Here is a detailed guide to the conference.
For an At-A-Glance Overview, click here.

Eco-Farm Bus Tour '07- 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sustainable Agriculture in Coastal Monterey County
This all-day field trip promises a diverse and informative tour of four organic farms in the coastal zone of Monterey County. This area of cool, foggy summers, sunny springs and falls, and mild wet winters features a great range of crops suited to the climate and fertile coastal soils.
Tour stops include: 1) Serendipity Farms, where Jamie Collins will show us 15 acres of cool season organic vegetables and artichokes growing on the historic Odello Ranch near the mouth of the Carmel River. Jamie will also discuss her hot weather crop farm up valley, and the organic demonstration farm project on land leased from the California State Parks. Jamie markets via farmers markets, wholesale and private label for Trader Joe’s. 2) Jamie’s neighbor is Felix Plascencia of Plascencia Farms. Felix grows 15 acres of organic strawberries on the Odello Ranch and markets them under the Driscoll label. The challenges and opportunities for growing luscious berries without fumigation and other agrochemicals will be discussed. We will see his new crop of berries planted in November. 3) In the Elkhorn Slough watershed we will visit TLC (Tastes Like Chicken) Ranch, where Rebecca Thistlethwaite and Jim Dunlop produce pastured poultry and pigs. In 2006 they raised 1,000 laying hens, 1,000 broiler chickens, 30 heritage turkeys, and 200 pigs on 10 acres of rotationally grazed pasture using organic practices. They market through farmers’ markets and a buying club. 4) On the shores of the Elkhorn Slough, we’ll see Elkhorn Native Plant Nursery. Rob de Bree will host the tour of the 3 acre nursery, specializing in California native and drought tolerant plants. We will also meet with Dick Peixoto of Lakeside Organic Gardens, who farms the adjoining organic fields. Dick will show us the winter cover crop and discuss the upcoming broccoli and cauliflower plantings on the land he rotates with Sandpiper Farms, growers of organic strawberries.
Amigo Cantisano of Organic Ag Advisors, Sam Earnshaw of Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), and Richard Smith of UC Cooperative Extension lead the tour. Lunch will be a hearty natural foods meal prepared from organically grown and local ingredients by noted chef Jim Denevan. Morning coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided. Every year the bus tour is a sellout, usually by the early registration deadline. Participant comments: “The best farm tour I’ve been on,” “Excellent presentations by the growers,” “Highly informative and fun.” Sign up on the registration form or call for further details at (831) 763-2111. Please note that the bus tour departs from Asilomar. We have rooms booked for those needing accommodations at Asilomar on the night before the tour (Tuesday the 23rd).

School Garden Bus Tour - 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Monterey Bay Area is home to some of the most impressive school garden programs in the state. The School Gardens tour will visit five thriving garden projects that teach pre-school to middle-school students cooking and nutrition, organic gardening, ornithology, science, and more! With its native plant nursery, outdoor kitchen and ornithology program, the Carmel Middle School Habitat Garden is one of the most impressive garden programs on a school campus. At the Gault School Garden in Santa Cruz we will learn about their California Nutrition Network-funded garden nutrition program. Then on to lunch at the Life Lab Garden Classroom located on the 25-acre UCSC Farm. The Garden Classroom is model school garden site that serves thousands of visiting children and trains hundreds of teachers in garden-based learning. The Gateway School Garden boasts a green-design kitchen, fava bean labyrinth and more. Gateway will feature student guides and activity stations. We will end at the Freedom School Life Lab Garden to learn, among other things, how they compost their cafeteria waste. Curricular and funding resources will be shared throughout the day. Life Lab Garden Classroom Program Director John Fisher, an active member in the newly formed California School Garden Network, will lead the tour.

Smart Energy Management in Agriculture- (Tues. AND Wed.)

Tuesday

Visit Central Coast farms employing the latest in energy alternatives, solar, biodiesel, efficiency and more. Tour includes lunch.

Wednesday

• Increase your Energy Independence
• Protect your farm from rising energy costs
• Save Money with Energy Efficiency
• Conserve easily and cut costs immediately
• Make Renewable Energy Affordable
• Find out the latest on incentives and financing options
• Meet with Experts and Farmer Peers
• Learn from experienced consultants and farmers

 

A National Organic Action Plan (Tues. afternoon AND Wed. all day)
What Will Organic Look Like in the Next 10 - 20 Years?
After years of reacting to the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act and USDA’s National Organic Program, it is time for the entire organic community – farmers, consumers, farm workers, trade, urban and rural groups – to take a step forward, and begin to develop a vision for the future of Organic. Several groups have come together to listen to the broad organic community regarding the scope of a National Organic Action Plan (NOAP) that looks towards the long view – 10 to 20 years in the future.

The scope and vision could include both governmental and non-governmental goals as to where organic should go and how to get there, from 2007 Farm Bill priorities for Organic to acreage and sales goals for the future. It could also incorporate quantitative and qualitative measures for the long list of societal benefits provided by organic.

This presentation will look for full audience participation in outlining your interests, visions, and concerns for the future of organic, as well as for how it should be mapped in a comprehensive National Plan.
We are pleased to offer this day-and-a-half meeting just prior to Eco-Farm on Tues. afternoon January 23 and all day Wed. January 24 at Asilomar. Register for meals and accommodations on the Eco-Farm registration form. The cost for the whole event is $20 if registered by 12/22/06. For more information, please contact Liana Hoodes (liana@hvc.rr.com, phone: 845-744-2304). 

This mini-conference is one in a series offered around the country in 2006 and 2007. Eco-Farm will be our sole California venue.

CSA Nuts & Bolts: A Continuing Conversation - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Last year’s pre-conference for CSA coordinators and farmers was successful and everyone agreed that they would like even more information sharing. Join your peers for in-depth discussion, sharing of successes, and presentations addressing topics important for running a CSA program. Participants will be asked to bring examples of membership and outreach materials to share with the full group.
Through facilitated interaction with peers and in sharing experiences, participants will gain a better understanding of topics such as distribution, communication with members, effective planning, value-added non-fruit and vegetable options, and more. Help shape the agenda by telling us on the registration form what information you want to take away from the workshop. Take advantage of this yearly space dedicated to CSA farmers! See page 63 for Pre-Conference Registration.

Opening Plenary Session: 8:00 to 10:00 pm:
Farm Power - World Focus
Richard Heinberg, Miguel Altieri (more info)
These two western visionaries will address the immediate global future and set the context for the long haul.

Thursday Schedule

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Ecological Farming Association • 406 Main Street Ste. 313 • Watsonville, CA 95076
ph. 831-763-2111 • fax. 831-763-2112 • info@eco-farm.org