2011 6th Annual Getting Started
in Organic Farming Conference

Saturday, January 29, 2011
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
New Haven, CT
8:30 to 4:00

The Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference draws both beginning farmers who choose to farm organically and established farmers who are converting their operations to organic.

Co-sponsored by CT NOFA, UConn & RMA

Online registration is now closed, just call the office at 203-888-5146 to register or email us.

AGENDA

8:30- 8:45     Welcome and Introduction ~ Bill Duesing, CT NOFA, Old Solar Farm, Oxford

8:45-9:00      Welcome to the Experiment Station and Resources ~ Kim Stoner

9:00 -10:00   Access To Land For Beginning Farmers ~ Erica Fearn, Land for Good

10:00-10:15   Other resources

10:15-10:30   Introductions of attendees, Name, location, farming now or plans for future

10:30 - 10:45 Break

10:45-11:00   Crop Insurance ~ Joe Bonelli, UConn Extension

11:00-12:00   Crop Planning ~ Dina Brewster, The Hickories, Ridgefield, CT

12:00-1:00    Pot luck lunch, please bring a dish to share and a plate, cup and utensils. We’ll provide coffee & tea.

1:00- 2:00     Marketing:
At Farmer’s Markets ~ Winter Caplanson, Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market
To restaurants ~ Shannon Raider

2:00-3:00      NRCS Resources and Services ~ Diane Blais, USDA-NRCS

3:00-4:00      Organic Certification ~ Don Franczyk, Baystate Organic Certifiers

Registration is $30 for CT NOFA members, $40 for non-members. Scholarships are also available for new farmers.   We want to reach out to as many new farmers in the state as possible! Click here for an online Scholarship Application.

 

Please contact the office for details.

Click here for a printer-friendly registration form.

Please bring something for a potluck lunch! It need not be local food or even organic—do what you can. A family-sized serving is fine, along with the recipe or ingredient listing. Drinks are always welcome if you are unable to cook.

Directions to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

 
This project was supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2010-49400-21847.