Two agricultural events are happening this weekend that we encourage you to attend if you are able.
2012 Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference
Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) will host their annual conference January 12-14, 2012 at the Scheman Building, Iowa State University campus, in Ames, Iowa.
The keynote will be by Fedele Bauccio, the CEO of Bon Appetite Management Company.
Activities available are multiple sessions on field crops, fruit and vegetable production, grazing, profitable enterprises, on-farm energy, cooking, local foods, partnerships between farmers and friends of farmers … and more.
NEW this year: PFI offers a “Soils 101” short course, running January 12 in the afternoon through the morning of January 13 (before the start of the full conference).
More info at http://practicalfarmers.org/events/annual-conference.html
Minnesota Organic Conference
The Minnesota Organic Conference will be held January 13 – 14, 2012 at the River’s Edge Convention Center (formerly the St. Cloud Civic Center) in St. Cloud, MN.
This event will be packed with dozens of practical workshops, a large trade show, organic meals, and LOTS of opportunities to meet other organic farmers.
Featured Speakers are Charles Benbrook, Chief Scientist for The Organic Center; Jim Goodman, Journalist and WI Organic Beef/Dairy Farmer; and Elaine Ingham, President and Director of Research at Soil Foodweb Inc.
There are three pre-conference workshops being held Thursday, January 12 entitled Practical GAPs Implementation on Your Diversified Vegetable Farm, All about Selling Meat – What You Need to Know or Introduction to Beekeeping.
Register, download agenda brochure and get more information at: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/en/food/organic/conference.aspx
