Subject: MD/DC/VA EM and Agriculture Seminar, April 2, 2005

From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2005 21:05:13 -0400

<http://www.gardeningforthefuture.com/>

   "********"  	
EM in Agriculture Seminar

WHEN: 8AM to 4PM, April 2, 2005
WHERE: Shepherdstown, WV (directions)
COST: $35.00
MORE INFORMATION: Contact Allan Balliett at 304.876.3382 or
MOREMOREMOREMO [email-masked]
Seminar website: www.gardeningforthefuture.com

INTRODUCTION
A full day workshop featuring Steve Diver and Vinny Pinto and Matthew 
Wood on how to use inexpensive farm-made microbial ferments to boost 
soil fertility and control disease in farm and garden crops and to 
increase the available nutrition in livestock feeds and control common 
livestock odors (with a postscript on the use of beneficial microbes for 
human nutrition). This is a workshop for farmers, ranchers, gardeners, 
ag professionals, resource specialists, conservationists, soil 
scientists, nutrient management specialists, students, educators, 
livestock managers and anyone interested in the health and nutritional 
benefits of microbial diversity. This workshop focuses on the living 
component of soil and how it contributes to agricultural productivity.

WHAT IS EM?
Effective microorganisms, or EM, is a special culture of beneficial 
microorganisms which are used as an inoculant to promote healthy soils, 
treat livestock odors, and compost food wastes. When used properly, EM 
applications create beneficial soil effects such as improved soil 
aggregation, nitrogen fixation, mineralization, humus formation, disease 
suppression, and decomposition. EM is also used to enhance the nutrition 
and digestibility of livestock feeds and to control odors and insects 
problems in livestock enterprises. The best site on the web for 
information on what EM is and how to use it is Vinny Pinto's "EM INFO" 
site. (www.eminfo.info/)

WHY USE EM?
21st century organic farmers have become aware of the necessity for a 
successful organic farm to have a diverse and health soil foodweb. In 
the U.S., one is likely to hear that the only approach to bolstering the 
soil foodweb is through applications of aerobically brewed compost tea. 
Many farmers have found that producing an viable batch of aerobic 
compost tea can be both expensive (lab tests, equipment outlay) and time 
consuming. For decades now the Japanese have been using anaerobic 
microbial brews to gain the same results claimed for aerobic teas. EM is 
the most reliable and effective of the Asian microbial brews. Using EM 
requires virtually no extra equipment and requires no lab tests. 
Ironically, EM is an anaerobic inoculant which brews itself in a closed 
container and yet provides such a significant boost to soil biology that 
it not only brings "rare' beneficial microbes to farm soils, it also 
creates a soil environment that allows indigenous bacteria, fungus and 
beneficial nematodes to flourish.

Furthermore, in the world of microbial agriculture, EM is far from a new 
idea. EM has been used in Japan for more than 20 years. As a point of 
fact, ATTRA's Steve Diver says that there are more research papers and 
reports on EM than on any other microbial inoculation system in organic 
agriculture.

THE PROGRAM ON APRIL 2
Steve Diver, who has recently presented at both the ECOFARM and Upper 
Midwest Organic Conferences on building soil and plant health through 
beneficial microbial inoculation, will give an overview of the theory 
and practice of using beneficial microbe cultures on the farm. His 
presentation will review practical approaches for bioaugmentation of the 
rhizosphere and phyllosphere, including the production and use of 
compost teas, effective microorganisms, indigenous microorganisms, 
fermented plant extracts, cow patty pit from Biodynamics, and 
mass-produced mycorrhizal inoculates, as well as how the use of EM fits 
into this larger picture.

Vinny Pinto, an expert on agricultural applications for EM, will speak 
on the following topics:

     * Basics of EM
     * How to use EM for composting
     * Using EM for ag soil
     * How to make high quality AEM
     * How to use EM for cattle, poultry and swine
     * Value of EM products in human and livestock nutrition

A hands-on bokashi-making workshop will also likely be offered, and 
Efficient Microbes EM microbial culture and various related products 
will be offered for sale by a representative from SCD. Better, there is 
a very good chance that Matthew Wood, a founding partner of SCD, will be 
available to offer an introduction to EM and its various uses, and also 
to lecture on specific applications in agriculture. Matthew studied EM 
technology with Dr. Teruo Higa in Japan and earned his Master's degree 
in Dr. Higa's EM program at University of Ryukus in Okinawa; he remains 
the first and only American to have completed the Master's program in EM 
with Dr. Higa. We will offer further updates on Matthew Wood's possible 
presence as soon as details are at hand.

The goal of this conference is to give the new user a background on the 
theory and science of microbial inoculation in general and a working 
knowledge of how to economically use EM effectively in a farming 
enterprise. Furthermore, once in the field, attendees of this workshop 
can rely on support from Mr. Pinto through his "EM-AG" internet 
discussion group.

REGISTRATION
Seating for the workshop is limited, so please register early. Register 
by sending a check made out to "GFTF" to Gardening for the Future, POB 
3047, Shepherstown, WV 25443 or at the door. For up-to-date information 
about this seminar, watch www.gardeningforthefuture.com or contact Allan 
Balliett at 304.876-3382 or [email-masked]

Bio for Vinny Pinto go back to top of page
Vinny Pinto is a consulting scientist who performs research on use of 
beneficial syntropic (anti-entropic) fermentative microbes, including EM 
and related microbial consortia, in a variety of fields ranging from 
soils for crop agriculture to livestock to odor management and pathogen 
reduction in industrial and waste treatment settings. He also operates a 
small zero-odor egg-producing operation using EM microbial technology. 
Vinny is a degreed scientist with a Master's degree in the 
health-related sciences and in research methods in the health sciences. 
He has a strong background in devising and guiding scientific research 
studies. He has been working with and researching uses of EM for over 
two years, particularly in the realms of livestock and human uses, and 
health-related applications using EM fermented antioxidant beverages as 
a nutritional supplement for humans and animals; he performs consulting 
for clients in a number of foreign countries as well as in the USA. One 
of his recent large agricultural livestock consulting projects involved 
implementation of EM for odor control and animal health in a large 
"factory" poultry farm containing about 50,000 chickens in a 6,000 sq. 
ft. barn, where the poultry density was roughly 10 lbs per square foot. 
He has presented lectures and seminars on the usage of such beneficial 
syntropic microbes in many venues, including the international EM 
Sustainable Community Festival held in Kansas City, MO in November 2004 
which attracted attendees from around the world. Vinny operates two 
popular informational websites on EM and its uses ( www.eminfo.info and 
www.antioxbrew.com ) and he operates five e-mail list groups on various 
applications of EM and similar beneficial antioxidative microbes. Vinny 
is the author of an encyclopedic 200+ page book entitled "Fermentation 
with Syntropic Antioxidative Microbes: An Advanced Guide to Brewing EM 
Fermented Secondary Products", and is currently working on an 
introductory book offering an overview on the use EM across many fields 
and a second book which will offering basic guidelines for using EM and 
related beneficial microbial cultures in agriculture. Vinny is also the 
publisher of the fee-based "Advanced EM Newsletter", a newsletter 
devoted to advanced uses for EM across various sectors.

Bio for Steve Diver go back to top of page
Steve Diver is an agriculture specialist with the National Center for 
Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Steve provides technical support on 
agronomic and horticultural topics through NCAT's flagship sustainable 
agriculture program known as ATTRA -- National Sustainable Agriculture 
Information Service. He earned BS and an MS degrees in horticulture from 
Oklahoma State University, and worked as Extension Horticulturist in 
Eastern Oklahoma for four years. He managed an organic blueberry farm in 
the Missouri Ozarks prior to joining NCAT. He has surveyed EM technology 
and provided technical support for agricultural applications of EM since 
1995. Steve has delivered workshops and keynote lectures on humus 
farming, soil biology, compost, compost teas, EM (Effective 
Microorganisms), IMO (Indigenous Microorganisms), fermented plant 
extracts, biodynamic preparations, and related on-farm microbial 
preparations at organic farming conferences, scientific symposiums, and 
Extension Service training. He lives on a 12 acre farm outside of 
Fayetteville, AR, and raises a quarter acre garden of mixed vegetables, 
flowers, and herbs. 
================================================================================

Special thanks is given to Vinny Pinto and Steve Diver and to 
Sustainable Community Development (www.scdworld.org "Sustainable 
Commmunity Development, L.L.C. ("SCD") is dedicated to providing the 
LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) community with all 
natural, microbial-based products for human health and environmental 
sustainability!") for the sacrifices they have made to make this event 
possible.

This seminar was organized by Allan Balliett and Gardening for the 
Future's educational project, the Fresh and Local CSA of Shepherdstown 
WV (serving the DC metro-area) www.freshandlocalcsa.com

This seminar is co-sponsored by Jeff Otto and East Coast Organics, where 
"Our mission is to offer garden centers, nurseries and professional 
growers premium quality, field-tested organic supplies that promote 
responsible land management. By blending the modern theories of 
sustainable agriculture with ancient agricultural traditions, East Coast 
Organics has created an essential line of organic garden supplies that 
will improve the lives of your plants and the life of our planet." 
www.eastcoastorganics.com

This seminar is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Association for 
Sustainable Agriculture, a non-profit organization which promotes 
profitable farming which produces healthy food for all people while 
respecting the natural environment." www.PASAfarming.org

This seminar is co-sponsored and supported by Horticultural Extension of 
Loudoun, Co, Virginia

This seminar is co-sponsored and supported by the office of agricultural 
economic development of Jefferson County, Virginia

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<h1>MD/DC/VA EM and Agriculture Seminar, April 2, 2005</h1>
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