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Events: True Nature Country Fair | Farmer Education Series | Organic Growers School Spring Conference
Second Annual True Nature Country Fair September 26-28, 2008
Deerfields,
Mills River, NC |
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The Organic Growers School announces the Second Annual True Nature Country Fair, a celebration of sustainable living in the southern Appalachians, to be held September 26-28, 2008 at Deerfields in Mills River, North Carolina. The farmers, homebuilders, craftspeople, restaurateurs, social and political activists and alternative health care practitioners of the southern Appalachians are invited to join their neighbors for a celebration of life lived in connection and harmony with the Earth. The True Nature Country Fair will feature vendors of local, organic, and sustainable products and resources from throughout the Southeast, workshops on all facets of sustainable living, a children’s program and live music, all in a pristine mountain setting. For more details about the event, please click here.
Businesses and organizations interested in participating in the 2008 fair should contact Program Manager Karen Vizzina at karen@organicgrowersschool.org or call (828) 342-1849. For information about becoming an exhibitor or sponsor, click here. For information about sponsorship benefits, click here.
Deerfields, located 20 minutes south of Asheville in the Mills River Community, is a 940 acre family-owned tract of unspoiled wilderness in the Queens Creek Mountains. The fairgrounds feature an old homestead with two cabins, apple orchards, and ponds. All areas of the grounds are handicapped accessible.
Many thanks to our generous Growth Partners:
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2008 Farmer Education Series
Are you an aspiring commercial grower? An experienced professional looking to add a new enterprise or open a new market? The Organic Growers School is partnering with area farmers to offer ten on-farm workshops from August to May. Workshops will focus on a variety of subjects, from the green landscaping industry to vegetable grafting for professional growers. Stay tuned to our website for the latest on upcoming classes, or subscribe to our e-newsletter for a monthly update on what we’re offering. Here are the workshops scheduled for August and September:
The Up and Coming Organic Landscape & Lawncare Industry
August 26, 2008, 3-5 PM
With Cliff Ruth, Extension Area Agent for the green industry in Henderson and Transylvania Counties
NC Arboretum Auditorium
Asheville, NC
There is an increasing demand for organic nursery stock, organic lawncare, and landscaping that can be maintained organically. Attend this workshop to learn about opportunities this might present for your business. In many cases there are organic fertilizers and sprays that accomplish similar objectives to conventional approaches. These materials may have added benefits such as helping with drought-hardiness. In other cases sprays may be applied with fewer applicator protections than needed for chemical pesticides. While you may not want to switch your whole practice to organic, understanding organic concepts may allow you to offer a product that sets you apart from your competitors.
Chemical-Free Weed Control Methods, an ON-FARM Demonstration
September 27, 2008 3-5 PM
Jafasa Farm
Mills River, NC
Looking for efficient, organic solutions to your weed problems? Rocco and Mike of Jafasa Farm will show you the results they have had using flame weeding and shallow cultivation for stale-bedding and controlling weeds with direct sown vegetable crops. Timing, tools, technique, and safety will be discussed. Other tools and techniques for managing weeds with minimal soil disturbance will also be presented.
All workshops are $20 per person. Educational materials provided. To register, contact Meredith McKissick at 828.450.2026 or meredith@organicgrowersschool.org
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Did you attend the
2008 OGS Spring Conference?
Tell us what you thought by filling out our brief online Survey. |
The Organic Growers School Spring Conference is an annual event held every March near Asheville, NC, consisting of a diverse array of workshops and hands-on classes for all folks interested in organic and sustainable agriculture—from the beginning backyard gardener to the advanced commercial grower. Each year, we feature around 70 classes and 10 extended, hands-on workshops on a wide range of topics, including Soils, Pest Management, Livestock, Herbs, Cooking, Permaculture, Homesteading, Urban Growing, Forestry, and much more. Also offered are a Children’s Program (ages 7-12), a trade show, and a seed and plant exchange.
The Spring Conference is a great place to connect with people and network within the regional agriculture community, learn new things, and collect ideas for the coming growing season. The event has grown from about 100 people in 1993 to 1000 in 2007! Participants come from over 17 different states.
For detailed descriptions of this year's offereings, visit the Classes and Children's Program pages, or download the 2008 Registration Packet (pdf).
For more information about the Organic Growers School Spring Conference, or if you are interested in sponsoring this event in the future, please contact event coordinator Meredith Leigh McKissick at meredith@organicgrowersschool.org or (828) 450-7996.
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