Subject: Natural Bridge CSA Conference (fwd)

From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 11:35:58 -0500 (EST)

:
Lawrence F. London, Jr., Venaura Farm, Chapel Hill, NC USA 
[email-masked], [email-masked]
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/The_Sustainable_Farmstead.html
http://www.interpath.net/~london 
Organic Gardening & Permaculture Information
:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 10:43:25 -0500
From: Nelson County Office <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Natural Bridge CSA Conference

Could you please post the following confernce announcement to groups who
promote sustainable agriculture and permaculture.  Thank you.
                Michael Lachance
                Extension Agent, Nelson County, VA

UPCOMING CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT

Tomorrow's Farms Conference:  Connecting our farms with and gardens with
urban growth.
Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference Center
Natural Bridge, Virginia
March 18-20, 1996

A conference for people working to develop a sustainable future for the Mid
Atlantic Region sponsored by the Virginia Association for Biological
Farming, Virginia Cooperative Extension,the Sedalia Center, and Voyager
Foundation.

About the Conference location.  Participants will be able to visit two farms
in Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley plus enjoy the excellent
commodations at the Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference Center, adjacent to
Virginia's Natural Bridge, described as one of nature's seven wonders and
once owned by Thomas Jefferson.  Participants will be able to
visit this geologic marvel, plus a wax museum and the Natural Bridge Caverns
at reduced cost.  The Conference Center's  indoor swimming facilities are
available with your lodging .

A limited number of rooms have been set aside so reserve your room early!
Call the Natural Bridge Hotel at 1-800 533-1410 and mention you are
attending this conference.  We have obtained special conference rates, as
low as $29 per night.  Children under 15 years sleep
free.  A Children's Activity Room has been set aside close to  the
conference area for games and age  appropriate videos.  People with children
are encouraged to come. There is no additional cost to using this room but
we ask that parents and volunteers share child care
responsibilities.  

CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Monday, March 18, 1996
Noon - 6:00 p.m. Registration at the Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference enter.

1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.     Cascade Farm Demonstartions. The afternoon
highlights farm scale composting techniques with George Leidig, low energy
watering systems with Richard Fleming , and low input orchard design with
Michael Lachance.  Cascade Farm is a 640 acre working farm located ten
minutes from the Conference Center. It's mission is to be on the vanguard of
sustainable farm management and to foster the work of the Voyager
Foundation, a non-profit organization working in the areas of health,
education,and spiritual growth.

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.  Dinner  Cost of  meals are included in the
registration and will be served in the main dining room of the Natural
Bridge Hotel.  Each evening at dusk there is an enjoyable half hour program
using light and music at the Natural Bridge.

8:30 p.m.   Theater Preformance by Lexington's Lime  Kiln Players .
Conference participants will be treated to a special musical preformance of
a classic Appalachian  folktale.  The conference rooms and the hotel's
tavern will be open for visiting.

Tuesday, March 19, 1996
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.  Breakfast in the main dining room.
9:15 a.m.      Conference Overview ond introductions.
9:20 a.m.      Ten Steps Towards the Farms of Tomorrow. Trauger Groh.
10:00 a.m.     Break. Refreshments provided.
10:20 a.m.     Haymount Farm: a New Town for Virginia that Embraces

Agriculture. John Clark.
11:35 a.m.     Linking Profitability with Agriculture.
                        Joel Salatin.
12:30 a.m.     Lunch served in the hotel's dining room.
2:00 p.m.      Basic Formula for Community Supported Agriculture.
Trauger Groh.
3:00 p.m.      Return to Cascade Farm for outdoor presentations and
discussions.
6:00 p.m.      Dinner served in the hotel's dining room.  Option to
enjoy dusk at the Natural Bridge.

7:00-9:30 p.m. Biological Production Short Course.  Larry Helmuth,
Virginia Association for Biological Farming.
This evening program is an opportunity for commercial growers and market
gardeners  to learn about and discuss the production of heatlthful foods
plus receive an update on marketing organic produce.  The Biological
Production Pledge initiative of VABF will be discussed and further developed
by the participants. Note: people planning to attend this workshop are asked
to pay $10 for an instructional packet.

7:30-10:30 p.m.  Small Group Discussions with Presenters.
People are encouraged to bring farm maps and plans for impromptu
consultation on market gardening, farm scale composting, community supported
agriculture, orchard management and other topics.

Wednesday, March 20, 1996

7:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast in the hotel dining room.  Hotel check out.
9:00 a.m.      Travel to Polyface Farm in Augusta County.  
10:00 a.m.     Tour and workshop at Polyface Farm until early afternoon.
People signed up for this program can eat a $5 boxed                 lunch,
payable at the Conference registration desk.  

About the Presenters:

Trauger Groh has been involved with farming for local communities for 33
years and is an internationally recognized advocate for community supported
farming and Bio Dynamic Agriculture. He is co-author of  Farms of Tomorrow
which emphasizes our need to maintain linkage to farming traditions for both
personal and societal health.

John Clark has for the last 18 years been involved with building new
communities to meet our area's population growth. He will discuss New
Urbanism and Neotraditional Town Planning by drawing on his efforts to
transform Haymount  Farm in Caroline County into a new, walkable
community with local food production and farmer's markets.

Joel Salatin is a much sought after speaker, author and columnist.  He is
one of America's most innovative farmers.  He operates Polyface Farm with
his family near Swoope, Virginia. He was recently featured in the December
1995 issue of National Geographic magazine for his efforts to develop
sustainable agriculture  in the United States.  He is  author of Pastured
Poultry Profits and more recently,Salad Bar Beef. Conference attenders will
have the opportunity to both listen to Joel Salatin's conference
presentation and also attend a Wednesday workshop at Polyface Farm.

TOMORROW'S FARMS REGISTRATION FORM

Name....................................................................Addr
ess.................................................................
City, State,Zip.........................................................

Daytime Telephone No..............................

Signature............................................................. 

I will be bringing children   Yes   No
Ages ..............................

Registration Fee: $79, iIncludes theatre, meals, and breaks!

"I will be visiting Polyface Farm on Wednesday and want ___  box lunch(s) at
$5 each."

Make Checks Payable to:  "Tomorrow's Farms Conference"

Mail to:
     Tomorrow's Farms Conference
     Sedalia Center
     Route 1, Box 687
     Big Island, VA  25626-9735

Questions?     Call      (804) 299 5080

If you are a person with a disability and require any auxiliary aids,
services, or other accommodations for this conference, please discuss your
accommodation needs with Bert Wade at (804) 299-5080 by March 1, 1996.
Virginia Cooperative Extension 
Nelson County Office
PO Box 298
Lovingston, VA  22949
(804) 263-4035
fax: (804) 263-4367