Calendar of Events

January 6-8, 2010
Springfield, Illinois

The conference will include the traditional concurrent breakout sessions on fruits, vegetables, herbs, irrigation, agritourism/marketing, and business management. New to the conference this year will be two organic tracks.

January 7-9, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri

To succeed in agriculture today, we must THINK OUTSIDE THE BARN. Join us as we look to the future, seek new opportunities through innovation and technology and embrace the possibilities for agriculture.

January 7-9, 2010
St. Joseph, Missouri

Successful growers & researchers will cover topics such as:

• Small Fruit
• Farmers’ Markets
• Organic Production
• Marketing
• Beginning Grower (special sessions)
• Vegetable Production
• Pest Management
• High Tunnel Production
• All day Saturday Cut Flower Track

January 8-9, 2010
Tulsa, Oklahoma

This two-day grower meeting and trade show is sponsored by the University of Arkansas, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa Community College, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture. It has consistently provided growers the latest information on vegetables, fruit, herbs, Christmas trees, farmers market crops and public gardening issues. Growers from Oklahoma, Arkansas and surrounding states are welcome to attend.

January 8-February 19, 2010
Online Course

Markets and Profits: Making Money Selling What You Grow: Join our veteran instructors to examine your potential markets and assess the potential profitability of your plans. This course is suitable for aspiring or new farmers as well as more experienced farmers seeking to diversify their operations. This course will help you:
• Identify farm goals and timelines for an enterprise
• Understand the potential for profitability with selected agricultural products
• Start to prepare a marketing plan
• Understand that everything in farming is interconnected- holistic point of view.

January 13, 2010
Ames, Iowa
Improving Iowa's soil and water quality is essential. We can all become better at conveying this message. This forum is geared for farmers, educators, agency personnel and others who want to do a better job of telling the story about conservation from the heart.

January 15-16, 2010
St. Cloud, Minnesota

This conference provides great information about organic agriculture to excite experienced organic producers as well as people new to this farming system. Besides the keynote speakers there will be more than 30 breakout sessions on organic production of crops, dairy, livestock, fruits and vegetables, marketing, and many more topics. We will serve organic and grass-fed products for our snacks and meals, and highlight those growers and processors at the conference.

January 15, 20, and 21, 2010
New Brunswick, New Jersey
If your pest management plan still consists of spraying chemicals wherever, whenever, it’s time to take a more effective, economical and environmentally-sensitive approach. Integrated pest management, or IPM, involves a series of evaluations, decisions and controls based on the plant, the insect pest and the methods available for prevention and treatment. This 3-day course covers the latest IPM fundamentals, tools, techniques and strategies to improve your pest management skills while keeping your customers and the environment safe.

January 16, 2010
Battle Creek, Michigan

Educational sessions include bioenergy for small farmers, organic and specialty crop production, high tech marketing, high tunnels, entrepreneurship, food safety, crop pollination, grass-based dairies, and much more! More than 275 people attended last year's conference to learn about sustainable agriculture, family farms and new opportunities to help farmers connect to resources, and to network and improve their operations.

January 16, 2010
Worcester, Massachusetts

Over 40 workshops on organic farming, gardening, landscaping, and sustainable living. Keynote speech by Joel Salatin.

January 19-21, 2010
Indianapolis, Indiana

The Indiana Horticultural Congress is an educational meeting designed to meet the needs of fruit, vegetable, wine, organics and specialty crop growers and marketers in Indiana and surrounding states. All interested individuals are invited to attend.

January 20-23, 2010
Chattanooga, Tennessee

The general conference, held on Friday and Saturday, offers eight tracks of highly essential conference sessions covering: organic and sustainable production of vegetables, flowers, seeds, honey, poultry, hogs and beef; direct marketing strategies such as farmer’s markets and CSAs; successful farm stories; community food systems; and new farm programs for sustainable farmers— a broad range of offerings for start-ups and seasoned producers alike.

January 20-23, 2010
Pacific Grove, California

With over 60 workshops featuring prominent speakers on the latest advances in agricultural techniques, marketing strategies, research and other important food system issues, along with organic meals and lively entertainment, the Eco-Farm Conference is the largest sustainable agriculture gathering in the western United States.

January 20-21, 2010
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Organizations working with farmers or on any other aspect of creating vibrant local food systems will have the opportunity to meet with a variety of USDA Program Managers to discuss funding options in this special 1 ½ day meeting. Participants must register separately for this special meeting and registration is limited. Limited scholarships available. To learn more about this meeting and to register, please email Southern SAWG executive assistant Julia Sampson at jsampson@ssawg.org.

January 21 & 22, 2010
Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The two-day conference consists of 36 breakout sessions in 6 themed tracks, 3 exciting keynote addresses, a tradeshow, round table discussions, a World Cafe round table forum, Driftless Region "Open Space" discussion and plenty of time for networking!

January 21-22, 2010
Souix Falls, South Dakota

This conference will cover topics such as farm business planning, cow welfare, sustainability, and milk marketing.

January 22 & 23, 2010
Bushnell, Florida

Participants of this event are large and small farmers, ranchers and people interested in starting an agricultural enterprise. Conference features a General Session with exciting keynote speakers, and both livestock and crop workshops. This year some of the topics will be marketing and producing grass fed beef, horse management, beekeeping, heritage vegetable production, fruit production, farm product safety and poultry management.

January 29-30, 2010
San Marcos, Texas

The theme of the conference is "All Things Local." Conference sessions will discuss the most current organic issues and trends affecting Texas.

January 30, 2010
Grayling, Michigan

Farmers are greeting the challenges of today’s agricultural world with new found passion and creative production, marketing, and management strategies. The Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference brings these success stories to you.

February 7-11, 2010
Denver, Colorado
Learn how to Manage for Invasive Species, Open Spaces, Sustainable Livestock Production,
Drought, and Conservation of our Natural Resources. Hear World renowned speakers at an Invasive Plant Symposium. Special Producer and International Sessions on all aspects on Natural Resource Management.

February 8, 2010
Bozeman, Montana

This event is a Food Fair to create awareness with the Bozeman community about local Montana products and producers that are available in this great state.