Largest U.S. Small Farm Trade Show & Conference: ‘Education is the Key to Success’ – Short Courses, Innovations, Talks

Posted on October 21, 2009 by in Beginning Farmers, Events, Farming Practices, Farming Resources, First Generation Farmers, Organic, Research, Small Farms, Training Programs, Young Farmers // 0 Comments

17th National Small Farm Trade Show & Conference^™

Hosted by Small Farm Today November 5-7, 2009 Boone County Fairgrounds, Columbia, Missouri (heated exhibition hall) The largest annual small farm show in the United States! This is a fantastic event for New, Beginning, and Established Farmers as well as those interested in starting a farm! Last year, over 4,400 people and over 150 exhibitors attended. We want our this year’s show to be the largest yet, so come to the show and bring a friend (or two or three). This year, we will have 50+ talks, 150+ exhibitors, a poultry exhibition, and demos. The stock dog clinic will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. See the Schedule for a listing of all the short courses, seminars, farmers forum talks, and more going on at the show. Call 800-633-2535 to register! Schedule of Events Included free with admission: • trade show with over 150 exhibitors • one-hour seminars • Farmers Forum • association meetings • additional talks • soap making demonstrations • emu egg carving demonstrations • corn husk crafts demonstrations • stock dog demonstrations • poultry exhibition ...and lots more!

Show Hours
Thurs,	Nov 5:	9 am-5 pm
,	Nov 6:	8 am-5 pm
Sat,	Nov 7:	8 am-5 pm

General Admission
(no charge for children 12 and under)	1 day	2 days	3 days
Preregistration (through Oct 27, 2009)	$8	$12	$15
Regular Registration (from Oct 28, 2009, or at the door)	$10	$15	$20
Schedule of Events
Included free with admission: • trade show with over 150 exhibitors • one-hour seminars • Farmers Forum • association meetings • additional talks • soap making demonstrations • emu egg carving demonstrations • corn husk crafts demonstrations • stock dog demonstrations • poultry exhibition ...and lots more!

Call 800-633-2535 to register!

Short Courses
(short course fees do not include admission to the trade show) (prices are per person, per course)	1 course	2 courses	4 courses	all 6 courses (25% discount)
Preregistration (through Oct 27, 2009)	$25	$45	$85	$110
Regular Registration (from Oct 28, 2009, or at the door)	$35	$65	$120	$150

More on the Conference from SARE:

Please join us in November when a host of SARE grant recipients plus staff from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program will be featured at the largest annual small farm trade show in the United States-The National Small Farm Trade Show & Conference(tm). Now in its 17th year, the Conference takes place on Thursday, November 5th through Saturday, November 7th, 2009, in Columbia, Missouri, at the Boone County Fairgrounds. The theme for 2009 is “Education is the Key to Success”, and the “teachers” include farmers, ranchers, youth and educators with hands-on experience.

Can you farm or ranch while protecting the environment, making a profit, and benefiting your community? These speakers say, “Yes!” and will show you how to do it. There will be 38 Farmers Forum talks featuring North Central Region (NCR) SARE Farmer/ Rancher Grant and Youth & Youth Educator Grant recipients. Sessions are 25 to 55 minutes long and run continuously throughout the three-day event. You’ll hear about bioenergy, developing markets, native plants, high tunnels, berries, forestry, heritage turkeys, Angora goats, Christmas trees, poultry, bees, herbs, ginger, reducing pesticides, mushrooms, and much more. After the talks, meet the speakers and pick up free sustainable agriculture resources at the SARE Trade Show booths. Call NCR-SARE for Farmers Forum details: 1-800-529-1342.

Choose from 16 one-hour seminars at the show – two featuring SARE staff and associates. Don’t miss the Conservation Planning seminar on Nov. 5 by Cheryl Simmons, NRCS National Technology Specialist and NCR-SARE Administrative Council member, or the Integrating Cover Crops seminar on Nov. 7 by Andy Clark, author of Managing Cover Crops Profitably and Coordinator for SARE Outreach.

Six short courses give you the opportunity to get in-depth information on topics ranging from agroforestry to mob grazing. Explore grant options for sustainable farming at a short course on successful Grants and Grantwriting on Nov. 7. Instructors include: Joan Benjamin, NCR-SARE Associate Regional Coordinator; Margaret Krome, Policy Program Director of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute; and Indiana farmer and SARE grant recipient, Kevin Cooley.

The National Small Farm Trade Show & Conference(tm) is sponsored by Small Farm Today(r) and sustained by Bishop & Associates; NCAT-ATTRA; Truman State University; Great Salt Lake Minerals; and USDA-CSREES Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

Show times are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Preregistration is $8 for 1 day, $12 for 2 days, or $15 for all 3 days, allowing attendance of the trade show, seminars, demonstrations, exhibits, shows, meetings, and Farmer’s Forum. Three-hour short courses are an additional $35 each ($25 in advance). To register, call Small Farm Today at 800-633-2535, write National Small Farm Show, 3903 W Ridge Trail Rd, Clark MO 65243, or see https://www.smallfarmtoday.com for more information.