Subject: Organic-Biodynamic Vegetable Growers Workshop (fwd)

From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 23:34:41 -0500 (EST)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 16:27:42 +0000
From: Steve Diver <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked], [email-masked]
Subject: Organic-Biodynamic Vegetable Growers Workshop

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Michael Fields Agricultural Institute presents: 

Advanced Organic-Biodynamic Vegetable Production Workshop
East Troy, Wisonsin
Feb. 24-28, 1998

As part of its Professional Workshop Series, Michael Fields Agricultural 
Institute is offering an Advanced Organic-Biodynamic Vegetable Production 
Workshop for growers and Extension/NRCS personnel, February 24-28, 
1998 in East Troy, Wisconsin.

Session I, February 24-26, will focus on the production systems of three 
diversified vegetable operations and community supported agriculture 
(CSA) farms 20+ acres in size. 

Topics to be covered include:     soil fertility, composting, cover crops, 
crop planning, weed control, machinery choices, beneficial insect habitat 
establishment, irrigation , harvesting, post harvest handling, packing, 
marketing, CSA development, cost analysis, labor budgeting, labor 
management and intern training. 

Instructors for the course are:   Jean Paul Courtens of Roxbury Farm in 
Hudson, NY, Richard DeWilde or Harmony Valley Farms in Viroqua, WI 
and Steve Pincus of Tipi Produce in Madison, WI.

Session II is February 26-28.  Farmer panels, together with guest speakers will 
address such topics as:     soil health, weed control, pest and disease 
management, marketing, food processing, and organic standards and certification. 
Transitioning strategies to organic production methods will also be discussed. 

Instructors for Session II include:    John Hirzel or Hirzel Farms in 
Luckey, OH, a 1600 acre hay, grain and vegetable operation and 
Anthony Cinzori of Cinzori Farms, a 60 acre organic vegetable operation in 
Ceresco, MI. 

Guest speakers include:    Deborah Beebe of Goodness Greeness, 
an organic vegetable wholesaler in Chicago; Walter Goldstein, Director of 
Research at MFAI; Dan Egel, Extension plant pathologist with Purdue 
University; Ralph Moore, machinery specialist with Market Farm 
Implement, Friedens, PA; Jim Riddle, Inspector Training Coordinator for 
the Independent Organic Inspectors Association; Leslie Schaller, 
business director of ACEnet's Food Ventures program and Community 
Kitchen Incubator; Ann Sinclair of Shari's Organics, Inc., a producer of 
organic soups and beans in Michigan; and Paul Whitaker, entomologist and 
research assistant at U.W. Wisconsin.

Both workshop sessions will provide an abundance of practical information 
through presentations, slides, handouts and group discussions. The workshop 
fee for each session is $75 plus $45 for meals. Each session stands on its own, 
so one can attend either or both. There is a $15 discount if you register for 
both and a $10 discount if you register by February 16. 

Scholarships for registration, travel expenses and farmer stipends for labor 
replacement are available for Extension/NRCS-farmer pairs from Ohio, 
Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. This workshop is funded in part by the 
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Professional 
Development Program (PDP) of the USDA North Central Region and the 
Martina Mann Charitable Trust.

For more information, contact Gail Kahovic at: 

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
W2493 County Road ES
East Troy WI  53120
Phone:  414-642-3303
Fax:  414-642-4028
[email-masked]
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