From ex125@mail.vt.eduMon Feb 12 11:45:45 1996 Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 09:01:24 -0500 From: Nelson County Office To: Lawrence.F.London@sable.cc.vt.edu, "Jr." Subject: Tomorrow's Farms Conference Could you please post the following confernce announcement to groups who promote sustainable agriculture and permaculture. Thank you. Michael Lachance Extension Agent, Nelson County, VA UPCOMING CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT Tomorrow's Farms Conference: Connecting our farms with and gardens with urban growth. Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference Center Natural Bridge, Virginia March 18-20, 1996 A conference for people working to develop a sustainable future for the Mid Atlantic Region sponsored by the Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Virginia Cooperative Extension,the Sedalia Center, and Voyager Foundation. About the Conference location. Participants will be able to visit two farms in Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley plus enjoy the excellent commodations at the Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference Center, adjacent to Virginia's Natural Bridge, described as one of nature's seven wonders and once owned by Thomas Jefferson. Participants will be able to visit this geologic marvel, plus a wax museum and the Natural Bridge Caverns at reduced cost. The Conference Center's indoor swimming facilities are available with your lodging . > >A limited number of rooms have been set aside so reserve your room early! Call the Natural Bridge Hotel at 1-800 533-1410 and mention you are attending this conference. We have obtained special conference rates, as low as $29 per night. Children under 15 years sleep free. A Children's Activity Room has been set aside close to the conference area for games and age appropriate videos. People with children are encouraged to come. There is no additional cost to using this room but we ask that parents and volunteers share child care responsibilities. CONFERENCE PROGRAM Monday, March 18, 1996 Noon - 6:00 p.m. Registration at the Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference enter. 1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. Cascade Farm Demonstartions. The afternoon highlights farm scale composting techniques with George Leidig, low energy watering systems with Richard Fleming , and low input orchard design with Michael Lachance. Cascade Farm is a 640 acre working farm located ten minutes from the Conference Center. It's mission is to be on the vanguard of sustainable farm management and to foster the work of the Voyager Foundation, a non-profit organization working in the areas of health, education,and spiritual growth. 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Dinner Cost of meals are included in the registration and will be served in the main dining room of the Natural Bridge Hotel. Each evening at dusk there is an enjoyable half hour program using light and music at the Natural Bridge. 8:30 p.m. Theater Preformance by Lexington's Lime Kiln Players . Conference participants will be treated to a special musical preformance of a classic Appalachian folktale. The conference rooms and the hotel's tavern will be open for visiting. Tuesday, March 19, 1996 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. Breakfast in the main dining room. 9:15 a.m. Conference Overview ond introductions. 9:20 a.m. Ten Steps Towards the Farms of Tomorrow. Trauger Groh. 10:00 a.m. Break. Refreshments provided. 10:20 a.m. Haymount Farm: a New Town for Virginia that Embraces Agriculture. John Clark. 11:35 a.m. Linking Profitability with Agriculture. Joel Salatin. 12:30 a.m. Lunch served in the hotel's dining room. 2:00 p.m. Basic Formula for Community Supported Agriculture. Trauger Groh. 3:00 p.m. Return to Cascade Farm for outdoor presentations and discussions. 6:00 p.m. Dinner served in the hotel's dining room. Option to enjoy dusk at the Natural Bridge. > 7:00-9:30 p.m. Biological Production Short Course. Larry Helmuth, Virginia Association for Biological Farming. This evening program is an opportunity for commercial growers and market gardeners to learn about and discuss the production of heatlthful foods plus receive an update on marketing organic produce. The Biological Production Pledge initiative of VABF will be discussed and further developed by the participants. Note: people planning to attend this workshop are asked to pay $10 for an instructional packet. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Small Group Discussions with Presenters. People are encouraged to bring farm maps and plans for impromptu consultation on market gardening, farm scale composting, community supported agriculture, orchard management and other topics. Wednesday, March 20, 1996 7:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast in the hotel dining room. Hotel check out. 9:00 a.m. Travel to Polyface Farm in Augusta County. 10:00 a.m. Tour and workshop at Polyface Farm until early afternoon. People signed up for this program can eat a $5 boxed lunch, payable at the Conference registration desk. > About the Presenters: Trauger Groh has been involved with farming for local communities for 33 years and is an internationally recognized advocate for community supported farming and Bio Dynamic Agriculture. He is co-author of Farms of Tomorrow which emphasizes our need to maintain linkage to farming traditions for both personal and societal health. John Clark has for the last 18 years been involved with building new communities to meet our area's population growth. He will discuss New Urbanism and Neotraditional Town Planning by drawing on his efforts to transform Haymount Farm in Caroline County into a new, walkable community with local food production and farmer's markets. Joel Salatin is a much sought after speaker, author and columnist. He is one of America's most innovative farmers. He operates Polyface Farm with his family near Swoope, Virginia. He was recently featured in the December 1995 issue of National Geographic magazine for his efforts to develop sustainable agriculture in the United States. He is author of Pastured Poultry Profits and more recently,Salad Bar Beef. Conference attenders will have the opportunity to both listen to Joel Salatin's conference presentation and also attend a Wednesday workshop at Polyface Farm. TOMORROW'S FARMS REGISTRATION FORM Name....................................................................Addr ess................................................................. City, State,Zip......................................................... Daytime Telephone No.............................. Signature............................................................. I will be bringing children Yes No Ages .............................. Registration Fee: $79, iIncludes theatre, meals, and breaks! "I will be visiting Polyface Farm on Wednesday and want ___ box lunch(s) at $5 each." Make Checks Payable to: "Tomorrow's Farms Conference" Mail to: Tomorrow's Farms Conference Sedalia Center Route 1, Box 687 Big Island, VA 25626-9735 Questions? Call (804) 299 5080 If you are a person with a disability and require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations for this conference, please discuss your accommodation needs with Bert Wade at (804) 299-5080 by March 1, 1996. Virginia Cooperative Extension Nelson County Office PO Box 298 Lovingston, VA 22949 (804) 263-4035 fax: (804) 263-4367