Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Fox, Dan" <foxd@sunyocc.edu>]

Harvey,

Sorry that you can't make it to the NOFA conference. That's a class that
I would definitely take! We have read many of your articles and have
implemented some of your methods on a homestead scale, and hope to do
even more in the future. One thing we are succeeding at is happy
chickens! They look really healthy and are laying like crazy coming out
of a gnarly upstate New York winter.

Also, for anyone living within a reasonable distance, I can't recommend
highly enough the Summer NOFA Conference (Northeast Organic Farming
Association). We've just learned a ton going to this conference year
after year, and the keynote speaker is always inspirational (Vandana
Shiva, Satish Kumar, Bill Mckibbon, even Wendell Berry in the distant
past, I think.)  It's in late summer, so it's hard to get away, but if
you can finagle it, it's well worth it. Jack Kittredge, Julie Rawson and
their crew do an unbelievably good job.

It figures they wanted Harvey!

Dan Fox

-----Original Message-----
From: livingontheland-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:livingontheland-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Harvey
Ussery
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 10:57 AM
Subject: [Livingontheland] Seeking presenter at agricultural conference
(OT)

I received an invitation to speak at the Northeast Organic Farming 
Association in mid-August on the topic of providing more alternative 
feeds to our livestock from home, rather than purchased, resources. The 
conference is in Massachusetts, typically has about 1500 participants, 
and individual workshops may have from 20 to 100 participants.

I have decided I cannot make the trip, but am circulating the notice in 
case anyone on the list has expertise in this topic and would like to 
present at the conference. If you know someone who might fit the bill, 
please pass this on.

Do note that you should get in touch with the organizer, Ben Crosscup, 
*immediately* if you are interested--they're already past normal 
deadlines, but he would like to find someone for presentation on this 
particular topic if possible.

~Harvey

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

Hello Harvey,

I just spoke with my colleague, Jack Kittredge, who is publishing some 
of your articles in the upcoming issue of The Natural Farmer. I also 
work for Northeast Organic Farming Association, and one of my roles is 
organizing the workshops for the NOFA Summer Conference. Our conference 
is a major opportunity for people from around the Northeast to learn 
about cutting edge techniques in organic and local agriculture. One of 
those areas is alternative feeds for poultry, pigs, and ruminants. Jack 
said that you are highly knowledgeable in these areas.

I realize that you live in Virginia and that a trip to our conference in

Massachusetts would be really big. Of course, I would be thrilled if 
you'd be willing to come as a presenter, and just below is the original 
letter of invitation that went out to potential presenters in case this 
would interest you. But if not, I also wonder if you could recommend 
other people in the Northeast who you see as doing really cutting edge 
work in terms of alternative feeds.

I need to finalize the schedule by March 15, which means I'm trying to 
finalize workshops by March 1. Since I'm getting toward the end of my 
workshop selection process, some of the original deadlines indicated 
below have, now passed.

Thanks,

Ben


-------------------------
December 6, 2009

Dear Friend of the NOFA Summer Conference,

I'd like to invite you to submit a workshop proposal for the 2010 NOFA 
Summer Conference - the region's foremost conference for pioneers of 
organic agriculture and sustainable living. It will be held this year on

August 13-15, 2010 at UMASS Amherst. The workshops are all 90 minutes 
long. Sally Fallon is confirmed as a keynote speaker. Our other keynote 
is Fernando Funes.

This year's conference will feature 160 workshops for adults on a full 
range of topics: Alternative energy and the environment; Animal 
husbandry; Crop specific workshops; Farm economics and management; 
Farming and the community; Farm tours; Food and family; Food 
preservation and cooking; Fruits, nuts, and trees; Garden and 
greenhouse; Herbs and flowers; International Agriculture; Land care; 
Marketing; Nutrition and health; Of the spirit; Politics and policy; 
Practical skills; Soil fertility; Social justice; and Urban agriculture.

There will be a Children's Conference with 24 workshops and a Teen 
Conference with 16 workshops. Children and teen workshops explore many 
themes in common with the adult workshops in a manner that is 
appropriate for each age. If you want to submit a proposal for the 
Children's Conference, contact Valerie Walton <aallspice@aol.com>. If 
you want to submit a proposal for the Teen Conference, contact Jenn 
Caron <jennc69@gmail.com>.**

If you would like to submit an adult workshop proposal for this year's 
summer conference, I ask that you fill out the attached workshop 
proposal form, save it, and send it by e-mail to me: Ben Grosscup, 
<ben.grosscup@nofamass.org 
<mailto:ben.grosscup@nofamass.org?subject=2010%20SC%20WORKSHOP%20SUBMISS
ION>>. 
Put "2010 SC WORKSHOP SUBMISSION" in the subject line.

Shortly after you submit your proposal, I'll send you a confirmation 
that I received it. If you fill out the form incorrectly, I'll let you 
know right away. After this, you can also hold me to getting back to you

about whether we will accept your proposal in less than two weeks. 
Depending on a variety of factors, I may need to speak with you about 
the content of your workshops before final confirmation.

The sooner you submit your proposal, the better. Having your workshop 
proposal submitted by January 1, 2010 will be of great benefit as the 
vast majority of decisions on accepting workshops will be made by the 
end of January 2010. Workshop proposals coming in later than February 1,

2010 will be considered, but may be less likely to be accepted. February

15, 2010 is the final deadline for submitting workshop proposals. I need

to hold firm to this, because I need some time to schedule the workshops

before submitting them for the program book on March 15, 2010.

As always, the NOFA Summer Conference will have a wide variety of 
beginner level workshops, but we're especially interested in workshops 
directed toward a more advanced skill level audience.

The benefits for those who are accepted as presenters for the NOFA 
Summer Conference are the following:

    * Free conference registration. Presenters cover their own meal
      costs and housing costs. NOFA will not cover registration costs
      for family/friends/partners of presenters.
    * A $50 honorarium for teaching one workshop, and another $25
      honorarium for teaching a second workshop. The honorarium is
      awarded per workshop and is divided to pay co-presenters.
    * Presenters who donate their stipend to the Farming Education Fund,
      which provides scholarships for farmers and young people in
      financial need, will be recognized in the program book.
    * NOFA reimburses costs for copying paper handouts and supplies for
      hands-on workshops up to $35.00 per workshop with a receipt. This
      does not cover transportation costs, with the exception of animal
      hauling costs, which are reimbursed.

Thank you for considering presenting a workshop proposal. The important 
knowledge and the palpable passion of our presenters crucially defines 
the NOFA Summer Conference as a compelling and life-transforming event 
for participants.

Sincerely,

Ben Grosscup
NOFA Summer Conference Workshop Coordinator
38 Maplewood Drive, Amherst, MA 01002
*Home Office: 413-549-1568*
*Cell: 413-658-5374*
ben.grosscup@nofamass.org <mailto:ben.grosscup@nofamass.org>


-- 
Harvey in northern Virginia
www.themodernhomestead.us

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