibit space with a 6-foot table, exhibitors receive one registration for Friday’s lunch, and a full registration (meals and sessions) for Saturday. Exhibitor registration does not include the Organic Banquet, Farm Tours, In-Depth Workshops, or pre-conference events on Thursday, but exhibitors may register for these events at the Georgia Organics members’ rate.

Be a Sponsor: Sponsorship levels begin at $100, on up to $10,000 for presenting sponsorships. In addition to logo recognition and publicity, benefits include free conference registrations, exhibitor tables, and free ad space in the conference program. For a sponsorship package or additional information, contact Kristina Lefever at kristlclay@bellsouth.net or 770.565.1230, or pull a sponsorship package from our website at www.georgiaorganics.org/conference/spnosorship.php

Exhibit Fees:

Donate to the Silent Auction: Showcase your products, produce, or organic-

minded goods: it’s an exciting way to raise awareness while raising money that helps support the conference. Donations are tax deductible, and donors are listed in the conference program. Note your interest on your registration form, or contact Kristina Lefever at kristlclay@bellsouth.net or 770.565.1230. Donate Your Organic Produce and Products: Your harvest can be featured at the Organic Banquet! Contact Georgia Organics at 678.702.0400.

• $200 Farms and Nonprofit Organizations • $250 Georgia Organics Members • $350 Non-Members Exhibit hall opens to conference participants at 11:00am on Friday, February 28, and closes at 4pm on Saturday, March 1. Trade show exhibitors are acknowledged in the conference program. For more info, or to register as an exhibitor, contact Kim Cook at kacook3@netzero.net or 770.983.7785.

Volunteer Four Hours and Save $45! Volunteers help with set-up,

registration, clean-up, and other tasks, and receive $45 oﬀ thier Friday/Saturday registration fees. For more info, or to volunteer, contact Tammy Pharr at 770.773.7234, and mark your interest on your registration form.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

CHATTANOOGA

TENNESSEE

GEORGIA

Carpooling is encouraged, especially to the Pre-Conference Field Day at Sequatchie Cove Farm. Check the “general” category on the Growers Exchange at www.georgiaorganics.org to connect with other people interested in carpooling. ALAB

��

AMA

Driving Directions to Dalton From Chattanooga: Take I-75 South to Exit 333-Walnut Avenue, about 23 miles. At the light at the end of the exit ramp, turn right and travel .5 miles on Dug Gap Road; turn left into the Trade and Convention Center.

G GEOR

NORTHWEST GEORGIA TRADE & CONVENTION CENTER 2211 DUG GAP BATTLE ROAD • DALTON, GA 30720

DALTON

��

ATLANTA

From Atlanta: Take I-75 North to Exit 333-Walnut Avenue, about 86 miles. At the light at the end of the exit ramp, turn left and travel .6 miles on Dug Gap Road; turn left into the Trade and Convention Center. Camping Facilities Camping Facilities are available at Fort Mountain State Park, 181 Fort Mountain Park Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705. 706.695.2621. Located eight miles east of Chatsworth via GA Hwy 52 (take I-75 exit #333 toward US 411). Approximately 25 miles / 30 minutes from conference venue. Tent, trailer, RV sites.

Lodging in Dalton Ask for the special Georgia Organics Conference rate. Reservations must be made before January 28, 2008 to receive the discount rate. Best Western Inn, 2106 Chattanooga Road, Dalton, GA Jameson Inn, 422 College Drive, Dalton, GA 30720. 30720. 706.226.5022. Rate $54 plus tax for double. 706.281.1880. Rate $64.99 plus tax for king or double. Total renovation July 2007. Comfort Inn & Suites, 905 Westbridge Road, Dalton, Ramada Suites, 417 College Drive, Dalton, GA 30720. GA 30720. 706.259.2583. Conference rates from $84 706.217.6200. $64.95 plus tax for king or double. to $99 plus tax. Renovated Fall 2005. Courtyard by Marriott, 411 College Drive, Dalton, GA 30720. 706.275.7215. Rate $90 plus tax for king or double. Total renovation October 2006.

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Wingate Inn, 715 College Drive, Dalton, GA 30720. 706.272.9099. $74 plus tax for king or double. Under renovation; name changing to LaQuinta Inn & Suites. Winter 2007-08

Quantum

Georgia Organics 11TH Annual Conference � Trade Show

ng Food an Taki d

Back to the Fut s m ur Far

��

REGISTRATION • FORM

Leap

Register on-line by February 1 at www.georgiaorganics.org for a chance to win a Georgia Organics gift pack! Name _______________________________________________________Farm/Organization __________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________ City______________________ State _______ Zip ________ County_______________________ Phone ___________________ E-mail __________________________________________________

CONFERENCE PACKAGE PRICING: Includes all Friday and Saturday events. Note: Does not include Thursday Networking Supper and Pre-Conference Field Day.

GO Member By Feb 1 $175

After Feb 1 $200

Non-Member By Feb 1 $230

After Feb 1 $265

Indicate your farm tour and in-depth workshop choices below By Feb 1 After Feb 1 By Feb 1 After Feb 1 T h u r s d a y Pre-Conference Field Day at Sequatchie Cove Farm $50 $65 $75 $70 Networking Supper & Film Screening in Dalton $20 $20 $25 $25 F r i d a y

Totals: $ _______

INDIVIDUAL EVENT PRICING

$ _______ $ _______

In-Depth Workshop w/lunch (pick one)

Workshop 1 Workshop 2 Workshop 3 Workshop 4

$35 $35 $35 $35

$40 $40 $40 $40

$45 $45 $45 $45

$50 $50 $50 $50

$ _______ $ _______ $ _______ $ _______

Farm Tours (pick one)

Farm Tour 1 Farm Tour 2 Farm Tour 3 Farm Tour 4

$35 $35 $35 $35

$40 $40 $40 $40

$45 $45 $45 $45

$50 $50 $50 $50

$ _______ $ _______ $ _______ $ _______

$30

$40

$ _______

$95

$110

$125

$135

$ _______

Reception & Organic Banquet S a t u r d a y Educational Sessions (includes breakfast & lunch)

Cancellation Policy: Georgia Organics will issue refunds, less a $10 processing fee, for cancellations made by 5 pm ET, February 20, 2008. No refunds issued after that date. Substitutions are encouraged.

P a y m e n t

Children’s Program (for kids) Includes Friday Banquet & Saturday Educational Sessions ($20 Members/$30 Non-Members, price is per child) Qty _______ Names/Ages: __________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Georgia Organics Membership Please complete form on back of newsletter and attach Exhibit/Trade Show - Includes Friday Lunch $200 farm/non proﬁt, $250 member, $350 non-member Sponsorship, Donation, and Volunteer Opportunities Conference Sponsorship $100 and up Silent Auction: Yes, I’d like to donate. List Item(s) _______________________________________________ Conference Volunteer: Yes, I’d like to contribute 4 hours of volunteer time. (subtract $45 from Friday/Saturday registration cost) Yes No Is this your ﬁrst Georgia Organics Annual Conference?

$ _______

$ _______ $ _______

$ _______

– $ ______

I n f o r m a t i o n

____ Check Enclosed (Payable to Georgia Organics, Inc. ) Check # _______ ____ Credit Card (VISA, Mastercard, and Discover accepted)

Total: $__________

Cardholder’s Signature __________________________________ Cardholder’s Name __________________________________ Billing Address (if diﬀerent than above) _____________________________________________________________________________ Acct # ________________________________________________________ Exp Date _________________________________

MAIL completed form to Georgia Organics Annual Conference, P.O. Box 8924, Atlanta, GA 31106. Questions? Contact Judith Winfrey at judith@georgiaorganics.org or 678.702.0400.

Ask your garden center about Mr. Natural速 & PermaTill速 soil products: Mr. Natural CLM Complete Landscape Mix

Six ingredients perfectly pre-mixed and specifically designed for growing a wide variety of plants in our Georgia clay soils.

Mr. Natural WSM Woodland Soil Mix

Pre-fixed planting soil formulated for plants that grow best in acidic soils, such as rhododendron, azaleas, camelias, gardenias, ferns and most native shade garden plants.

Mr. Natual Hen Manure Compost

Contains one of the highest nutrient levels of any commercial domesticated animal manure. It is fully composted...nonburning and absolutely no manure odor.

Mr. Natural Worm Castings

Rich soil amendment for plants that prefer acidic soils. Excellent top-dressing for containers, native and shade perennials and houseplants.

PermaTill One Time

Permanently restores gaps and pore spaces in compacted soils so that air, water and roots move freely for better drainage, aeration and deeper root systems.

Complete Landscape Mix (CLM) Hen Manure Compost

Woodland Soil Mix (WSM)

Worm Castings

Permatill速

Mr. Natural is a registered trademark of Itsaul Natural. PermaTill is a registered trademark of Stalite PermaTill.

Advancing Organic Agriculture in Georgia by Carl F. Jordan and Jason Mann

es Jackson of the Land Institute likes to say, “Organic agriculture today is where the Wright brothers were in 1903.” We might add that organic agriculture in Georgia is where the Wright brothers were in 1899. This is simply a metaphor for the tremendous opportunity for innovation and advancement that lies ahead. Today there are many within Georgia’s university system carrying out research on various aspects of organic agriculture. Many individual farmers have developed on-farm systems of adaptive management. And Georgia Organics has developed an effective system for statewide outreach. However, with rapid growth, coordinating and prioritizing efforts inevitably becomes more and more difﬁcult. For example, several years ago at the Georgia Organics conference at Georgia Southern University, a variety of researchers and farmers participated in a session where they offered their opinions as to what research should be undertaken. There was a lot of excitement, yet little agreement. Everyone had his or her own priorities, and as a result, it was difﬁcult to base a coordinated program on the result. At the 2008 Georgia Organics conference in Dalton, Georgia Organics, the Agroecology Laboratory, and the University of Georgia Sustainable Agriculture Program will host “Managing the Southeastern Organic Farm.” This invitation-only, intensive workshop will bring together a hand-picked diverse group of regional stakeholders to partake in a dialogue with the goal of generating broad consensus regarding the highest priority problems facing organic farmers in Georgia, and what research is needed to overcome these problems. Winter 2007-08

The workshop will initially consist of four focus groups: two groups of experienced organic farmers, one group of agricultural researchers, and one group of extension agents. Each group will come up with a list of three to ﬁve of the most pressing problems in organic agriculture, along with recommendations on the research needed to overcome these problems. Then, the four groups will come together and with the help of an experienced facilitator, develop a prioritized list that will be the basis of a proposal from the University of Georgia to establish a program to coordinate and fund research, education, and outreach in organic agriculture in the state of Georgia. With the ever-increasing demand for organic foods catalyzing an unprecedented demand for organic farmers, it is critical to have the organizational infrastructure in place to deliver ﬁrst-rate education and research. The workshop to be held during the conference in Dalton will be an important step towards satisfying those demands. Dr. Jordan is a Professor in the E.P. Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia. For 40 years he has studied nutrient cycles in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Jason Mann is a biodynamic farmer, social/environmental entrepreneur, agroecological researcher, and community organizer. He is the farm manager of the University of Georgia’s Agroecology Laboratory and founder/farmer of Full Moon Cooperative and farm255.

This article is the last in a series of three. Previous articles in the series ran in the Summer and Fall 2007 issues of this newsletter, and can be downloaded from www.georgiaorganics.org/about_ us/newsletters.php

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Georgia Organics Program Update & Accomplishments (July 2007 - December 2007)

In 2007, Georgia Organics hosted 10,635 people at 94 educational events and reached more than 225,000 growers and citizens in its outreach initiatives. The following is an overview of organizational programs and activities from the past six months. CONFERENCE Details are finalized for the 2008 Annual Conference to be held February 28-March 1 in Dalton. George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley, will join other respected national and local speakers on educational topics for both farmers and consumers. We expect a crowd of over 500 people. GROWER EDUCATION Farmer Mentoring & Outreach - Twelve mentees are finishing their year-long participation in our hands-on farmer-tofarmer mentoring program. Two in-depth workshops were held (Business Planning for Small-Scale Producers and How to Get Certified Organic) and five other educational sessions were held with partners: 1) Getting Started in Flower Production, and Basics of Organic Vegetable Production with the African American Family Farmers; 2) Introduction to Organic Growing with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives; 3) Organics: Introduction to Production and Marketing with North Georgia Technical College, and 4) Introduction to Organic Production and Marketing, and The Buy Local Food Movement with Team Agriculture Georgia. Organic Production of Southern Commodities - Georgia Organics is completing the second year of a twoyear EPA funded project to promote organic production of three key southern commodities: peanuts, Vidalia onions and blueberries. Working groups were formed for each of the commodities and field days were held for producers. Since the beginning of the grant period, organic and transitional acreage has tripled overall for these three commodities, from approximately 145 acres to nearly 513 acres, with further growth expected in 2008. Training Cooperative Extension - Georgia Organics supported a grant submission by UGA’s College of Agriculture to create a two-year extension training program on sustainable agriculture. An extension 16

training meeting will also be held on February 29, in conjunction with the Georgia Organics annual conference. Curriculum Development - This fall, educator Lynn Pugh taught organic growing to another class of students, based on GO’s Introduction to Organic Farming curriculum. The course will be taught again in 2008. In December, Georgia Organics received a grant to develop a new and improved second edition to the curriculum. FARM TO INSTUTITION Chaz Holt was hired by Georgia Organics in October to serve as a Farmer Liaison for Emory University and begin sourcing local and sustainable food for their campus food service. This newly created, year-long position is a result of a unique partnership between Georgia Organics and Emory University, and is jointly funded by Emory’s Office of Sustainability Initiatives and Emory Campus Dining. URBAN AGRICULTURE Farm to School - More than 70 people attended GO’s first Farm-to-School Workshop at E Rivers Elementary School (Atlanta Public Schools). Farm-to-School Volunteer Coordinator Erin Croom coordinated the event with Board President Barbara Petit. The workshop received an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 from participants. From this event, a Farm-toSchool Network was established and a bi-monthly eNewsletter was launched. Georgia Organics also held meetings with Cascade Elementary School in southwest Atlanta and secured project support from the Mendez Foundation to launch a new on-site garden. Georgia Organics has also been invited to be on a regional farm-toschool steering committee that is being coordinated through Kellogg Foundation funding nationwide. Faith, Farms, and Foods - A volunteer work day and raised bed workshop were held at the Church of the Holy Comforter in East Atlanta. Georgia Organics received a $5,000 grant from Heifer International to support irrigation needs, build raised beds, and expand the existing garden at this church, which serves mentally disabled individuals. Atlanta Local Food Initiative - Georgia Organics continues to serve as co-chair for

Georgia Organics’ Director Alice Rolls (near left) and GO Board President Barbara Petit accept the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s $20,700 check from Terry Coleman (far left) and Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

this broad-based coalition and is developing a proposal that defines a sustainable food vision for the metro-Atlanta area. Community Gardens - In July 2007, the Atlanta City Council approved policies, written by a former Georgia Organics board member, to allow new community gardens to be established on city park land. CONSUMER OUTREACH AND EDUCATION Buy Local Campaign - I’m a Local branding was created with the professional firm, Iconologic. Templates for point of sale materials, produce stickers as well as personalized banners for 40 farmers’ markets in the state were distributed. To celebrate the launch of the buy local branding, Georgia Organics organized and publicized a statewide Eat Local Week September 20-30, partnering with 36 restaurants, hosting five events, and collaborating with groups in Athens and Savannah. Events, Tabling & Presentations - In 2007, Georgia Organics participated in 39 consumer and public outreach events, reaching a total audience of 6,777 people. Highlighted events from this fall include: An Evening with Barbara Kingsolver at Emory (1,100 attendees); Field of Greens at Whippoorwill Hollow Farm (600); Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe (600); and Alice Waters’ lecture and book signing at the CDC (350). Website - The website has logged over 104,000 visits in 2007 to date with an average of 300+ visits per day. ADVOCACY Raw Milk - Georgia Organics, the Weston Price Foundation, and dairy farmers successfully fought efforts by the Georgia

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Department of Agriculture to dye raw milk gray to discourage human consumption. 2007 Farm Bill - Georgia Organics has been working to educate consumers about the importance of the Farm Bill. The organization published a lead article on the Farm Bill in our 2007 spring newsletter, developed an organizational platform, met with Senator Chambliss’ office and developed a farm bill section on our website. In the summer, the organization sent out action alerts and partnered with restaurant chefs to raise awareness about the Farm Bill among their patrons. Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia Organics is working closely with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Restaurant Association to promote the Georgia Grown program. Georgia Organics helped advertise a Georgia Grown Food Show in November and participated in the event. The Georgia Department of Agriculture will also be providing support for Georgia Organics’ Annual Conference, Local Food Guide, and buy local initiatives in 2008. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Personnel - Judith Winfrey was hired this summer as our third full-time staff person, serving as as our Administrative & Membership Coordinator. The Personnel Committee has approved the hiring of a fulltime Philanthropy Coordinator for early 2008. Fundraising & Finance - This fall, Georgia Organics received grants from The Turner Foundation, The Wallace Genetic Foundation, the RFP Fund and an anonymous contributor. The organization continues to diversify funding to meet the growing demand. The 2008 budget has been drafted and approved, for a total of $550,000. Winter 2007-08

Georgia Organics Board Election for 2008

alling All Georgia Organics Members! Participate in our mission by casting your ballot for the organization’s board of directors. The Georgia Organics board is the core leadership team who, with their diverse backgrounds, knowledge, and skills, provides strategic direction and operational oversight for the organization. This year, ﬁve board positions are open. The nominating committee has secured the following slate of candidates, three of which are new to the organization. All members are encouraged to review the candidates’ bios and cast your yes or no vote either for the entire slate or for individual candidates on the response card enclosed in this newsletter (as mailed to members). Return ballots must be postmarked by February 15, 2008. New board members will be announced at the upcoming Georgia Organics annual meeting at the annual conference. If you have any questions, please contact Alice Rolls at 678.702.0400 or alice@georgiaorganics.org. Thank you for participating in the organization by making your voice heard. Return your ballot today!

George Boyhan, Ph.D. (incumbent) George is Associate Professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia, splitting his time between extension and research in Statesboro, and focusing much of his attention on Vidalia onions. He also serves as the statewide extension specialist responsible for commercial organic production. George has degrees in botany and horticulture and a PhD in plant pathology. He has worked extensively in the ornamental horticulture ﬁeld both in landscaping and greenhouse production and has research experience on watermelon viruses and host-plant resistance. George is a long-time member of Georgia Organics and has worked closely with the organization in several capacities over the last couple of years. In 2003, he served as the organization’s on-site coordinator for the Farmer/Research Roundtable, and more recently, he has been supporting outreach and protocols to produce Vidalia onions organically, thereby expanding production in the state. K. Rashid Nuri

K. Rashid Nuri provides overall executive and administrative leadership to Truly Living Well Natural Urban Farms (TLW). TLW acquires land in the metropolitan Atlanta area for the sustainable production of natural and organic food for distribution and sale in the local food economy. Mr. Nuri brings almost forty years of experience to TLW. Rashid lived and worked three years in Southeast Asia, ﬁve years in Nigeria and almost two years in Ghana. He has managed public, private, and community-based food and agriculture businesses in over 30 countries around the world. He now lends his experience to urban areas where good health and nutrition are lacking.

Rashid also served four years as a Senior Executive in the Clinton administration as Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Senior Advisor at the Department of Commerce. He is a graduate of Harvard College, where he studied Political Science and has a M.S. in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Massachusetts.

Daniel Parson (incumbent) An organic grower for nine seasons, Daniel Parson started organic farming in 1998 after graduating from Clemson University with a degree in biology. After college, he interned and worked for four years at Wildflower Organics in Dawsonville, GA, growing flowers, vegetables, and shiitake mushrooms. He returned to Clemson and received an M.S. in plant and environmental science while managing a two-acre organic student farm. Daniel now serves as the manager of Gaia Gardens, a five-acre, diverse organic market garden located at the East Lake Commons Co-housing in Decatur. Being an in-town farmer and selling through diverse markets has allowed Daniel to become actively involved in Georgia Organics and other efforts to promote a local food system. In the past year, he has supported Georgia Organics by organizing food donations for the 2007 conference, teaching shiitake growing and organic certification workshops, writing newsletter articles, and promoting the organization at every opportunity. Gina Hopkins

Gina Hopkins is co-owner of Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch Public House, and H&F Bread Co. in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers. Gina’s understanding of

where good food comes from was developed during her childhood where she grew up on a ten-acre farm outside of Nashville, Tennessee. She and her husband, Chef Linton Hopkins, have a deep commitment to supporting farms and artisan products. She helped found the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market as well as the organic garden at E Rivers Elementary, her children’s school. Gina is a co-chair of the Green Tables Initiative for the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames D’Escoﬃer International. She is also a proud member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and Slow Foods International.

Marco Fonseca

Marco Fonseca is the Extension Horticulturist and State Master Gardener Program Coordinator for the University of Georgia. Working with extension oﬃces statewide, over 2,600 master gardeners volunteer each year: providing advice, presenting clinics, installing landscaping for Habitat for Humanity homes, and growing food for the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry program. Marco, who lives in Tifton, brings a wealth of experience in agricultural teaching, and leadership. He served as the Associate Peace Corps Director in Honduras, where he received the Peace Corps Meritorious Honor Award. Other awards include Atlanta Olympic volunteer Award, MALTA Education Award, NACAA Distinguished Service/Achievement Award, and Extension Publication Award. He holds a BS in Agriculture from Cornell University, and an MS in Horticulture from the University of California, Davis.

NEW

Visit Johnnyseeds.com for over 230 organic seeds and supplies. Request your FREE 2008 catalog online or call us at 1-877- Johnnys.

Orga nic

(564-6697)

‘Touchstone Gold’ - Beet Winter 2007-08

Winslow, ME U.S.A.

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

#53128 17

A View of the Future with George Siemon • Cont’d from page 1 the Democratic-led Congress introduce some change. Unfortunately, only 35 percent of farmers benefit from commodity subsidies, and their states work hard at brokering votes with urban states. As a result, they are controlling the process, so we have commodity subsidies as usual. But, there is some good news. Certainly there is increased organic spending, and while we could jump up and down and say “hip hip hoorah” about that, it’s still not our fair share. But it’s certainly way overdue that we finally get more funds for either the NOP [National Organic Program], or research, or outreach. GO: Where do we go from here with the Farm Bill to capture the momentum we’ve accumulated and maintain it for the next five years? Siemon: The real issue now is the presidential election, and putting those same questions about ag policy and organics to the candidates. You don’t hear a lot of ag policy discussion going on in the debates. Ten, twenty years ago, farm issues used to be major issues—now they’re non-existent issues. How do we bring agriculture, and organic agriculture, to the presidential debate? I’m not totally discouraged on policy, but it’s definitely a slow train. I think we always have to fall back on consumer choices and the impact of how dollars are spent. The more we get consumers to realize how powerful they are and how important the choices they make are, the more we can educate them, and the faster we’ll be able to achieve the values we want. The government is a very slow train—you gotta drive a stake in the ground to see if you’re going anywhere. Consumer trends are really fast: look at Publix and some of the others and you’ll see that how quickly they’re reacting to organics is simply a reaction to consumers speaking up with their dollars. GO: In a 2006 interview, you commented “...farmers need a face in Washington DC. We may not think it’s necessary, but if you are not at the table, someone else will be.” Who is at the table? Are we seeing more farmers there? Siemon: There are certainly extra efforts to get farmers there. OFRF [Organic Farming Research Foundation] has done a good job of that. But overall, the Farm Bill is simply being driven by these commodities people. There was every kind of opportunity for change. Representative Ron Kind from my district put together a complete, comprehensive, sustainable-based farm bill and he didn’t get anywhere with it because they want to get down to these committee works where they’re going to horse-trade, which is exactly what is going on right now. I really liked what Michael Pollan said: It should be the Food Bill. Consumers need to see how this affects us. You know, they’re growing cotton [a crop that prefers a warmer climate] in northern Missouri now because of the subsides. Why are we encouraging more cotton production when we’re already overwhelmed with it and the price is being held up by the government? It simply doesn’t make sense, and is a real burden on our system. George Bush is against subsidies, which is really interesting. He really sees them as doomed. What we have now is just a matter of clinging to them. 18

GO: Who are the sustainable farmer’s greatest allies? Siemon: Consumers are always going to be first on the list. Then after that, it’s the NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations]. The [commodity] farmer groups are really not their first-in-line allies. They might be third or fourth, but the farm groups tend to be quite commodity-oriented and uptight about sustainable and organic because of negative claims. The wider ag community is still digesting organic and sustainable agriculture—they’re still chewing. They certainly realize that it’s here and it’s not going to go away, but they are still having a hard time with us making claims that we don’t use sprays, or this or that. They are still uptight about that. GO: Who are some of those organizations, for example? Siemon: Like the egg council, meat council, dairy council, all those different groups. I sit down with those people, we talk. They want to understand organics, they want us to not bash them, and that’s all cute—but the truth is that there’s a big, big social movement right now. You have people who are no longer willing to live by the FDA regulation system. People are starting to make their own choices, and are implementing a precautionary principle of saying, “Hey, it’s great that you think BGH [Bovine Growth Hormone] in milk is fine, and the FDA thinks it’s fine, but myself, I don’t want to take that risk. I want to be precautionary, and therefore, I’m not going to buy milk with BGH.” It’s no longer about hiding behind the FDA saying, “It’s safe, it’s safe.” Now the consumer is educated and making their own choices, and guess what: they don’t want to take the chance on BGH. That’s happening in every form of agriculture. If you go to the egg council, they are worried. They’ve got caged hens in horrendous conditions and they’re worried about the cage-free egg operations succeeding because that threatens their form of agriculture. We basically have one form of agriculture that’s gotten too industrial and they can defend themselves to death, but there are consumers now that say, “no thanks.” GO: Do these organizations represent some of the challenges to sustainable dairy farming from a regulatory standpoint? Siemon: Conventional ag groups have historically been part of almost blocking the success of organic and sustainable. But there’s a real shift going on now. They now see organics as something they have to represent, too. It may be slow and we still may be only 5 percent of their membership or 5 percent of their production, but still, they can no longer say, “This is a fad that’s going to come and go, and when we feel like it’s going to stay, we’ll engage in it.” Well guess what? It’s here now. GO: Are there any challenges to dairy farming that are specific to the Southeast? Such as climate? Siemon: Yes, that’s definitely a challenge. Of course, right now you’re having a drought; that’s really harmed our start-up in North Carolina. Our pioneering organic dairies there have been hit hard by the hot, dry weather. Also, in the South you have a

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Winter 2007-08

different kind of feed you can raise; you can’t raise as much alfalfa or clover hays as you like. And then you have parasite issues, and then there’s the heat of the summer. So you’ve got some pretty good challenges down there. We’re deﬁnitely ﬁnding the southern zone of the United States harder to do organic dairy in. We’re doing all we can to support our pioneering farmers through that.

GO: What is the secret to getting farmers to cooperate?

GO: Last April, Aurora Dairy, the largest organic dairy in the country, received notice from the USDA detailing numerous willful violations of federal organic law found by federal investigators. Do you want to comment on Aurora’s situation?

Getting people to cooperate needs to be a very functional thing— not only philosophical—where there’s a need, and you’re fulﬁlling that need. If you’re not fulﬁlling a need, then you’re not going to get people to cooperate, especially if they already have a system in place that works.

Siemon: It’s hard to talk people into a co-op because it takes work. It takes commitment. It takes leadership, and it’s kind of nice to not have to do all that and have some private company take care of your business. But sooner or later you’ll feel alienated from the marketplace. Understanding the marketplace is an important part of a co-op.

Siemon: I think that we have to watch out on a lot of this Unfortunately there’s quite a bit of anti-cooperative energy in these anti-big, anti-corporate sentiment in organics. These people United States. I always smile when I ask people who seem pretty are here now, and we need to figure out how to address down on co-ops, “When was the last time a private company did any our issues without making scandals anymore than we have good for you?” You would never expect them to do any good for to. We have to be cautious about thinking that things are you, but since the co-ops haven’t miraculously changed the world as all black or white. Pasture, for they promised, they’re viewed as worse example, is a very tough issue. than private companies. It’s unfortunate I have a pasture standard, and I ...we have to watch out on a lot of that there’s a history now that co-ops audit my farmers. But my farmers this anti-big, anti-corporate sentiment didn’t do their job. in Tennessee, they had a drought GO: What are you most proud of? that burned up their first crop of in organics. These people are here hay—their animals didn’t even get Siemon: An increasing part of our the first crop of hay, much less the pride is the workplace here—the now, and we need to figure out how pastures. We have to be cautious employees, and the excitement that to treat something like “pasture” have right here in this building. to address our issues without making we as a black or white issue. But what I’m the most proud of is clearly just being able to give hope Now, the large-scale dairies that scandals anymore than we have to. and bring economic sustainability to weren’t pasturing at all, they were family farms when without it, there’s simply breaking the law. The USDA no doubt that a lot of these farmers would have to quit. wasn’t doing their job, and that kind of goes back to getting more funding for the USDA. We can’t be anti-corporation; we have GO: In a 2002 interview, you stated “I’d like to see the United States to be pro-standards, and we have to cautious that we don’t get begin to treasure the great resource we have—our soil—and to overzealous with those standards so that we don’t end up harming treasure our rural agriculture.” How do we encourage this change? people who are trying to do good things. No matter what, we’re Siemon: The organic consumer is a rare person who is very eager still talking about farming—we still have droughts, and winter kill, to see their food dollars send a message back to the land. Hopefully, and things that just don’t go right. what Organic Valley is trying to do is have that message be something that goes back to the importance not only of caring for the land, but GO: In 1998 Organic Valley was recognized as “Wisconsin’s also the importance of family farm agriculture, and that gets to social Number One Best Rural Initiative” by then Governor Tommy and cultural considerations. Certainly organics is that way too, and Thompson. What benefits does a cooperative organization you see the local movement has a life all its own—all of these things offer as a strategy for rural growers? are indications of at least a small group of people turning back to Siemon: First of all, it’s an honest communication vehicle. Farmers look at how their lifestyle affects the earth. can be involved, and can find out why things are the way that they GO: Is there a role for urban agriculture in this process of are. Co-ops can educate people; they can provide an inclusive learning to value the land? process for understanding what it takes to get products from your farm gate to the selling point. Modern farmers need to be involved, Siemon: I am all for urban gardens and I think the ultimate to understand what the market wants, how they want it, and how relationship with food is gardening. It’s really about developing a relationship with food. I’d like to see people be involved in storing the farmer can maximize income and customer service. food—canning and freezing—and going out on the farm and buying Private companies carry the burden of value, and have to bulk food: going to the apple orchard and buying several bushels constantly deal with value. In other words, ‘My company is worth and making juice or cider. That’s part of valuing your food and two million dollars; how do I get a return on my money?’ Co- valuing your relationship to the earth. Some would say, “I can buy ops aren’t for sale, and are more of a community asset that’s really it at the grocery, the same organic stuff.” I’m trying to get people to about serving today’s and future generations. Building a heritage think about their own relationships with the earth. It’s an awesome for family farms of the future is an important part of it. thing to imagine for the future.

“

”

Winter 2007-08

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

UGA Names Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator

ncreasing their stake in organic agriculture, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences named Julia Gaskin Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator. Working with stakeholders throughout the state (including Fort Valley State University, Georgia Organics, and other groups), Ms. Gaskin hopes to develop new programs and link farmers with current research on issues such as local foods, grazingbased animal production, organic farming, direct marketing, and conservation tillage systems. Julia’s service to Georgia’s sustainable agriculture community has been significant. She has served as the Cooperative Extension state specialist for land application since 1998, providing technical information to support the beneficial reuse of agricultural byproducts in ways that are environmentally sound and agronomically effective. Additionally, she served for a number of years as the SARE State Coordinator for the University of Georgia, developing workshops on topics such as local foods, grass-fed ruminants, direct marketing of livestock products, soil quality, and benefits of conservation tillage systems, and coordinated sustainable agriculture farm tours. Under her leadership, the Georgia Model State Program is currently conducting a survey to document the attitudes and knowledge of fruit and vegetable farmers toward sustainable agriculture. Congratulations, Julia!

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Winter 2007-08

Growing Together with GO! Thank you to our new and renewing members, benefactors, and contributors! List compiled based on donations received between August 22, 2007 and November 15, 2007.

BENEFACTOR Iain Bagwell, Sandy Springs, GA Felecia Dawson, Atlanta, GA Persimmon Creek Vineyards, Clayton, GA REM Athens, Athens, GA The RFP Fund, Atlanta, GA Glen & Andrea Sarvady, Atlanta, GA The Turner Foundation Inc., Atlanta, GA The Wallace Genetic Foundation, Washington, DC SUSTAINER Ribbon Nutrition, Decatur, GA Buzz Rukin, Hohokus, NJ Yvonne Sarson, Decatur, GA Serenbe, Palmetto, GA Whole Foods Market, Atlanta, GA BUSINESS Ambos Seafood, Savannah, GA BB&T, Walton, GA Brick Store Pub, Decatur, GA Café Campesino, Americus, GA Fire & Flavor Grilling Company, Bogart, GA Georgia Restaurant Association, Atlanta, GA Heavner, LLC, Decatur, GA Les Dames d’Escoffier, Atlanta, GA Melissa Libby & Associates, Atlanta, GA Watershed, Atlanta, GA PATRON Agricultural Audits, Athens, GA Ana Bailie, Atlanta, GA Tucker Berta, Palmetto, GA Frederick Bradshaw, Atlanta, GA Virginia & Charles Brewer Foundation, Atlanta, GA Rita Bostick, Atlanta, GA Gabriel Diaz-Saavedra, Bradenton, FL Jim Grode & Julie Mayfield , Atlanta, GA Katie Hartley, Atlanta, GA * Sarah Howard, Tampa, FL Laura Martin, Atlanta, GA Ken Morneault, Watkinsville, GA Athena Penson, Cumming, GA Heather Schoenrock, Duluth, GA Springer Mountain Farms, Mt. Airy, GA FARM David & Amy Bentoski, D&A Farms, Zebulon, GA Andy & Hilda Byrd, Whippoorwill Hollow Farms, Covington, GA Kim Cook, Cook Family Farm, Clermont, GA Frank Corker, Smoky Hollow Farm, Cherry Log, GA David & Vicki Curtis, Villa Rica, GA Griff Eldridge, Athens, GA Payson Fields, Persimmon Hill Organic Farm, Taylorsville, GA Carolyn Flowers, Meigs, GA Maurice Hanson, Hanson Farms Nursery, Cumming, GA Will Harris, White Oak Pastures, Bluffton, GA Winter 2007-08

Lucy Jarrett, Malatchi Farm, Atlanta, GA Marlene Moss, Washington, DC Karen Mullinax, Monticello, GA Dale Myers, Hill Top Farm, Forsyth, GA Donald Pollard, King of Prussia, PA Liz Porter, Buckeye Creek Farm, Woodstock, GA Lynn & Chuck Pugh, Cane Creek Farm, Cumming, GA David Ridgeway, Ridgeway Christmas Tree Farm, Jackson, GA Elliott Shimley, Lee Farms, Griﬃn, GA Brennan Washington, Phoenix Gardens, Lawrenceville, GA Jeannie Wrightson, Bountiful Bohemian Farms, Crawfordville, GA FAMILY Susan & Doug Abramson, Atlanta, GA James Bradshaw, Atlanta, GA Lakey Boyd, Atlanta, GA Teresa Burk, Atlanta, GA Mark Chernesky, Stone Mountain, GA Judith Clements, Atlanta, GA Elizabeth Cooper, Knoxville, TN * Beverly Maria Cordova, Lansdale, PA John Eldridge, Flintstone, GA Shauna Farmer, Rome, GA Sarah Frierson, Athens, GA Frances Gatins, Clayton, GA Patrick Gebrayel, Marietta, GA Georgia Weston Price Foundation Rebecca Gilbert, Canton, GA Bill Grimes & Frank Brown, Tucker, GA Diane Harris, Marietta, GA Cynthia Hayes, Savannah, GA Stacey Johnson, Atlanta, GA Anke Larkworthy, Atlanta, GA * Robert Leedle, Newark, DE Kristina Lefever, Marietta, GA Liz Lorber, Atlanta, GA Tom McCracken, Oakwood, GA Nabiha Megateli Das, Dunwoody, GA Elizabeth Menger, Decatur, GA Jocelyn Muller, Arlington, MA Laura Northrop, Dunwoody, GA Jack Parson, Mt. Pleasant, SC Barbara Petit, Atlanta, GA Beverly Podwojski, Roswell, GA Rob Quick & Emma Perez, Atlanta, GA Fred Rossini & Ann Mahoney, Athens, GA Lenora Satterﬁeld, Marietta, GA Mary Shaltis, Atlanta, GA Janet Tomko, Atlanta, GA George Veneziale, Atlanta, GA Allen Waddell, Sparta, GA Ebe Walter, Thomasville, GA Buzz Wood, Cumming, GA Foster Yancey, Powder Springs, GA

More Than One Way to Give

There’s more than one way to give to Georgia Organics. In addition to becoming a member, you can: •Put a Little GO in Your Organic, Fair-Trade Coffee: Café Campesino offers a Georgia Organicsʼ blend that benefits Georgia Organics. Order at www.cafecampesino.com, or call 888.532.4728. •Give at the Office: Employees who work at companies who are members of Earth Share of Georgia can contribute to environmental causes through payroll contributions or direct gifts. Visit www.earthsharega.org. •Take GO to the Chapel: Be like Brigette Flood & David Leedle and designate Georgia Organics the recipient of fundraising at your charitable wedding. Visit www.idofoundation.org. •Join the Heirloom Society: Secure future generationsʼ access to healthy food and preserve family farming as a way of life by leaving a gift to Georgia Organics in your will. Contact Alice Rolls at 678.702.0400 or alice@georgiaorganics.org. •Join Atlantaʼs Return to Eden rewards program: A portion of your store purchases supports Georgia Organics every time you shop! Receiving The Dirt each quarter in your mailbox is one of the benefits of membership. Renew your membership, or join as a new member at www.georgiaorganics.org, or fill out the membership form on the back cover. Member-supported Georgia Organics is a 501(c)(3) organization, and contributions are tax deductible. Your donation helps us integrate healthy, sustainable, locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians. Student INDIVIDUAL Jill Agin, Atlanta, GA Catherine Simmons, Madison, GA Sharon Bailey, Forsyth, GA Rose Conklin, Atlanta, GA Robert Smiles, Marietta, GA Betsy Bairstow, Atlanta, GA Annie Stilwell, Atlanta, GA Roger Grant, Duluth, GA Brad Beaman, Decatur, GA Nellyn Van Os, Atlanta, GA Stacia Knowles, Comer, GA Richard Bishop, Columbus, GA Gustavo Venegas, Marietta, GA Jennifer Love, Atlanta, GA Claire Bowen, Atlanta, GA Charli Vogt, Decatur, GA Karen Thomisee, Atlanta, GA Brandy Boyle, Atlanta, GA Jennifer Brooks, Stockbridge, GA Jean Volkmann, Sparta, GA Lee Walker, Roswell, GA Mary Jo Bryan, Atlanta, GA Conne Ward-Cameron, Atlanta, GA Diane Buch, Decatur, GA Robin Yezzi, Smyrna, GA Ellen Cimino, Norcross, GA Nancy Davis, Atlanta, GA Joan Dodson, Stone Mountain, GA Lynne Eisenstein, Atlanta, GA * Donations received in honor of Lisa Ellis, Atlanta, GA Brigette Flood & David Leedle’s Wedding. Kayla Engle-Lewis, Sandy Springs, GA Sharon Ford, Alpharetta, GA Katie Hooper, Athens, GA M. Riduan Joesoef, Decatur, GA Chip Kaye, Atlanta, GA Richard Kegley, Atlanta, GA Are you a state or Susan Kidd, Atlanta, GA university system Tina Kite, Atlanta, GA Sandy Layton, Atlanta, GA employee? Laura Lynn, Acworth, GA If so, you can give to Georgia Organics Bill Mealor, Decatur, GA through payroll deduction. Just look for Gerd Oppenheim, Norwood, LA our listing with Earth Share through the Ben Rainwater, Atlanta, GA State Charitable Contributions Program. Julie Self, Atlanta, GA Our charity number is: 193036. Mary Elizabeth Shoptaw, Madison, GA

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Organizations

Calendar Continued

Earth Share of Georgia • One simple way to care for our air, land and water. As Georgia’s only environmental fund, Earth Share partners with businesses and employees to support more than 60 leading environmental groups, including Georgia Organics. If you work for a company that has the United Way campaign ﬁnd out how your business can offer and environmental choice. Contact Alice Rolls at 678.702.0400. www.earthsharega.org.

FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN COOPERATIVES ANNUAL CONFERENCE February 8 - 9 • Albany This conference, attended by farmers throughout the state, includes presentations by representatives from the USDA and State Department of Agriculture as well as Congressional representatives and experts in agriculture from land grant universities and Community Based Organizations. Call James Scott at 229.432.5799 for more info.

Southface • Promotes sustainable homes, workplaces and communities. Free tour of the Energy & Environmental Resource Center, 241 Pine St, Atlanta. 404.872.3549 or e-mail info@southface.org or www.southface.org.

Classiﬁeds

Onion seedlings, certified organic, field grown at Walker Farms. Yellow Granex, Candy, reds, and whites. Delivery now through end of January, as plants mature. $39/thousand (covers 100’ bed with four rows). www.walkerorganicfarm.com DESTINY PRODUCE is a CERTIFIED organic produce distributor located in the State Farmers Market in Atlanta shipping the highest quality organic produce to large and small retailers, coops, and buying clubs throughout the Southeast. Destiny Produce also sells supplemental produce to buying clubs/co-ops that distribute CSA/ Organic produce boxes to their members. We also offer a direct box program to buying clubs and co-ops, who handle subscription sales - Destiny does the work and delivers the boxes to you! We are looking to buy organic produce from certiﬁed organic growers in the Southeast, and we can offer growers widespread distribution and marketing of locally grown organic produce. Please contact Dee Dee Digby at 404.366.7006 or 866.366.7006. deedee@destinyproduce.com.

GEORGIA ORGANICS 11TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW February 28-March 1, Dalton Quantum Leap: Taking Food & Farms Back to the Future. George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley, headlines, with over 30 educational sessions, farm tours, in-depth workshops, the largest sustainable agriculture trade show in Georgia, and the Organic Banquet, featuring the best local and organic foods prepared by talented Georgia chefs. Register on-line at www.georgiaorganics.org/conference or call 678.702.0400. ORGANIC & COMMUNITY GARDENING WORKSHOP March 22, 9:15AM - 12:15PM, Decatur Back by popular demand and just in time for spring, Georgia Organics will be reviewing the basics of growing food organically, composting, choosing what to plant, and starting a community garden. Visit the “events” section of the Georgia Organics website to RSVP online, or call 678.702.0400. SARE’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE March 25-27, Kansas City, MO A conference for farmers, ranchers, educators, researchers, students, advocates, and curious consumers interested in advancing the frontiers of sustainable agriculture. More info at www.sare.org/2008conference.

Calendar SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS CONFERENCE January 10-13, Savannah The largest vegetable conference in the Southeast boasts a track of sessions on organic production on January 10, in addition to tracks on conventional production of specific fruits and vegetables. $150. More info at www.gfvga.org or call 877.994.3842. GROWING YOUR COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM FROM THE GROUND UP January 12-13, Milwaukee,WI A hands-on training opportunity for diverse groups to learn, plan, develop, operate, and sustain community food projects, both in urban and rural settings. Sponsored by Growing Power, in connection with the USDA RMA and SARE. $300. More info at www.growingpower.org or call 414.527.1546. PRACTICAL TOOLS & SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINING FAMILY FARMS January 16-19, Louisville, KY The 17th annual conference of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group features Joel Salatin as keynote speaker. Activities include eight intensive short course, field trips, and hands-on activities (pre-conference), and 62 practical educational sessions. The conference also features a trade show, sustainable agriculture exhibits, and a Taste of Kentucky banquet. More info at www.ssawg.org or call 678.494.0696 to request a brochure. INTRO TO ORGANIC FARMING & GARDENING January 26 - April 19, 8AM-4PM, Cumming February 2 - May 10, 8:30AM-4:30AM Fayetteville Learn the basics of organic farming and gardening in this series of seven classes on alternating Saturdays. Each class starts with morning lectures, discussions, videos, and power point presentations; afternoons are spent with hands-on activities in the field, greenhouse, or on a field trip.The course is targeted to adults who want to know more about the science and art of organic growing. Prior experience or education is not required. $425 for Georgia Organics members; $450 for non-members. More info on page 15.To register, visit www.georgiaorganics.org/events, or call 678.702.0400.

Winter 2007-08

Buy Local Materials Available In the fall, Georgia Organics launched new buy local branding to help consumers identify food that’s grown organically or sustainably, right here in Georgia. Courtesy of a grant provided by the USDA Risk Management Agency , forty farmers’ market banners were printed for markets to promote their hours and location to weekly passersby. Other buy local materials were also created: a limited number of produce stickers, harvest calendars, and window stickers are being made available free of charge to sustainable and organic farmers, and the restaurants that feature their products throughout the state. Contact Georgia Organics at 678.702.0400 or info@georgiaorganics.org for more info. I’m a Local t-shirts and shopping bags are for sale. Check www.georgiaorganics.org/giving/gift_ideas.php for info on what’s available, and how to order! Example Banner:

the DIRT • www.georgiaorganics.org

Is your membership current? Check mailing label for your expiration date & renew today. Non proďŹ t ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID # 7926 ATLANTA, GA

PO Box 8924 Atlanta, GA 31106 Address Service Requested

Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with soy ink

the DIRT is a quarterly publication of Georgia Organics, Inc.

Support provided through a partnership with the Rick Management Agency (RMA) of the USDA.

Your Membership Keeps us Growing! Join Georgia Organics Today. Member(s) Name ___________________________________ Company / Farm Name ______________________________ County: ____________________________________________ Profession _________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________ City, State, Zip ______________________________________ Telephone _____________________ Fax ________________ E-mail _____________________________________________

How did you hear about Georgia Organics? _______________________________________________________

Volunteer with Georgia Organics and make a difference. Check any volunteer opportunities that interest you. ____Events ____Fundraising ____Community Outreach

____Newsletter ____Political Advocacy ____Let me know what GO needs

Payment Options: Check (make payable to Georgia Organics) or Discover, VISA or MasterCard.

New Member _____________ Renewing Member ___________

Credit card payments: Card Type (circle one)

Annual dues:

Name on Credit Card ____________________________________

______Benefactor: ______Sustainer: ______Business: ______Patron:

$1,000 $ 500 $ 250 $ 125

______Farm/Garden $

___# acres under cultivation

______Family: ______Individual: ______Student:

$ $ $

45 35 20

Discover

VISA

MasterCard

Card #_________________________________________________ Signature____________________________ Exp. date__________ __ Mail your completed form to:

Georgia Organics PO Box 8924 Atlanta, GA 31106

Members receive the GO quarterly newsletter, monthly eNewsletter, and discounts on the annual conference, programs and events, advertising, and other services. All dues and donations to Georgia Organics are tax-deductible. Questions? Call 678.702.0400 Winter 07-08

The mission of Georgia Organics is to integrate healthy, sustainable, and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.