UPDATE people helping people grow
APRIL 2014
Old Armory, Fourth & Lyon, Albany, Oregon 97321, Phone 541-967-3871
VOL. XXXIV No. 4
From Horticulture to Hoedown OSU’S OREGON SMALL FARMS CONFERENCE BY MARY STEWART
E
very year between the end of harvest and the beginning of the growing season, farmers gather at OSU Extension’s Oregon Small Farms Conference to learn how to sharpen their tools — and not just shear blades for shearing sheep or loppers for pruning trees, but sharpening their intellectual tools of farming knowledge.
Learn the Latest Techniques At the 14th annual conference in February, 751 farmers, agriculture professionals, food policy advocates, students, and managers of farmers markets traveled from Oregon, Washington, California, and New Mexico to attend the daylong event. Their common reason for coming was to learn the latest strategies in successful small farm management. According to Chrissy Lucas, conference registrar, the 2014 conference had the third highest attendance on record.
Network with Others Conference attendees also came to make connections with fellow growers and other experts who might hold solutions to their farming issues. “The conference attracts such a diverse group of farmers — from those just starting out to those who have been doing this for more than 30 years and
PHOTO
BY
MARY STEWART
Small farm owner Paul Harcombe visits with a USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service staff about soil health practices. The Oregon Small Farms Conference included vendors, educational sessions and the chance to meet and learn from other small farmers.
even a lifetime,” says Melissa Fery, an OSU Extension faculty who co-manages the Small Farms program in the mid-Willamette Valley with Amy Garrett.
Solutions to Unique Issues Paul Harcombe, 68, is a North Albany small farmer who came to this year’s conference to learn how to improve production on his five-acre farm and to find people who might be a source of small-size farming equipment
built in the 30’s, 40’s or 50’s. The old-time tractors and other implements Paul is seeking have a short handling radius, which makes them the perfect tools for navigating narrow growing plots of vegetables and specialty seeds. “In a farm as small as mine, a standard combine would barely have room to turn around,” says Paul with a smile.
A Choice of 24 Sessions In addition to networking,
Paul attended five of the 24 sessions, including Grain Quality and Storage for Small-Scale Producers; Schools and Hospitals: Good Markets for Small Farms?; Transition to Organic 101; Small Farm Profitability; and the Keynote Session with Michael Ableman — Coming of Age: Stories, Images and Manifestos from the Frontiers of Food and Agriculture. The 24 class sessions were carefully selected by a planning
team of OSU Extension faculty and staff. “We try to create sessions on topics that are relevant, timely, and will hopefully meet the many needs and wants,” says Melissa. “Keynoter Michael Ableman was the highlight of my day,” says Paul. “I found him to be an inspiring guy, and he really lit a spark in me,” he adds. Paul grew up in the Willamette Valley and returned five years ago after teaching for 35 years at Rice University as a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. “I left the valley to go to college and always planned to return to live and farm,” he explains. Now Paul produces corn, beans, and squash for a seed company, soft white winter wheat and new varieties of barley grain sold at the Farmers Market and Delicata, sweet meat and butternut squashes for direct market and restaurants.
Hoedown Celebration According to Amy Garrett, many chose to cap off the day by attending the SFC hoe down. The event offered square dancing (no experience required), live music, locally-produced food and beer. The hoe down extended the opportunity for conference-goers to interact, to learn from each other, and to build lasting friendships.“In fact,” says Amy, “this hoedown marked the wedding day of a couple who met at the Oregon Small Farms Conference a year ago.”