Virginia Association for Biological Farming's Annual Conference
Venue: Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Roanoke
Directions: Google Map Link
Date: Saturday, January 11, 2020
Time: 7:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Event Types: Food, Speaking Engagements, Business Related, Class
Cost:
Non-Member: $275.00 Member: $215.00 Student or Farm Intern Member: $115.00 Student of Farm Intern Non-Member: $140.00 Sunday Only Member: $150.00 Sunday Only Non-Member: $195.00 Monday Only Member: $120.00 Monday Only Non-Member: $165.00 Youth Program: $40.00

Description:
The Virginia Association for Biological Farming (VABF), Virginia's premier organization of organic farmers, gardeners, foodies, educators, advocates and supporters of sustainable agriculture will hold its 21st anniversary conference starting Saturday, January 11, 2020 through Monday, January 13, 2020 at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center.

Featured keynote speakers include Laura Lengnick, award-winning soil scientist with 30 years of experience working as a researcher, policy-maker, educator, and farmer. Laura is the founder of Cultivating Resilience and author of Resilient Agriculture: Cultivating Food Systems for a Changing Climate. Also featuring Ellen Polishuk, farm consultant through her firm Plant to Profit, co-author of Start Your Farm, and workshop leader. She takes her 35 years of biological vegetable farming experience to help growers around the country.

The Conference boasts three days of educational workshop intensives, presentations, and panel discussions. The Conference features locally-sourced meals prepared by the chefs at The Hotel Roanoke, book sales and author signings, regional meetings and intimate fireside chats, and morning yoga for farmers. Highlights include the Taste of Virginia Expo & Market, a Silent Auction, a Trade Show, a feature film presentation, a Youth Program, and opening remarks by Bettina Ring, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.

More than 40 speakers covering topics from medicinal mushroom growing, beekeeping, growing cut flowers, and backyard chickens and rabbits, to industrial hemp and vegetable production, permaculture, and agroforestry will take the stage during 48 concurrent sessions.

On Saturday, join author and filmmaker, Charlie Thompson, at The Hotel Roanoke in the Pocahontas Room, where Charlie will present his newest film, “Homeplace Under Fire: The Farm Advocate Story.” The film was produced by Farm Aid. Charlie will also be presenting his new memoir, "Going Over Home: A Search for Rural Justice in an Unsettled Land".

On Sunday, local food and libation vendors will set up shop in The Hotel Roanoke's Ballroom for the Taste of Virginia Expo & Market. Visitors can sample a diverse array of Virginia produced food, beverages, herbals and handicrafts. A local food cooking demo begins at 3:30 pm by Chopped Champion, Tanya Cauthen, of Belmont Butchery in Richmond, VA. At 7:30 pm, the music begins and the market becomes an evening social. Taste of Virginia is free and open to the public.

The 21st annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference is hosted by VABF in partnership with Virginia State University College of Agriculture and Virginia Cooperative Extension. Discounted VABF member and student rates are available. Financial aid and Volunteer positions are available.

Registration for the conference is available at https://vabf.org/.

Contact Lindsay Newsome at coordinator@vabf.org or call 540-974-5767 with questions.

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