The Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is bringing Elaine back=
to Texas to give a keynote address at the TCOOPS 2005. She'll also be pres=
enting a talk on Case Studies concerning success stories with compost teas.=
For more read the article below and see the TOFGA website at www.tofga.org
Elaine, as with almost all of our speakers, will be in attendance for the w=
hole conference. So if you've wanted to actually meet and talk with Dr. Ing=
ham this is a great opportunity!
Ya'll come!
Steve Bridges
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Texas Conference On Organic Production Systems
Building Basics - Examining Sustainable Farming Methods
Tried and True, to Visionary and New
January 26-28, 2005
www.tofga.org
Good day to all,
The 4th Annual Texas Conference On Organic Production Systems is happening =
at the Radisson Resort on South Padre Island January 26-28, 2005. This year=
's conference should be the best yet! Many of our attendees at last year's =
conference told us it was the best conference they had ever attended. So, i=
n anticipation of an increased attendance, we've moved the TCOOPS 2005 to t=
he beautiful Radisson Resort, which sits right on the beach on the gulf sid=
e of South Padre Island.
For those of you that attended last year's conference, you'll remember that=
the time was tight between speakers. This year we've expanded our break an=
d lunch periods to allow for more leisure and visiting. But we've increased=
our speaker lineup from last year's seventeen to twenty-three speakers! We=
've done this by going to a two-tract speaker system. Each day will feature=
a keynote address, followed by the closing of the larger room to two space=
s and two tracts of speakers. We'll open the room back up for the last spea=
ker of the day to address the whole conference.
A highlight of last year's conference was the food we served our guests. Ag=
ain this year, TOFGA will be arranging for six meals to be prepared with lo=
cal and sustainable/organic food from our Texas farmers and ranchers. The m=
anagement of the Radisson is allowing us to bring in pastured poultry, gras=
s-fed beef, organic produce, fresh-squeezed Texas-Grown organic oranges and=
grapefruit, raw milk cheeses, Texas-Raised Certified Organic shrimp from W=
est Texas, locally-produced mushrooms, etc. Five of these meals are include=
d in the cost of registration. The Banquet Dinner, on Friday evening is an =
additional cost. All together, we'll serve two breakfasts, two lunches and =
two dinners. The food will be outstanding! Vegetarian entrées are also of=
fered. These meals are included in the registration fee.
The conference also includes a Trade Show featuring thirty exhibitors' boot=
hs with their products and services. These vendors and their exhibits will =
offer another way to learn and keep up with the latest in sustainable and o=
rganic agriculture production methods.
This year's conference will begin at 1pm on Wednesday with a Panel Discussi=
on of the research scientists doing the organic research for the USDA's Kik=
a de la Garza ARS. Four presentations will be given by the research scienti=
sts with discussions following each presentation. New for this year is the =
participation of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (www.ofrf.org). Ma=
rk Lipson, Policy Program Coordinator and Marianne Simmons, Board Member, w=
ill be representing OFRF with a presentation on the state of organic resear=
ch being done by the USDA around the nation. Wednesday evening will bring t=
he White Tent Social on the Beach. This welcome party will include a BBQ me=
al prepared by the staff of the USDA.
Thursday opens with a keynote address by Dr. Elaine Ingham of the Soil Food=
web Inc. After the keynote, we'll divide the big room into two rooms featur=
ing two-tracts of speakers. At the end of the day, the room will again be o=
pened up for a presentation by Dr. Ingham on successful Case Studies on the=
use of compost teas. Thursday evening is the only meal that we'll not be s=
erving our guests, allowing time to experience the island and it's dining o=
pportunities. Thursday evening will hold a special movie presentation of My=
Father's Garden, chronicling the experiences of two farmers that made the =
transition to organic production. This is a "don't miss" movie if you've no=
t seen it.
Friday morning we'll hear from Howard Garrett - The Dirt Doctor, our other =
keynote addressor. We'll again close the room to two spaces for the continu=
ation of our two-tracts of speakers. For the last speaker of the day, Danie=
l Imhoff, author of Farming With the Wild, will address the whole conferenc=
e attendance.
Friday evening brings our Texas Bounty Banquet Dinner. Malcolm Beck, founde=
r of Garden-Ville of San Antonio and one of the founders of this conference=
, will be our banquet speaker. Malcolm will be giving, for the first time, =
a talk entitled Lesson's in Nature-My Life, highlighting his long life and =
keen wisdom with stories right out of his book entitled Lesson's in Nature.=
For the first time, we'll also be having an awards ceremony recognizing th=
ose that are leading the way for a sustainable future. Other banquet happen=
ings are being planned.
We have a block of rooms reserved at a special conference rate until Januar=
y 7th. The special room rate will be available after that date but the room=
availability will not be guaranteed. You may visit the Radisson Resort web=
site at
http://www.radisson.com/southpadretx.
Please join us for this most important conference. The Texas Organic Farmer=
s and Gardeners Association and our co-sponsors believe that this conferenc=
e will help define and facilitate future needs for the growth of sustainabl=
e and organic agriculture in Texas. Texas has been slow to respond to the g=
rowing opportunities to meet the demand for local and organic foods. This c=
onference offers insight, both in production and in marketing, to meet this=
growing demand.
And don't forget that this conference is taking place on South Padre Island=
! In addition to our top-notch conference, you'll also be able to stroll th=
e beaches, relax, and enjoy the island. For those that have to make excuses=
to get out of town, this should be a beautiful and informative working vac=
ation!
For complete conference information, please see our website at www.tofga.or=
g. You may also call either Louise Placek or Steve Bridges at the addresses=
and phone numbers below.
Steve Bridges
Louise Placek - Executive Director, TOFGA
(877) 326-5175 toll free
(512) 342-8526 local Austin
Email: louise_at_tofga.org
Steve Bridges - President, TOFGA
(512) 303-0816 office
Email: steve_at_tofga.org
Received on Sun Jan 02 2005 - 15:33:49 EST