NOFA-VT's 38th Annual Winter Conference

NOFA-VT'S 38TH ANNUAL WINTER CONFERENCE

CELEBRATING OUR INTERDEPENDENCE

Art by Molly Costello

FEBRUARY 15-17, 2020 ✶ UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT ✶ BURLINGTON, VT

Art by Naima Penniman

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CONTRIBUTOR

SUSTAINER

BENEFACTOR

PATRON

Thank you to our sponsors

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MEDIA SPONSOR

Visit www.nofavt.org/conference for the most up-to-date list of conference sponsors

Welcome!

The NOFA-VT Winter Conference is a highlight of the winter for farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, change-makers, organizers, and enthusiastic eaters. Please join us–and over 1,000 of your fellow organic movement builders–for our 38th year of learning, inspiration, networking, and visioning, not to mention delicious food and joyful celebration.

This year’s conference theme is Celebrating Our Interdependence. Organic farmers understand that the health of the land is measured by the relationships in the ecosystem: farmers with soil, soil with fungi, fungi with plants, plants with pollinators, pollinators with eaters, eaters with farmers. The stronger the relationships, the more resilient the system.

We all need each other. The conference will convene a conversation based on the wisdom of organic farmers to illuminate a path of relationship, of bio-regional unity, of interconnected systems. We all have a role to play in building a more democratic, just, and verdant food system, of and for the people.

Two incredible leaders will respond to our theme: Niaz Dorry, Executive Director of the National Family Farm Coalition on Saturday and Lisa Fernandes of Food Solutions New England will facilitate a panel on Sunday, joined by a group of farmers and food system leaders.

No matter what role you play in the food system, there are more than eighty workshops and intensives designed for you. We will continue the Wellness Fair and Breakfast Treats on Sunday morning to help you nurture your body and soul. We also built in many opportunities for connecting with conference participants and exhibitors including several Saturday evening events, and an ice cream social to wrap up the weekend!

Use this brochure as a guide, and visit www.nofavt.org/conference to dig deeper into the conference details. We look forward to seeing you there!

Grace Oedel, Executive Director

Thank you to our sponsors (continued)

SUPPORTERS: Clean Yield Asset Management Co-operative Insurance Companies Hotel Vermont Intervale Center Lake Champlain Chocolates Miss Weinerz Organic Valley

Rural Vermont Shelburne Farms Sterling College Vermont Farm to Plate Wellscroft Fence Systems, LLC

FRIENDS: Cedar Circle Farm Champlain Valley Compost Greenvest

Grower's Discount Labels Myers Produce North Country Organics Nourse Farms, Inc. Philo Ridge Farm UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture Vermont Center for Ecostudies Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) VHCB Vermont Farm Viability

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Contents Sponsors................................................2 & 3 Exhibitors' Fair.............................................6 Keynote Speakers........................................7 Conference Schedule ..................................8 Children’s Conference .................................9 Weekend Activities......................10, 11, & 14

Mail-in Registration Form..................12 & 13 Saturday Evening Events............................15 Saturday Workshops..........................16 & 17 Sunday Workshops ...........................18 & 19 Monday Intensives.............................20 & 21 Conference Details ............................22 & 23

NOFA-VT MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

We grow an economically viable, ecologically sound, & socially just Vermont agricultural system.

Being a NOFA-VT member means that you are helping to strengthen local, organic agriculture in Vermont. You are supporting programs and services that support farmers, inform consumers, and advocate for policies that build the organic food movement in Vermont and nationally. NOFA-VT is where you can go for information and education about all things organic. Your membership also includes many financial and educational benefits.

Membership Levels & Discounts Low Income/Student/Senior

$25

1 adult receives discounts at workshops/events

Individual

$40

1 adult receives discounts at workshops/events

Family

$55

2 adults receive discounts at workshops/events

Farm

$65

4 farm employees receive discounts at workshops/events

Business & Organization 4 employees receive discounts at workshops/ $100 Partner events Friend of NOFA $250 4

4 friends receive discounts at workshops/ events

Registration Information Register online at www.nofavt.org/conference or mail in the paper form on page 12.

Pricing

Registration fees include entrance to workshops, keynotes, exhibitors' fair and all other conference activities.

Saturday and Sunday registration fees do not include lunch.

Monday registration includes lunch.

REGISTE R BY 2/10/20 TO SAVE !

Prices increase by $10/person per conference day after 2/10/20.

Member

Non-Member

Child

All 3 Days (Save $20!)

$190

$235

—

Saturday

$70

$85

Sliding Scale $0-$30

Sunday

$70

$85

Sliding Scale $0-$30

Lunch

$19/day

$19/day

$12/day

$70 (incl. lunch)

$85 (incl. lunch)

—

Monday Intensive

Weekly Giveaways! Each week we will enter all registrants into a raffle to win a locally-produced prize from one of Vermont’s certified organic producers. Register early for more chances to win! Follow NOFA-VT on Facebook and Instagram to participate.

College Student Discount Students with a valid student ID can receive

member pricing. To receive this discount, please send a clear photo of your student ID to winterconference@nofavt.org with Student Discount in the subject heading.

High School Student Discount Current high school students (including

home-schooled students), ages 14-18, can attend the conference for $30/day. Contact winterconference@nofavt.org for more details.

Group Discounts Receive 20% off registration fees for groups of 10 or more who register together. Discount applies to non-member rate only. Send a message to winterconference@nofavt.org for details.

Scholarships & Volunteering See page 23 for more details on these opportunities to save!

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Exhibitors’ Fair Davis Center

Saturday 8:00 am–6:00 pm • Sunday 8:30 am–4:15 pm With books, tools, food and drink samples, and crafts for sale, along with information and materials from agricultural businesses and conference sponsors, this is the place to be when not in a workshop!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Aqua Vitea Black Dirt Farm Chelsea Green Publishing City Market College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Vermont Connecticut Greenhouse Company LLC Farm First VT FEDCO Finallie Ferments Greenvest High Mowing Organic Seeds Hillside Botanicals Intervale Center Johnny's Selected Seeds Kria Botanicals McEnroe Organic Farm New Chapter NOFA Vermont Northeast Kingdom Hemp Philo Ridge Farm Rabble-Rouser Chocolate & Craft Co. Rural Vermont Salvation Farms Scythe Supply

• Sterling College/School of the New American Farmstead • SunCommon • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service • USDA, NASS Northeast Region • UVM Extension 4-H • UVM Extension Master Gardeners • UVM Farmer Training Program • Vermont Center for Ecostudies • Vermont Coffee Company • Vermont Community Loan Fund • Vermont Compost Company • Vermont Farm Bureau • Vermont Farm to Plate • Vermont Foodbank • Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) • Vermont SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) Program • Vermont Soap Company • Vermont Youth Conservation Corps • VHCB Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program • VT FEED (Food Education Every Day) • Wellscroft Fence Systems, LLC • Yankee Farm Credit

Please see www.nofavt.org/conference for the most up-to-date listing!

Speakers Declaring Our Interdependence:

Celebrating Our Power, and Uniting for a Just, Equitable, and Dignified Food System • Saturday, February 15th, 9:00 am Niaz Dorry, Executive Director of the National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) and the Northwest Marine Alliance (NAMA)

Niaz has been a community organizer for over 30 years. The life changing moment came in 1994 when as a Greenpeace campaigner she switched from organizing in communities fighting for environmental justice to organizing fishing communities. From the start, she recognized the similarities between family farmers’ fighting for a more just and ecologically responsible land-based food system, and that of community-based fishermen fighting to fix the broken sea-based food system. She has been the coordinating director of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance since 2008 and is also the director of the National Family Farm Coalition. Niaz created a partnership between both organizations to further cement the relationship and interdependence between land and sea.

Weaving a New Narrative:

Agriculture as a Catalyst of Culture Change • Sunday, February 16th, 11:30am Lisa Fernandes, Director of Communications

for Food Solutions New England & Founder of the Resilience Hub in Portland, ME • Abbie Corse, Corse Farm Dairy • Mariah Gladstone, Founder of IndigiKitchen • John & Nancy Hayden, The Farm Between • Hilary Martin, Diggers’ Mirth Collective Farm Sunday will feature a panel discussion facilitated by Lisa Fernandes. Lisa will lead a discussion pushing back on the narrative of competition and scarcity, weaving a new story about interdependence, bounty, and the possibility of what happens when we come together to imagine a bold, interdependent, mutually beneficial food system with people, land, and justice at the core.

Lisa will facilitate conversation between farmers, food activists, chefs, and leaders in the food system to flesh out what a thriving future can look like.

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Conference Schedule Davis Center, University of Vermont

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 8:00 am

Registration & Exhibitors' Fair open; Refreshments available

9:00–10:30 am Keynote: Niaz Dorry 10:45 am–12:00 pm Workshop Session I 12:00–2:00 pm

Lunch, Exhibitors' Fair, Roundtables (1:00–2:00), & Weekend Activities (see pages 10-11)

2:15–3:30 pm Workshop Session II 3:45–5:00 pm Workshop Session III 4:30–6:00 pm Saturday Social 6:00–7:30 pm Film Screening: Farmsteaders 7:00–10:00 pm Young Farmer & Slow Food Meet-Up at Hotel VT

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020 8:30 am

Registration & Exhibitors' Fair open; Refreshments available

8:30–10:00 am Wellness Fair & Breakfast Treats (see page 14) 10:00–11:15 am Workshop Session I Panel Discussion: Lisa Fernandes, Abbie Corse, 11:30–12:30 pm Mariah Gladstone, Nancy & John Hayden, and Hilary Martin 12:30–2:00 pm

Lunch, Exhibitors' Fair, Roundtables (1:00–2:00), & Weekend Activities (see pages 10-11)

2:15–3:30 pm Workshop Session II 3:45–5:00 pm Workshop Session III 5:00 pm Ice Cream Social

Waterman Building, University of Vermont

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 8:30–9:00 am Registration open; Refreshments available 8

9:00 am–3:00 pm Intensives (see pages 19-20)

Children's Conference We are always excited to welcome the next generation of farmers, gardeners, and food lovers to the conference!

We encourage parents to register their children ages 5-12 for NOFA-VT’s Children’s Conference, taking place at the same time as the adult conference on the UVM campus Saturday and Sunday, February 15th & 16th.

At the Children's Conference, participants will experience the magic of worms and composting, play nature games, take a ride on the smoothie bike, learn about the importance of pollinators, and more!

Children also have the opportunity to work with fabulous local artist, Bonnie Acker, to create Kindness Cards.

The cost of registration is on a sliding scale ($0-$30) and space is limited, so please register early.

Lunch is not included in the cost of registration. Children are welcome to join their adult guardians for lunch at the children’s price of $12. You’re also welcome to pack a bag lunch for your kids.

Look for the full schedule of events and register online at www.nofavt. org/conference.

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Weekend Activities Organic Seed Swap & Info Session

Saturday, 12:30-1:30 pm • The Seed Swap is the perfect place to expand the biodiversity of your farm or garden.

Bring your clearly labeled seeds to share! An expert from High Mowing Organic Seeds will conduct a short educational session on seed saving and anyone who is saving seeds is welcome to share about their process. We will provide packets for your new seeds.

Lunchtime Roundtable Discussions

Saturday & Sunday 1:00-2:00 pm • Join NOFA-VT staff, presenters and fellow farmers and gardeners for an open-forum discussion on a topic important to you.

• Meet & Greet with VOF: Is Certification Right for You? • Milk with Dignity Expansion! Farmworkers Call on Hannaford Supermarkets Across the Northeast • Vermont Congressional Meet & Greet: Share Your Farming Story • Can Small Organic Family Farms Survive?

• Farming For Your Soil Type

Book Signings

Saturday & Sunday 1:00-2:00 pm • Meet the authors and get your book signed!

• Alice Percy - Happy Pigs Taste Better: A Complete Guide to Organic and Humane Pasture-Based Pork Production • Bryan O’Hara - No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture: Pesticide-Free Methods for Restoring Soil and Growing Nutrient-Rich, High-Yielding Crops • Nancy & John Hayden - Farming on the Wild Side: The Evolution of A Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery • Nichki Carangelo - Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat: An All-Natural Humane, and Profitable Approach to Production on a Small Scale

Oven Roasted Roots

Saturday 12:00–2:00 pm & Sunday 12:30–2:00 pm • Enjoy some tasty roasted roots cooked in NOFA-VT's mobile, wood-fired oven! The oven is located outside the Davis Center’s first floor exit on your way to and from workshops.

Snacks & Refreshments

Saturday & Sunday • Thanks to generous contributions from local producers, our hospitality table is stocked with yummy snacks, cider, and tea. Kombucha and coffee are available by donation from Aqua ViTea and Vermont Coffee Company.

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Kindness Cards with Bonnie Acker

Saturday & Sunday • Join local artist Bonnie Acker to make kindness cards! This art project is a great opportunity to meet other conference attendees, and take advantage of the creative outlet. All ages and artistic abilities are welcome!

Resource & Job Board

Saturday & Sunday • The Winter Conference is a great place to share job opportunities and resources. Use our Resource and Job Board, located near the Exhibitors’ Fair, to promote opportunities on your farm, and find jobs and resources offered by conference participants.

Enid’s Orchard

Saturday & Sunday • Fifty apple trees have been planted around the state in honor of the late Enid Wonnacott, NOFA-VT’s incredible Executive Director of 31 years. This year at the conference, learn more about this honorary orchard and sign-up to plant an apple tree on your farm or at your home in memory of Enid.

Raise Your Voice

Saturday & Sunday • This year, be on the lookout for many ways to engage in NOFA-VT's advocacy work throughout the Winter Conference.

We'll be providing opportunities to sign petitions, write postcards to policymakers, and other ways to raise your voice during workshops, roundtables, and at the social action zone all weekend long.

• Social Action Zone Saturday 12:00–2:00 pm & Sunday 12:30–2:00 pm • Now is the time to speak up in support of a resilient farming and food system that can sustain healthy people and a healthy planet! Can we call on you to raise your voice with us? Join NOFA-VT and several of our partner organizations at the Social Action Zone to find out how you can get involved.

• Meet Vermont's Congressional Delegation Saturday 12:00-2:00pm • Members of Vermont's Congressional Delegation have been invited to join us for lunch on Saturday to make brief remarks. Then, from 1:00-2:00pm, join us for a lunchtime roundtable with delegates' agriculture staffers to share your stories, ask questions, and discuss perspectives on food and farm policy in Vermont.

[ Weekend Activities, continued on page 14 ]

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Registration Form Save by registering early! Rates increase by $10/person per conference day after 2/10/20.

Name (1): Name (2): Farm/Business: Address: City/State/Zip: Email: Phone: Child Name & Age (1): Child Name & Age (2):

1 Registration & Lunch ADULT #1

All 3 Days (save $20) Saturday Conference

 $190  $235  $70

Saturday Lunch Sunday Conference

 $85

ADULT #2

 $70

 $85

Saturday Conference

 $70

 $85

Check one:  Wholesale  Herbs  Change Narrative  Foodways

 $190  $235  $70

Saturday Lunch Sunday Conference *Monday Intensive

 $85  $18

 $70

Sunday Lunch

 $19

Nonmember

Member

All 3 Days (save $20)

 $18

Sunday Lunch *Monday Intensive

Nonmember

Member

 $85  $19

 $70

 $85

Check one:  Wholesale  Herbs  Change Narrative  Foodways

*Monday Intensive fee includes lunch

*Monday Intensive fee includes lunch

TOTAL for Adult #1:

TOTAL for Adult #2:

$

CHILDREN’S CONFERENCE

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Child 1

Lunch

$ Child 2

Lunch

Saturday (sliding scale)

 $0-30

 $12

 $0-30

 $12

Sunday (sliding scale)

 $0-30

 $12

 $0-30

 $12

TOTAL for CHILDREN (5-12 yrs) $

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Visit www.nofavt.org/conference or snap the QR code to register securely online, where you can pay by credit card or mail a check.

Membership

Become a member today and register at the discounted rate!

Your membership supports NOFA-VT's year-round programming and entitles you to a host of benefits. See page 4 or visit www.nofavt.org/join to learn more. Not sure if your membership is current? Call (802) 434-4122.



New



Renewing  I am already a member

 Friend of NOFA - $250  Business - $100  Farm - $65  Family - $55  Individual - $40  Low income/student/senior - $25

MEMBERSHIP NAME »

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Payment

Add the totals for each section here. Please note: Volunteers must confirm volunteer assignment online at www.nofavt.org/volunteer before taking the discount. $

Adult 1 Total

$

Adult 2 Total

$

Children's Conference Total

$

Registration Service Fee: $5.00/person

$

NOFA-VT Membership

$

Tax-deductible contribution to Scholarship Fund - thank you! (see p. 23)

$

Raffle Tickets (see p. 22) $5/ticket; $20/5 tickets

$

T-Shirt (see p. 23); $22/each Size:

$

SUBTOTAL

-$

Volunteer Discount (Confirm your volunteer assignment; subtract $20 for two-hour shift)

$

TOTAL ENCLOSED

LUNCH – please note any dietary restrictions:

Interested in room & ride share information?

Check here:  Yes

Style:  Fitted  Classic

Please make checks payable to NOFA-VT and mail to: NOFA-VT Winter Conference PO Box 697, Richmond, VT 05477

Early registration must be received by February 10th, 2020. After that, please register online, or on-site. Walk-ins welcome! Registration fees increase by $10/person per conference day on February 10th, 2020. To register additional attendees, please copy or download another form. Please note: you will not receive confirmation of this registration. Additional information will be mailed to Children's Conference registrants.

REGISTER ONLINE BY 2/10/20 TO SAVE!

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[ Weekend Activities, continued from page 11 ]

Abenaki Community Land Link

Saturday 8:00 am–6:00 pm • Sunday 8:30 am–4:15 pm, Exhibitors’ Fair • Are you interested in growing Indigenous crops on your land this upcoming season to be shared with the Abenaki community throughout Vermont? Stop by the Rooted in Vermont and Vermont Farm to Plate Network table to ask questions and to learn more about how you can partner with the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe this spring to be a part of efforts to revive these crucial seeds.

Weekend Music

Saturday & Sunday • Throughout the weekend, we will feature some of Vermont’s finest local musicians to entertain us. Come and listen, sing along or dance with other conference participants!

Reiki Sessions

Saturday 12:00–2:00 pm, Sunday 8:30–10:00 am & 12:30–2:00 pm • Join practitioners from the Vermont Reiki Association for an opportunity to rest, relax and rejuvenate during your conference day. Reiki can be performed generally for health promotion and stress relief, or for a direct ailment. Drop in for 15 minute sessions. All are welcome!

Wellness Fair

Sunday 8:30–10:00 am • Spend some time taking care of you! Don’t miss out on a host of wellness offerings: herbal consultations with herbalists from Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism including a traveling apothecary, reiki and meditation and chair massage.

Sunday Breakfast Treats

Sunday 8:30–10:00 am • Don’t sleep in on Sunday! Join us at Davis Center to pick up a delicious baked good made by local baker Miss Weinerz and generously donated for to enjoy as you head into your first workshop session.

Sunday Ice Cream Social

Sunday 5:00 pm • The Sunday Ice Cream Social is a beloved conference tradition thanks to the generosity of Strafford Organic Creamery. Join us for dessert, community, and time to unwind after the conference!

Social Networking

Join the conversation on social media! Find us on Instagram @nofavermont, Facebook @NOFA-VT, and Twitter at @NOFAVT. 14

Saturday Evening Events Saturday evening events are open to the public. Please invite your colleagues, farmer and foodie friends, and others interested in NOFA-VT to join us!

Saturday Social

Davis Center, 4:30–6:00 pm • Enjoy appetizers, wine and beer while you chat with friends and visit with exhibitors. This yearly event is a great way to unwind after a full conference day and connect with other conference attendees. Thanks to generous donations, we will have appetizers by Sugarsnap and crepes made on-site by Skinny Pancake. Cash bar.

Saturday Night Film: Farmsteaders

Davis Center, 6:00–7:30 pm • $5 Suggested Donation Clear-eyed and intimate, Farmsteaders follows Nick Nolan and his young family on a journey to resurrect his late grandfather’s dairy farm as agriculture moves toward large-scale farming. A study of place and persistence, Farmsteaders points an honest and tender lens at everyday life in rural America, offering an unexpected voice for a forsaken people: those who grow the food that sustains us. Keep an eye on our website for more details on a post-film panel discussion.

Young Farmer & Slow Food Meet-Up

Downtown, 7:00–10:00 pm • Head downtown to Hotel Vermont for drinks and light snacks hosted by Slow Food Vermont & The Vermont Young Farmers Coalition. This social event seeks to create community and celebrate food enthusiasts, homesteaders, and farmers. Open to everyone, with plenty of time to continue conversations after the conference and into the night! Donations accepted at the door.

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Saturday 2/15 Workshops

COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE & FRUIT

BUSINESS & MARKETING

Workshops are the heart of the conference. Presenters and panelists from Vermont and beyond offer a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. Workshops provide the opportunity to participate in collaborative learning with our whole community.

TITLE OF WORKSHOP

PRESENTER/S

Capitalize on Consumer Trends to Increase Your Market Sales

Laura Biasillo

Creative Options for Farm Access, Transfer and Conservation: Farmer Voices from the Ground ✶

Maggie Donin, Eli Hirsh, Valerie Woodhouse, Cassie Westcom, John Tiffany

Determine Your Costs of Production: Farm Budgets Made Simple

Richard Wiswall

Effective Email Marketing & Copywriting for Farmers

Kate Spring

Organic Vegetable Costs of Production

Jen Miller

Profitable Meat Marketing

Matt LeRoux

True Tales from the Collective Farming Model ✶

Hilary Martin, Reid Allaway, Nichki Carangelo

Farm Stress and Emotional Well-being on the Farm

Taylor Mendell, Allen Matthews

Growing and Selling Flower and Vegetable Starts

Heidi Racht, Jane Sorensen

Growing Through the Cold of It: Winter Greens Production

Taylor Mendell, Lisa MacDougall

Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture

Deirdre Heekin

Irrigation 101 for the Commercial Scale

Brookdale Farm

Organic Strawberry Production Systems

Ryan Voiland

Pest & Disease Discussion for Commercial Growers ✶

Ann Hazelrigg, Vic Izzo, Scott Lewins, Yolanda Chen, Andrea Swan

Small-Scale Cover Cropping

Daniel Mays

COMMERCIAL LIVESTOCK

Amrita Parry, Keith Drinkwine, Jon Vermont Food Hubs: Expansion of Services for Farmers ✶ Ramsay, Alex McCullough, Katie Michels

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Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat

Nichki Carangelo

Scalable Commercial Pastured Poultry Production

Keith Drinkwine

Soil Science Basics for Grass Farmers

Ashlyn Bristle

FOOD SYSTEMS

Visit www.nofavt.org/conference for workshop descriptions, presenter bios, and the most up-to-date information on workshops.

TITLE OF WORKSHOP

PRESENTER/S

5 Solutions to Land-Based Wealth Redistribution

Stephanie Morningstar

Cancer and Climate Change: Healing the Internal and External Environment

Brendan Kelly

Food Scrap Management: Hire Farmers to Close the Nutrient Loop! ✶

Cat Buxton, Natasha Duarte, Caroline Gordon, Buzz Ferver

Leveraging the Vermont Brand for Agritourism and Direct Sales ✶

Tara Pereira, Lisa Chase, Lindsey Berk

Policy & Principles: Soil Health & Ecosystem Services ✶

Cat Buxton, Alissa White, Mustafa Saifuddin, Maddie Kempner

Social Justice in Local & International Food Systems ✶

Jessi Grillo, Marcela Pino

LOCALVORE

HOMESTEADER & GARDENER

Migrant Justice, Magaly Licolli, Worker Driven Social Responsibility Panel: Bringing a New Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Day to Dairy Farmworkers in Vermont and Beyond! ✶ Cathy Albisa Farming for Biodiversity: Designing Pollination Systems to Sustain Native Wildlife

Evan Abramson

Getting Started in Organic Beekeeping

Ross Conrad

Getting Started with Small-Scale Grain Growing

Sylvia Davatz, Ruth Fleishman

Homescale Agro-Forestry

Jon Turner

Land-use Analysis for Designing Your Homestead

Lizabeth Moniz

Making Herbal Tinctures and Salves

Betzy Bancroft

Peening & Sharpening Your European Scythe Blade

Emily Guirl, Elisabeth Benjamin

Pests & Diseases for Homesteaders & Gardeners

Ann Hazelrigg

The Untapped Resource on Your Farm or Homestead: Weeds as Medicine for Your Community!

Katherine Elmer, Kara Buchanan

Winter Garden Planning for Summer Success

Wendy Sue Harper

Cultures & Culturing, Part 1 & 2

Nancy & Tony VanWinkle

Food and Mood

Leanne Yinger

Make Your Own Quick Mozzarella

Carol Fairbank

The Human Microbiome: Our Internal Ecology

Betzy Bancroft

✶ = Panel Discussion 17

COMMERCIAL LIVESTOCK

COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE & FRUIT

BUSINESS & MARKETING

Sunday 2/16 Workshops

18

TITLE OF WORKSHOP

PRESENTER/S

"&%*@"! 11 Mistakes We Made as New Business Owners

Aubrey Schatz, Scott Hoffman

Farm Financials 101

Zac Smith

Take Lean Farming to the Next Level ✶

Bruce Hennessey, Taylor Mendell, Jen Miller

Social Media Marketing for Farmers

Nicole Ravlin

The Data-Driven Farmers Market

Matt LeRoux

Translating the Wholesale Marketplace for Producers ✶

Rose Wilson, Tony Risitano, Erin Buckwalter

Worker Co-ops for Food Businesses ✶

Matt Cropp, Jaquelyn Rieke, Lucy Kahn

CAPS, RAPs, and more--one Fresh Website

Becky Maden, Hans Estrin

Hemp 101

Scott Lewins, Heather Darby

Hemp Discussion for Seasoned Growers

Scott Lewins, Heather Darby

Maximizing Legume Cover Crop Benefits in Vermont ✶

Becky Maden, Edward Marques, Eric Bishop von Wettberg

No-Till Vegetable Farming, Part 1 & 2

Bryan O'Hara

Utilizing Draft Horse Power on Your Commercial Operation ✶

Kate Adams, Gregory Witscher, Jesse Kayan, Caitlin Burlett, Becky Frye

Farming for Profit: Changing your Paradigm ✶

Bruce Hennessey, Beth Whiting, Shona SanfordLong, Jen Colby

Homeopathy 101 for the Farm and Family

Mary Bryant, Anne Lazor

Homeopathy 201 for the Farm and Family

Mary Bryant, Bay Hammond

On-Farm Processing in Vermont ✶

Bruce Hennessey, Justin Sauerwein, Hannah Pearce, Mary Lake, Caroline Gordon

Pastured Pigs

Alice Percy

Using a Livestock-Based Approach to Reclaiming a Vermont Hill Farm

Jenn Colby

✶ = Panel Discussion

Check www.nofavt.org/conference for workshop descriptions, along with an up-to-date listing of workshops by session. Workshops & presenters are subject to change.

TITLE OF WORKSHOP

PRESENTER/S

LOCALVORE

HOMESTEADER & GARDENER

FOOD SYSTEMS

A Just Transition: Mass Movement Building & Cooperative Survival Henry Harris Advancing Food Sovereignty in Vermont

Caroline Gordon, Graham Unangst-Rufenacht

Growing Teens: High School Sustainable Agriculture

Sam Rowley, Jacob Holzberg-Pill

Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases in Vermont

Rebecca Zelis, Pat Bannerman

Municipal Planning for Food Access ✶

Faye Mack, Taylar Foster

Soil, Agriculture, and Organizing in the Climate Justice Movement ✶

Henry Harris, Lauren Weston, Cat Buxton, Henry Swayze, Mindy Blank, Grace Gershuny

Agricultural Dowsing as a Management Tool for the Farm

Steve Herbert

Espalier Fruit Trees

Lee Reich

Farming on the Wild Side: Growing Perennial Fruit and Vegetables, John & Nancy Hayden Biodiversity and Resilience Practical Seed Saving on the Small Farm and Homestead

Jim Ulager

Success with Blueberries

Lee Reich

The Radical Forest Manager: A Holistic Forest Approach for Everyone and Everything

Ethan Tapper

Water Powered Farm

Josh Squier

Radical Self Care for Skin in Winter

Marie Frohlich

The Magic of Wild Yeasts - Bread Baking with Sourdough, Part 1 & 2

Heike Meyer

Wild Fermentation: Wine, Cider and Everything in Between

Krista Scruggs

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Monday Intensives February 17th, 9am-3pm Waterman Building, UVM Monday Intensives devote a full day to explore a single topic, with plenty of room for discussion, question and answer, and networking with peers interested in similar fields. The registration fee of $70 for NOFA-VT Members and $85 for Non-Members includes a full day of learning and a delicious lunch, catered

by Love Local Catering (Skinny Pancake).

Please note: Monday Intensives are held in the Waterman Building on the UVM campus at 85 S. Prospect St, Burlington, VT.

CHANGE THE NARRATIVE, CHANGE THE OUTCOME Tools for More Successful Food System Communications Presenters: Lisa Fernandes, Food Solutions New England at the UNH Sustainability Institute; Shane Rogers, Rooted in Vermont at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Who are the audiences or groups of people that you would like to better connect with in order to meet the goals of your food business? The way you talk about your work, farm, food business or organization is central to successfully engaging your customers and supporters. In this intensive, facilitators will share their combined years of experience in the field to help you hone a message, write copy, and build your skills in direct communication. With inspiring stories and techniques to get your ideas flowing, you will learn about utilizing in-person, online, and print communications in a way that engages your specific audiences and aligns with food communication across our region.

In this intensive you will build an outline of your 2020 communications strategy that speaks to your mission, and successfully engages your customer and client base across multiple platforms.

COMMERCIAL HERBS FROM SEED TO SALE A Grower's Intensive Presenters: Benjamin Uris & McLean Ritzel, Foster Farm Botanicals; Taylor Katz & Misha Johnson, Free Verse Farm Why is it that an agricultural economy like ours isn’t supplying its own raw materials for a burgeoning industry? Presenters will work to answer this question and more as they delve deeply into small to mid-scale commercial organic medicinal herb production and 20

marketing. Participants will learn the step-by-step process of producing high quality botanicals from selection and propagation through field management, post-harvest handling, drying, storage, marketing and value-added medicinal products. Learn how to configure the layout and design of your farm’s infrastructure, choose equipment, prepare beds and fields, and manage fertility, weeds, pests and disease. These talented farmers will also delve into the business of herbs and the herbal marketplace. This intensive is geared towards beginning herb farmers and existing growers looking to expand their knowledge base.

DEMYSTIFYING THE WHOLESALE MARKET FOR FARMERS Presenters: Rose Wilson, Rose Wilson Consulting; plus a farmer panel Wholesale markets can seem complex and difficult to navigate for producers. Based on the findings from “Wholesale Local Food: From Supplier to Consumer Market Assessment,” this day-long intensive will provide in-depth knowledge about the current wholesale market and what you need to know to succeed, whether you are considering selling or currently selling to wholesale markets, including co-ops, restaurants, local grocers, institutions, food hubs, and distributors. In this intensive, you will learn how to build lasting relationships with wholesale buyers and hear from a farmer panel about their experiences working with various wholesale accounts.

INDIGENOUS FOODWAYS Presenter: Mariah Gladstone, IndigiKitchen Join Mariah Gladstone, advocate for the Native Food movement and creator of Indigikitchen, to gain a better understanding of the history of the food and food systems of North America’s native peoples. The presentation will cover the traditional relationship with the land and food, the relocation and reservation period, the importance of cooking with and honoring regional Native foods, and current food sovereignty work happening within the indigenous community. During the in-depth, hands-on workshop, Mariah will discuss indigenous corn varieties and the stories and methods that accompany them. Participants will learn the process of nixtamalization to transform dried corn into a delicious dish. In addition to making corn flour, everyone will help prepare an elderberry BBQ sauce to create a shredded wild game roast and make corn cakes from the finished flour.

Visit www.nofavt.org/conference for full descriptions & presenter bios.

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Conference Details Please visit nofavt.org/conference for the most up-to-date information.

Online Registration & Membership Register online at www.nofavt. org/conference by February 10th to save. See page 5 for registration details!

Location & Parking The Davis Center at the University of Vermont:

590 Main Street, in Burlington, VT serves as the main hub for the conference, with workshops offered in nearby campus buildings. Parking in the Jeffords and Given lots is free, within walking distance to the Davis Center. Monday intensives will take place in the Waterman Building, 85 S. Prospect Street, in Burlington, VT. Check out www. nofavt.org/conference for maps and directions.

Lunch Saturday 12:00-2:00 pm & Sunday 12:30-2:00

pm • Davis Center • Enjoy a delicious buffet featuring food from Vermont organic producers. Vegetarian, glutenfree and dairy-free options available. Lunches do sell out!

We strongly recommend purchasing a lunch when you pre-register. $19/adult; $12/child. Please note any food restrictions or allergies on your registration form. You are also welcome to bring a bagged lunch and join us in the dining room.

Raffle We are excited to offer original landscapes painted by community artist Bonnie Acker! Proceeds benefit NOFAVT’s Farmer Emergency Fund to assist organic and NOFA member farmers who are adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters. Ten small, framed oil paintings will be raffled off on Sunday, February 16th, but you don’t have to be present to win. Buy tickets when you register, or get them at the conference! $5 per ticket or $20 for 5 tickets.

Sponsorship, Exhibiting & Advertising

With more than 1,000 attendees throughout the conference weekend, sponsoring, exhibiting, and advertising is a great way to reach a wide variety of organic consumers and producers while supporting NOFA-VT. For more information contact winterconference@nofavt.org.

Registration Refunds If you are unable to attend the conference after you

have registered, NOFA-VT will reimburse 75% of your registration cost until February 10th. Any refund requests after the 10th will receive a 50% reimbursement. Refunds do not include the cost of meals and credit card fees. All refund requests must be made in writing to winterconference@nofavt.org. Refunds will be issued after the conference.

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Volunteering Volunteering is central to the success of our conference, and a

great way to save on registration fees! Volunteers receive a $20 discount for a two-hour shift. Limit is one shift per attendee. Opportunities are also available for City Market membership hours. Visit www.nofavt.org/volunteer to sign up and learn more!

Scholarships If you are able, please help us make the conference accessible to

all with a contribution to the scholarship fund. Your donation is tax-deductible and can be added when you register. Winter Conference Scholarships are available to NOFAVT members, and are supported through donations from members and conference attendees. To learn more and apply for a scholarship please visit www.nofavt.org/ conference or call (802) 434-4122. Scholarship application deadline: January 29th, 2020.

T-shirts Show your support for NOFA-VT by purchasing

an organic cotton T-shirt featuring art by Molly Costello. Visit nofavt.org/conference for more details and to place an order with your registration. $22/shirt. Fitted and classic styles available.

Lodging & Rides Rooms are available at a discounted rate for conference

attendees at the Best Western in Burlington (802) 863-1125. Rooms will be held until 2/1/20. Room and Ride Share options are available—indicate your interest when you register. If you live in the Burlington area and would be willing to host conference goers over the weekend, please contact info@nofavt.org.

Accessibility We strive to make the conference accessible to everyone. Please

contact winterconference@nofavt.org or call (802) 434-4122 if there is anything we can do to accommodate your needs at the conference.

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CONFERENCE February 15-17,2020 • Burlington, VT

WINTER

NOFA-VT's 38th Annual

Join us!

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