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Virginia Biological Farming Conference

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Conference information and registration:

VABF.org

January 30-31, 2015

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel 1021 Koger Center Blvd

Richmond, VA 804-379-3800

Local and Organic since 1978

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2015 Virginia Biological Farming Conference January 30 - 31, 2015

Workshops & Presentations for Farmers, Gardeners, Entrepreneurs, Foodies

25 sessions = 2,250 minutes of learning = 37½ hours of information

Tradeshow: Great farm, garden and food products and services

Youth Program: Hands-on for kids 5-15 (pre-registration required)

Local, Organic Food: Potluck lunch Friday, Friday Dinner, Saturday Lunch, plus snacks!

Financial assistance for conference registration is available. Application and reference due January 5.

See VABF.org for info and to download an application.

To have an application mailed to you: telephone conference registrar at 804–519-1620.

New conference volunteer policy: See vabf.org for info and application! Apply asap!

Location: Doubletree by Hilton Hotel

1021 Koger Center Blvd, Richmond VA 804-379-3800 (A few miles SW of downtown Richmond: Take the Midlothian Tnpk/Rt 60 exit off of the Powhite Pkwy)

Hotel reservations: We have a block of rooms at the special rate of $86 plus tax per night.

See vabf.org/to link to reserve your room online at this rate, or

call 804-379-3800 and mention the Virginia Biological Farming Conference rate.

The special room rate will be available until the group block is sold-out. Ends January 14th

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Sue Ellen

Johnson at 540-422-9804 or TTY callers 800-828-1120 during business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event.

Registration Rates 2015 Members Non-Members

Early Registration (Extended to Dec 20) $130 $190

Regular Registration (Dec 21 - Jan 15) $145 $205

Late Registration (Jan 16 - 29) $170 $230

Youth Program - with parent conference registration $50 $50

Youth Program - without parent conference registration $90 $90

Exhibit/Display: Private not-for-profit minimum $150 $205

Exhibit/Display: Government agency minimum $150 $205

Exhibit/Display: For-Profit minimum $190 $245

Founded in 1882, Virginia State University is one of Virginia’s two land-grant institutions and is located 20 minutes south of Rich-mond in the village of Ettrick. VSU’s College of Agriculture consists of three academic departments: Agriculture, Hospitality Man-agement, and Family and Consumer Sciences. Integrated within the College are an Agricultural Research Station; Randolph Farm, a 417-acre research and educational facility; and Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Extension is a joint program of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state and local governments.

Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, politi-cal beliefs, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital, family, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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CONFERENCE AGENDA (tentative) Friday, January 30, 2015

9:00 -12:45 pm Conference Registration 10:00 am Exhibits Open Youth Program Begins 10:00 -11:30 am Session A

Are you losing money with every carrot bunch you sell? Ellen Polishuk, Potomac Vegetable Farm, Virginia

Walk Through The Orchard Year Michael Phillips, New Hampshire

Livestock Husbandry on Pasture Ben Coleman, Mountain Run Farm, Virginia

Plant Disease Management for Organic Systems Margaret McGrath, Cornell University, LI, New York

Growing and Marketing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Mark Jones, Sharondale Farm, Virginia

11:45 am Lunch: VBF’s Traditional Organic Potluck (bring a dish to share) 1:00 pm Welcome

Sue Ellen Johnson – Executive Director, Virginia Association for Biological Farming

Jewel Hairston – Dean, College of Agriculture, Virginia State University, Petersburg,

Franklin Jackson – Associate Dean, College of Agriculture, Virginia State University, Petersburg

William Hale – VABF Board President

1:15 pm Keynote Presentation

Sustaining the Sustainable Ag Movement, John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agriculture Economics,

University of Missouri

2:30 pm Break and Trade Show/Exhibits

3:00 pm Session B

Succession Planting, Pam Dawling, Twin Oaks Community, Virginia

Multi-Species Grazing, Forrest Pritchard, Berryville, Virginia

A Bio-Intensive Market Garden, Jean-Martin Fortier, Les Jardins de la Grelinette, Quebec, Canada

Beneficial Insects and Farmscaping, Richard McDonald, Symbiont Biological Pest Company, North

Carolina

Experiences with Multi-farm and Cooperative Marketing

4:30 pm Trade Show/Exhibits 5:30 pm Dinner 6:30 pm Virginia Soil Health Video Premiere introduced by Chris Lawrence VA-NRCS 7:15 pm Growing VABF: Regional Working Group and Volunteer Breakout Sessions 8:00 pm Evening Entertainment Jam (Bring your musical instruments)

Register Online: VABF.org/ Questions? Email Conference@vabf.org or call 804-519-1620

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Breakfast on your own

8:30 am Youth Program

8:30-10:00 am Session C

From Seed to Seed: Planning and Planting for a Year-Round Harvest

Ira Wallace, SESE, Virginia and Cindy Conner Homeplace Earth, Virginia

The Color of Food, Natasha Bowen, D.C.

Plant Disease Roundtable, Ellen Polishuk—Potomac Vegetable Farm,

Margaret McGrath—Cornell University, Edmond Frost—Twin Oaks Community

43560 Project Update, Clif Slade, Slade Farm, Surry, Virginia

Livestock Guardian Dogs Renard Turner, Vanguard Ranch, Virginia

10:00 – 10:30 am Break and Trade Show

10:30 – 12:00 pm Session D

Farmer’s Opportunities with SNAP-EBT and Healthy Food Incentives, Elizabeth Borst, The Farmers

Market, Virginia

Edible Landscapes with a permaculture twist, Michael Judd, Maryland

Virginia Organic Research Update, Edmond Frost—Twin Oaks Community, Dan Gagnon—

Broadfork Farm, Mike Sands—Bean Hollow, Laban Rutto—Virginia State University

Asian Greens, Pam Dawling, Twin Oaks Community, Virginia

Virginia Markets for Organic: Panel Discussion

12:00 pm Lunch and book signings 12:30 pm Annual Meeting/Board Elections of the Virginia Association for Biological Farming 1:15 – 2:45 pm Session E

An Integrated Compost/Poultry Enterprise via Skype, Karl Hammer, Vermont

Urban Agriculture – Cashawn Myers and Tenisio Seanima HABESHA Atlanta, Georgia

and Todd Niemeier UACC Charlottesville, Virginia

Home Orchard Basics - Michael Philips, New Hampshire

Hands On Irrigation - Jon Davidson- Berry Hill Irrigation and Clif Slade, Slade Farm

FSMA Readiness for Small-Mid Size Farms: A Proactive and Practical Approach in Virginia

CONFERENCE AGENDA (tentative) Saturday, January 31, 2015

Register On-line: at VABF.org Early registration ends: Dec 20 Regular Registration Ends: January 15

Questions? Email Conference@vabf.org or call 804-519-1620

Check out the Pre-conference Intensives offered on Thursday January 29 . See VABF.org for info.

1. Urban Farming, 2. Bio-Intensive Market gardening, 3. Edible Landscapes