Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Harvey Ussery <huboxwood@earthlink.net>]

Hi All,

I'm posting this in case you know someone in my general area (northern 
Virginia) who would like to attend this event. If so, please pass it on.

~Harvey

***************************

I have been invited to make a presentation to the annual conference of 
Guinea Fowl International Association. After making clear that I am not 
particularly expert on guineas per se, but that I would be happy to 
present on the topic of homestead poultry broadly defined, I agreed.

So for the second year, I will not be offering my traditional "Poultry 
101" seminar here at the homestead; but instead will be inviting anyone 
wanting to learn about our experiences and methods during more than two 
decades,  to attend this more open forum.

The event is under the sponsorship of GFIA, and all registration and fee 
payment should be made through them. Details are given below.

The emphasis of my presentations on Friday, March 16 will be on the 
*homestead* poultry flock. My focus is not on "pet chickens (or 
guineas)" or raising fowl for competitive showing, and I emphatically do 
not see the home flock as an analog in miniature of commercial poultry 
operations, as apparently do the Extension Service and the ag college 
crowd. We will explore questions of feed quality and options for making 
(or growing) more of your own; pasturing the flock using electronet 
fencing to maximize health and foraging (self-feeding); "putting the 
flock to work" to assist with various homestead enterprises; healthful 
and less labor-intensive manure management using deep organic litter 
over an earth floor; and questions of homestead breeding, using broody 
hens (natural mothers) for incubation and brooding the hatchlings.

Saturday, March 17 will feature a visit to our place for a close-up look 
at our approach.

I will write a substantial handout, which every participant will receive 
for further reading and reference.

It is my understanding that there will be at least one other presenter 
as well, who will address issues of flock health.

Please make all arrangements directly with GFIA. Their website is at
http://www.guineafowlinternational.org/
and the page about the conference itself is at
http://www.guineafowlinternational.org/conferences/
Or call (979) 773-9100.

Details of the conference:

Sponsored by: Guinea Fowl International Association. (GFIA membership is 
$20 per year; visit www.guineafowlinternational.org for more information 
or 979-773-9100.)

Dates: Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17, 2007

Start time:  9 a.m. Friday, March 16

Location:  Warrenton, Virginia

Cost:  $35 for GFIA members; $45 for non-members; $25 for one day 
(includes lunch and snacks each day); no charge for children except for 
their lunches.

Hotel and meeting room:  Holiday Inn Express, 540-341-3461. Ask for the 
block of rooms reserved for Guinea Fowl International.  Room rate is $99 
per double room (2 queen-sized beds).

If you are local and would like to drive direct to our place (Hume, 
center of triangle Front Royal - Warrenton - Marshall) for the tour on 
Saturday, March 17, write me at
huboxwood@earthlink.net
for directions. Be sure to tell me where you're coming from.

Hope to see some of you at the conference.

~Harvey Ussery
www.themodernhomestead.us