This is a list of sessions currently being planned for our event. Session days and times will be announced as soon as we have the schedule finalized. All sessions will be recorded for participants to access post event for a limited time.
Friday February 18th
Welcome and Julie Chávez Rodriguez, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs – 9:30 to 10:15
What’s Happening With Oregon’s Local Food Hubs? – 10:15 to 11:05
Oregon’s local food hubs are connecting growers to markets in rural and urban regions around the state. Hubs also contribute to overall food system resilience. Come hear from a panel of food hub operators about how they work, what services they provide to farmers and buyers, what they need for long-term viability, and what they’ve learned about moving local food.
Introductory Hydroponics – 10:15 to 12:05
Come learn about growing plants in soilless conditions. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil and instead using mostly just water. We will spend the first half of our session covering the motivation and benefits of growing hydroponically. Then, after our short break, we’ll spend the second half exploring the basics of nutrient and fertility management as well as matching crops to different types of hydroponic production systems. This session will be an excellent primer if you want to get your feet wet or dip your toes into the world of growing plants in water.
Stewarding Resilient Seeds For A Hotter, Drier Future – 10:15 to 12:05
What crops and varieties do well dry farmed or in low-input, minimally irrigated systems? This is a very common question given the increased impacts of drought on small farms in Oregon. This session highlights resilient seed stewards working in Oregon or in other climate zones similarly threatened with increased drought, heat waves, and scarcity of freshwater. Learn from resilient seed steward panelists about their process of growing, evaluating, and breeding various vegetables, legumes and grains for a hotter, drier future; where some of these seeds can be sourced; how they are working to address the legacy of colonialism in the seed industry; and how you can engage in or support this work.
Just Getting Started? Exploring What to Farm – 10:15 to 12:05
As a beginning farmer or new land manager, you need to determine what CAN be grown or raised on your property and what you WANT to produce. This session presented by OSU Extension Small Farms Program will cover how to assess natural resources on a property, such as soil and water, to know what your options are. We will introduce the basic physical property and personal considerations for livestock, fruit, flower, and diverse vegetable operations. Due to the brief time we get together, we will not be covering production methods, costs of production, or marketing strategy, however, you will leave knowing what questions to ask in order to take the first step into farming. There will be a facilitated question and answer session.
Drought, fires, floods: federal & state assistance programs – 11:15 to 12:05
The pace and intensity of climate change has created hardship for farmers because of drought, fires and floods, affecting crop viability and economic success for small-scale, diversified farmers. There are both federal and state level loan forgiveness and grant programs available for farmers affected by climate change. This session will cover types of loans and grants that farmers can apply for and which programs might be better for your operation. We’ll also cover programs you can use to build more resilience into your farms.
Roundtables – 12:10 to 12:40
Meet Metro-area Small Farms Team
Meet South Valley Small Farms Team
Meet Mid-Valley Small Farms Team
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Assistance for Oregon Farms & Ranches
Adding Agritourism: On-Farm Lodging – 1:00 to 1:50
There is a lot of hype around on-farm lodging right now, but what can you actually (and legally) do on your farm? It is important to know! This session takes a hard look at the legal restrictions as well as the other challenges associated with hosting guests overnight. Learn from experts about what is permissible on Oregon farmland and from farmers about what has worked in their counties.
Wash, Rinse, Succeed! Farmer stories of water use and flow during post-harvest – 1:00 to 1:50
Farmers of different scales will share their stories and set-ups of water use during post-harvest. A focus of this session will be on washing greens to provide communities with high quality produce. Bring your questions and examples of what’s worked well on your farm.
The Art & Science of Pasture Finishing Ruminants – 1:00 to 2:50 PM
Speaker: Jim Gerrish, American Grazing Lands Services, ID. In this 90 minute session, learn how to pasture-finish ruminants (primarily beef but also sheep) for optimal gains and quality meat. We will cover how to develop a grazing plan, how to manage pasture for optimal gains, how meat quality is impacted by pasture management, and different pasture mixes for the wet and dry parts of Oregon and the Northwest.
Basic Concepts in Forming and Maintaining a Nonprofit Organization – 1:00 to 2:50
This workshop is an orientation to forming and maintaining a nonprofit. Included is a step by step guide to forming an organization at the Federal and State level as well as discussion of the regulatory considerations that will help determine if a nonprofit is the appropriate structure for you.
Adding Agritourism: Farm to Table Dinners – 2:00 to 2:50
Farm to table dinners can be great marketing events for your farm business, but how do you go about putting one together on at your farm? Hear from experts and producers about the successes and challenges of hosting dinners on-farm and the different ways they can be organized. Learn about the legal, planning and hospitality factors that impact this on-farm event.
Saturday February 19th
Field-to-Market: Producing & Selling Farm Direct, Processed Foods in Oregon – 10:00 to 11:50
Interested in producing a value-added product to sell directly to the consumer? The guidance provided by the Oregon Farm Direct Marketing Law makes it possible. In this session we will define the laws, determine what products qualify, and identify Next Steps if they don’t. We will also discuss food preservation techniques that decrease food safety risks and review food safety practices to implement in a home kitchen setting
Western SARE: Should My Farm Apply for a grant? – 10:00 to 10:50
This workshop session will cover the various Western SARE grants available for producers—how to come up with a project idea, create a timeline for the grant application and find a technical advisor. Two producers who have received SARE grants will share their experiences with grant writing and project management.
Need to renovate your pasture? Let’s talk options.
Do you have more invasive weeds than desirable forage in your pastures? Have you been thinking about replanting but not sure where to start? Pasture quality and yield can decline for many reasons, low soil fertility, soil compaction, continual overgrazing or a combination of these and others. In this session we’ll discuss the planning steps you’ll want to take long before planting time and different renovation options through a series of farm case studies.
Western SARE: Should My Farm Apply for a grant?
This workshop session will cover the various Western SARE grants available for producers—how to come up with a project idea, create a timeline for the grant application and find a technical advisor. Two producers who have received SARE grants will share their experiences with grant writing and project management.
Need to renovate your pasture? Let’s talk options.
Do you have more invasive weeds than desirable forage in your pastures? Have you been thinking about replanting but not sure where to start? Pasture quality and yield can decline for many reasons, low soil fertility, soil compaction, continual overgrazing or a combination of these and others. In this session we’ll discuss the planning steps you’ll want to take long before planting time and different renovation options through a series of farm case studies.
Oregon Department of Agriculture Agricultural Drainage Channel Maintenance Program – 10:00 to 10:50
Come chat with a representative from Oregon Department of Agriculutre about the ADCM Program. This program regulates maintenance of agricultural drainage channels to protect aquatic resources.
Understanding and Managing for Income Tax – 10:00 to 11:50
If you are unaware of or confused about all of the various tax obligations, this workshop is for you. The discussion will center around taxes for Ag business owners with an overview of tax structures, filings, and various income tax considerations to be made.
Pastures in a Changing Climate – 11:00 to 11:50
As Oregon’s climate continues to change, hotter and drier summers present mounting challenges for pasture-based farms. Drawing upon his research and experiences in West Asia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Serkan Ates of Oregon State University will discuss techniques for adapting pastures to climate change. His talk will cover the use of novel heat and drought-tolerant forages, alternative grazing and pasture management strategies, and other tools to improve pasture resilience and productivity.
Applied Mycology: Doing On-Farm Research – 11:00 to 11:50
From agricultural fields to forest ecosystems, fungi play many relevant ecological roles that can and should be studied further. Gaining increased understanding through an applied science lens may help us achieve more sustainable lifestyles on societal and individual levels. Learn from Zoom Out Mycology founder, Bashira Muhammad, in a presentation that will cover applied on-farm research and explore the components of 1-2 case studies from the field of mycology. The presentation will culminate with the review of a 10 step process to designing and implementing on-farm research.
What does farming for climate resilience look like in Oregon? – 11:00 to 11:50
What are your questions and challenges? What are some innovative solutions you’re testing out on your farm? Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network will share a brief introduction to this topic and then we’ll create an interactive discussion to hear from you, our innovative small farm community. Our introduction will include sharing some findings from our Lay of the Land and Levers for Change report that can help you connect to resources and technical assistance providers to support your farm. We’ll have guiding questions for us to discuss as a group and please bring us your biggest questions! Bring us and your favorite books and podcasts that you love to dig into on all things soil health and climate resilience. This is a space for us to learn from each other.
Roundtables
Organic Roundtable: pasture, vegetable and certification questions
Oregon USDA Beginning Farmer Rancher Program
Meet Coastal Small Farms Team
Meet Southern Oregon Small Farms Team
Hopi Dry Farming: 2000 Years of Resiliency – 12:45 to 1:40
The Hopi people have been farming in the arid Southwest for many millennia. What makes Hopi farming so resilient despite environmental fluctuations? Dr. Johnson will outline some of the reasons his people have been successful in an ever-changing environment. His topic will cover a few of the techniques Hopi farmers use and include a philosophical understanding based on an agriculture system, which recognizes, “the land, the people, and the Hopi belief system are one.”
Cover Crops in Vegetable Rotations – 12:45 to 2:50
Vegetable rotations can benefit from cover crops in many ways, but successful cover cropping requires as much skill as any other aspect of a diverse organic vegetable farm. This is a two-part session, first Nick and Shannon will introduce the new Western Cover Crops Council and describe some on-farm cover crop trials. They will also discuss how cover crops can contribute to organic nutrient management and improve soil health, and introduce you to some practical cover cropping resources. Next our expert farmer panel will share tips for successfully managing cover crops and discuss the role that cover crops play in their rotations.
Small Farms and Community Food Systems at the Oregon Legislature – 12:45 to 1:40
Oregon’s Legislature is in “short session” this year, but there is still plenty of legislation in the works that really matters to farmers and community food systems. In this session, you’ll hear from a panel of farm and food system advocacy organizations about top priority bills and funding programs they are tracking.
Mark Bittman Talks to the Heirloom Collard Project – 12:45 to 2:50
Host Mark Bittman will facilitate a conversation between a group of collard enthusiatist and their collaborative effort with The Heirloom Collard Project (HCP). Panelists will speak on their role in the evolution of the HCP from collection, trials, and visioning for the future. They will then take a deep dive into the origins, crop diversity, marketability, cooking tips, and methods on how to enjoy this culinary masterpiece.
The Herloom Collard Project aims to build a coalition of seed stewards, gardeners, farmers, chefs, and seed companies working to preserve heirloom collards and their culinary heritage. Join this panel of collard-loving community seed activist and leaders to discuss the porject and be inspired to start growing and saving collards.
