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Upcoming Events Winter & Spring, 2010 Fifth Annual Growers Workshop
Exploring the Small Farm DreamAre you an aspiring farmer--or hoping to start or build upon your small farm business in the New Year? If so, we hope you can join us for our popular Exploring the Small Farm Dream course now being offered in Charlottesville.
PEC staff and guest speakers will guide you through the decision-making process involved in launching a small farm enterprise. Creative exercises, research and class discussion will help assess your skills and resources, while guest speakers from local farms will help you decide how to carry your dream forward. Register for the CourseThe course will take place at Piedmont Virginia Community College on Monday evenings, February 1, 8, 15, 22 from 6-8:30pm, and includes an optional field trip to the Local Food Hub Educational Farm on March 6 from 9am-1pm. Tuition for this non-credit course is $149, and includes a workbook and the field trip. To register, please call Piedmont Virginia Community College at 434-961-5354 or register online through the PVCC website. Guest Speakers include:
If you have any questions, please call Piedmont Environmental Council's Stacey Carlberg at 540-341-0175 x 1#. The Appalachian Farmers Market Association is hosting its second annual conference, “Homegrown in the Mountains” on Saturday, February 6th in Lebanon, VA.CLICK HERE to download the brochure. To register, contact Tom Peterson @ 276-623-1121 or tpeterson@asdevelop.org Growers’ Academy - a series of courses designed specifically to help beginning farmers and transitioning farm businesses achieve success. Limited spaces are still available. Director, VT EarthWorks - accelerating land-based businesses Office of Outreach & International Affairs Virginia Tech Roanoke Center 108 N. Jefferson Street, Suite 701 Roanoke VA 24016 (540) 558-8010 - mobile (540) 767-6110 - fax Marketing in a Virtural World: A GPS Workshop for Small Businesses All small businesses face many challenges, especially when it comes to marketing and advertising their products and services. Traditionally, business owners have used signage, telephone book advertising, and print and broadcast media. However, with advances in technology, global positioning system (GPS) devices including both portable and in-dash car navigation systems can be used to geographically connect potential consumers with nearby businesses. When integrated with the Internet via Smartphone devices, these applications provide a technical bridge, linking potential and often mobile customers with nearby businesses and specific products. In addition, business owners are also able to target and “reach out” to potential customers through the use of virtual coupons and other marketing techniques. Businesses have requested training in GPS technology and the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program at Virginia Tech is pleased to offer Marketing in a Virtual World in three locations. This workshop has been scheduled for:
The program will walk business owners through the process of registering their businesses on multiple national business databases. These databases are then utilized by a variety of location-based service applications such as TomTom, Garmin, iPhone/Blackberry GPS applications, etc. Participants will also learn how to leverage free, online tools to support Internet marketing efforts.
The cost of the workshop is $40 per participant with checks made payable to The Treasurer of Virginia Tech.
Registration is required, and space is limited. Participants should register for the workshop online or by contacting the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program by calling (540) 231-2428 or e-mailing jmcg@vt.edu. For online registration, CLICK HERE. For a printable registration application, CLICK HERE.
If you would like to organize a workshop in your community, please contact: Dr. John McGee, Virginia Geospatial Extension Specialist, The Virginia Geospatial Extension Program; Virginia Tech; 307 C Cheatham Hall (0324); Blacksburg, VA 24061 If you have questions or to obtain more information, contact Dr. Martha A. Walker, 434-766-6761 or e-mail walker53@vt.edu If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Martha A. Walker at 434-766-6761during business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is (800) 828-1120. Second Annual VANTAGE Conference “Advancing the Technology”
To Register Contact:
February 19th & 20th, 2010
CLICK HERE to download the brochure
The 2010 Virginia Biological Farming Conference will provide two days of educational presentations concerning
ecological agriculture. Many participants in the conference are members of the Virginia Association for
Biological Farming. The Virginia Association for Biological Farming is an active network of citizens in and
around Virginia whose primary focus is to provide information and services to farmers, gardeners and consumers
about biological agriculture. New farming methods are being successfully and increasingly implemented in
Virginia and around the world. With understanding of ecosystems and natural processes comes a decreased need
for hazardous pesticides and other materials and practices which damage soil and contaminate groundwater
supplies. Biological agriculture involves the use of natural methods and materials, and focuses on soil building,
recycling of organic farm materials, and protection of wildlife and water resources.
Many Virginia farmers have experienced economic hardships in recent years. Costs of production are rising,
especially for fuel and fertilizers. For this conference, we went all the way to South Africa to find a farmer who
can really address the issues of energy use and soil fertility in agriculture. Ian Mitchell-Innes is an expert in
Holistic Resource Management. He monitors the energy flow and nutrient cycling through the eco-system of his
farm. He makes management decisions that control energy, water and nutrients.
The other plenary speaker for the 2010 Virginia Biological Farming Conference is Michael Ableman. Michael
champions the cause of sustainable agriculture through books, films, television and many public presentations.
During the last 50 years we have lost over 5 million acres of arable farmland to real estate development in
Virginia. If this trend continues, there will not be much farmland or forested land in this state. Can you imagine
the entire state of Virginia as one connected urban and suburban sprawl? Michael Ableman will suggest that
islands of land preserved for farming and forestry could exist within this future landscape.
Other conference speakers will discuss permaculture, composting, seed saving, pastured poultry, raspberries,
heirloom vegetables, beekeeping, biological controls of insects and diseases, tomatoes and mushrooms. We will
have two presentations on food safety. We will have three of the best representatives in Virginia on hand to talk
about state and federal government programs that support agriculture. We have two personnel from Berea College
in Kentucky who can describe how small liberal arts colleges might become engaged in agriculture. We will have
two excellent film presentations and one tour of an incredible composting operation.
To Register, go to the Virginia Biological for Biological Farming website.
For more information, please contact Virginia Cooperative Extension at (804) 556-5841 or Goochland County Parks & Recreation Department at (804) 556-5854. Presented by Virginia Cooperative Extension 4H Sponsored by The Center for Rural Culture Hosted by Goochland County Parks & Recreation Department Thursday, February 18th 6 to 8pm Thursday, March 25th 6 to 8pm Thursday, April 15th 6 to 8pm Thursday, May 13th 6 to 8pm
FREE EVENT! REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. NO PROGRAM FEE TO PARTICIPATE! WILL ALLEN RETURNS TO LYNCHBURG GROWS March 5-6, 2010 (Fri. & Sat.) Lynchburg Grows is welcoming back urban-farm guru Will Allen for two days of workshops, March 5-6, 2010 (Fri. & Sat.). Allen, a 2008 MacArthur fellowship recipient and co-founder of Milwaukee-based Growing Power, Inc., taught hands-on workshops at Lynchburg Grows in the Spring of 2009 that focused on worm farming, aquaponics (using fish to grow plants), growing and selling chemical-free produce and building local food systems. Lynchburg Grows is a Regional Outreach Training Center for Growing Power. Contact Michael G. Van Ness, Executive Director, Lynchburg Grows at for more workshop information. Office: 1339 Englewood St., Lynchburg, VA 24501 Directions: Englewood is off Fort Ave., one street south of Lynchburg City Stadium. Drive to the end of the road; the office is located in the concrete building to the right. Phone: (434) 846-5665 “Changing lives one garden at a time…” The Center for Rural Culture, a 501c3 (non-profit), is organized for the charitable and educational purposes of educating, promoting, and inspiring members of the community to sustain a culture that builds individual and local economy, protects natural and historical resources, and maintains the rural character of the community. |
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