[Ssawg] Southern SAWG e-News, March 2009
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Sarah Bellos
Mar 11, 2009, 10:00:01 AM3/11/09
to Tennessee Sustainable Agriculture
View SSAWG's newsletter here: http://ssawg.org/Newsletters/SSAWGnewsMarch2009.html or read below!
Potentially of interest to Tennesseans:
Organic Education Gains Ground in Tennessee
The University of Tennessee recently launched a statewide organic agriculture program based at its Knoxville campus, reports Kathy Gilbert in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on March 2. UT has certified 21 acres as organic at its East Tennessee Research & Education Center.
The article also mentions that Tennessee State University was a sponsor of Southern SAWG's conference in Chattanooga in January, and will host the Tennessee Organic Growers Association conference on March 14, 2009.
Several other developments on the organic and sustainable agriculture front in the state are cited. Tennessee State University now has 5 acres certified organic, is starting new research into organic methods, and has a faculty member dedicated exclusively to organic vegetable production education. In addition to the new venture of TSU, Tennessee Tech has leased about 115 acres of unused farm land to build an organic farm and had about 10 students working there last summer.
According to the article, the universities are initiating these programs due to student demand, personal interest, and market interest.
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Date: Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 4:00 AM
Subject: [Ssawg] Southern SAWG e-News, March 2009
To: s.be...@gmail.com
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Southern SAWG Newsletter, Volume 5, #3 | March 2009
Greetings!
"Now spring has come, the birds rejoice, and chaunt the cheerful lay; the farmer with exulting joys, prepares for April's day." Thus begins the March entry in the Farmers' Almanac for 2009. Depending on where you are in our region, March came in with the lion or the lamb: snow and rain, drought, cold, and warmth. During this month of preparation we wish you the exulting joy of new hope and a new season.
--Your friends at Southern SAWG
Inside This Issue:
New Secretary of Agriculture Reveals New Attitude Towards Small Family Farm Sustainability, Civil Rights, and Rural Development with Address to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Southern SAWG Professional Development Program Offers Diverse Sustainable Ag Training
Organic Education Gains Ground in Tennessee
Florida Organic Growers and Consumers Community Food Systems Workshop with Tom Stearns
Southern SAWG Professional Development Program Offers Diverse Sustainable Ag Training
Steve Tate of Goat Lady Dairy discusses the economics of artisan cheese at the Dairy Goat Fundamentals & Opportunities: Training of the Trainers in Montgomery, Alabama
Southern SAWG's Professional Development Program, "Southern Region Educator Trainings in Eight Farming Systems Using Unique Tools & Approaches," has produced trainings for agriculture professionals in six targeted states: Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The project is being funded by the USDA Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. The trainings have been planned and produced in collaboration with state SARE coordinators based on training materials that Southern SAWG has developed in eight sustainable agriculture farming enterprises. Each training has been designed to meet the specific needs of the host coordinator, bringing in seasoned producers who are also experienced educators.
Southern SAWG provided educational materials for participants, including a virtual farm tour video and enterprise manual, with video teaching guide and farm profiles. As the project nears completion in May, we have so far reached approximately 360 agricultural professionals, plus a number of producers and students.
The topics presented were: Grazing Georgia: Grass-Fed Ruminants; Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing; Pastured Poultry; and Dairy Goat Fundamentals & Opportunities: Training of the Trainers, featuring the Art of Fromagerie: Marketing Goat Cheese. The workshops received very favorable evaluations, and we were pleased to hear comments such as these: Very useful information for application to my job (County Government--Economic Development); I will distribute copies of materials to other ag professionals and producers (NRCS); Good notebook--resource materials can be used later; good information on soils and crop rotations; Provided information on a subject that is not ready available (Pastured Poultry); Information was practical and user-friendly for both farmers and professionals.
Two Southern SAWG videos, Artisan Cheese Production and Marketing, and Pasture-Based Dairy Farming, were created and produced under this program, and accompanying farm profiles and video teaching guides have been developed. The Artisan Cheese Production and Marketing video and enterprise manual were provided for participants of the Dairy Goat Fundamentals & Opportunities: Training of the Trainers workshop in Alabama. These two videos, along with six other Natural Farming Systems in the South videos, are available for sale. The accompanying farm profiles and teaching guides are free on our website.
Southern SAWG has also undertaken a new venture under this program: the production of webinars, or web-cast seminars. Using this distance-learning technology, participants view and hear the presentation on their computers at their own locations as it is happening. Presenters are able to share PowerPoint slides, websites, and any other documents or resources from their own computers. Best of all, the interactive features allow participants to ask questions, receive answers, and make comments.
Our first of two webinar training topics, Management Intensive Grazing of Beef, was chosen based on results of survey of Southern NRCS and state extension staff. The two-hour training featured Ron Morrow, State Grazing Lands Specialist for USDA-NRCS for Arkansas, as the presenter. The event, which was attended by more than 40 extension agents, NRCS personnel, and other agricultural professionals, received high marks. The training was recorded, and has been viewed by a number of other educators since the live presentation in December.
Cattle grazing on Ron Morrow's farm in Arkansas
The second webinar, Organic Horticultural Production and Marketing, was presented by Daniel Parson, of Parson Organics. This event had about 55 participants, and also received excellent evaluations. The training included an introduction to the Mississippi State University-SARE project materials on training in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Organic Crops, with the assistance of Geoff Zehnder of Clemson University, one of the developers of the IPM material.
The success of the webinar format showed many advantages for this type of training, as it allows a diverse audience to attend an educational event while sitting at their computers. Time and cost for travel are eliminated, while many of the features of a live presentation are available, including an effective question and answer setup.
Southern SAWG is continuing to stay in touch with workshop participants to track the effectiveness of the trainings, curricula, training tools such as videos and webinars, and to learn how educators are using new knowledge, skills, and attitudes to help producers become more sustainable.
We appreciate all of the collaborators who were able to add immeasurably to the range and success of the workshops. These include: Julia Gaskin of the University of Georgia; Geoff Zehnder of Clemson University; Will Getz of Fort Valley State University; Mark Crenshaw of Mississippi State University; Franklin Chukwuma of Alcorn State University; Carl Motsenbocker of Louisiana State University; Owusu Bandele of Southern University; Josh Payne and Kefyalew Desta of Oklahoma State University; Robert Spencer of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service; Whole Foods and the Whole Foods Animal Compassion Foundation; and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Special thanks are due to all of the presenters, many of whom are familiar to Southern SAWG conference participants: Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm in North Carolina; Daniel Parson of Parson Produce in South Carolina; Paul Wiediger of Au Naturel Farm in Kentucky; Ann Wells of Springpond Holistic Animal Health in Arkansas; Mike Walters of Walters Poultry in Oklahoma; Steve Tate of Goat Lady Dairy in North Carolina; and Ron Morrow, State Grazing Lands Specialist for USDA-NRCS for Arkansas.
For more information about this program, contact Karen Adler.
New Secretary of Agriculture Reveals New Attitude Towards Small Family Farm Sustainability, Civil Rights, and Rural Development with Address to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Ralph Paige, Executive Director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund; Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; Shirley Sherrod, Georgia Director of the FSC/LAF and former Southern SAWG Board member; Sanford Bishop, U.S. Congressman; in Albany, Georgia at the Federation/LAF Farmer's Conference
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on February 21, 2009, as he addressed more than 300 farmers and agriculture professionals at the Federation's conference, held annually in Albany, Georgia. "When our first African-American president raised his hand and took the oath of office, we made a huge step in this country. It's now our job at the USDA to take the next step," Vilsack stated. He said that if President Abraham Lincoln, who established the USDA in 1862, came back and wondered how the department is doing in supporting farmers, he would learn that "some folks refer to USDA as the last plantation, and it has a pretty poor history of taking care of people of color," adding that he chose the conference as the place to make his first speech outside of Washington because he wants to send the message that they are serious about civil rights.
Vilsack took the opportunity to acknowledge the fact that the conference program began with sustainable agriculture topics, saying that it is a very important topic, and it's going to be increasingly important. After acknowledging other topics that he considers key, such as food assistance programs that are included in President Obama's stimulus package, he spoke about the trends in agriculture that they see at the USDA.
"The first thing that popped out to me was the dramatic growth in the number of small farms--small income farms," he said, referring to the recently released results from the Census of Agriculture. "In the last five years there have been 108,000 new farms started with sales of less than $1,000. These are very, very, very small operations. But that is a significant start for people in agriculture and a significant connection to the land--108,000." He described the other end of the spectrum where the trend is the very large income farms that generate $500,000 or more, which grew by about 41,000 farms. The third trend, which he identified as the challenge, is that the farms in the middle, making more than $10,000 but less than $500,000, have decreased by 80,000. He pointed out two more trends: Sixty percent of all farms have less than $10,000 in sales, with 900,000 of 2,200,000 farmers having to work off-farm over 200 days per year to make it. The last trend that he brought into the picture is the fact that the average age of farmers has increased over the last five years from 55 to 57.
"Small farming increases; large farm increases; farms in the middle decreasing; aging farmers; farmers having to work off the farm," he summarized. "So what does the USDA do about this? What should it be doing in the next four years?"
The Secretary said that the President has been very specific with him about renewing and replenishing rural areas across the country. Vilsack noted a number of things that need to be done to make that happen, including the development of strategies to make the small income farms into mid-income farms and become more profitable, as well as to maintain the existing mid-sized farms. One of the ways he sees this happening is through a major push to focus on nutrition, including "fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, things that are good for you. And it can start this year with the reauthorization of the school lunch and school breakfast programs." Vilsack sees this as creating real opportunities to produce fresh vegetables and fruit and get them into schools and institutions locally. He also stressed that we need to develop regional distribution systems to encourage the growth.
In addition to strengthening the infrastructure for local and regional mid-scale production, he talked about other rural development issues, including new crops for biofuels, resources for bio-refineries, and conservation stewardship.
Vilsack's closing remarks focused on his commitment to seeing that the civil rights issues of the USDA will be addressed and put in the past, and to making sure that all of the offices are "fair to black farmers, and fair to women farmers, and fair to Hispanic farmers, and fair to people from all walks of life who want to get into farming. We have 108,000 new farmers with less than $1,000 in sales. That's a lot of people who want the opportunity to work the land and we want to give them that opportunity."
For a full transcript of the Secretary's speech, click here
Organic Education Gains Ground in Tennessee
The University of Tennessee recently launched a statewide organic agriculture program based at its Knoxville campus, reports Kathy Gilbert in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on March 2. UT has certified 21 acres as organic at its East Tennessee Research & Education Center.
The article also mentions that Tennessee State University was a sponsor of Southern SAWG's conference in Chattanooga in January, and will host the Tennessee Organic Growers Association conference on March 14, 2009.
Several other developments on the organic and sustainable agriculture front in the state are cited. Tennessee State University now has 5 acres certified organic, is starting new research into organic methods, and has a faculty member dedicated exclusively to organic vegetable production education. In addition to the new venture of TSU, Tennessee Tech has leased about 115 acres of unused farm land to build an organic farm and had about 10 students working there last summer.
According to the article, the universities are initiating these programs due to student demand, personal interest, and market interest.
Florida Organic Growers and Consumers Community Food Systems Workshop
with Tom Stearns
________________________________
March 23, 2009
Gainesville, Florida
Learn about work being done across the country and in your community to increase community food security and how you can be part of the solution in Gainesville. Tom Stearns is owner of High Mowing Organic Seeds & president of The Center for an Agricultural Economy. The work of his community of Hardwick, Vermont has been featured in The New York Times and Gourmet Magazine as an example of a thriving local food system. From 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm key community stakeholders will gather for a targeted presentation and workshops. The general public is invited to attend from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. At the Thomas Center, 302 NE 6th Ave, Gainesville, 32601. For more information… .
________________________________
Visit Southern SAWG online at
http://www.ssawg.org
________________________________
We welcome your feedback and suggestions
Please write to us at ne...@ssawg.org
Newsletter Archives,
Subscribe and Unsubscribe
________________________________
To subscribe to or view past Southern SAWG E-Newsletters
click here.
Please visit this site if you received the text version and would like to see the complete layout or to browse through past issues.
To update your email address or unsubscribe click here.
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Inc. (Southern SAWG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to promote sustainable agriculture in the Southern United States.
--
organic clothing, naturally dyed in nashville, tn
http://www.askapparel.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2008/11/03/focus5.html
urban organic farming, done communally
http://www.nashvilleurbanharvest.org
http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=3338
"The most radical thing you can do is to plant a garden and remove
yourself one step from dependency upon a destructive system." Wendell
Berry
Potentially of interest to Tennesseans:
Organic Education Gains Ground in Tennessee
The University of Tennessee recently launched a statewide organic agriculture program based at its Knoxville campus, reports Kathy Gilbert in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on March 2. UT has certified 21 acres as organic at its East Tennessee Research & Education Center.
The article also mentions that Tennessee State University was a sponsor of Southern SAWG's conference in Chattanooga in January, and will host the Tennessee Organic Growers Association conference on March 14, 2009.
Several other developments on the organic and sustainable agriculture front in the state are cited. Tennessee State University now has 5 acres certified organic, is starting new research into organic methods, and has a faculty member dedicated exclusively to organic vegetable production education. In addition to the new venture of TSU, Tennessee Tech has leased about 115 acres of unused farm land to build an organic farm and had about 10 students working there last summer.
According to the article, the universities are initiating these programs due to student demand, personal interest, and market interest.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: SSAWG e-News <ne...@ssawg.org>
Date: Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 4:00 AM
Subject: [Ssawg] Southern SAWG e-News, March 2009
To: s.be...@gmail.com
Having problems viewing this newsletter as an email?
Click here for a full-color web version.
Click here for a plain text version.
Southern SAWG Newsletter, Volume 5, #3 | March 2009
Greetings!
"Now spring has come, the birds rejoice, and chaunt the cheerful lay; the farmer with exulting joys, prepares for April's day." Thus begins the March entry in the Farmers' Almanac for 2009. Depending on where you are in our region, March came in with the lion or the lamb: snow and rain, drought, cold, and warmth. During this month of preparation we wish you the exulting joy of new hope and a new season.
--Your friends at Southern SAWG
Inside This Issue:
New Secretary of Agriculture Reveals New Attitude Towards Small Family Farm Sustainability, Civil Rights, and Rural Development with Address to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Southern SAWG Professional Development Program Offers Diverse Sustainable Ag Training
Organic Education Gains Ground in Tennessee
Florida Organic Growers and Consumers Community Food Systems Workshop with Tom Stearns
Southern SAWG Professional Development Program Offers Diverse Sustainable Ag Training
Steve Tate of Goat Lady Dairy discusses the economics of artisan cheese at the Dairy Goat Fundamentals & Opportunities: Training of the Trainers in Montgomery, Alabama
Southern SAWG's Professional Development Program, "Southern Region Educator Trainings in Eight Farming Systems Using Unique Tools & Approaches," has produced trainings for agriculture professionals in six targeted states: Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The project is being funded by the USDA Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. The trainings have been planned and produced in collaboration with state SARE coordinators based on training materials that Southern SAWG has developed in eight sustainable agriculture farming enterprises. Each training has been designed to meet the specific needs of the host coordinator, bringing in seasoned producers who are also experienced educators.
Southern SAWG provided educational materials for participants, including a virtual farm tour video and enterprise manual, with video teaching guide and farm profiles. As the project nears completion in May, we have so far reached approximately 360 agricultural professionals, plus a number of producers and students.
The topics presented were: Grazing Georgia: Grass-Fed Ruminants; Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing; Pastured Poultry; and Dairy Goat Fundamentals & Opportunities: Training of the Trainers, featuring the Art of Fromagerie: Marketing Goat Cheese. The workshops received very favorable evaluations, and we were pleased to hear comments such as these: Very useful information for application to my job (County Government--Economic Development); I will distribute copies of materials to other ag professionals and producers (NRCS); Good notebook--resource materials can be used later; good information on soils and crop rotations; Provided information on a subject that is not ready available (Pastured Poultry); Information was practical and user-friendly for both farmers and professionals.
Two Southern SAWG videos, Artisan Cheese Production and Marketing, and Pasture-Based Dairy Farming, were created and produced under this program, and accompanying farm profiles and video teaching guides have been developed. The Artisan Cheese Production and Marketing video and enterprise manual were provided for participants of the Dairy Goat Fundamentals & Opportunities: Training of the Trainers workshop in Alabama. These two videos, along with six other Natural Farming Systems in the South videos, are available for sale. The accompanying farm profiles and teaching guides are free on our website.
Southern SAWG has also undertaken a new venture under this program: the production of webinars, or web-cast seminars. Using this distance-learning technology, participants view and hear the presentation on their computers at their own locations as it is happening. Presenters are able to share PowerPoint slides, websites, and any other documents or resources from their own computers. Best of all, the interactive features allow participants to ask questions, receive answers, and make comments.
Our first of two webinar training topics, Management Intensive Grazing of Beef, was chosen based on results of survey of Southern NRCS and state extension staff. The two-hour training featured Ron Morrow, State Grazing Lands Specialist for USDA-NRCS for Arkansas, as the presenter. The event, which was attended by more than 40 extension agents, NRCS personnel, and other agricultural professionals, received high marks. The training was recorded, and has been viewed by a number of other educators since the live presentation in December.
Cattle grazing on Ron Morrow's farm in Arkansas
The second webinar, Organic Horticultural Production and Marketing, was presented by Daniel Parson, of Parson Organics. This event had about 55 participants, and also received excellent evaluations. The training included an introduction to the Mississippi State University-SARE project materials on training in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Organic Crops, with the assistance of Geoff Zehnder of Clemson University, one of the developers of the IPM material.
The success of the webinar format showed many advantages for this type of training, as it allows a diverse audience to attend an educational event while sitting at their computers. Time and cost for travel are eliminated, while many of the features of a live presentation are available, including an effective question and answer setup.
Southern SAWG is continuing to stay in touch with workshop participants to track the effectiveness of the trainings, curricula, training tools such as videos and webinars, and to learn how educators are using new knowledge, skills, and attitudes to help producers become more sustainable.
We appreciate all of the collaborators who were able to add immeasurably to the range and success of the workshops. These include: Julia Gaskin of the University of Georgia; Geoff Zehnder of Clemson University; Will Getz of Fort Valley State University; Mark Crenshaw of Mississippi State University; Franklin Chukwuma of Alcorn State University; Carl Motsenbocker of Louisiana State University; Owusu Bandele of Southern University; Josh Payne and Kefyalew Desta of Oklahoma State University; Robert Spencer of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service; Whole Foods and the Whole Foods Animal Compassion Foundation; and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Special thanks are due to all of the presenters, many of whom are familiar to Southern SAWG conference participants: Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm in North Carolina; Daniel Parson of Parson Produce in South Carolina; Paul Wiediger of Au Naturel Farm in Kentucky; Ann Wells of Springpond Holistic Animal Health in Arkansas; Mike Walters of Walters Poultry in Oklahoma; Steve Tate of Goat Lady Dairy in North Carolina; and Ron Morrow, State Grazing Lands Specialist for USDA-NRCS for Arkansas.
For more information about this program, contact Karen Adler.
New Secretary of Agriculture Reveals New Attitude Towards Small Family Farm Sustainability, Civil Rights, and Rural Development with Address to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Ralph Paige, Executive Director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund; Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; Shirley Sherrod, Georgia Director of the FSC/LAF and former Southern SAWG Board member; Sanford Bishop, U.S. Congressman; in Albany, Georgia at the Federation/LAF Farmer's Conference
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on February 21, 2009, as he addressed more than 300 farmers and agriculture professionals at the Federation's conference, held annually in Albany, Georgia. "When our first African-American president raised his hand and took the oath of office, we made a huge step in this country. It's now our job at the USDA to take the next step," Vilsack stated. He said that if President Abraham Lincoln, who established the USDA in 1862, came back and wondered how the department is doing in supporting farmers, he would learn that "some folks refer to USDA as the last plantation, and it has a pretty poor history of taking care of people of color," adding that he chose the conference as the place to make his first speech outside of Washington because he wants to send the message that they are serious about civil rights.
Vilsack took the opportunity to acknowledge the fact that the conference program began with sustainable agriculture topics, saying that it is a very important topic, and it's going to be increasingly important. After acknowledging other topics that he considers key, such as food assistance programs that are included in President Obama's stimulus package, he spoke about the trends in agriculture that they see at the USDA.
"The first thing that popped out to me was the dramatic growth in the number of small farms--small income farms," he said, referring to the recently released results from the Census of Agriculture. "In the last five years there have been 108,000 new farms started with sales of less than $1,000. These are very, very, very small operations. But that is a significant start for people in agriculture and a significant connection to the land--108,000." He described the other end of the spectrum where the trend is the very large income farms that generate $500,000 or more, which grew by about 41,000 farms. The third trend, which he identified as the challenge, is that the farms in the middle, making more than $10,000 but less than $500,000, have decreased by 80,000. He pointed out two more trends: Sixty percent of all farms have less than $10,000 in sales, with 900,000 of 2,200,000 farmers having to work off-farm over 200 days per year to make it. The last trend that he brought into the picture is the fact that the average age of farmers has increased over the last five years from 55 to 57.
"Small farming increases; large farm increases; farms in the middle decreasing; aging farmers; farmers having to work off the farm," he summarized. "So what does the USDA do about this? What should it be doing in the next four years?"
The Secretary said that the President has been very specific with him about renewing and replenishing rural areas across the country. Vilsack noted a number of things that need to be done to make that happen, including the development of strategies to make the small income farms into mid-income farms and become more profitable, as well as to maintain the existing mid-sized farms. One of the ways he sees this happening is through a major push to focus on nutrition, including "fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, things that are good for you. And it can start this year with the reauthorization of the school lunch and school breakfast programs." Vilsack sees this as creating real opportunities to produce fresh vegetables and fruit and get them into schools and institutions locally. He also stressed that we need to develop regional distribution systems to encourage the growth.
In addition to strengthening the infrastructure for local and regional mid-scale production, he talked about other rural development issues, including new crops for biofuels, resources for bio-refineries, and conservation stewardship.
Vilsack's closing remarks focused on his commitment to seeing that the civil rights issues of the USDA will be addressed and put in the past, and to making sure that all of the offices are "fair to black farmers, and fair to women farmers, and fair to Hispanic farmers, and fair to people from all walks of life who want to get into farming. We have 108,000 new farmers with less than $1,000 in sales. That's a lot of people who want the opportunity to work the land and we want to give them that opportunity."
For a full transcript of the Secretary's speech, click here
Organic Education Gains Ground in Tennessee
The University of Tennessee recently launched a statewide organic agriculture program based at its Knoxville campus, reports Kathy Gilbert in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on March 2. UT has certified 21 acres as organic at its East Tennessee Research & Education Center.
The article also mentions that Tennessee State University was a sponsor of Southern SAWG's conference in Chattanooga in January, and will host the Tennessee Organic Growers Association conference on March 14, 2009.
Several other developments on the organic and sustainable agriculture front in the state are cited. Tennessee State University now has 5 acres certified organic, is starting new research into organic methods, and has a faculty member dedicated exclusively to organic vegetable production education. In addition to the new venture of TSU, Tennessee Tech has leased about 115 acres of unused farm land to build an organic farm and had about 10 students working there last summer.
According to the article, the universities are initiating these programs due to student demand, personal interest, and market interest.
Florida Organic Growers and Consumers Community Food Systems Workshop
with Tom Stearns
________________________________
March 23, 2009
Gainesville, Florida
Learn about work being done across the country and in your community to increase community food security and how you can be part of the solution in Gainesville. Tom Stearns is owner of High Mowing Organic Seeds & president of The Center for an Agricultural Economy. The work of his community of Hardwick, Vermont has been featured in The New York Times and Gourmet Magazine as an example of a thriving local food system. From 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm key community stakeholders will gather for a targeted presentation and workshops. The general public is invited to attend from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. At the Thomas Center, 302 NE 6th Ave, Gainesville, 32601. For more information… .
________________________________
Visit Southern SAWG online at
http://www.ssawg.org
________________________________
We welcome your feedback and suggestions
Please write to us at ne...@ssawg.org
Newsletter Archives,
Subscribe and Unsubscribe
________________________________
To subscribe to or view past Southern SAWG E-Newsletters
click here.
Please visit this site if you received the text version and would like to see the complete layout or to browse through past issues.
To update your email address or unsubscribe click here.
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Inc. (Southern SAWG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to promote sustainable agriculture in the Southern United States.
--
organic clothing, naturally dyed in nashville, tn
http://www.askapparel.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2008/11/03/focus5.html
urban organic farming, done communally
http://www.nashvilleurbanharvest.org
http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=3338
"The most radical thing you can do is to plant a garden and remove
yourself one step from dependency upon a destructive system." Wendell
Berry
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