2017 Healthy Farms Conference
Ramada Columbus & Rivers Edge Conference Center
265 33rd Ave, Columbus, NE 68601, USA
Nebraska
41.41944249999999
-97.36686850000001
Description
Plan to attend the Healthy Farms Conference of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society. The dates for 2017 are January 27th & 28th and it will be held at the Columbus Ramada & Rivers Edge Conference Center in Columbus.
Keynotes: This year we will feature;
John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri, Columbia. John was raised on a small dairy farm in southwest Missouri and received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri. He worked in private industry for a time and spent thirty years in various professorial positions at North Carolina State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Georgia, and the University of Missouri before retiring in early 2000. Since retiring, he spends most of his time writing and speaking on issues related to sustainability with an emphasis on economics and agriculture. He currently resides in Fairfield, IA with his wife, Ellen, two dogs, and two cats. Ikerd is author of Essentials of Economic Sustainability, Sustainable Capitalism, A Return to Common Sense, Small Farms are Real Farms, Crisis and Opportunity: Sustainability in American Agriculture, and A Revolution of the Middle. All books are available through Amazon.com via http://johnikerd.com/books. More complete background information and a wide selection of writings are available at http://faculty.missouri.edu/ikerdj/ or http://johnikerd.com/
Greg Gunthorp, Gunthorp Farms, Springfield Township, Indiana. In 1998, a small pig farmer by the name of Greg Gunthorp was selling his pigs into the commodity market for less than his grandfather had during the Great Depression. It doesn’t take an economist to realize something different needed to be done… fast. Being as stubborn as Greg is, he said he wasn’t going to be the last Gunthorp to raise pigs. He knew he could join the rest of the pig industry by building a barn, but his family had raised pigs on pasture for at least 3 generations before him. He finally found a solution when he made one phone call to the chef at Charlie Trotter’s restaurant in Chicago and was asked to bring them a whole hog the next week. I guess you could say the rest is history. Here at Gunthorp Farms, we specialize in quality meat. All of our animals are raised on pasture without the use of antibiotics. We have an on farm USDA inspected processing plant where we harvest, process, and package all of our animals before shipping them out to upscale restaurants and retail locations in Chicago, Indy, & Detroit. Gunthorp Farms is a family owned business and all members of the family chip in. Gunthorp Farms also employs approximately 15 full-time and 15 part-time employees. http://www.gunthorpfarms.com/
Sessions: This year’s agenda offers a number of breakout sessions with topics ranging from cover crops to holistic orchards to pollinators & diversity. We will also once again have a full youth program with many of the presenters being youth and presenting on projects from their farms.
* Blasting, biomulch, and cover crops: Multifunctional weed management tools for vegetable crops
* Small Farms are Real Farms with John Ikerd
* Holistic Sheep & Goat Production
* Cover Cropping varieties to retain moisture and viability
* Purchasing a Small Farm
* Working with tractors, engines and machines on your small farm
* Balancing Livestock & Wildlife with Crops
* How to start a cooperative community farm
* Designing, Building & Maintenance Fences for Livestock
* Holistic Management I
* NRCS Technical Assistance
* The pro's and con's of a diversified farm: a realistic look at profit & sustainability
* Holistic Management II
* Farm Lease Arrangements; 5 ?’s
* Increasing Farm Productivity
* Carbon Farming
* Farm Accounting 1.0
* Nebraska Permaculture 2.0
* NRCS Soil Health
* Urban Farming resources & opportunities
* Niche Fruit Production in Nebraska
The complete list will be available on our website and will be updated as they are confirmed!
Foods: A major reason for the conference is the awesome, local & sustainable foods at the meals and breaks. We will once again be sourcing as much food as possible from local farmers and NSAS members. If you have foods you'd like to contribute please let us know
Youth Program: We will again have a full slate of youth programming available. Session so far include; Cooking Local Foods, Lettuce, and peppers, and peas, oh my! How to start an organic vegetable garden, Permaculture Earth Repair for Kids, Farm Safety 101, and more.
Lodging: There are several options for lodging including 2 level suites. To make a reservation call, 402-564-1492. Rivers Edge lodging includes a complimentary breakfast, fitness center, family rooms, and a pool that includes a family friendly water park. To ensure the conference room rate and availability, reservations should be made by January 6th.
About: The Healthy Farms Conference has been hosted by NSAS for over 40 years. From Aurora to Grand Island and Nebraska City to Columbus, the conference has laid the framework for promoting sustainable agriculture and local foods in Nebraska and the Midwest. The Healthy Farms Conference features over 20 breakout sessions aimed at equipping farmers, aspiring farmers, foodies, and advocates to with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful. The conference also features several keynote sessions meant to inspire and motivate people to action, and that what they are doing and why they are doing it makes a difference. Together we can change the world one farmer, one eater at a time! The conference also provides support for current farmers by fostering growth and stability in sustainable farming methods, including organic agriculture and sustainable agriculture. We do this by helping farmers to develop innovative ideas and projects that can impact their local communities and areas. A variety of interactive educational opportunities are available for adults and youth. Participants will have the chance to network with farmers, university faculty, and fellow agricultural colleagues. Besides providing informative, educational sessions the conferences has commercial and educational exhibits. The Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society has been hosting the Healthy Farms Conference for over 40 years.
This listing has no upcoming events
Start:
2017-01-27T08:00:00-06:00
End:
2017-01-28T16:00:00-06:00
Category
Social
Tickets
All-Nebraska Evening Youth
20.0
USD
35
NSAS Membership
30.0
USD
250
All-Nebraska Evening
40.0
USD
85
Young Farmer
55.0
USD
100
Member 1 Day
60.0
USD
250
Non-Member 1 Day
85.0
USD
100
Member 2 Day
100.0
USD
250
All-Nebraska Evening Family
100.0
USD
20
Non-Member 2 Day
135.0
USD
100
Family Pass
250.0
USD
100
