2009 4th Annual Community Farming Conference

Saturday, October 31, 2009
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
New Haven, CT
8:30 to 4:00


Brenda Caldwell at Boulder Knoll Farm, Cheshire, CT

Schedule:

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 ~ Brooke Redmond, the Executive Director of the Farm-Based Education Association, will be the keynote speaker. Her presentation will be, “Turnips, Teachers, Top Hats, and Toddlers: Something for Everyone on a Working Farm.”

10:45-11:00 ~ break

11:00-11:45 ~ Kip Kolesinkas, of the Connecticut office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will speak on how community farming groups can assess their soils and sites to determine how to best make use of their farmland.

11:45-12:15 ~ Reports: What's happening with/on your community farm

12:15-1:15 ~ Potluck Lunch – don’t forget to bring a dish to share and dishes to eat from! We’ll provide beverages.

1:15-2:00 ~ Brianne Casadei, of Terra Firma Farm, will present business planning for community farms.  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.

Registration is $30 for CT NOFA members, $40 for non-members. A special price of $20 for the first person to sign up from each community farm in Connecticut is also available.  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!

Click here for a printer-friendly registration form.

Online registration is now closed, but you still register by calling the office at 203-888-5146. Plenty of space is still available!

For directions to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, see their website: www.ct.gov/CAES.