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By VABF AdminApril 7, 2021VABF 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)

Surveys ° Surveys ° Surveys! We would love to h

Surveys ° Surveys ° Surveys!

We would love to hear from each and every one of you! Your comments make a huge difference to us, they help to shape the future of the conference. Send us your thoughts, suggestions, wishes, and/or your favorite conference experience.

* The Soil Health Survey for Farmers & Ranchers is now also live, below the Main Conference Surveys - we would *very* much appreciate your responses to that as well!

The Updated Link in our Bio will bring you to our new page with:
- Attendee Survey
- Exhibitor/Sponsor Survey
- Soil Health Survey

We appreciate your feedback tremendously, and with a conference the size of ours, twenty or thirty people all saying the same things can quite literally change the future of farming in Virginia...(or at least the future of our conference!) Let us know your thoughts!

Thank you All!

#VABF2022 #VABFConference2022

Photo by @kyraaulani
of Jeff Poppen @barefootfarmer

Calling all folks who recorded any conference sess

Calling all folks who recorded any conference sessions! 🌟

Recording the conference sessions is definitely on the top of our list already for how to improve next year's conference. Did you happen to record a portion or all of someone's session or keynote? We would love to share it!

And here are a few more conference photos from the talented Kyra Aulani / @kyraaulani -

· April Jones, the founder of the Pinehurst Farmers Market / @pinehurstfarmersmarket located in downtown Columbia, South Carolina

· Frank Holzman, an organic horticulturist and sustainable farming consultant who shared about regenerative farming using Agroecology and Biodynamics

· Another great photo of Karen Washington, co-owner and organic grower at Rise & Root Farm / @riseandrootfarm in Chester, New York. Karen has grown food access in New York for decades now as an activist, gardener, and community leadership.

· And one more of Amyrose Foll, founder of The Virginia Free Farm / @virginiafreefarm which works to provide free nutrient dense food assistance to those in need. Amyrose is dedicated to "dismantl[ing] and transform[ing] the regional foodshed and create community-driven systems based on collectivism and respect for nature."

Here's hoping some of you were able to capture some of these amazing presentations!

#VABFConference2022 #VABF2022

🌻Shoutout & Thank You to Michael Carter, Jr.!

🌻Shoutout & Thank You to Michael Carter, Jr.!

If you joined us for the Conference you may have heard us mention how much Michael Carter, Jr. contributes to VABF and specifically how much he supported and positively influenced this year's annual gathering.

We want to thank Michael Carter, Jr. for his vital role in fostering, growing and supporting the diversity of our conference attendees and speakers; as well as in the farming world and beyond.

Throughout his life and specifically now with Africulture, his latest organization, Michael teaches people about the contributions of Africans and African Americans to agriculture worldwide. He trains students, educators and professionals in African cultural understanding, empathy, and implicit bias recognition.

We are honored to have Michael representing us and encouraging folks to join us in our mission to educate about, advocate for, and promote organic and biological farming and gardening.

Michael farms and teaches at Carter Farms, his family's century farm in the Piedmont region of Virginia that specializes in growing ethnic, African tropical vegetables organically. The farm is an ethnic vegetable afrotourism teaching farm that shares its Africulture interdisciplinary platform.

In addition to this, he is on our Board of Directors, is the Virginia State University Small Farm Outreach Coordinator, and in 2021 was recognized as the Small Farm Agent of the Year by the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Michael's continued sponsorship of the conference Youth Program has allowed our program to grow each year and has brought amazing teachers in front of potential young representatives of the next generation of farming. (Not least of which being his own children, who are already cultivating their own business. Be sure to check out their seed store - link below!)

Join the Carters in their work and mission: @carterfarmsva / Carter Family Farms

Carter Family Farms & Africulture
http://thecarterfarms.com

Carter Brothers Seeds
https://carterbrothers.net

#VABF #VABFConference2022 #VABF2022 #michaelcarterjr #CarterFarms #africulture #regenerativeag #organicfarming #farmingwhileblack #supportblackfarmers

🌿 VABF 🌿 Conference 🌿 Survey 🌿 Links 🌿

🌱 Attendees: https://vabf.org/2022-conference-survey/
(Link in Bio on Instagram)

🌻 Exhibitors & Sponsors: https://vabf.org/2022-exhibitor-sponsor-survey/

We'd like to extend a huge *Thank You* to Kyra Aulani (@kyraaulani) for wonderful photos of this year's Conference!

We will be sharing more photos over the coming days as we reflect back on the Conference and start planning for next year.

Your comments make a huge difference to us, they help to shape the future of the conference.

Send us your thoughts, suggestions, wishes, and/or your favorite conference experience. If you only have a few minutes, you can send in the form at any stage of completion. All comments count and we look forward to hearing from you!

We hope your notebooks and minds are full of new-to-you ideas to bring back into your gardens, farms, communities, work, life, and future.

If you have photos or video recordings of the conference we would love to see them! Contact us through our website (vabf.org) if you like to send us something directly, or tag us (@vabfarming) on things you post!

Thank you all for being there. What an amazing way to start off 2021!

#VABFConference2022 #VABF2022 #OrganicFarmers #FoodJustice #FarmingConference #Virginia

Photo 1 · Karen Washington, Rise
Keynote "Soil Health is Food Justice"
@karwasher / @riseandrootfarm

Photo 2 · Amyrose Foll, Virginia Free Farm
Keynote "Farming our Past: The Sacred Science of Traditional Ecological Knowledge"
@mamamaize / @virginiafreefarm (Virginia Free Farm at Spotted Pig Holler)

Photo 3 · Michael Carter, Jr.
Carter Farms & Africulture
@carterfarmsva

Photo 4 · Jeff Poppen
The Barefoot Farmer
@barefootfarmer

Photo 5 · Mark Jones
Sharondale Mushroom Farm
Sharondale Farm

Photo 6 · Tradeshow: The Izaak Walton League

Photo 7 · Tradeshow: Kenkashi
@kenkashimicrobes

Photo 8 & 9 · Youth Program
Sponsored by @carterfarmsva

VABF CONFERENCE 2022 DAY TWO! Program Schedule h

VABF CONFERENCE 2022 DAY TWO!

Program Schedule highlights:

*Yoga for Farmers
7-8
Roanoke Ballroom D

* Regional Networking Meetings! (Mountains, Coastal, Piedmont)
7:30-8:15
Appalachian / Mill Mt / Buck Mt

* Lunch & Annual VABF Member Meeting
12-1:15pm
Roanoke Ballroom CH

* Silent Auction ends at 2:00pm!
Pick-up and Payment 3:00-5:30pm.
Please check in before you leave to take home your items! 🤗

#vabf2022 #vabfconference2022

VABF CONFERENCE PROGRAM: DAY ONE Sunday Schedule

VABF CONFERENCE PROGRAM: DAY ONE

Sunday Schedule Highlights

* Tradeshow & Silent Auction 8-5pm
Roanoke Ballroom AB

* Lunch & Amyrose Foll’s Keynote Address
(Opening remarks by Dr Janine Parker Woods with VSU)
12:15-1:45pm
Roanoke Ballroom CH

* Taste of Virginia Expo & Market (Open to All! No ticket needed! Free!)
2-9pm
Crystal Ballroom

* Dinner & Karen Washington’s Keynote Address
5:45pm
Roanoke Ballroom CH

If you have any questions come by Registration in the North Entry Foyer!

#VABF2022 #vabfconference2022

All Conference-goers are invited on Saturday eveni

All Conference-goers are invited on Saturday evening to join us in conference room Shenandoah B at 6pm for a screening of the "Farming Film Shorts" series produced by Certified Naturally Grown (@cngfarming) and at 6:30 for a showing of "Kiss the Ground."

The Certified Naturally Grown Farming Film Shorts include:
· Pest Prevention with Row Cover & Insect Netting (5:00 minutes)
· Weeding at the Thread Stage (5:32)
· Choosing the Right Drip Tape (3:23)
· What to Expect when You're Inspecting (9:59)

These shorts are a great way to learn more about what it means to be Certified Naturally Grown and what all goes into it. If you'd like a sneak peek, check out @cngfarming's recent post sharing "What to Expect When You're Inspecting"!

Pre-Conference starts *tomorrow*! Can't wait to see you all then!

🎉🌱Conference Thank Yous! 🎉🌱 Before we

🎉🌱Conference Thank Yous! 🎉🌱
Before we start on Saturday - we want to take a moment to thank our wonderful sponsors who make the Conference possible. You'll find many of these sponsors at the trade show where you can speak with them and learn more!

And we would be remiss if we didn't say a huge thank you in advance to the farms providing the food for us all to eat!

Those farms are: Fields Edge Farm, Four Oaks Farm, FT Valley Farm, Garden Variety Harvests, Goldman Farm, Gracious Day Grains, Great Day Gardens, Hungry Hill Farm, Kat the Farmer, Patchwork Family Farm, Peace & Harmony Farm, Restoration Acres Farm, Singing Spring Farm, Truman Hill Farm, Twin Springs Farm, Valley Farming, Van Dessel Farm, Yoders Farm, & Wise Farm. Thank you all!

Harvester Conference Sponsors:
· Virginia Cooperative Extension / @virginia_cooperative_extension
· VSU College of Agriculture / @vsu_ag

Sustainer Sponsor:
· Virginia Tech-Outreach and International Affairs

Pollinator Sponsors:
· Southern SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education)
· Edwards Mother Earth Foundation
· Beginning Farmer Track Sponsor: Virginia Beginning Farmer & Rancher Coalition Program (VT / Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Farm Educational Outreach Program 2022 Mini Grant)

Cultivator Sponsors:
· Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
· Foodshed Capital VA
· Sharondale Mushroom Farm
· Carter Farms, Carter Brothers & Africulture
· Seven Springs Farm Supply
· Floyd EcoVillage
· American Farmland Trust
· Johnny's Selected Seeds
· Virginia FAIRS (Foundation for Agriculture Innovation and Rural Sustainability)
· Farm Bureau Virginia

Thank you all for your support!

We can't wait until Saturday for Pre-Conference and then Sunday and Monday with everyone! See you soon!

#VABF2022 #vabfconference2022

Hey ya'll - still deciding whether to join us this

Hey ya'll - still deciding whether to join us this weekend for the 2022 Virginia Biological Farming Conference? There's still a bit of room (even with the extra spacing we've built in)! We are so very much looking forward this weekend and would love to see you there.

Call the hotel directly at (540) 985-5900 *before 5pm Today, January 19th* to secure the reduced rates available in the VABF Conference Group Block at the Hotel Roanoke.

#VABF2022 #vabfconference2022 #vabf #hotelroanoke

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

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