Summer Conference, Biodiversity, Field Days

The 2011 Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer Conference with Northeast Animal-Power Field Days, takes place at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Aug. 12 to Aug. 14.

More than 225 workshops include topics that range from farming, gardening and land care to draft animals in farming and forestry; plus homesteading, sustainability, nutrition, food politics, activism, and even more.

Keynote speakers are Eric Toensmeier and Ignacio Chapela.

Toensmeier has spent 20 years exploring edible perennial agroecosystems and authored the award-winning book "Perennial Vegetables" and co-authored "Edible Forest Gardens" with Dave Jacke. Eric studies the potential of perennial farming systems to mitigate climate disruption and to provide a stable source of food and livelihood for communities in the Northeast and globally.

Chapela is actively involved in debates on technology policy and the consequences of declining biodiversity. An associate professor of biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a senior scientist at the Norwegian Center for Biosafety, Dr. Chapela exposes both the ecological dangers of genetic engineering and the political crisis of accountability that threatens food security.

Special workshops designed for children and teens.

Music and dance, an old-fashioned country fair, farmer's market, games.

Northeast Organic Farming Summer Conference

The Northeast Organic Farming Association Summer Conference is Friday, Aug. 13 through Sunday, Aug. 15, at UMass Amherst, Mass. More than 200 workshops on organic farming, gardening, land care, sustainability and homesteading. Outdoor exhibits and vendors. Keynote speakers: Sally Fallon Morrell, founder of Weston A. Price Foundation and author of bestselling book Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. Entertainment including dancing, country fair, live auction. For information before you go, visit www.nofasummerconference.org or call (978) 355-2853.

Edible Landscape, Fruits And How To

A quince tree (above) is pretty from bloom to fruit.

A workshop with Lee Reich will spread the word about edible landscaping with fruit on Tuesday, July 21, 9 a.m to 3 p.m. at Reich’s garden, New Paltz, New York.

Site assessment, soil preparation, plant selection and maintenance, and a comprehensive review of topics that range from microclimates to pruning and pests.

Cost is $200; less for NOFA members. Call Ashley Kremser, NOFA OLC program manager, at (203) 888-5146.

NOFA Conference, Life, Earth, Demos

Just because you don’t own or work on a farm doesn’t mean that you can’t be involved in agriculture.

Ian Marvey, co-founder and director of Added Value and Red Hook Community Farm and Dan Ross, executive director of Nuestras Raíces (Spanish for "our roots") are featured speakers at NOFA’s Cultivating an Organic Connecticut conference. The forum on urban agriculture is Feb. 21 at Windsor High School.

Organizations exploring ways to bring organic farming into traditionally underserved communities can serve a variety of
community needs. Nuestras Raíces is a grass-roots organization that promotes economic, human and community development in Holyoke, Mass., through projects relating to food and how it is produced.

The conference will feature a track of workshops about urban agriculture, small farms and gardens. One feature is a panel discussion with young farmers who hope to dispel some myths about farming in Connecticut and reach a growing audience of first-time farmers.

More than 30 workshops will highlight organic farming, gardening, landscaping and sustainable living - in addition to exhibits and a potluck lunch and hands-on cooking demonstrations.

The conference costs $50 for non-members. For more information visit www.ctnofa.org or call (203) 888-5146.

CT NOFA is the Connecticut Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association.