Marketing that Sells

This course was offered with the Direct Marketing Conference, January 9, 2011.

Click here for more information about the 2011 Direct Marketing Conference.

This compressed course involved an orientation at the Direct Marketing Conference and a day-long follow-up session.

Designed for experienced growers, "Marketing that Sells" will helped particiapnts build on what they learned at the conference to select, implement and evaluate marketing strategies that match their farm operations and budget.

On-Farm Energy

November 4, November 18, & December 9, 2010

This course has been cancelled due to low enrollment. We may reschedule it in the spring; please contact Wendy Sue Harper if you are interested in taking this course at a later date.

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Download Registration Brochure

Intended for intermediate to advanced vegetable growers, this course covers energy usage on farms, paying special attention to greenhouses and cold storage, the two biggest energy-users on most vegetable farms.

By the end of the three days, you will have completed a simple energy audit for your farm and developed a plan to reduce energy use and save money.

Follow up one-on-one mentoring is available for 5 course participants; follow-up enterprise analysis is available to 4 course participants.

Course fee: $125, includes all books, course materials, lunch and refreshments.

For more information call 802-434-4122 or email info@nofavt.org

Organic Crop Protection

January 18, February 2, & February 16
Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT

Registration deadline extended to January 3, 2011!

This series of three workshops is intended for intermediate to advanced vegetable growers who want to understand pest management.  Each session will stress the biology and ecology of the pests and how to choose the management strategy that fits your farm system.

With information from researchers, crop advisers and farmers you will get scientific and practical information that will serve you well in improving pest management on your farm.  Each day will include ample time for farmer-to-farmer exchange so you can also learn what works on the ground. See more details on each session below.

Download the brochure by clicking here (PDF).

You may register for one, two, or all three of the sessions. Cost:
All three sessions: $150
Any two sessions: $110
Any one session: $70

 To register, please download and mail in the registration form on the brochure, or contact the NOFA Vermont office at info@nofavt.org or 802-434-4122.

 

 

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Session One: Insects
Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Texts: Resource Guide to Organic Insect and Disease Management; Diseases and Pests of Vegetable Crops in Canada

Understanding how insects eat, reproduce and spend
the winter will help you think about when they are
most vulnerable. This session will help you identify
which insect pests you have and how to avoid them,
protect your crops, or save your crops by killing the
pests.

Speakers in Session One:
• Alan Eaton - University of New Hampshire
• Brian Caldwell - Cornell University
• Eric Sideman - Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Association
• David Marchant - Riverberry Farm, Vermont
• Ted Blomgren - Windflower Farm, New York
• Jake Guest - Killdeer Farm, Vermont

 

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Session Two: Diseases
Wednesday, February 2, 2011, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Texts: Resource Guide to Organic Insect and Disease Management; Diseases and Pests of Vegetable Crops in Canada

Understanding what causes plant diseases, how they
live and reproduce, and how they spend the winter
will help you think about when they are most vulnerable.
This session will help you identify which pathogen
you have how to avoid it, protect your crops, or
save your crops by spraying an organically-approved
substance to control the microorganism.

Speakers in Session Two:
• Ann Hazelrigg - University of Vermont
• Abby Seaman - Cornell University
• Eric Sideman - Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Association
• Rob Johanson - Gorenson Farm, Maine
• Jean-Paul Courtens - Roxbury Farm, New York

 

 

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Session Three: Weeds
Wednesday, February 16, 2011, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Text: The Growers Handbook of Ecological Weed Management

Understanding how weeds invade, compete with your
crops, reproduce, and survive the winter will help
you think about when they are most vulnerable. This
session will help you identify weed success strategies
and decide on the practices that offer the best chance
avoiding or suppressing the weeds, depleting the weed
seed bank, and beating them back with cultivation.
You will also learn what tools are available and how to
use them.

Speakers in Session Three:
• Eric Gallandt - University of Maine
• Eric Sideman - Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Association
• Tim Taylor - Crossroads Farm, Fairlee Vermont
• Ryan Voiland - Red Fire Farm, Massachusetts
• Geo Honigford - Hurricane Flats, Vermont