2012 22.3 Tilth Producers Annual Conference
Port Townsend, November 9-11, 2012
Here’s a sneak peak at this year’s conference, Growing Forward: Holistic Management for Organic Farms. This is Washington’s largest gathering of the organic and sustainable agriculture industry, with more than 600 growers, businesses, researchers, students, and advocates attending. Twenty-five workshops will be offered by organic and sustainable farmers, researchers, and agency educators. We hope you will plan on joining us this fall in Port Townsend.
Keynote speaker Allan Savory, president and co-founder of the Savory Institute, will share his Holistic Management philosophy. Holistic Management is a decision-making framework that results in ecologically regenerative, economically viable, and socially sound management of the world’s agricultural lands and grasslands. For more information, visit http://www.savoryinstitute.com.
WSU will host a full day symposium on Friday – Seeding the Future: Ensuring Resiliency in our Plant Genetic Resources. Speakers include Carol Miles, Anne Schwartz, Laura Lewis, Rebecca McGee, Lisa Weasel, Michael Neff, Brian Love, Brian Campbell, and Frank Morton.
There’s a beginning farmer series with Farming Land You Don’t Own, Fertility Testing, Start Up Record Keeping, CSA Start Up, and Marketing. Farm business topics feature WSDA on Organic Systems Plans, GAPs and Good Handling Practices; Town & Country Market’s Joe Pulicicchio on Optimizing Marketing Relationships; Holistic Management of Small Farms with Alan Savory; and setting up a farm intern program.
Hands-on workshops include a Friday afternoon session on Small Engine Repair with Albert Roberts and Grant Gibbs, Charcuterie with Brandon Sheard, and Seed Saving with Caitlin Moore. Conference goers can learn about current research on weeds, diseases, and soils from WSU Research and Extension speakers Doug Collins, Ian Burke, Chris Benedict, Debra Inglis, Craig Cogger, and Todd Murray.
We have a great line up of experienced farmers including Terry Carkner, John Gunning, Jesse Hopkins, Colin Barricklow, Genine Bradwin, Andrew Dykstra, Roger Short, Eric Zakarison, George and Eiko Vojkovitch, Cheryl Ouelette, Melissa Barker, Alex Winstead, and Brad Jaeckel. Social events will include a square dance with The Tallboys, an organic wine tasting, films, and an intergenerational mixer.
