Community Farming Conference

Posted by on February 5, 2007

Community Farming Conference
Co-sponsored by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, CT NOFA and the Mercy Center.
At the Mercy Center, 167 Neck Road, Madison, CT directions

February 10, 2007 – 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

The Community Farming Conference will connect three groups of people – the towns and land trusts with land, the community groups that want a local farm, and the farmers who need land and local markets.

This conference features two keynote speakers: Lynda Simkins of the Natick Community Organic Farm in Massachusetts (http://www.natickfarm.org), and Elizabeth Henderson of Peacework Organic Farm in Newark, New York (http://www.gvocsa.org/index.html).

Lynda Simkins has run the town-owned farm in Natick for 27 years, and has always provided hands-on education for people of all ages by involving them in doing real work on a productive organic farm. Lynda will speak about combining educational programs and farming.

Elizabeth Henderson has been farming for about 25 years, and, although she farms on private land, she has always been deeply committed to farming with and for a community. She was one of the early pioneers of Community Supported Agriculture, and she is the author, with the late Robyn van En, of the book Sharing the Harvest, which profiles CSAs across the country, and tells how they work. Elizabeth will speak about how to start a CSA farm.

In addition to the keynote speakers, the conference will feature a forum for community farms (established and developing) to share their successes, challenges, resources, and needs, and short talks and discussions on special topics, including: working with your town government and planning your community farm as a business.

For more information, contact Kim Stoner at 203-974-8480. The conference costs $30 for NOFA members and $40 for non-members. Fee includes lunch.

To register: http://www.ctnofa.org/events/register2.php