Princeton, NJ — Thoughts on food and food for thought, as well as local, organic food will be offered at an expanded 21st Annual Winter Conference on January 29 and 30, 2011 at Princeton University. The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey’s (NOFA-NJ) Winter Conference, is the premier gathering for organic and sustainable food, farming and gardening community in the state. This year’s conference, a two-day event titled Sowing New Seeds, offers over 40 workshops on a wide range of food, gardening, and farming related subjects.
Featuring an informative and exciting keynote address by Dr. Michael W. Hamm of Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at Michigan State University promises to offer insights into rethinking how we grow, transport, and eat our food. There will be workshops for livestock producers, vegetable growers, homesteaders, consumers, and, new this year, Beginning Farmers. Topics include Addressing Food Issues, Natural Beekeeping, Western vs. Traditional Diets, Composting at Home, Alpacas 101, Conserving Farmland, Backyard Chickens, Running a Successful CSA, and Lawn Alternatives. This year also launches the first NOFA-NJ Kid’s Conference presented in collaboration with the New Jersey Farm to School Network. Some of the topics for children include Homemade Scents, Worm Composting, and Taste Testing, Vertical Gardens, and Supermarket Spy Kids.
Discounts on registration are available for those who register prior to January 17th and for NOFA-NJ members. New and Beginning Farmers can apply for a full scholarship to this conference. If you are considering farming as a business or have been farming for 10 years or less, please apply at http://nofanj.org/wc_scholarship.html
The conference promises to offer an educational and community-based experience with organic, local and sustainable food production and delivery issues at its heart and will be the event to attend for anyone interested in becoming more involved with these topics. Over 500 people are expected to attend. For more information, please visit: www.nofanj.org/winterconference.html or call the NOFA-NJ office at 908-371-1111 x5. Major conference support provide by Princeton University and Princeton Environmental Foundation.
NOFA-NJ is an association of consumers, farmers, & gardeners working to create regionally-based, economically-viable organic and sustainable agriculture systems in New Jersey andEastern Pennsylvania. NOFA-NJ’s programs are made possible with large support from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and Whole Foods. To find out more, visit www.nofanj.org.