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REGIONAL ACTION PROJECTS
WESTERN OREGON
Farmscaping for Beneficials
Facilitator: Gwendolyn Ellen
The Integrated Plant Protection Center of OSU, Oregon Tilth and organic farmers of the Willamette Valley teamed up to form the Farmscaping for Beneficials Project. This is a community IPM project that is promoting the use of conservation biological control methods such as beetle banks and insectary plantings on the farm.
The project has hosted seven farm walks that highlight insect biodiversity and techniques that farmers use to enhance populations of beneficial insects. The project is interested in working with any farmer who has a desire to bugscape their farm and help keep the project community driven.
Additional Information
OSU/Oregon Tilth Farmscaping for Beneficials Program
OSU/Oregon Tilth Conservation Biological Control Project (scroll down)
Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control
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Food Policy Councils in Oregon
Facilitator: Harry MacCormack and Rosemary Cordello
Food Policy Councils bring together representatives of diverse organizations and agencies to develop comprehensive programs to ensure community food security and sustain local agriculture. This project will be an opportunity to learn about the challenges and potential for forming food policy councils in Oregon.
Additional Information
State & Local Food Policy Councils
Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force
Portland/Multnomah County Food Policy Council
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Oregon Anti-Genetic Engineering Campaign
Facilitator: Rick North
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility is sponsoring the Campaign for Safe Food to educate the public and healthcare professionals about the risks inherent in genetic engineering. Join this project to learn more about the issues and get involved with the campaign.
Additional Information
Campaign for Safe Food
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OSU Organic Agriculture Research Program
Facilitator: Nick Andrews
Oregon Tilth, the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI), the Center for Rural Affairs, Oregon State University, and others are rallying support for an Organic Agriculture Research Program at OSU. The university's organic research programs will support organic livestock, tree fruit, seed and vegetable production. Your help is crucial at this early stage. We will be planning our strategy for the next few months, and you're invited to help build this vital component of Oregon's organic industry.
Additional Information
OSU Small Farms Program
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Slow Food / Farmer-Chef Connection
Facilitator: Anthony Boutard
The growth of the organic farming movement is paralleled by the growth of new organizations such as Slow Food and Ecotrust's Farmer-Chef Connection that increase consumer awareness of the value of locally grown foods and direct marketing to restaurants. This project will be an opportunity to learn more about networking with consumers and expanded direct marketing opportunities.
Additional Information
Farmer-Chef Connection
Slow Food
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EASTERN OREGON
Biodiesel
Facilitator: Jim Bahrenberg
With skyrocketing fuel costs, farmers are suddenly in the forefront of developing sustainable sources of energy, and biodiesel appears to be one of the best alternatives for the Pacific Northwest. This group will discuss strategies for fostering this homegrown fuel in our region.
Additional Information
Clean Energy Resources for Rural Landowners
Potential for Biodiesel as a Commercial Enterprise
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WESTERN WASHINGTON
Community Composting
Facilitator: Larry Warnberg
Decentralized composting of organic materials can reduce the solid waste stream and improve local soil fertility. Methods for composting restaurant and grocery store food scraps will be discussed. Composting humanure will also be considered. Bring your ideas for recycling nutrients in your community.
Additional Information
Solar Toilet
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Puget Sound Food System Organizing
Facilitators: Sylvia Kantor, Mary Embleton and Thomas Forster
The Community Food Security Coalition recently selected Puget Sound as one of four "foodsheds" to participate in their Regional Organizing Initiative. This session will provide an overview of initiatives currently underway and opportunities for new people to participate.
Additional Information
King County Food Systems
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Woodinville Agriculture Center
Facilitator: Gretchen Garth
Woodinville is a rapidly growing community east of Seattle. The Woodinville Farmers Market recently secured 20 acres to develop a year-round market and Community Agriculture Center. The market will be part of a larger vision called Woodinville Farms & Gardens. People interested in helping bring this innovative vision to fruition are encouraged to participate in this discussion group.
Additional Information
Woodinville Agricultural Community Center
Woodinville Farms & Gardens
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EASTERN WASHINGTON
Cooperative Marketing - Sustainable Organic Family Farms
Facilitator: Nancy Dudney
Organic tree fruit growers in Eastern Washington formed Sustainable Organic Family Farms to cooperatively market their crops. Nancy Dudney, Marketing Director for King Blossom Natural in Wenatchee will share information about the development and potential for this marketing effort.
Additional Information
Sustainable Organic Family Farms
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WSU Organic Farming Education & Research Initiative
Facilitator: Bonnie Rice
The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network is taking the lead in rallying public support for steering Washington State University's research and educational programs away from genetic engineering and toward organic and sustainable agriculture. Farmers and consumers across the state are encouraged to get involved in this campaign.
Additional Information
WSU BioAg Program Action Alert
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OREGON & WASHINGTON
Organizing New Tilth Chapters
Facilitators: Susan Prescott & Andy Parker
Tilth chapters provide a framework for organic farmers and gardeners to work together to strengthen local communities. Activities range from education and research to sponsoring local farmers markets.
Tilth representatives from Washington and Oregon are available to provide detailed information on the steps involved in forming local chapters. For an introduction to the diverse network local groups that currently make up the regional Tilth movement, visit the websites below:
Oregon Tilth
Seattle Tilth
Sno-Valley Tilth
South Whidbey Tilth
Spokane Tilth
Tilth Producers of Washington
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In Memoriam
At our 30th Anniversary Conference we took a few minutes to remember Tilth people who have died. The list below includes people who attended the first Tilth conference in 1974 and those involved in the movement since then. Please let us know of deceased Tilth people who should be added to this list. Send the information to:
. We will add their names to the unfolding story of the Tilth movement in the Pacific Northwest.
John Affolter
Wilson Clark
Jim Draper
Leo Givens
Sandy Gullikson
Jill Heiman
Simon Henderson
Marshall Landman
Paul Lanphere
Mary Ludlow
Don MacLoed
Tony Maskal
Janice Masterjohn
Lynn Matthews
Shawn McClanahan
Bob Meyer
Dinah Ross
Orissa Shulz
Esther Stefaniw
Ron Stewart
Stanley Tucker
Steve Wahl
Bob Wallace
Where Are They Now?
Several people who participated in Tilth's first conference in Ellensburg are now affiliated with farms or organizations that have websites. For "old timers" the links below will provide an opportunity to see what their Tilth friends are up to now. For everyone else, they provide windows into the richly diverse sustainability movement:
Bart & Victory Alexander, China Bend Winery & Vineyards
www.chinabend.com
Billy Allstot, Billy's Gardens
www.billysgardens.com
Lon Ball, Founder, Trout Lake Farm
www.troutlakefarm.com
George & Maia Ballis, Sun Mountain
www.sunmt.org
David Baylon, Ecotope
www.ecotope.com
Sam Benowitz, Raintree Nursery
www.raintreenursery.com
Kye Cochran, Board Member, Northeast Organic Farming Association
www.nofa.org
Gigi Coe, Chair of the Board of Trustees, The Bay School of San Francisco
www.bayschoolsf.org
Norma Davidson, RoseWind Cohousing
www.rosewind.org
Woody Deryckx, Willow Wind Farms
www.willowwindfarms.com
Mark Dworkin, Moving Images Video Project
www.movingimages.org
Carla Emery, Encyclopedia of Country Living
www.carlaemery.com
Steve Farrar, Golden Gourmet Mushrooms
www.goldengourmetmushrooms.com
Wayne Fawbush, Exec Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
www.vsjf.org/about/staff.html
Chris Feise, WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources
http://csanr.wsu.edu
Isao Fujimoto, Vice President, Food First
www.foodfirst.org
Grant Gibbs, Gibb's Organic Orchards
www.newfarm.org/features/1004/gibbs/index.shtml
Walter Goldstein, Research Director, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
www.michaelfieldsaginst.org
David Granatstein, WSU Sustainable Ag Systems Coordinator http://organic.tfrec.wsu.edu/OrganicIFP/Home/Index.html
David Holland, WSU Dept of Agricultural & Resource Economics
www.arec.wsu.edu
Steve Johnson, Board Member, Zenger Farm
www.zengerfarm.org
Gene Kahn, Founder, Cascadian Farm
www.cascadianfarm.com
John Luna, Oregon State University
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/hort/faculty/luna.htm
Holly Mayshark, Holly's Fine Flowers
www.hollysfineflowers.com
Ray Mitchell, Ekone Ranch
www.ekone.org
Mark Musick, Vashon Cohousing Community
www.vashoncohousing.org
Hank Patton, World Steward
www.worldsteward.org
Michael Pilarski, Friends of the Trees
www.friendsofthetrees.net
Forest Shomer, Inside Passage Seeds
www.insidepassageseeds.com
Arran Stephens, Nature's Path Foods
www.naturespath.com
David Sugar, Oregon State University
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/hort/faculty/sugar.htm
Roger Wechsler, CF Fresh
www.cffresh.com
Samish Bay Cheese
www.samishbaycheese.com
Bill Weiss, Homestead Organic Produce
www.seattlepressonline.com/article-172.html
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