Virginia Events Archives - Land and Table

VABF Farming Conference in Smith Mountain Lake – Jan 29-30

Jason F. — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 20:50:55 +0000

Virginia Association for Biological Farming (VABF) has been around since the late 70’s organizing and supporting sustainable farmers and food producers at the state level. VABF served as an inspiration for Land and Table as we formed to network the local food movement in our region three years ago. Each year VABF hosts a farming conference that brings together a top-notch group of speakers and workshop leaders to encourage the growing shift toward organic and ecologically-minded agriculture and to support the food producers who have already made the transition. This year’s 17th annual VABF conference (in collaboration with Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Virginia State University) will be held January 29-30 at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake. We are fortunate to have this excellent farming conference hosted in our area this year and there is still time register. Some of the highlights include: Plenary Speakers:

John Boyd, National Black Farmers Association
Todd Haymore, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
Forrest Pritchard, Organic Farmer and New York Times Bestselling Author

Pre-Conference Workshops:

Steve Groff: Making Cover Crops Pay
Rosalind Creasy, Rowen White & Ira Wallace: Seed Saving School
Nazirahk Amen: Tools and Mechanized Equipment for Successful Small Farms
Jim Adkins: Slow Poultry Strategy Seminar

Concurrent Workshop Sessions:

David Grimsley: Appalachian –Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Rowen White: Seed Stewardship
CJ Isbell: Holistic Integrated Commercial Crop-Livestock System
Barbara Pleasant: The Pantry-Driven Garden
Steve Groff: Cover Crops and Tillage Systems
Jim Adkins: Advanced Poultry for Commercial Purposes & Backyard Poultry
Nazirahk Amen: Nutrient Dense Grain Production for the Small Farm, and Introducing Rice
Dr. Phil Sponenberg: Sustainable Livestock Breeding and Selection
Cindy Conner: Scaling-Up from a Homestead Garden to a Market Garden
Doug Pfeiffer: Managing Invasive Insect Pests Organically
Rosalind Creasy & Ira Wallace: Edible Landscaping – The New American Garden

Other Workshops include:

Livestock
Commercial Horticultural Crops
Gardening
Homesteading
Integrated Systems and the Big Picture
Virginia Innovations in Tomato Growing
Designing a Cropping System Around Pepper Profits
USDA Meat Processing Options for Virginia’s Organic Producers
Marketing Journeys of Successful Farms
Virginia’s Organic Future: Research
Nurturing Pollinators
Organic Pasture Establishment and Improvement
All about Row Covers
Labels, Laws and Biological Marketing
Growing Healthy Greens
Healthy Cows, Healthy Dairy

Plus:

Tradeshow Exhibits
Local and biologically grown food (including breakfast!)
Taste of Virginia Friday Night Social
Silent Auction
Youth and Kids program
Organic Foods Festival (Potluck)

Get all the details and register now >>>

This conference could be the single greatest investment in your future that you make this year. And for those who are looking for a discounted rate there are volunteer opportunities available.

Funding to pay VABF conference registrations for Cooperative Extension, NRCS, FSA, VoAg teachers is now AVAILABLE. Farmers market managers, 4H Leaders and similar folks may also be eligible. The USDA-SARE Professional Development Program has generously made funds available for public servants to attend the conference and/or pre-conference workshops. Some agency educational credits are available. To sign-up for free registration public servants should contact: Eric Bendfeldt – Virginia SARE Director ]]>

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Bedford County Fair To Showcase Farming Community

Jason F. — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 21:59:19 +0000

Bedford County Agricultural Economic Development Advisory Board (AEDAB – also known as the Ag Board), in partnership with the Bedford County Tourism Department, will host its first Bedford County Fair in close to 45 years on August 28, 29, and 30, 2015. The Bedford County Fair will feature a variety of events to attract all ages and interests, including equine demonstrations on Friday, a youth livestock show for FFA and 4-H, as well as a ‘Bedford Grown’ Farmers Market on Saturday, and an antique car show and unique animal display on Sunday. The public is also encouraged to enter a series of competitions that will highlight the best local: crops, fresh vegetables, art, baked goods, sewing, floral arrangements and preserved food arrangement contests and many more! The event will feature a series of live bands throughout the days of the fair, with a grand concert Saturday evening. There will be a designated wine tasting garden for local wineries to showcase and sell their products. In addition, Cole Amusements will provide a variety of mid-way rides and attractions for families and children to enjoy. Bedford County Fair hours will be Friday, Aug. 28, 1 – 9 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 29, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 30, 1 – 6 p.m. There will be no entrance fee and parking will be free of charge as well. Attendees will only be required to pay for rides and special attractions and for any food or products they choose to purchase. Bedford farms and food producers are encouraged to participate by being a part of the Saturday Farmers Market or by reserving a table space to promote your farm and farm products throughout the duration of the fair. Other vendors will include: The Department of Forestry, the Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Center, farm equipment dealers, farm supply dealers, and much more. For questions about signing up for Saturday Farmers Market please contact John Graham. For questions about signing up to have a table at the fair please contact Jerry Craig, Director of Bedford County Tourism. For sign-up forms and more details please visit: www.BedfordCoFair.com or visit: www.BedfordEconomicDevelopment.com]]>

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White Flint Farm of Danville To Host Open House April 27

Jason F. — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:00:26 +0000

Bill and Cherie Guerrant of White Flint Farm[/caption] Our good friends Bill and Cherie Guerrant of White Flint Farm (near Danville, Virginia), are having an Open House April 27 (this Saturday!). Bill and Cherie are good friends of ours who we originally connected with through our main project Sustainable Traditions. They have been a long distance part of our Land and Table gatherings -driving, when they can, to our monthly gatherings here in the Lynchburg area. They have developed their own network of farmers in the Danville area called the ‘Chemical-Free Farms of Southern Virginia’ and who knows – maybe some day a Land and Table gathering will spring up down that way. We plan on going out for the open house this Saturday . If you want to get a taste of what other sustainably-minded family farms are doing outside of the Lynchburg regional area this would be a great chance for a little fun and educational field trip. Learn more: here.]]>

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