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FARMS UNDER THREAT: THE STATE OF THE STATES Executive Summary

By VABF AdminMay 23, 2020Articles and Research, VA Farming Resources, VABF News

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vabfarming

VABF's mission is to educate about, advocate for, and promote organic and biological farming and gardening. #vabf www.VABF.org 501(c)(3)

One week until Pre-Conference! Pre-Conference work

One week until Pre-Conference! Pre-Conference workshops can be attended separately on Saturday, January 22nd or as an add-on to the Conference.

The Main Conference begins on Sunday, January 23rd and runs until Monday afternoon, with the Taste of Virginia Expo & Market (and social!) on Sunday night. Find all the details at

V A B F (dot) O R G

We are so excited and can't wait to see everyone next weekend!

And a massive Thank You to all our sponsors!

#VABFConference2022 #VABF #organicfarmingconference

Our Keynote Speakers for the Conference (in one we

Our Keynote Speakers for the Conference (in one week!) are Karen Washington and Amyrose Foll.

Karen Washington is a farmer and activist. She is Co-owner/Farmer at Rise & Root Farm in Chester New York. An activist, food advocate; in 2010, Co- Founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS) an organization supporting growers in both urban and rural settings. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of their 100 most influential African Americans in the country and in 2014 was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award. Recently in 2020 Essence magazine name Karen one of their Essential Heroes recipient. Karen serves on the boards of the New York Botanical Gardens, Soul Fire Farm, the Mary Mitchell Center, Black Farmer Fund, and Farm School NYC.

Amyrose Foll is seeking to dismantle and transform the regional foodshed and create community-driven systems based on collectivism and respect for nature. Amyrose founded The Virginia Free Farm, which works to provide free nutrient dense food assistance to those in need and plants and seeds (free of charge) to community gardens, schools, and community-based organizations. It is a hub for educating young people in the Richmond metro area about indigenous agriculture & lifeways. Amyrose’s strong background in healthcare and her native heritage (Penobscot/Abenaki) is what prompted her to begin advocating for food sovereignty, security, and preservation of indigenous food culture through seed saving & distribution.

AmyRose is also a U.S. Army veteran, former fire fighter-paramedic, and nurse. She has a background in Biology & Healthcare, in addition to a Master’s in Health Information Management, and digital marketing. She holds certificates in viticulture & fruit tree production, poultry production, and well as woodlot management from Cornell University.

We are honored to host these two incredible women as our Keynote Speakers for the 2022 Virginia Biological Farming Conference!

#VABFConference2022 #Womenfarmers #Foodisaright #Feedcommunity #tek #traditionalecologicalknowledge

Pam Dawling is the author of two books: Sustainabl

Pam Dawling is the author of two books: Sustainable Market Farming: Intensive Vegetable Production on a Few Acres, and The Year-Round Hoophouse. She also writes for Growing for Market and Mother Earth News.

Pam has grown vegetables for over 25 years at Twin Oaks Community in central Virginia, where the gardens feed 100 people on 3.5 acres.

Her farming experience includes caring for cows, sheep, goats, pigs, bees, chickens, ducks and geese; growing small acreages of wheat, barley, oats, field beans and hay, using old farm implements, and growing and cooking more than sixty different kinds of vegetables and fruits.

Pam joined us last year for a wonderful webinar entitled "Feeding the Soil" - find it on VABF's Youtube channel and see why we love learning from Pam (and think you will too)!

We're less than 2 weeks away from the Virginia Biological Farming Conference - and you can register to join us!

V A B F . O R G

#sustainablefarming #sustainablefarmingpractices #organicfood #pamdawling #vabf #vabfconference2022 #roanokeva #farmconference #womenfarmers

Taste of Virginia Expo & Market · Saturday, Janua

Taste of Virginia Expo & Market · Saturday, January 23rd, 2022 · Free to Attend!

The Taste of Virginia Expo & Market features sampling and sales of local to Virginia crafted foods, drinks, herbals, handicrafts and libations. A celebration of delicious and local Virginia foods, beverages, and handmade goods! This year’s Taste of Virginia event takes place on Sunday, January 23, 2022 from 2 – 9 pm at The Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia in the Crystal Ballroom. The evening includes a social and music beginning at 7:30 pm.

Come out and support local and sustainable agriculture and producers in Virginia! We’re happy to provide this free event to the Roanoke Community and beyond to raise awareness and to continue our mission to promote, advocate for and educate about local and sustainable Virginia farms and food businesses.

Including:

Beaver Dam Farm Sunflowers
@beaverdamsunflowers

Brooks Mill Winery
Brooks Mill Winery

Chesapeake Bay Distillery
@chesapeakebaydistillery

Edible Blue Ridge
Edible Blue Ridge

Five Mile Mountain Distillery
@fivemilemountaindistillery
@5milemt

Friendly City Food Co-op
@friendlycityfoodcoop
@FriendlyCity

Gracious Day Milling
Gracious Day Grains

I-Tal Acres
@italacres

Kelly's Persian Food
@kellyspersianfood

LEAP Kitchen
The LEAP Kitchen

Mountain Thyme Honey & Gifts
@mountainthymehoney

Mountain Valley Art

Peace & Harmony Farm
@peaceandharmonyfarm

Piemonte Provisions
@piemonteprovisions

Priss E. Nerd
@prisse.nerd

Scallywag Letterpress
Scallywag Letterpress

We hope to see you there!

#organicfood #supportlocal #supportlocalvirginia #virginialocal #localfood #localart #localcrafts #shoplocal #shoplocalvirginia #roanoke #roanokeva #downtownroanoke #downtownroanokeva

Our next featured speaker is Michael Carter, Jr. o

Our next featured speaker is Michael Carter, Jr. of Carter Farms and Africulture. Michael Carter Jr. is an 11th generation farmer in the United States and is the 5th generation to farm on Carter Farms, his family’s century farm in Orange County, Virginia where he gives workshops on how to grow and market ethnic vegetables.

With Virginia State University, he works in the capacity of the Small Farm Resource Center Coordinator for the Small Farm Outreach Program. He sits on the board of directors of Virginia Foodshed Capital and (we are proud to say) the Virginia Association of Biological Farmers (VABF).

Michael was recognized as a 2020 Audubon Naturalist Society Taking Nature Black Regional Environmental Champion, and the 2020 VSU Small Farm Outreach Agent of the year. He acquired an agricultural economics degree from North Carolina A&T State University and has worked in Ghana, Kenya and Israel as an agronomist and organic agricultural consultant.

Michael presently consults with numerous governments, organizations, and individuals throughout the region and nation on food access, food security/insecurity, market outreach, social and economic parity/equity/evaluation programs, racial understanding, immersion, history and cultural trainings, among other areas.

Carter Farms has birthed Hen Asem (Our Story) and Africulture, the 501 c3 arm of Carter Farms that teaches, shares and expounds on the contributions of Africans and African Americans to agriculture worldwide and the many stories that history almost forgot.

IG @carterfarmsva FB Carter Family Farms

Join us this month for the 22nd Annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference!
V A B F . O R G

Here are the different tracks you may follow at th

Here are the different tracks you may follow at this month's Conference. (Or create your own path and follow your intuitive whim!)

Tracks/Topics:
-Permaculture, Agroforestry & Systems
-Soil Health
-Microbial Agriculture Track
-Building Equity in Agriculture
-Regenerative Grazing
-Crop Specific
-Crop Production
-Beginning Farmer
-Business of Farming

Sound like fun? Join us!
https://vabf.org/2022-biological-farming-conference/

Instagram post 18142805644222259

Instagram post 18142805644222259

Ira Wallace is the amazing and inspiring organic g

Ira Wallace is the amazing and inspiring organic grower, author, speaker, visionary and worker/owner of the cooperative Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (@southernexposureseed) where she coordinates outreach, education and new seed grower contracts. She is the author of 6 regional gardening books and numerous magazine articles. Ira also serves on the board of the Organic Seed Alliance and is a proud supporter and mentor to the emerging Ujamaa Cooperative Farmers Alliance (@ujamaafarms)

Ira will be teaching two sessions, "Collards: Exploring a Rich Southern Culinary and Garden Tradition" and "Ujamaa Cooperative Farmers Alliance: Seeds of Resistance and Resilience," to discuss and share about "the history of Black Farmers Cooperatives, the emerging BIPOC led seed grower movement, and the Ujamaa initiative."

She will also be co-hosting two "Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Strategy Sessions" with Michael Carter, Jr., of Carter Farms/Africulture (@carterfarmsva). Ira and Michael will discuss with participants about barriers to entry, challenges, opportunities, or other concerns relating to socially disadvantaged individuals including successfully applying for Federal grants and how the USDA can help with identified challenges.

These strategy sessions are focused on socially disadvantaged, historically underserved farmers, specifically black farmers. USDA, FSA, NRCS, Department of Conservation Resources (DCR), and 4-P Foods among others will share specific programs and opportunities for this select group of farmers. Includes a USDA AMS Listening Session.

Join us in just a few a weeks to learn from Ira Wallace and many other inspiring teachers!

#seedsavers #womenwhoinspire #blackfarmers #supportingblackfarmers #farminglife #organic #biologicalfarming #collards #VABF #Virginiabiologicalfarmingconference #VABF2022

Is one of your New Years Dedications to learn more

Is one of your New Years Dedications to learn more about organic gardening and farming? (It absolutely should be!)
If so, join us later this month for the Virginia Biological Farming Conference in Roanoke, VA!

Jeff Poppen will be teaching two excellent and interesting sessions: "Biodynamics for Beginners: Steiner’s Agriculture Course Simplified" and "Farming Before Chemicals." What can we glean from the past to build a more beautiful, healthy, vibrant future? Jeff will help guide us!

Jeff Poppen, the Barefoot Farmer, lectures and consults widely, helps get new farms going, and has a long list of young farmers he has mentored. His style of old time farming comes from the study of how farms were managed before artificial fertilizers, and from 45 years of operating Long Hungry Creek Farm in Red Boiling Springs, TN. The 250 acres farm supports 40 head of cattle, an eight-acre market garden, and a vibrant community supported agriculture (CSA) program. Jeff has made a living by selling what he grows and, like his animals, gets his food from the farm.

We're getting excited and hope you are too! 🌱Jo

We're getting excited and hope you are too! 🌱Join us this January for the 22nd Annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference from January 22-24, 2022 at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Roanoke, VA!

The Virginia Biological Farming Conference is Virginia’s premier organic and sustainable agricultural conference; bringing together farmers, gardeners, eaters, educators, industry professionals, and advocates of biological, sustainable, regenerative, and organic agriculture. The Conference is hosted by VABF in partnership with Virginia State University College of Agriculture & the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

The Conference hosts 3 days of educational workshop intensives, presentations, and networking opportunities. Conference goers can choose to attend sessions within 9 educational tracks such as Beginning Farmer, Soil Health, Regenerative Grazing, Business of Farming, Permaculture & Agroforestry and Building Equity in Agriculture.

The Conference features locally-sourced meals prepared by the chefs at The Hotel Roanoke, book sales & author signings, regional meetings, and morning yoga for farmers. Highlights include the Taste of Virginia Expo & Market, a Silent Auction, a Trade Show, and a feature film presentation.

More than 30 speakers — covering topics from mushroom growing, year-round vegetable growing, growing cut flowers, and raising pastured chickens and pigs, to permaculture and agroforestry — will take the stage during over 60 concurrent sessions.

·· Discounts for VABF member & students
·· Volunteering & Scholarships available
·· Sponsorship & Exhibitor opportunities

Health note:
We are following precautions as laid out by The Hotel Roanoke and the Commonwealth of Virginia COVID-19 Guidelines: Masks are strongly encouraged, we will be providing physically distanced seating in the sessions and in the dining room and have expanded the number of rooms and sessions to reduce people per room, and are limiting the number of Conference registrations. We will be keeping up to date with the latest guidelines and will act accordingly.

We are so looking forward to seeing everyone who can make it out!

Register at VABF.org today!

💐Flowers · Flowers · Flowers! Today's 2022 Co

💐Flowers · Flowers · Flowers! Today's 2022 Conference Speaker Spotlight highlights Gwynn Hamilton of Stonecrop Farm (Newport, VA).

Gwynn and her husband Bert Webster are celebrating their sixteenth year of growing at Stonecrop Farm in Newport, Virginia. What began as a vegetable farm with a few flowers has shifted to a flower farm with a few vegetables. Together with a crew of four to five they provide weekly bouquets for a 70 share CSA and all the pieces for approximately 40 weddings a year, and flowers for special events and two farmers markets a week. In addition, the Stonecrop Team served their 245th wedding clients in 2021.

Gwynn will be holding "Growing from a part time Gardener to a Full-time Farmer. What does it take?" and "Braving Bridezilla: Growing flowers for the wedding industry." These two sessions will help you go from concept to seed to flower, and all the way to the wedding bouquet!

Learn from Gwynn and so many other outstanding folks this January in Roanoke, VA at the 22nd Annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference. Register today!

#vabfconference2022 #VABF #vabfconference #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #flowersandvegetables #flowers

Eric Pawlowski has extensive experience managing c

Eric Pawlowski has extensive experience managing certified organic and biodynamic diversified farming operations, and over 15 years as an independent organic inspector. Eric has also occupied many growing seasons assisting urban populations in organizing community gardening initiatives. Presently Eric is providing technical support to certified organic farmers across a 12-state region, including Virginia. Anthropologist by education, organic farmer by training, agricultural educator by employment and community activist by necessity. Feed the people!

Eric Pawlowski will be presenting two sessions at this January's Biological Farming conference: "Integrating livestock with specialty crops" and "Managing soil microbes in organic cropping systems."

From Eric:
"Soil testing reports are a critical component of fertility management, yet they only disclose the chemistry. The other side of the coin is soil biology, which is rarely managed strategically. Personal epiphany: manage the microbes and they will manage the fertility! This session will discuss microbe & microorganism identification; locations within soils; relevant agricultural functions performed; identifying plant-beneficial microbes; identifying harmful microbes; soil functions supported by microbes; microbial diversity – the good and the bad aspects; and assessing the health of soil microbial communities. Once this shared understanding is established, various management strategies used on organic farms will be introduced and subsequently critiqued through group discussion. Bring your better ideas – I’m here to learn too!"

#vabfconference2022 #soilhealth #VABF

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© 2022 Virginia Association for Biological Farming.

About VABF
Events
- Virginia Farming Event Calendar
2022 Biological Farming Conference
News & Resources
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- Kroger Community Rewards
- Amazon Smile
Join
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