AL Organic Production & Hoophouse Production 

Southern SAWG, with support from Southern SARE PDP and in collaboration with Alabama NRCS and Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, will offer a one-day training event focused on Organic Horticulture and High Tunnel (hoophouse) Production. This event is designed for resource conservation professionals serving farmers who are practicing or interested in organic and/or high tunnel production. Farmers who themselves serve as trainers or mentors to other farmers or to technical service professionals are also eligible to attend.

The training event will be held in a classroom with an on-farm tour and led by practitioners with personal and practical experience with commercial organic and high tunnel farm enterprises. The focus will be on production of specialty crops on smaller farms, and will include discussion of how NRCS cost share and technical assistance can be profitably applied on these farms, especially in operations with organic and/or high tunnel production. This training is intended to help resource conservation professionals better serve farmers, including farmers with or considering NRCS EQIP Organic Initiative or Hoophouse cost-share agreements.

There is no charge for this training for qualifying agricultural professionals, but registration is required.
FREE Lunch will be provided for pre-registered attendees. 

Working Agenda

8:30 am                                Introductions, Overview of Training Event
9:40 – 12:00 noon                Walk and Learn: Farm Tour topics
12:00 – 12:30 pm                 Lunch
12:40 – 3:20 pm                   Farm Tour, Q&A, and Discussion
3:20 – 3:30 pm                     Q&A; Evaluations & Close

Trainers

Dr. Mark Schonbeck, an independent consultant in sustainable agriculture from Floyd County, VA has been conducting organic related research and developing organic resources in cooperation with land-grants, nongovernmental agencies and farmers for 22 years.

Mark Cain has been operating a successful diversified organic farm enterprise in Arkansas for over 20 years.  Mark produces mixed vegetables, culinary herbs, blueberries, and specialty cut flowers for the popular Fayetteville Farmers Market and CSA distribution.

Andrew Williams is a retired NRCS conservationist from Alabama with 35 years of experience as a soil conservationist, district conservationist, RC&D, and state outreach coordinator.

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24th Annual Conference

Join us on the Coast at the
Mobile Convention Center, Mobile, AL
January 14-17, 2015

Complete Conference details will be posted by early October
Website      http://www.ssawg.org