Public News Service
By Tim Morrissey
LA CROSSE, Wis. – It’s the largest organic farming conference in the U.S. The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) will again host the Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, from Feb. 24-26.
Faye Jones, executive director of MOSES, says the annual gathering has become a huge event.
“The growing of what I like to say is the ‘food and farming revolution’ has really been one of the big keys to our organic farming growth. We went from 90 people 22 years ago to expecting almost 3,000 this year.”
Farmers, advocates, educators and students will gather to get the latest tips on soil, seeds, management, marketing and scores of other topics. New this year is the involvement of the Young Organic Stewards in the conference.
Kelli Cameron with MOSES runs the program. She says a person doesn’t have to be born on a farm to become an organic farmer.
“Farmers are anxious to share their knowledge and to give people experiences on the farm, where they can live with the farmer on the farm, or nearby, and actually work on the farm and have responsibilities leading and managing certain aspects of the farm before they go out on their own.”
Chris Blanchard, co-director of the conference, owns Rock Spring Organic Farm near Decorah, Iowa. He says one of the big issues right now is “scaling up:” Farms getting bigger, to meet the needs of hospitals, schools and other institutional settings.
“That means increasing acreage. Of course, anybody who’s gardened and doubled the size of their garden knows that it’s a pretty substantial undertaking to do that, both in terms of the time involved and the equipment and the level of management.”
The MOSES Organic Farming Conference has an excellent base of young people, smiling and having a good time, Blanchard says, and she adds that’s a general indication of the bright future for local and organic food.
Online registration for the Organic Farming Conference will continue through Feb. 16 at www.mosesorganic.org.
Tim Morrissey, Public News Service – WI
- If you come to the event, be sure to stop by The Cornucopia Institute booth in the exhibit area.
