Feb. 21-22, 2014 on Jeykll Island
Farm Genesis: One Year in the Life of a New Farmer
Julia Asherman, Rag & Frass Farm
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
After leasing and managing other farms, Julia Asherman realized every young farmer’s dream: land ownership. In 2012, she worked with the USDA Farm Service Agency to buy an abandoned motel, gas station, and acreage in Jeffersonville, Georgia. Asherman will talk about lessons learned from acquiring land, transitioning derelict property to a working vegetable farm, and needing to generate cash flow as quickly as possible.
Flash Freeze: Understanding Subtropical Seasons
Louise Divine, Turkey Hill Farm; Katie Harris, Full Earth Farm; Ryan Graycheck, Summerland Farm
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
A subtropical climate can turn growing seasons upside down. Frosts come early, late or not at all. High temperatures and sandy soils make summer production challenging, if not almost impossible. A panel of successful farmers from northwest Florida and coastal Georgia will discuss planning for market in such variable conditions. Profitable crops, planting dates, season extension—while managing unsteady USDA planting zones—will be on the docket. From best tomato varieties to practices for floating row covers, attendees are encouraged to bring their most pressing questions.
Kernels of Wisdom: How One Farm Transitioned to Organic Corn Production
Charlotte Swancy, Riverview Farms; Cameron Molberg, Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Opportunities for Certified Organic commodity corn are growing in Georgia. So how does a farmer transition to organic production and access that market? Charlotte Swancy of Riverview Farms will talk about her farm’s organic corn system, offering an honest and practical guide to weed control, inputs, and dealing with certifying agents. Cameron Molberg from Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill, which has a facility set to open in Forsyth in 2014, will touch on the current organic corn market and the steps to turning corn harvest into cash.
Natural Insect Control: Who Are Your Partners
Dr. Merle Shepard, Clemson University; Dr. Edward Farnworth, Clemson University
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Heat- and humidity-loving bugs mean serious damage to commercial drops in the Deep South. Two of our region’s foremost entomologists will talk about common pests and alternatives to chemical controls. Dr. Shepard’s research has taken him as far as Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia to develop gentler integrated pest management strategies. He and Dr. Farnworth are among the co-authors of “Common Insects and Spiders of the South Carolina Lowcountry” and serve as the vice-president and president of the Lowcountry Biodiversity Foundation, respectively. Before coming to Clemson, Dr. Farnworth was a faculty member of the UGA Odum School of Ecology with research focusing on freshwater tidal marsh ecology, tropical forestry productivity, and environment-development issues.
Brandon Chonko, Grassroots Farm
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
One of the premier pastured poultry farmers in the Southeast, Brandon Chonko will present on everything a producer needs to know: genetics, feed, soil fertilization, processing, marketing and establishing good relationships with conventionally-minded neighbors. Grassroots is a small family farm outside of Reidsville, Georgia that raises nearly 13,000 pastured chickens per year. Unlike vegetable farms where equity is tied up in the land, Chonko’s operation is modular, portable, and—with demand for sustainable poultry trending upward—shows real long-term sustainability.
Silvopasture: Grazing in Longleaf Forests
Becky Barlow, Auburn University
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
For large- and small-scale property owners, agroforestry can offer tantalizing financial and ecological benefits. Joining livestock, forage, and timber diversifies markets, minimizes risk, and creates wildlife habitat. Becky Barlow, researcher and Extension specialist in pine ecosystems with Auburn University, will discuss the implementation and economics of silvopasture, which combines trees with forage and livestock production. While Barlow has substantial research with longleaf stands, agroforestry is equally adaptable to loblolly and slash forests.
Using a High Tunnel to Grow Tropical Niche Crops
Dr. Reza Rafie, Virginia State University
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Dr. Rafie will present on VSU’s experience growing and adapting tropical and subtropical varieties in high tunnels. This session will include instructions for extending seasonality, fertilization, pest control, irrigation and marketing for tropical and subtropical varieties. VSU crop studies include ginger, turmeric, taro, hibiscus, berries and other tropical and subtropical varieties.
Summer Cover Crops Make Me Feel Fine: Optimizing Cool Season Crop Production
Julia Gaskin, George Boyhan, Elizabeth Little, Greg Fonsah, University of Georgia
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Concentrating cash crop production in the cool season and using summer cover crops may be an alternative to fighting relentless weeds and pests. A team of University of Georgia researchers will discuss cool-season vegetable rotation systems that rely on summer cover crops to maintain soil quality, reduce pest pressure, and supply (in some cases) nitrogen as a potentially profitable production system for organic growers. Topics will include yields, soil fertility, cover crops, disease and nematode pressure, as well as input and labor costs.
Danielle Moore, Garnish & Gather, and Alisha Cave, Cave Marketing and ConsultingSession A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Growing food is the first step, and growing your market share is the next. You’ll learn how to improve your marketing at farmers markets and in your daily operations. Learn the basics of how to market yourself, your farm, and your products. This class will cover e-marketing, merchandising, branding, sales, and promotion.
Grow Fish: Using Aquaponics to Farm Under Control
Dr. Pat Duncan, Fort Valley State University
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
As we strive to increase efficiency in food production, interest in aquaculture is at an all-time high. Incorporating fish into hydroponics can create a closed-loop system, virtually eliminating waste while growing affordable produce and protein. Dr. Pat Duncan, the director of the Georgia Center for Aquaculture Development, will cover the basics of recirculating aquaculture systems, design and management, tilapia production, and marketing.
Meeting Face to Facebook: Social Media 101 for Farmers
Emily & Tim Zweber, Zweber Farm & Agchat Foundation; Amy and Rachel Bean, The Little Farm
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Social media can be valuable for a farmer— it can help grow business and develop deeper relationships with your customers, and you don’t have to spend hours in front of your computer! Farmers Emily and Tim Zweber of the AgChat Foundation will equip farmers and ranchers to effectively engage on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, Linkedin, and other social media services. Amy and Rachel Bean from the Little Farm in Gray will talk about how they manage it their social media and why it’s worth your valuable time.
Open-Source Farming: Saving the Planet One Byte at a Time
Louis Thiery, Farm Hack
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Open-source technology has empowered research and innovation on the farm level and made these networks more affordable. Louis Thiery of Farm Hack will present some of the open-source tools they’ve developed. He’ll also talk about his work with Apitronics developing and deploying low-cost wireless sensor networks for diversified farms with Arduino. Farm Hack is one of the foremost organizations promoting projects that use mediums such as wood & metal working, pedal power, aerial imagery, and simply good farming practices.
Bo Warren, Georgia Center for Innovation in Agribusiness; Matthew Kulinski, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Are you member of Georgia Grown? Do you have a GATE card? These new and updated programs offer many benefits to farmers of all stripes in Georgia. Department of Agriculture representatives will discuss ongoing marketing initiatives for products from the Peach State and tax exemptions that can help you save on everything from fertilizer to electricity.
Southern SARE Producer Grant: Improving Your Farm through Innovative Research
Brennan Washington, Southern SARE Administrative Council; Jennifer Taylor and Ron Gilmore, Lola’s Organic Farm; Jerry LarsonSession B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Southern Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SSARE) offers competitive grants to farmers and ranchers to solve challenges and develop information for other producers. A well-conceived SARE Producer Grant can both improve your farm and advance other farm operations at the same time. While they do not fund start-up costs or pay farmers to farm, they take away some of the financial risk from trying sustainable agricultural solutions to a current farm issue. Brennan Washington, a member of the Southern SARE Administrative Council, will discuss the grant program, the application and review process, and the types of project funded.
How Value-Added Products Can Help Your Bottom Line
Kerry and Robin Dunaway, Greenway Farms
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Kerry and Robin Dunaway sell beef, poultry, eggs, worms, custom lumber, and canned goods from their farm near Roberta. In 2013, they opened a certified kitchen on the farm, where Robin now teaches proper canning methods after graduating from the UGA Better Process Control School. The Dunaways will discuss their experience installing the certified kitchen, rules for canning, and the effect of value-added products to their marketing and revenue.
Federal Agricultural Policy Roundtable with FOG and NSACMarty Mesh, Florida Organic Growers
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Join Marty Mesh, longtime advocate and executive director of Florida Organic Growers, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition for a roundtable discussion on federal agricultural policy, which will include the Farm Bill and FSMA updates. This session is informational and will explore what potential FSMA updates and changes to the Farm Bill will mean for the farmer and consumer. In addition, attendees will explore ways in becoming advocates for a better food system and what steps they can take at various levels to shape our federal agricultural policies.
Teri Hamlin, Georgia Organics, Paige Holland, Habersham County School Nutrition Director, Mary Beth Thomas, Wilbanks Middle School, Ronnie Mathis, Mountain Earth FarmsSession A, 9:45-11 a.m.
In Habersham County, the school district and community have adopted a fully comprehensive farm to school program, integrating local food purchases with classroom lessons, school gardens, and taste tests. Hear from leaders in this program about how they got their program started and the integral role each member of the farm to school community plays.
Marketing the Good Stuff: Using Science Techniques to Get Kids to Eat Their Fruits and Veggies
Trisha Hardy, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Gator Rivers, former Harlem Globetrotter and Harembee HouseSession B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Children are constantly bombarded with slick marketing campaigns for junk food, making it hard for them to choose healthy options. Trisha Hardy will share new research which demonstrates ways to make those choices easier and more attractive, and Gator Rivers will share how he gets youth excited about good food through an innovative basketball program called the “Globecroppers.” Parents, school leaders, and farmers will learn how to incorporate new strategies into their daily lives to help “sell” more fruits and vegetables to kids and increase their consumption.
Youth Leaders Panel
Youth Leaders
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
As the song goes, we believe the children are our future. Several youth leaders will describe their experiences with food, farming, and nutrition, discuss their own projects, and tell us how they’re taking over the world one radish at a time. Always one of our most popular sessions!
Making Nutrition Easy for Kids to Digest
Chef Asata Reid, LifeChef, Truly Live Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Why does your body need a variety of foods? Why do we have food categories? What do different foods do for your body? Chef and culinary educator Asata Reid will break it all down for you in a way that kids (and adults) can understand. We’ll also cook something delicious and nutritious using all five food groups!
David Berle, University of Georgia
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
This session will cover the considerations for siting, building, and filling raised beds, with an emphasis on methods and materials that meet National Organic Program standards. The session will also include information on drip irrigation design for raised beds as well as ideas on covering raised beds for season extension. Participants will learn practical, real world guidelines and rules of thumb for raised bed vegetable production.
Compost, Nature’s Balancing Act
Andy Schwartz and Kerri Shay
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Coastal Georgia is basically a huge sand box, which is why amending our soils through nutrient rich compost is so important to backyard gardeners and urban farmers of South Georgia. The class will discuss options for backyard composting systems: compost heaps, tumblers, contained heaps, sheet composting, vermicompost, and community composting. We will discuss what materials are best suited for composting and those that are not. Basic recipes temperature requirements, pH levels, moisture levels, and mineral content will all be discussed for each composting system. There are a lot of misconceptions about backyard composting and we are going to address them all! We will make you excited about compost and what it can do for you and your garden. Even if you only have enough space for a few potted plants compost is something you can do at home to benefit you, your plants, and the environment.
Home Health Made Easy (And Made By You!)
Becky Striepe, Care2 network
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Why buy what you need to look and feel great when you can make so much yourself? Care2 network green lifestyles blogger Becky Striepe will demonstrate how to make a sugar scrub, vapor rub, and home cleaning agent. (She’ll even give you some ideas for how to package your creation!)
Urban Homesteading: Living DIY
Kerry Shay, Reid Archer, and David Hislop of Victory Gardens
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Led by three former organic farmers from Savannah, this session will cover the benefits and challenges of homesteading in the city or the suburbs. (And if you’re homesteading in a rural area, you can still pick up new skills!) You will learn about growing your own food, achieving a more self-sufficient lifestyle, and building community wherever you may live.
Virginia Webb, Mountain Honey & the Managed Pollinator Coordinated Agricultural Project
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Honeybees and other native pollinators are facing devastating population declines, threatening the heart of our food supply. For 40 years, Virginia Webb has championed the role of the honeybee in helping to sustain global agriculture. She will provide the latest news on what is happening globally and nationally around colony collapse disorder and efforts to understand and research the problem and restore large and diverse populations of managed bee pollinators across the United States. She’ll end the session with a hive demonstration and, will share steps we all can take to be part of the solution.
It Ain’t Easy Turning Green into Green
Rob Del Bueno, Southern Green Industries , and Peter Marte, Hannah Solar
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The success of Southern Green Industries (SGI) has not come easily. The company, founded by Robert Del Bueno and Dezso Gavaller, collects and recycles restaurant grease for biodiesel production, provides eco-friendly grease trap cleaning, and collects food waste for industrial composting. SGI’s success story is one for anyone interested in bucking the system and creating a green industry from scratch. Hannah Solar has successfully worked with farmers to supplement their row crops or livestock with harvesting the sun. Marte will discuss starting a green company from scratch and turning it into one of the most successful solar companies in rural Georgia.
Hot, Wet & Weird: What To Expect and What To Do About Climate Change in Georgia
Pam Knox, University of Georgia, and Carrie Furman, Southeast Climate Consortium & University of Georgia
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Climate change is predicted to raise temperatures across the state by 4.5 to 5.4 degrees, with an accompanying 5 percent increase in annual precipitation. What does this mean for farmers, gardeners, and eaters? UGA agricultural climatologist Pam Knox will reveal climate change’s effects on Georgia’s agriculture industry, food prices, and climate impacts for gardeners over the next several decades. Dr. Carrie Furman, with the Southeast Climate Consortium, will talk about how the development of a strong local food community can actually help farmers adapt to these conditions.
CLAMmoring for Sustainable Seafood
Charlie Phillips, Sapelo Sea Farms
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Learn about sustainable seafood’s efforts to protect southeastern fisheries while supporting the livelihoods of coastal fishermen. Charlie Phillips cultivates fresh little neck clams around the waters of Sapelo Island. Charlie began clam farming in the Julington River a few years ago and now ships clams locally and as far away as Canada.
Rebecca Lang, cookbook author and Southern Living contributing editor, and Mary Moore, founder and CEO of The Cook’s Warehouse – representing the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Engaging and educating shoppers who visit a booth at the farmers market is a key to successful selling year round. Join Mary Moore and Rebecca Lang in a live-action cooking demo as they teach farmers how to plan, execute, and attract market-goers in simple cooking demonstrations right in their own stands. This session is also ideal for market managers or organizers, as well as farmers who meet directly with administrators to demonstrate how to introduce and use their crops in a school cafeteria. You’ll learn simple, proven techniques to prepare your products and attendees will receive complimentary copies of recipes. LDEI Atlanta is thrilled to support this educational session.
Cooking for Health
Chef Ahki, Delicious Indigenous FoodsSession B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Do you want to prepare healthier meals? Are you tired of the same old salads? Enter celebrity chef and professional blogger Chef Ahki. Using local organic ingredients, Chef Ahki will demonstrate delicious recipes designed to stimulate your taste buds, nourish your body, and restore vitality.
A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Florida Organic Growers and the Domestic Fair Trade Association will lead an informational session about food labels and what they mean to the consumer. This session will cover certifying organizations, operational practices, in addition to the requirements and regulations for various food labels. Attendees will walk away with a better sense of what labels mean within the food system and insight on how they might prioritize their purchase decisions in an ever-expanding labeling system.
A Taste for Mindful Eating: Digging Deeper into the Food in Your Kitchen and at Your Table
Tamie Cook, chef & culinary connector, Tamie Cooks LLCSession D, 4-5:15 p.m.
If ever there was an activity capable of combining delight and sharing, it is cooking. We all may have the skills to suss out sustainably grown, local, organic food, but what happens when we get that food home? This presentation will introduce attendees to mindful practices for transforming your kitchens and tables into places of hospitality, gratitude, and celebration. Good food prepared with love and respect for its origins, shared with friends and family, is surely close to heaven. Come experience “food church,” where the mind, body and soul all get fed.
Julia Asherman, Rag & Frass Farm
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
After leasing and managing other farms, Julia Asherman realized every young farmer’s dream: land ownership. In 2012, she worked with the USDA Farm Service Agency to buy an abandoned motel, gas station, and acreage in Jeffersonville, Georgia. Asherman will talk about lessons learned from acquiring land, transitioning derelict property to a working vegetable farm, and needing to generate cash flow as quickly as possible.
Flash Freeze: Understanding Subtropical Seasons
Louise Divine, Turkey Hill Farm; Katie Harris, Full Earth Farm; Ryan Graycheck, Summerland Farm
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
A subtropical climate can turn growing seasons upside down. Frosts come early, late or not at all. High temperatures and sandy soils make summer production challenging, if not almost impossible. A panel of successful farmers from northwest Florida and coastal Georgia will discuss planning for market in such variable conditions. Profitable crops, planting dates, season extension—while managing unsteady USDA planting zones—will be on the docket. From best tomato varieties to practices for floating row covers, attendees are encouraged to bring their most pressing questions.
Kernels of Wisdom: How One Farm Transitioned to Organic Corn Production
Charlotte Swancy, Riverview Farms; Cameron Molberg, Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Opportunities for Certified Organic commodity corn are growing in Georgia. So how does a farmer transition to organic production and access that market? Charlotte Swancy of Riverview Farms will talk about her farm’s organic corn system, offering an honest and practical guide to weed control, inputs, and dealing with certifying agents. Cameron Molberg from Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill, which has a facility set to open in Forsyth in 2014, will touch on the current organic corn market and the steps to turning corn harvest into cash.
Natural Insect Control: Who Are Your Partners
Dr. Merle Shepard, Clemson University; Dr. Edward Farnworth, Clemson University
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Heat- and humidity-loving bugs mean serious damage to commercial drops in the Deep South. Two of our region’s foremost entomologists will talk about common pests and alternatives to chemical controls. Dr. Shepard’s research has taken him as far as Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia to develop gentler integrated pest management strategies. He and Dr. Farnworth are among the co-authors of “Common Insects and Spiders of the South Carolina Lowcountry” and serve as the vice-president and president of the Lowcountry Biodiversity Foundation, respectively. Before coming to Clemson, Dr. Farnworth was a faculty member of the UGA Odum School of Ecology with research focusing on freshwater tidal marsh ecology, tropical forestry productivity, and environment-development issues.
Advanced Farming
Pastured Poultry: An Old-School New BusinessBrandon Chonko, Grassroots Farm
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
One of the premier pastured poultry farmers in the Southeast, Brandon Chonko will present on everything a producer needs to know: genetics, feed, soil fertilization, processing, marketing and establishing good relationships with conventionally-minded neighbors. Grassroots is a small family farm outside of Reidsville, Georgia that raises nearly 13,000 pastured chickens per year. Unlike vegetable farms where equity is tied up in the land, Chonko’s operation is modular, portable, and—with demand for sustainable poultry trending upward—shows real long-term sustainability.
Silvopasture: Grazing in Longleaf Forests
Becky Barlow, Auburn University
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
For large- and small-scale property owners, agroforestry can offer tantalizing financial and ecological benefits. Joining livestock, forage, and timber diversifies markets, minimizes risk, and creates wildlife habitat. Becky Barlow, researcher and Extension specialist in pine ecosystems with Auburn University, will discuss the implementation and economics of silvopasture, which combines trees with forage and livestock production. While Barlow has substantial research with longleaf stands, agroforestry is equally adaptable to loblolly and slash forests.
Using a High Tunnel to Grow Tropical Niche Crops
Dr. Reza Rafie, Virginia State University
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Dr. Rafie will present on VSU’s experience growing and adapting tropical and subtropical varieties in high tunnels. This session will include instructions for extending seasonality, fertilization, pest control, irrigation and marketing for tropical and subtropical varieties. VSU crop studies include ginger, turmeric, taro, hibiscus, berries and other tropical and subtropical varieties.
Summer Cover Crops Make Me Feel Fine: Optimizing Cool Season Crop Production
Julia Gaskin, George Boyhan, Elizabeth Little, Greg Fonsah, University of Georgia
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Concentrating cash crop production in the cool season and using summer cover crops may be an alternative to fighting relentless weeds and pests. A team of University of Georgia researchers will discuss cool-season vegetable rotation systems that rely on summer cover crops to maintain soil quality, reduce pest pressure, and supply (in some cases) nitrogen as a potentially profitable production system for organic growers. Topics will include yields, soil fertility, cover crops, disease and nematode pressure, as well as input and labor costs.
Technology for Farmers
This Little Piggy Went to Market: Marketing for FarmersDanielle Moore, Garnish & Gather, and Alisha Cave, Cave Marketing and ConsultingSession A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Growing food is the first step, and growing your market share is the next. You’ll learn how to improve your marketing at farmers markets and in your daily operations. Learn the basics of how to market yourself, your farm, and your products. This class will cover e-marketing, merchandising, branding, sales, and promotion.
Grow Fish: Using Aquaponics to Farm Under Control
Dr. Pat Duncan, Fort Valley State University
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
As we strive to increase efficiency in food production, interest in aquaculture is at an all-time high. Incorporating fish into hydroponics can create a closed-loop system, virtually eliminating waste while growing affordable produce and protein. Dr. Pat Duncan, the director of the Georgia Center for Aquaculture Development, will cover the basics of recirculating aquaculture systems, design and management, tilapia production, and marketing.
Meeting Face to Facebook: Social Media 101 for Farmers
Emily & Tim Zweber, Zweber Farm & Agchat Foundation; Amy and Rachel Bean, The Little Farm
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Social media can be valuable for a farmer— it can help grow business and develop deeper relationships with your customers, and you don’t have to spend hours in front of your computer! Farmers Emily and Tim Zweber of the AgChat Foundation will equip farmers and ranchers to effectively engage on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, Linkedin, and other social media services. Amy and Rachel Bean from the Little Farm in Gray will talk about how they manage it their social media and why it’s worth your valuable time.
Open-Source Farming: Saving the Planet One Byte at a Time
Louis Thiery, Farm Hack
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Open-source technology has empowered research and innovation on the farm level and made these networks more affordable. Louis Thiery of Farm Hack will present some of the open-source tools they’ve developed. He’ll also talk about his work with Apitronics developing and deploying low-cost wireless sensor networks for diversified farms with Arduino. Farm Hack is one of the foremost organizations promoting projects that use mediums such as wood & metal working, pedal power, aerial imagery, and simply good farming practices.
Business for Farmers
Georgia Grown and GATE: Georgia Department of Agriculture Programs for Small FarmersBo Warren, Georgia Center for Innovation in Agribusiness; Matthew Kulinski, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Are you member of Georgia Grown? Do you have a GATE card? These new and updated programs offer many benefits to farmers of all stripes in Georgia. Department of Agriculture representatives will discuss ongoing marketing initiatives for products from the Peach State and tax exemptions that can help you save on everything from fertilizer to electricity.
Southern SARE Producer Grant: Improving Your Farm through Innovative Research
Brennan Washington, Southern SARE Administrative Council; Jennifer Taylor and Ron Gilmore, Lola’s Organic Farm; Jerry LarsonSession B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Southern Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SSARE) offers competitive grants to farmers and ranchers to solve challenges and develop information for other producers. A well-conceived SARE Producer Grant can both improve your farm and advance other farm operations at the same time. While they do not fund start-up costs or pay farmers to farm, they take away some of the financial risk from trying sustainable agricultural solutions to a current farm issue. Brennan Washington, a member of the Southern SARE Administrative Council, will discuss the grant program, the application and review process, and the types of project funded.
How Value-Added Products Can Help Your Bottom Line
Kerry and Robin Dunaway, Greenway Farms
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Kerry and Robin Dunaway sell beef, poultry, eggs, worms, custom lumber, and canned goods from their farm near Roberta. In 2013, they opened a certified kitchen on the farm, where Robin now teaches proper canning methods after graduating from the UGA Better Process Control School. The Dunaways will discuss their experience installing the certified kitchen, rules for canning, and the effect of value-added products to their marketing and revenue.
Federal Agricultural Policy Roundtable with FOG and NSACMarty Mesh, Florida Organic Growers
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Join Marty Mesh, longtime advocate and executive director of Florida Organic Growers, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition for a roundtable discussion on federal agricultural policy, which will include the Farm Bill and FSMA updates. This session is informational and will explore what potential FSMA updates and changes to the Farm Bill will mean for the farmer and consumer. In addition, attendees will explore ways in becoming advocates for a better food system and what steps they can take at various levels to shape our federal agricultural policies.
Farm to School: Healthy Kids
Farm to School Case Study: Habersham CountyTeri Hamlin, Georgia Organics, Paige Holland, Habersham County School Nutrition Director, Mary Beth Thomas, Wilbanks Middle School, Ronnie Mathis, Mountain Earth FarmsSession A, 9:45-11 a.m.
In Habersham County, the school district and community have adopted a fully comprehensive farm to school program, integrating local food purchases with classroom lessons, school gardens, and taste tests. Hear from leaders in this program about how they got their program started and the integral role each member of the farm to school community plays.
Marketing the Good Stuff: Using Science Techniques to Get Kids to Eat Their Fruits and Veggies
Trisha Hardy, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Gator Rivers, former Harlem Globetrotter and Harembee HouseSession B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Children are constantly bombarded with slick marketing campaigns for junk food, making it hard for them to choose healthy options. Trisha Hardy will share new research which demonstrates ways to make those choices easier and more attractive, and Gator Rivers will share how he gets youth excited about good food through an innovative basketball program called the “Globecroppers.” Parents, school leaders, and farmers will learn how to incorporate new strategies into their daily lives to help “sell” more fruits and vegetables to kids and increase their consumption.
Youth Leaders Panel
Youth Leaders
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
As the song goes, we believe the children are our future. Several youth leaders will describe their experiences with food, farming, and nutrition, discuss their own projects, and tell us how they’re taking over the world one radish at a time. Always one of our most popular sessions!
Making Nutrition Easy for Kids to Digest
Chef Asata Reid, LifeChef, Truly Live Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Why does your body need a variety of foods? Why do we have food categories? What do different foods do for your body? Chef and culinary educator Asata Reid will break it all down for you in a way that kids (and adults) can understand. We’ll also cook something delicious and nutritious using all five food groups!
Homegrown
From Hammer to Harvest: Building and Growing Organically in Raised BedsDavid Berle, University of Georgia
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
This session will cover the considerations for siting, building, and filling raised beds, with an emphasis on methods and materials that meet National Organic Program standards. The session will also include information on drip irrigation design for raised beds as well as ideas on covering raised beds for season extension. Participants will learn practical, real world guidelines and rules of thumb for raised bed vegetable production.
Compost, Nature’s Balancing Act
Andy Schwartz and Kerri Shay
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Coastal Georgia is basically a huge sand box, which is why amending our soils through nutrient rich compost is so important to backyard gardeners and urban farmers of South Georgia. The class will discuss options for backyard composting systems: compost heaps, tumblers, contained heaps, sheet composting, vermicompost, and community composting. We will discuss what materials are best suited for composting and those that are not. Basic recipes temperature requirements, pH levels, moisture levels, and mineral content will all be discussed for each composting system. There are a lot of misconceptions about backyard composting and we are going to address them all! We will make you excited about compost and what it can do for you and your garden. Even if you only have enough space for a few potted plants compost is something you can do at home to benefit you, your plants, and the environment.
Home Health Made Easy (And Made By You!)
Becky Striepe, Care2 network
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Why buy what you need to look and feel great when you can make so much yourself? Care2 network green lifestyles blogger Becky Striepe will demonstrate how to make a sugar scrub, vapor rub, and home cleaning agent. (She’ll even give you some ideas for how to package your creation!)
Urban Homesteading: Living DIY
Kerry Shay, Reid Archer, and David Hislop of Victory Gardens
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Led by three former organic farmers from Savannah, this session will cover the benefits and challenges of homesteading in the city or the suburbs. (And if you’re homesteading in a rural area, you can still pick up new skills!) You will learn about growing your own food, achieving a more self-sufficient lifestyle, and building community wherever you may live.
Green Acres
Imagine Georgia without HoneybeesVirginia Webb, Mountain Honey & the Managed Pollinator Coordinated Agricultural Project
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Honeybees and other native pollinators are facing devastating population declines, threatening the heart of our food supply. For 40 years, Virginia Webb has championed the role of the honeybee in helping to sustain global agriculture. She will provide the latest news on what is happening globally and nationally around colony collapse disorder and efforts to understand and research the problem and restore large and diverse populations of managed bee pollinators across the United States. She’ll end the session with a hive demonstration and, will share steps we all can take to be part of the solution.
It Ain’t Easy Turning Green into Green
Rob Del Bueno, Southern Green Industries , and Peter Marte, Hannah Solar
Session B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The success of Southern Green Industries (SGI) has not come easily. The company, founded by Robert Del Bueno and Dezso Gavaller, collects and recycles restaurant grease for biodiesel production, provides eco-friendly grease trap cleaning, and collects food waste for industrial composting. SGI’s success story is one for anyone interested in bucking the system and creating a green industry from scratch. Hannah Solar has successfully worked with farmers to supplement their row crops or livestock with harvesting the sun. Marte will discuss starting a green company from scratch and turning it into one of the most successful solar companies in rural Georgia.
Hot, Wet & Weird: What To Expect and What To Do About Climate Change in Georgia
Pam Knox, University of Georgia, and Carrie Furman, Southeast Climate Consortium & University of Georgia
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Climate change is predicted to raise temperatures across the state by 4.5 to 5.4 degrees, with an accompanying 5 percent increase in annual precipitation. What does this mean for farmers, gardeners, and eaters? UGA agricultural climatologist Pam Knox will reveal climate change’s effects on Georgia’s agriculture industry, food prices, and climate impacts for gardeners over the next several decades. Dr. Carrie Furman, with the Southeast Climate Consortium, will talk about how the development of a strong local food community can actually help farmers adapt to these conditions.
CLAMmoring for Sustainable Seafood
Charlie Phillips, Sapelo Sea Farms
Session D, 4-5:15 p.m.
Learn about sustainable seafood’s efforts to protect southeastern fisheries while supporting the livelihoods of coastal fishermen. Charlie Phillips cultivates fresh little neck clams around the waters of Sapelo Island. Charlie began clam farming in the Julington River a few years ago and now ships clams locally and as far away as Canada.
Culinary Health
Recipe for Success: The Farmer as Meal PlannerRebecca Lang, cookbook author and Southern Living contributing editor, and Mary Moore, founder and CEO of The Cook’s Warehouse – representing the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International
Session A, 9:45-11 a.m.
Engaging and educating shoppers who visit a booth at the farmers market is a key to successful selling year round. Join Mary Moore and Rebecca Lang in a live-action cooking demo as they teach farmers how to plan, execute, and attract market-goers in simple cooking demonstrations right in their own stands. This session is also ideal for market managers or organizers, as well as farmers who meet directly with administrators to demonstrate how to introduce and use their crops in a school cafeteria. You’ll learn simple, proven techniques to prepare your products and attendees will receive complimentary copies of recipes. LDEI Atlanta is thrilled to support this educational session.
Cooking for Health
Chef Ahki, Delicious Indigenous FoodsSession B, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Do you want to prepare healthier meals? Are you tired of the same old salads? Enter celebrity chef and professional blogger Chef Ahki. Using local organic ingredients, Chef Ahki will demonstrate delicious recipes designed to stimulate your taste buds, nourish your body, and restore vitality.
A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels
Session C, 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Florida Organic Growers and the Domestic Fair Trade Association will lead an informational session about food labels and what they mean to the consumer. This session will cover certifying organizations, operational practices, in addition to the requirements and regulations for various food labels. Attendees will walk away with a better sense of what labels mean within the food system and insight on how they might prioritize their purchase decisions in an ever-expanding labeling system.
A Taste for Mindful Eating: Digging Deeper into the Food in Your Kitchen and at Your Table
Tamie Cook, chef & culinary connector, Tamie Cooks LLCSession D, 4-5:15 p.m.
If ever there was an activity capable of combining delight and sharing, it is cooking. We all may have the skills to suss out sustainably grown, local, organic food, but what happens when we get that food home? This presentation will introduce attendees to mindful practices for transforming your kitchens and tables into places of hospitality, gratitude, and celebration. Good food prepared with love and respect for its origins, shared with friends and family, is surely close to heaven. Come experience “food church,” where the mind, body and soul all get fed.
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