Winter Conference Teaser: Improving Food Access, Raised Bed Gardens and Seed Saving!

The Winter Conference is 3 1/2 months away!

We will begin counting down to CT NOFA's largest celebration of local and organic food, farming and community with a glimpse into to line-up each week showcasing a few workshops we have recently announced.  

Improving Food Access Through Farmers Markets, CSAs, and Mobile MarketsDan Gregory & Pauline Zaldonis
"In this workshop, we will give an overview of Hartford Food System's efforts to improve food access in the City of Hartford. We will also go over various low-income inclusive CSA models and how to increase market revenue by accessing state and federal initiatives such as SNAP, WIC, and FMNP."

Dan Gregory is the farm manager for the urban farm, Grow Hartford. The farm offers subsidized low-income CSA shares and sells at local farmers markets in Hartford. Pauline Zaldonis is the program coordinator of the Hartford Mobile Market and policy analyst for Hartford Food System.

Inspiring Farmers in the Northeast at our 32nd Annual Winter Conference!

Swift Farms sold their amazing bees wax products

I don’t know about you, but the staff at CT NOFA is still bathing in the afterglow of an inspiring and successful Winter Conference!

The 32nd annual Winter Conference was held at Western Connecticut State University this past Saturday, March 1st and had over 900 people in attendance, a new record! The day started with attendees gathering in our vendor area where they were able to fill their free CT NOFA tote bags with literature and goodies from educational exhibitors, local farmers, and crafters! (A full list of vendors and exhibitors from the day can be found at HERE)

Nature's Medicine

The winter nose drip getting you down?  
Has persistent coughing or a sore throat been making you agitated? 

Leigh White is to the rescue, presenting her workshop Kitchen as Medicine Cabinet: Using Food for Acute Illnesses at the 32nd Annual Winter Conference on March 1st. Acknowledging the incredibly innate healing power of nature and how individuals can help restore their bodies to a state of homeostasis through this power is White's speciality. There are an influx of herbs, roots and flowers growing in our very own backyards that can make us feel balance within our bodies again! If you are interested in learning how to utilize those seemingly mundane ingredients in your kitchen for medicinal value, this workshop is for you!

Fight those winter blues by learning how to make your own wine!

Do you fancy yourself a DYI master? Take your love of home made goods to the next level and learn how to make your own fermented beverages! John Kriz will be teaching a workshop at the Winter Conference on March 1st all about home fermentation! 

Getting a Chef's Perspective on Local Agriculture with Executive Chef Chris Eddy

Residents of CT are continuing to embrace buying locally from their farmers and now we are really seeing a demand for more local, organic foods to be used in restaurants. CT NOFA farmers and supporters are well versed in the cycle of food from planting to harvesting, but what about after your customers in the restaurant industry walk away with your fresh products? Chris Eddy, the Executive Chef of Winvian, will be sharing his unique perspective at the 2014 Winter Conference during his workshop titled "The Relationship Between the Garden, Kitchen, Restaurant and Everything in Between"

Announcing the 2014 Winter Conference on March 1!

 CT NOFA welcomes gardeners, food lovers, farmers, families, environmentalists, and chefs to our annual celebration of local food and organic farms, the Winter Conference on March 1, 2014.  The Winter Conference attracted 800 of the state’s local food enthusiasts in 2013, and the 32^nd Winter Conference in 2014 is expected to be the best yet! This year the conference will be held at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT. 

 Fred Kirschenmann

Our keynote speaker for the 2014 conference  will be Fred Kirschenmann, a distinguished Fellow for the Leopold Center and President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York. Mr. Kirschenmann will be speaking on the future of agriculture through the next generation of young farmers entitled "Tomorrow's Farmer & You" . You can view his presentation on "The Future of Agriculture" .

CT NOFA's 31st Annual Winter Conference

We certainly hope you were able to join us for our Winter Conference last Saturday at Wilton High School in Wilton, CT.  We had nearly 800 participants this year, including vendors and presenters. We also were delighted to be joined by State Senator Toni Boucher and State Representative Gail Lavielle!

Welcome to the Winter Conference!

This year we had over 50 workshops - on everything from worm compost to GMO activism to growing garlic to making salsa.

With over 60 vendors there was something for everyone! Here is Swift Farms from Mansfield, CT!

Here, From Farm to Market, LLC displays garden gifts and supplies.

Lunch was provided by Fairfield County Restaurants including: Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant,  the Dressing Room in Westport, LeFarm in Westport, The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton, Sugar and Olives in Norwalk, The Elm Restaurant in New Canaan, Wave Hill Breads Bakery in Norwalk and the Cake Box and Swoon in Ridgefield.  

Volunteers stand at the enticing dessert table!

Ken Coulson from Gatsby's Green Light performs for conference attendees at lunch.

Demonstrating use of a trike for farmers.

Some of our vendors were our member farmers sharing their delicious, Connecticut Grown products.  Here is Northfardy Farm in Northford, CT!

Executive Director Bill Duesing introduces the keynote speaker.

Full house for the keynote presentation!

Dr. David W. Wolfe discusses the consequences of climate change and how farmers and gardeners can mitigate and adapt at the same time.  View the keynote presentation slides here!

We hope you enjoyed the Winter Conference - if you want to view more pictures visit our facebook! If you wanted to learn more about specific topics at the Winter Conference, check back to our website for upcoming gardening workshops (there is one at Common Ground High School in New Haven this coming Saturday) and farm workshops (like the greenhouse workshop on March 21 at the Yale Farm in New Haven!)

Happy we're-only-a-week-away-from-spring!

Kristiane 

Get Excited - CT NOFA 2013 Winter Conference Just a Week Away!

In December 2012, I joined CT NOFA as the Outreach Intern. I very quickly learned that a majority of my time would be devoted to helping Kristiane (the Events and Outreach Coordinator) and other CT NOFA staff promote the 2013 Winter Conference on March 2nd.

As I learned more about the event my curiosity peaked and my thoughts started to go from  "This seems really cool!" to "I can learn about dairy goats, maple sugaring, climate change and meet with local vendors all in the same day? This is AWESOME!".  When I realized today that the conference is only a week away, that curiosity turned into excitement and unlike the rest of the CT NOFA staff, I have never attended the Winter Conference (or really any conference similar in magnitude). This experience will be entirely new to me and I am greatly looking forward to it. 

Here are some reason's why you should be excited too (newbie or not):

• Workshops, workshops, workshops. Did I mention the workshops?
• There are over 50 workshops (53 to be exact) to choose from and we are providing three sessions throughout the day to attend any of them that you are most interested in. Best part is there is something for everyone - topics like small business lessons, basic vegetable production, sustainable living, food preservation, school gardens, climate change and small scale agriculture, organic land care, and even seaweed aquaculture are all available!

• Get to know your neighbors 
• A big part of sustainable eating is supporting local farmers and businesses. Throughout the day you can "meet and greet" with over 40 vendors and exhibitors from all over Connecticut. You might be surprised to find that some of them are located right in your own community and you just never knew it!

• All this talk about food is making me hungry....
• In past years lunch has been served Pot Luck style and while that is a fun and creative way to eat, it doesn't really cater (no pun intended) to the capacity the Winter Conference has grown to. So this year some of the very best farm-to-restaurant chefs from Fairfield County will be serving you lunch! I am particularly excited for this since in all honestly, my just-out-of-college-and-broke budget doesn't really allow me to go out to eat very often. This will be a great way to eat locally and organic from many different restaurants all at once! (The cost for lunch is $15)

• Silent Auction/Raffle
•  Many of the vendors donate wonderful items and products to the raffle so if you see something you like during the day, maybe you could walk home with it! 

• Celebrate sustainability with music!
• The band Gatsby's Green Light will be joining us during registration and the lunch hour to bring us good vibes for the day. The band often plays with organizations, events, and fairs that promote local food and clean energy solutions. They also donate 30% of their profit to organizations like NOFA. 

Check out this video of the 2012 Winter Conference highlights to get even more excited!

I hope to see you next Saturday! Best, 

Katie

Connecticut’s Largest Sustainable Food and Agriculture Conference on March 2

David Zemelsky of Starlight Gardens will teach
Winter Growing: Have a Winter Salad at the Conference

All are welcome to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut’s annual celebration of local food and organic farms, the Winter Conference on March 2.  Now in its 31^st year, the 2013 Winter Conference will feature more workshops and vendors than ever before and has moved to a new venue, Wilton High School. 

The 2013 Winter Conference’s theme is adjusting to climate change on the farm, in the garden, and at home.  With rising temperatures and increasing food prices, now is the time to talk about climate change. To discuss climate resilient farming and land management, the keynote speaker is David W. Wolfe Ph.D., the Faculty Fellow and Chair of the Climate Change Focus Group, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and Professor of Plant and Soil Ecology, Department of Horticulture at Cornell University.

The 2013 Winter Conference will feature over 50 workshops for homeowners, farmers, cooks, students, environmentalists and activists.  Beginners can learn the basics of how to start a garden or keep backyard chickens while the experts can attend technical workshops about growing fruit trees and soil biology. Connecticut’s experienced organic farmers will instruct on growing a variety of crops from grain to garlic. Food lovers can explore adventurous foods (like wild edible plants and mushrooms), healthy foods (with workshops about GMO-free purchasing and intestinal health) and new recipes.  Refer to the complete list of workshops at www.ctnofa.org to check if any of the 2013 workshops can teach you something to improve your health, garden, or ecological footprint!

Visit with any of 60 vendors and exhibitors who will be distributing information and selling delicious local foods, Connecticut crafts and garden tools.  Learn about purchasing shares of food from farms with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Programs at the CSA Fair.  Attendees may also bid on goodies donated by our vendors at the silent auction and help support CT NOFA’s work in 2013.

Young children can stay with a guardian in the Family Play Area where they can relax, read or enjoy music, story time, and children’s workshops.  Everyone will enjoy a lunch provided by seven of Fairfield County’s favorite restaurants including: Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton; Barcelona in South Norwalk; Terrain Garden Café, Dressing Room and LeFarm in Westport; and Sugar & Olives and Wave Hill Bread in Norwalk. 

The 2013 Winter Conference is on March 2 at Wilton High School at 395 Danbury Road in Wilton.  Registration fees range from $30-$60 with an additional $15 fee for lunch.  To register, please visit www.ctnofa.org or call the CT NOFA office at 203-888-5146.  For information on being a vendor, exhibitor or sponsor, please visit the website, e-mail ctnofa@ctnofa.org or call the office.

Get Ready for our 2013 Winter Conference!

Keynote David W. Wolfe

The 2013 Winter Conference brings into focus the challenges of adjusting to climate change for farmers, gardeners and consumers. Join us to discuss the future of sustainable farming and celebrate local food.

In between workshops, attendees can visit with over 50 vendors and exhibitors with local foods, crafts, books, and sustainability initiatives. There will be a silent auction with garden supplies and other Connecticut grown and crafted items and services. Families are invited to participate in children’s activities and workshops scheduled throughout the day.

Our keynote David W. Wolfe Ph.D., the Faculty Fellow and Chair of the Climate Change Focus Group, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and Professor of Plant and Soil Ecology, Department of Horticulture at Cornell University.

Dr. Wolfe's topic will be Farm and Landscape Management for a Changing Climate.

Click here to listen to a recent interview with Dr. Wolfe on climate change, agriculture and policy issues.  For a list of confirmed workshops, vendors, exhibitors, and a video of last year's conference highlights, click here.  Online registration will be available by the weekend, so stay tuned!

Working Together for a Sustainable Future in Connecticut

Greetings, At this joyous time of year, we ask you to do what you can to support sustainable organic agriculture and land care in Connecticut. For our part, we are working smarter and harder to maintain the high level of programming and distribute the timely, relevant content you have come to expect from us. However, we cannot do it alone. Thank you, and let's keep it going. Together we've made important strides and have had a great impact creating a strong demand for locally-produced organic foods in Connecticut. Here are just a few of the things we've accomplished Hidden Brook Gardens on-farm workshop 125 local farms and businesses are listed in Connecticut NOFA's 2012-2013 Farm and Food Guide Annually, 10,000 free copies the Farm and Food Guide are distributed across the state 4000 people receive CT NOFA's Gleanings e-Newsletter monthly  Over 400 farmers receive The Farmer e-News Thousands of people are reached each week using social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook Over 200 people receive our new CT School Garden Network e-Newsletter, Growing and Learning The CT NOFA Facebook page has an average 5000 person weekly reach 300 people have taken our on-farm workshops on winter food growing techniques and other topics  60 women over four years have taken the Beginning Women Farmer Program Over 800 people have attended CT NOFA's educational programs so far this year  Impact of the NOFA Organic Land Care Program (OLC) The NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care are the only standards of their kind that have been accepted into the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Family of Standards. These standards include the Basic Organic Principles-Health, Ecology, Fairness and Care as the foundation for all land care programs and projects. Here's what we've accomplished: In 10 years over 1200 professional landscapers have taken the NOFA Accreditation Course in OLC Compost Tea Advanced Workshop  526 of these professionals maintain their Accreditation with the NOFA Organic Land Care Program 300 professional landscapers have taken the NOFA Organic Lawn and Turf Course Over 2,000 copies of the Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards were distributed  1000 land care professionals receive the monthly NOFA AOLCP eNewsletter 1000 Homeowners receive our quarterly newsletter NOFA Organic Land Care's Facebook page has over 300 fans and reaches 1200 people each week Over 200 homeowners have attended our 90 minute workshops on organic land care Our program has been copied by Oregon Tilth, the State of New York and Rutgers University

And there's more to be done! Will you give a year-end gift to help carry our work forward? Now more than ever, we need your continued support of CT NOFA for our Annual Appeal.  This is a 100% tax-deductible gift that supports our operations and allows us to build a sustainable local food system and a healthier environment for all the residents of this beautiful state we live in and learn from. Please help us to help others and together we will weather these uncertain economic times. We are reaching out and asking for you to consider an Annual Appeal gift of $100 or more.      We've made it easy    You can donate securely online by clicking the button above.  You can join by clicking the button below.  If you're already a member, renew by December 31st to extend your current membership at 2012 membership prices. You can contact the office directly by email atdeb@ctnofa.org or by telephone at 203.888.5146. Do you work for a company with a Matching Gift Program? If so, please submit a matching gift form with your donation and double the impact of your gift to CT NOFA.  We thank you for your continued support. Please know that your contribution and membership will be gratefully received and deeply appreciated. With gratitude, Bill Duesing Executive Director CT NOFA