4th Annual Community Farming Conference in New Haven, CT
Hosted by Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of Connecticut
Saturday, October 31, 2009 Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT 8:30 to 4:00
What is a Community Farm?
- A not-for-profit, publicly accessible farm that conducts educational programming for the public.
- A center providing opportunities for meaningful work, learning, service and self-development.
- A local source of healthful produce, and a demonstration site for local food systems.
9-9:45 ~ “Legal Issues for Community Farms.” Priya Morganstern of the Pro Bono Partnership, The Pro Bono Partnership is the leading provider of free business legal services, educational workshops, and other legal resources to non-profits in Connecticut and in parts of New York and New Jersey.
9:45-10:45 ~ “Turnips, Teachers, Top Hats, and Toddlers: Something for Everyone on a Working Farm.” Brooke Redmond, the Executive Director of the Farm-Based Education Association, will be the keynote speaker.
10:45-11:00 ~ break
11:00-11:45 ~ “How Community Farming groups can assess their soils and sites to determine how to best make use of their farmland.” Kip Kolesinskas, State Soil Scientist for Connecticut and Rhode Island for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
11:45-12:15 ~ Reports: What’s happening with/on your community farm?
12:115-1:15 ~ Potluck Lunch – don’t forget to bring a dish to share and dishes to eat from! We’ll provide beverages.
1:15-2:00 ~ “Business planning for community farms.” Brianne Casadei, of Terra Firma Farm, Terra Firma Farm is a community farm and educational academy in Stonington, CT. Brianne is a lively speaker who has been a great resource for community farmers on many topics.
2:00-3:00 ~ Panel on community farm start up and structure with Jason Morrill of the Massaro Farm in Woodbridge, Brianne Casadei of Terra Firma Farm, and Kim Stoner of Boulder Knoll Farm in Cheshire.
3:00 ~ Tour of Boulder Knoll Community Farm in Cheshire – about 14 miles north of the Experiment Station. Boulder Knoll just started its Community Supported Agriculture Program this year, and also had an educational/work experience program this summer with 36 low income teenagers from Waterbury.
The price will be $30 for CT NOFA members, $40 for non-members, with a special price of $20 for the first person to sign up from each community farm in Connecticut. Be sure to let the office know your farm when you sign up, so you can get your discount. We want to reach out to as many of the community farms in the state as possible!
Registration is available at www.ctnofa.org
For directions to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, see their website:
www.ct.gov/CAES.
Your Privacy Choices
These types of programs are great for supporting & expanding interest in sustainable farming practices. Do you know of anything like this happening in Southern Oregon. My little sister has expressed interest in interning at a farm and this looks like a good way to get her feet wet.If anyone knows of anything let me know…Thnx!
To look for programs like this in Oregon, I would suggest that she contact Oregon Tilth as well as the Oregon State University Extension Service and the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Each will probably know of some conferences and other training opportunities that would be useful for her.