Doniga Markegard speaking at Nevada Union High School
“I always leave feeling optimistic about the future — a high I look forward to every year!”
– Conference Participant
Despite rain, snow, and sleet, the 9th annual Sustainable Food and Farm Conference was a success. Thursday and Friday Field Days offered an assortment of workshop opportunities, as well as a Farm Tour to Apollo Olive Oil, Heart and Soul Alpacas, Grant Marie Winery, and Richard’s Grassfed Beef. Doniga Markegard kicked off the keynote speaker series on Saturday with an inspiring look at her family-run farm and the future of regenerative ranching. Paul Muller and Dru Rivers of Full Belly Farm shared the secrets of their success, and Jeff Lowenfels kept the audience laughing with his unique brand of soil science humor.
The Main Hall was packed for the Farm Expo – which included conference sponsors, Vital Garden Supply, Forever Flowering Greenhouses, Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, and many others – and conversation was lively between our vendors and participants. Conference Sponsors, BriarPatch Food Co-op, provided an assortment of snacks and beverages, and Summer Thymes Bakery & Deli served hundreds of locally-sourced lunches. Participants who braved the cold Sunday built their own curriculum from a selection of twenty workshops taught by local and regional experts.
It takes a village to put on an event, and it could not be done without our outstanding volunteers. From mailing flyers, to stuffing bags, to waking up at the crack of dawn to help register folks on Saturday, our volunteers are involved in every aspect of the conference. The Sustainable Food and Farm Conference is truly an event created for the community, by the community.