2014 Annual Conference

Program

You may download the entire Printed Program here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/utd0sxk79qfls1e/TOFGA2014ConferenceProgramFinal.pdf

Thursday, Jan. 30 – Pre-Conference Workshops and Farm Tours

       Pre-conference workshops:
                      9:30a-4pm - Drought Mitigation with Holistic Management International –
                                          on-farm all day at Blackwood Bounty, Hempstead

  Click here for more information!

                     1:00 - 4:00 pm
                              Fruit Trees (on farm) – Glen Miracle, Laughing Frog Farm
                              Organic Certification – Leslie McKinnon
~~Butchering: Maximizing Your Return~~ - cancelled
                              New Farmer Workshop - Erin Flynn & Skip Connett - Green Gate Farms
                              Social Media Marketing – Pam Johnson, Rose Creek Farm

12-5:00 Trade show set up

**Workshops listed for Friday and Saturday are filled in when confirmed. There will be 4-5 workshops per session. Some workshop times are subject to change.

Friday, Jan. 31

7:30am – Registration opens

8:00-5:00 Trade Show

8:15a-9:30am – Session 1

Poultry Production - David Crank, Oaks of Mamre Farm

Farm Financial Management: The First 10 Years - Forrest Pritchard, Smithfield

Farm

Perennial Gardening - Marilyn Simmons, Garden Inspirations

Soil Health - Betsy Ross, Sustainable Growth Texas

Farmhood: Bringing Farming to the Neighborhood through Collaboration - Joe Icet & MaDiana Diaz, Last Organic Outpost

9:30a-10:00a - Break

10:00a-11:15a – Session 2

Goat Dairies - Blue Heron Goat Dairy

NCAT's Texas Organic Initiative - Robert Maggiani, NCAT

Soil Remediation - Justin Duncan, Prairie View A&M

Urban Ag Policy: Opportunities & Barriers - Andrew Smiley, SFC

Pollinators and Producers: What you need to know - Kevin Topek

11:15a-12:45pm – Lunch on your own

1:00p-2:15pm – Session 3

Sustainable Practices in Grass-Fed Beef - John Taggart, Burgundy Pasture Beef

Greenhouse Management - Dr. Steven King, Millican Farms

Playing Well with Others: Food In Cross-Sector Projects - Jessica Gallishaw, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas; Susie Marshall, GROW North Texas

Getting the Most from Your Compost - John Ferguson

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification - Sara Cano, USDA

2:15-2:45pm – Break

2:45-4:00pm - Session 4

Farm Cooperatives - Rick Carrera, Texas Rural Cooperative Development

Basics of Rotational Grazing in Texas - Betsy Ross, Sustainable Growth Texas

Legislative Listening Session - Judith McGeary, FARFA

Community Gardening - Jean Fefer, Urban Harvest

Holistic Management Institute: How It Helped My Farm - Stacey Roussel, All We

Need Farm

4:00-4:30pm – Break

4:30 – 5:45pm – Member Meeting

Saturday, Feb. 1

7:30am – Registration opens

8:00-5:00 Trade Show

8:15a-9:30am – Session 1

Rainwater Harvesting - Nell Wheeler, Water Conscious Rainwater Collection

Nuts and Bolts of CSA's - David & Katie Kramer Pitre, Tecolote Farm

Cow Dairies in Texas - Stuart Veldhuizen, Veldhuizen Cheese

Specialty Farm Equipment - Lynn Remsing, Gnismer Farms

Worker Co-ops: Food Access & Sustainability - Jamin Stocker, Broke Ass Pizza

9:30a-10:00a – Break

10:00a-11:15a – Session 2

Organic Fruit Tree Management - Glen Miracle, Laughing Frog Farm

Equitable Food Access: Charity vs. Social Change - Max Elliott, Urban Roots; Claudia Harding, SFC; Susie Marshall, GROW North Texas/TOFGA

Issues in Urban Livestock - Renee & Geoffery Smith, The Barry Farm

Pastured Swine - Stacey Roussel, All We Need Farm

Certified Farmers Markets

11:15a-12:45pm – Lunch & Regional Meetings

1:00p-2:15pm – Session 3

The Small Flock and the Shepherd: Starting From Scratch with Sheep on Pasture

- Shaun Jones, A+S Farm

Big Yields from Small Spaces - Diana Liga, Urban Harvest

Our Story: Urban Roots, Austin - Max Elliott, Urban Roots

Organic Insect & Disease Control: Practices & Common Sense - Lucy Harrell

Organic Certification Options in Texas

2:15-2:45pm – Break

2:45 -4:00pm - Session 4

Permaculture Principles for the Farm - Lucinda Bailey, Texas Ready

Farming on the Margins: Finding Land - Cavanaugh Nweze, Divine Leaders, Inc

Unite Voices Empower: The Importance of Grassroots Advocacy- Gabraelle Lane,

Southern SAWG

Post Harvest Handling - Cathy Sullivan, Sullivan's Happy Heart Farm

Organic Strawberry Research - Justin Duncan, Prairie View A&M

4:00 -4:30pm – Break

4:30 – 5:45pm – Session 5

Backyard Chickens - Suzanne King, Hens for Houston

GMO Discussion - Judith McGeary, FARFA; Dr. Steven King, Millican Farms

Expanding Access through Micro-Markets - Jasmine Opusunju, CAN DO Houston

Biodynamics - Bill McCranie, Josephine Porter Institute

6:30 pm - Annual Banquet - with keynote speaker Forrest Pritchard, Smith Meadows

Sunday, Feb. 2 – 10am - Urban Farm Brunch Tour at Last Organic Outpost