Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference "Changing Realities in Farming and Food"

Concurrent General Session I

A.  Salad Bar Beef - Daniel Salatin - Learn how Polyface buys stockers from local farmers, runs a nine hundred head herd, sells over 300 grass fed beef a year and only owns 100 acres of pasture.  Also learn some ways to cut, pack and market beef that is tender and tastes great.

B.  Hydroponics and Food Production in Michigan – Kris and Steve VanHaitsma - What were you thinking?  How it happened.  Growing indoors year round:  heat and light, what you can grow and can you make money?

C.  Sustainable, Organic, Green, Fresh and Natural:  Does the Emperor Have Clothes? - Melinda Hemmelgarn- A greenwashing expose.  Come spruce up your green vocabulary and learn how to make true earth-friendly food choices.

D.  Legislation, Laws, Regulations and What They May Mean to Your Farm – GAP Part 1 -  Elaine Brown (click on name to see presentation) and Colleen Collier Bess (click on name to see presentation) – So you think you know what Good Agriculture Practices are, but do you know what “flavors” are being asked for?  An overview of the program, and first hand discussions with a USDA GAP auditor.

E.  Chicken Basics – The Fun and Easy Way to Raise Chickens - Jane Knapp - She will share what has worked for her – beginning with the egg hatch and progressing through each stage of the chicken’s life.

F.  Consumer Trends in the Burgeoning Green Market:  What Motivates, Attracts, and Captures the Enlightened Consumer - Timothy Young – Whether you are a small scale entrepreneur, value added farmer or a consumer, green living is hot.  Consumers are making enlightened demands and the economy is responding.  With an emphasis on the food/farming sector this session will bring the latest statistics on this trend.

G.  Sustainable Hops Production in the Great Lakes Region – Rob Sirrine – Hops are a novel crop with plenty of potential to be grown in Michigan.  This talk will provide participants with information needed to grown and market hops in Michigan.

H.  Permaculture for Farmers – Eric Toensmeier – Permaculture is a design system to help transform your farm into an agroecosystem with functionally interconnected elements.  A design process and principles will be shared that draw cutting-edge ecological design, indigenous practices, and old-fashioned farmer common sense.

_____________________________________________________

Concurrent General Session II

I.  Perennial Vegetables – Eric Tonsemeier - This workshop will cover the best perennial vegetable species for cold climates and review design ideas and management issues allowing them to come back year after year.

J.  There Are No Magic Bullets – Karen Lubbers - After Karen’s daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer a journey followed that led them from main stream America to sustainable agriculture.  Karen will share their journey and the provocative lessons learned along the way.  Hers is a personal story that profoundly connects food, farming and well-being.

K.  Getting the Most From Your Fertilizer Dollar – Gary Zimmer - What is the minimum I can do to stay sustainable?  If I want to do better, what is a practical approach to evaluating and achieveing my goals?

L.  Put the Fun Back in Dairy Farming – Howard Straub - Howard started rotationally grzing his dairy herd and has never looked back!  He will share his numbers, experience and success for a lucrative sustainable grass-based dairy farm.  He even takes a winter vacation!

M.  Our Farm Experience with GAP - GAP Part 2 - Grower Panel- How the program has both positively and negatively affected us.  Working with your retailer to make the program work for both of you.

N.  Turning Maintenance from a Liability into a Crucial Asset for the Small Farm – Cary Urka - Turning maintenance from a liability into a cruical asset requires a well-equipped shop for essential preemptive, or early intervention maintenance.  Cary will cover practical applications and examples from his farm such as proper tooling, welding, fabrication, general mechanicals, AC electric systems and safety.

O.  Youth Keynote – Growing Up Joel’s Son:  The Real Story – Daniel Salatin – Daniel will cover how you can as an adult show and share your interest in farming to your kids, where to start with your farming ideas as a young person, some tools that will help the generations work as a team and share some light hearted moments growing up on Polyface Farm.

_____________________________________________________

Concurrent General Session III

P.  Farm to School:  A Great Opportunity in Your Community – Renee DeWindt, Kristen Misiak - Hear from two food service directors about their experiences with Farm to School, and how you as a farmer can partner with your local school.  You’ll hear a broad perspective of what is possible in various schools, how farmers can help develop the partnership, and what challenges you and your school may have to overcome.

Q.  SARE Funding and On-Farm Research - Tom Rorabaugh, Dean Baas, and SARE Panel of Farmers - Opportunities for sustainable projects grants – SARE

R.  Eating Your Curds and Whey – Barbara Jeness - Cheesemaking in the kitchen.  Taking the mystery out of making cheese, how to start, what you need, and where to get it.

S.  Grass Based Sheep – Ben Tirrell - Ben will share his experiences with grazing sheep and how the Tirrell’s have used this practice to help their 150 year old family farm continue to be successful.  From raising sheep to finding innovative ways of marketing them, their tirrell’s have developed a sustainable way of farming for themselves and their customers.

T.  Wind Power Options for Farmers:  Determining Your Wind Resource, Revenue Options, Leases and Incentives - Tom Gallery, Steven Smiley, and Christopher Stahl - This discussion will provide information on determining if your site is suitable for wind energy, site and energy requirements and turbine options.  Moreover, knowledgeable presenters will walk you through the lease process and provide you with up to date information on financial and/or tax incentives and policies.

U.  Local Food Funding and Entrepreneur Opportunities - Susan Loney & Shelly Fuller - Emerging business opportunities in support of the Food & Farming Network in Northern Michigan, available support servies and funding options.

V.  Saskatoon…The New Berry in Town – Steve Fouch – This new healthy berry is gaining popularity with growers across the Northern Lower Peninsula.  Similar to blueberries, but without the acidic soil requirements, they are cold hardy and have diverse marketing opportunities.