Are you a farmer? Backyard gardener? Interesting in having chickens or bees?
Want to know how to grow your own food? Wondering what’s happening
on Tennessee’s local food scene?
Nashville, TN – Tennessee’s Organic Growers Association (TOGA) hosts their 8th Annual Conference on Friday, March 23rd and Saturday, March 24th. Returning to The Lakeshore Christian Church, 5434 Bell Forge Lane East, Antioch, this yearly event features two days of educational workshops, speakers and farm tours.
The conference begins on Friday with an afternoon touring local farms all practicing organic and sustainable methods. The tours offer fellow farmers and growing enthusiasts a personal look inside farm operations and an opportunity to talk directly to farmers about their successes, hurdles and opportunities. Bus transportation and lunch provided by The Turnip Truck Natural Market for tour attendees.
New this year is the addition of a film screening. “What’s Organic about Organic?” will be shown Friday evening at 6:30 PM at the Nashville Farmers Market, 900 Rosa Park Blvd. N. and will be open to both conference attendees and the general public for an additional fee. Wine and horsd’oeuvres of local food will be available.
A full day of workshops starts on Saturday at 9AM. Professional farmers, hobby farmers, backyard gardeners and local food enthusiasts alike will find sessions that fit their skill level and areas of interest. Topics range from urban farming, herbs, organic fruit and vegetable production, beekeeping, backyard chickens, goats, composting, local food systems and more. A light breakfast will be provided by Nashville Farmers’ Market Grow Local Kitchen along with coffee from Roast Inc. Lunch will be provided by Whole Foods Cool Springs and prepared by Chef Michael Martin.
This year’s Keynote Speaker is renowned urban farmer, author and photographer Michael Ableman (On Good Land, Fields of Plenty, and From the Good Earth). Sign up for our e-letter at www.tnorganics.org to get the latest news and information on speakers, session topics, & more.
For more information on the conference or to register for the event online, visit the TOGA web site at www.tnorganics.org.
Institute of Sustainability Executive Director Dodd Galbreath will be the keynote speaker for the Saturday, Dec. 3 agenda at the upcoming Tennessee Local Food Summit at Nashville’s Lipscomb University. Galbreath will speak on the “Role of Education” pulling together the elements of sustainability and how this relates to food.
Two area sustainable farmers Eric Smith of Bug Tussle Farms, Bug Tussle, KY and Susanna Lein of Salamander Spring Farms, Berea, KY have also been added to the agenda. Smith will speak about how Easy It is to Grow Your Own Food and will offer advice for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike. Lein will speak on Permaculture in the Garden and will take a look at no-till methods and other permaculture methods for home food production.
The summit will be geared to home gardeners, farmers, students, consumers, and anyone interested in learning about local food. Other speakers already confirmed include: Hugh Lovel, regular contributor to Acres USA, Shabari Bird, whose late husband Christopher Bird co-authored The Secret Life of Plants and The Secret Life of Soil, and Jeff Poppen, aka The Barefoot Farmer.
The Summit will open Friday evening with a free keynote from Lovel, Why Care About Local Food, exploring agriculture’s role on our health, our environment, our economy and our consciousness. Workshops on Saturday and Sunday will include tracks on The Science of Organics, Backyard Gardening and Food The Best Medicine. Plenty of time will be available for one on one discussions with the speakers and each other in an effort to learn how Tennessee can grow it’s own food. The conference fee will include three locally grown and homemade organic meals and a Saturday night Square Dance.
The conference fee is $100 for the weekend. Students get in for $50.00, low income for $25.00. There is a day rate of $50.00 per day. Registrants are invited to set up a booth at no additional fee. No one will be turned away, but can do volunteer work.
For registration information, contact Anne Nicholson, tnlocalfood@gmail.com, 615-426-3395.
The Summit is being organized by local sustainable farmers and The Institute for Sustainable Practices. For more information, please go to http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=181259291958014 or to www.barefootfarmer.com
For sponsorship information, please contact: David Daily, 615-604-3886, david@realfoodfarms.com
Community Food Advocates has announced the inductees of the inaugural 2011 Real Food Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees represent food systems leaders and organizations that exemplify what it means to end hunger and work for a healthy, just and sustainable food system.
Community Food Advocates is pleased to announce the following inductees:
* Tana Comer, farmer, Eaton’s Creek Organics; co-founder, Tennessee Organic Growers Association
* John W. Ewing, 95-year old community elder and long-time garden volunteer, George Carver Food Park
* Freddie Haddox, organic farmer and young farmer mentor, Mamushi Nature Farm
* Jeff Poppen “The Barefoot Farmer”, established one of Tennessee’s oldest and largest organic farms, Long Hungry Creek Farm
* The Nashville Greenlands, North Nashville sustainable urban agriculture community
The groups is also recognizing “Real Food Emerging Leaders”, young people and/ or individuals new to food systems work who have made significant contributions to Nashville’s food system. Congratulations to the 2011 Real Food Emerging Leaders:
* Cortney H. Akridge, 17 year old community garden team leader and garden manager, Intergenerational Gardening Program
* Michael J. Sommesi, school cafeteria manager and school garden advocate, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Inductees and honorees will be recognized at the Nashville Food Day Celebration on October 24, from 5-8pm at the Nashville Farmers’ Market. The Hall of Fame awards will begin at 6pm.
