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  • From: Steve Diver <steved AT ipa.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Conference Time!
  • Date: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 10:07:53 -0600

Hi Alison -

I'm looking forward to attending SSAWG in January.  It's become one of the top sustainable ag conferences in the country and certainly for the South. 

I will present two sessions on compost:  making compost vs purchasing compost / compost quality & issues to watch out for / lab tests & quick bioassay tests / alternative humus substrates (vermicompost & bokashi)  / application rates for potting & soils / factors affecting nutrient release / nutrient crediting for NRCS & USDA-NOP / compost extracts & compost teas  /liquid biological amendments (LBA) & tank blends / fertigation and foliar delivery systems / microbial inoculant alternatives for USDA-NOP

Texas is a hotbed for next generation methods with compost extracts and LBA blends.   They are used to manage high-end landscapes in Houston, Austin, and Dallas including the GW Bush Presidential Library, TXDOT roadsides, orchards, pastures, etc.   

Steve Diver
www.agri-synergy.com


Wiediger, Alison wrote:

We haven’t had first frost yet, but it is probably close, signaling the end of the outdoor growing season.  And, for us, time to start thinking about farming conferences.  For us, conferences are part of our continuing education.  But more than that, they are an opportunity to network with sizable groups of people who “speak our language”.  Although sessions and workshops are wonderful for new ideas, it’s the hallway and meal time, and even late night networking that really charges our batteries.

 

Of all the conferences we have attended, both as speakers and as attendees, the SSAWG conference is at the top of our list.  Year after year, it brings the best sessions, workshops and farmers together.  We attended our first in 1996, and our first as speakers in 2001.  It has grown tremendously, and continues to excite us.  It is the highlight of our “off season” (no such thing, really, with high tunnels! It’s our slower season.) and always sends us home enthusiastic and ready to tackle the new growing season.

 

I know that attending conferences is expensive, and it can be difficult to decide which one(s) are going to be worth your hard earned money and time.  To help you with that decision, the organizers have collected some “first time” stories from SSAWG conference goers:     http://ssawg.org/first-time     Take some time to read through them to get a feel what this conference has meant to many farmers (and others) – from brand-new to experienced.

 

Paul and I will be presenting a short course on high tunnel growing pre-conference this year.  There are four 1.5 day short courses and they are always well attended.  The full conference program is here:  http://ssawg.org/2014-conference-program   And, if you just want to look at SSAWG and all it stands for and works for, their site is :  http://www.ssawg.org

 

The conference is in beautiful Mobile, AL this year in the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel.  The conference lodging rates are reasonable and good for 3 days before and 3 days after conference, so you could even work in a short vacation!  Think about it.  You will make more new friends than you thought possible, and learn more about farming sustainably than you can imagine.  We hope to see you there!

 

Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm

 






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