Virginia Biological Farming Conference and Trade Show

February 2 & 3, 2007

Massanetta Springs Conference Center
Harrisonburg, VA

• What this Conference is About ...
• About our Speakers ...
• Program Schedule ...
• Youth Program ...

What this Conference is About ...

The 8^th annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference

Our 2007 theme is “Healthy Farms, Healthy Soil, Healthy Food.” We are pleased to feature Dr. Arden Andersen speaking on the link between nutrition and agriculture, and more specifically about the far-reaching consequences of the health of soil. This is a theme that recurs often in organic farming conferences, and for good reason. This year we have a slightly different angle on this topic, looking at it from a medical doctor’s point of view.

There are several tracks to explore during conference sessions—look for talks and discussions on livestock, on vegetable production including help for beginners, and on the business and marketing side of farming.

The conference is intended for a broad range of folks, including commercial farmers and farm managers, educators, government agricultural professionals, urban farmers, master gardeners, young people, and just plain consumers. We hope you will not only listen to our speakers but also network with many new people to share experiences, get new ideas, and contribute to this exciting community of folks who care deeply about good health and sound farming practices.

This year we are able to offer a more affordable conference through the generous financial support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, as well as continuing support from Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. Registration for VABF members is only $40 before Jan 23, $60 for non-members. So come and bring your neighbors, too!

About Our Speakers

Dr. Arden Andersen - Educated as both an agronomist and a medical doctor, Dr. Arden Andersen is one of the world’s top consultants on advanced soil and crop management. Dr. Andersen practices medicine in a preventative health care clinic in Michigan while continuing to serve as a private consultant to farmers on biological agricultural practices. He has published three books: The Anatomy of Life and Energy in Agriculture (click for more information on this book) describes a professional farming system designed to enhance biological activity in the soil, provide energy to crops and build resistance to pests and diseases. Real Medicine, Real Health (click for more information on this book) describes the importance of diet and a healthy environment in treating and preventing human disease. Good nutrition comes back to agriculture and the way our foods are grown. He states that conventional Western farming systems have raped the soils, depleted the minerals and compromised our food resources. Anatomy of Life & Energy in Agriculture describes the energies in fertilizers and in the cosmos which preside over crop production. Through learning to tap and use “life-force energy” it is possible to develop food production practices that are both high quality and nondestructive.

Jackie Greenfield is the Botanical Division Manager and Buyer for Gaia Herbs, Inc., a certified organic liquid herbal extract facility in Brevard, NC. Gaia Herbs owns and operates a 250 acre certified organic medicinal herb farm next to the facility. Jackie works with growers in the United States and Canada, as well as internationally in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Central America, assisting growers with production, post-harvest handling, and marketing of their agricultural products.

Andy Hankins has served as Extension Specialist-Alternative Agriculture in Virginia since 1987. He is stationed at Virginia State University in Petersburg. He provides educational programs in production and marketing of non-traditional farm products such as medicinal herbs, garlic, cut flowers, mushrooms, specialty fruit and vegetables, exotic livestock, value-added farm products and certified organic vegetables, grains and livestock. He also provides educational programs concerning development of agricultural tourism in Virginia. He is a state coordinator for the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. In 2005, Mr. Hankins received a grant from the Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Specialty Agriculture Research Grant Program for a project called, Adding Value to Woodlands with American Ginseng.

Annette Hiatt's work focuses on issues of environmental justice, agriculture, and trade. As the Senior Attorney for the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers’ Land Loss Prevention Project (LLPP), Annette provides direct legal assistance to individuals, families, and community groups with limited resources who are at risk of losing their land. LLPP was established as a response to the dramatic decline in the number of family farms and the sharp and unprecedented decrease in low-income and minority landownership, particularly in the African-American community.

Peter Bane is a long time permaculture practitioner and theorist who founded The Permaculture Activist, the oldest and most widely read magazine about permaculture and sustainable agriculture issues. He has 20 years of experience writing and editing permaculture-related publications. He has taught permaculture from Canada to Chile. With partner Keith Johnson , Peter Bane operates a Design/Consulting business called Patterns for Abundance. They have assisted in development of several miniature rural and urban communities that meet most human needs with biological legitimacy. These communities are loosely called eco-villages.

Twin Oaks is an intentional community in Louisa County, made up of around 85 adult members and 15 children. Since the community's beginning in 1967, their way of life has reflected values of cooperation, sharing, nonviolence, equality, and ecology. They do not have a group religion; their beliefs are diverse. They do not have a central leader. They govern themselves by a form of democracy with responsibility shared among various managers, planners, and committees. They are self-supporting economically, and partly self-sufficient. They are income-sharing. Each member works 42 hours a week in the community's business and domestic areas. Each member receives housing, food, healthcare, and personal spending money from the community. Pam Dawling, Sarah Steinkamp and Kathryn Simmons have worked in the Twin Oaks community gardens for many seasons.

Eric Bendfeldt serves an Area Specialist - Community Viability in the Shenandoah Valley. By organizing a series of educational tours and workshops, Eric has been highly involved in expanding the production of certified organic milk by certain dairy farmers in the region. Eric Bendfeldt was highly involved in the development of a local produce auction which has been a great market for area vegetable growers. He promotes on-farm composting of wastes. He is currently trying to develop consumption of local foods in local schools and hospitals. Mr. Bendfeldt is the editor of The Community Binder newsletter. He is widely recognized as a leader in sustainable agriculture and sustainable communities.

Dr. Chris Teutsch conducts research and extension programs focusing on production and utilization of forage crops at the Virginia Tech - Southern Piedmont Agriculture Research and Education Center near Blackstone. This region of Virginia represents a unique environment in terms of forage production. Commonly grown cool-season grasses produce well in the spring and fall, but high temperatures and inconsistent rainfall limit growth during the summer months. This results in cool-season pastures being underutilized in the spring and fall and overgrazed during the summer months. The goal of his research program is to develop grazing systems that will reduce seasonal variation in forage yield, allowing producers to increase stocking densities and improve pasture profitability. Dr. Teutsch will discuss pasture management techniques that may be used in a certified organic production system for beef cattle and other ruminants.

Troy Laudenslager serves as President of the Pennsylvania Game Breeders Association. Today in the state of Pennsylvania, millions of game birds are produced annually by professional game breeders. These are private businesses that sell mostly to regulated hunting grounds and individuals or organizations interested in restocking birds into the wild. Some dressed birds are also sold to individuals and the gourmet food markets. Mr. Laudenslager has developed a very successful business in production and marketing of ring-necked pheasants.

Marlin and Christine Burkholder of rural Linville, Va., operate a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm emphasizing sustainable methods. The effort was born partly out of occupational interests, and partly out of necessity after Marlin became ill with environmental related symptoms stemming apparently from chemicals and diesel fumes in farming. Marlin and Christine Burkholder own and manage Glen Eco Farm. They raise grass-fed beef cattle, pastured poultry, vegetables, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries on 71 acres in Rockingham County. Their three children have helped them develop their farming operation. The Burkholder’s Community Supported Agriculture program currently has 50 members. They also sell eggs, vegetables and berries at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market. Marlin and Christine are active members of the Virginia Association for Biological Farming.

Dr. Allen Harper is an Extension Swine Specialist at the Virginia Tech–Tidewater Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Holland, VA. He is responsible for the development and dissemination of educational programs in the area of swine production and management. Target clientele for this program include local Virginia Extension Agents, swine producers and related swine industry people. He conducts applied swine research on commercial farms and at the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center. In 2005, Dr. Harper received a grant from the Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Specialty Agriculture Research Grant Program to investigate Alternative Systems for Production of Swine. These systems include using deep straw bedding, outdoor production of “natural pork”, organic pork production, etc.

Arnetta Slade operates a large and thriving roadside stand called Sycamore Springs Farm Market near Suffolk, Virginia. Over the years, she has learned a great deal about human psychology by observing the buying habits and preferences of her customers. Arnetta is an artist and a serious business person. She has spent a great deal of time and thought in designing the sales displays within her stand. She sells beautifully painted pumpkins every fall. Persons who want to maximize their profits from a roadside stand should attend this session to avoid wasting time and money on products and practices that are not profitable.

Clif Slade is an Agriculture Management Agent with the Small Farmer Outreach Program at Virginia State University. Before coming to Virginia State University, he served for many years as an Agriculture Extension Agent and as an Extension Specialist in commercial production of vegetables. He is an expert in the use of plastic with trickle irrigation for field production of cantaloupes, watermelons, tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, bell peppers and many other crops. Plastic mulch is approved for production of certified organic crops as long as it is removed from the field in the fall, for production of winter annual cover crops.

Dr. Joe Tritschler, Extension Specialist in Small Ruminants at Virginia State University disseminates research-based, practical management information to assist small-scale farmers with meat goat and hair sheep production. Dr. Tritschler has held many workshops throughout Virginia concerning FAMACHA – learning how not to deworm small ruminants. He has helped a number of landowners, especially in Southwest Virginia, develop production and marketing of Katahdin sheep as a profitable new enterprise. These hair sheep are more profitable than the wool breeds for meat production because they do not need to be sheared. Dr. Tritschler has provided livestock management education for landowners in Hawaii, Latin America and has recently served as director of a major economic development program with small ruminants in East Africa.

Donnie Fulks owns and manages Belvedere Plantation near Fredericksburg, VA. Belvedere Plantation has 1200 acres in sustainable crop production (owned and leased). Most of the farm is managed in a rotation of corn, wheat and soybeans. Most of the farm income is derived however, from smaller fields that are intensively managed for strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and pumpkins. The Fulks normally plant about18 acres of strawberries for their “pick-your own” customers. Being located only an hour from Washington, an hour from Richmond and minutes from Fredericksburg, Belvedere Plantation has no problem attracting customers.

Dr. Mark Schonbeck has done part time research, educational outreach, and technical assistance in sustainable agriculture as an independent consultant for the past 20 years. He has worked with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at a farm in Floyd County (1991-2004), managed a homestead garden for the small community where he lives (0.1-0.25 acre, 6-10 people), served on the VABF Board of Directors for several years, and has edited the VABF newsletter since fall 1997. His research has included cover cropping, mulching, soil nutrient balance and soil quality, organic vegetable horticulture, and most recently cover crop based organic no-till / reduced till systems for sustainable organic vegetable production. His research experience includes on-farm trials hosted by several VABF growers. Mark also serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, and does some volunteer policy advocacy work with Southern SAWG and the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture.

Dr. Tadesse Mebrahtu is a research scientist and Professor at Virginia State University in Petersburg. His specialty is soybeans. He is a plant breeder. Dr. Mebrahtu is developing high yield and nutritionally desirable grain-type and vegetable soybeans. His crop research is international and he strives to bring mutual benefit to all partners in development. For the past six years Dr. Mebrahtu has tested performance of edamame soybean varieties at Virginia State University’s Randolph Farm. He is currently operating a plant breeding program for edamame to provide new varieties that are especially well adapted to our Virginia soils and climate.

Patricia Stansbury owns and operates a market garden business in Bon Air, VA called Epic Gardens. In 2005 she received a USDA-SARE Producer Grant to test consumer acceptance and direct marketing of the most commonly grown edamame soybean varieties. For two years she grew several varieties, provided by Dr. Mebrahtu, in her commercial garden space. She conducted taste tests at several locations and developed a final report that describes stark differences among these edible soybean varieties. Patricia is also very active in development of community gardens in the Richmond area. She has been a vital member of VABF for many years.

Dr. Donald Weber is a Research Entomologist at the USDA, Agriculture Research Station - Insect Biocontrol Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. His specific field of research is beetle biology and biocontrol. In recent years his research has focused on control of Colorado Potato Beetle and Spotted Cucumber Beetle through the use of living cover crops and mulches. Persons interested in learning more about his work should visit the following website: http://www.barc.usda.gov/psi/ibl/dw.htm

Berran Rogers is the Field Coordinator of the Small Farmer Outreach Program at Virginia State University. He has provided individualized farm management assistance to many limited-resource farmers in Central Virginia. Mr. Rogers has conducted numerous training workshops in the use of computer software to increase farm profits. Participants in this workshop will receive hands-on instruction in the operation of personal computers for record keeping, financial analysis and marketing support. The session will be held in the Virginia State University Mobile Computer Lab, which is inside of a large bus parked in front of Greenwood Lodge. The mobile computer lab will be open for business throughout the conference for anyone who would like to stop in and sharpen his computer skills.

Dr. Steven Pao conducts research in food safety at the Agriculture Research Station at Virginia State University in Petersburg. His areas of expertise include food safety and sanitation, fruit and vegetable processing, microbial detection and intervention and juice HACCP. Before coming to Virginia he provided food safety support to the orange juice industry in Florida. For the last four years Dr. Pao has conducted extensive research in the safety parameters concerning commercial production of sprouts. The recent occurrences of food poisoning connected with fresh vegetables, such as California spinach, have become a national concern. Dr. Pao can help all food handlers learn how to minimize the health risks associated with field grown crops and livestock products.

Charles and Rosa Martin's 57 acre farm is surrounded by the town of Bridgewater, VA. They and their children grow produce, raise poultry, raise replacement heifers for another dairy farmer, and process wild game on their farm. Three years ago Charles was one of the founding organizers of Rockingham County's Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction. Now he is a producer and an elected board member for the auction.

Ronnie and Linda Beale have been farming for four years. They raise pigs and poultry at Double A Farm in Charles City County. They have 48 acres of land, 20 brood sows and about 500 broilers. Ronnie and Linda are currently developing a USDA inspected facility that can process 1500 to 2000 broiler chickens and turkeys per week. They will help Virginia growers process and market "all natural" and certified organic birds. The requirements for participation in their poultry processing business will be discussed in their breakout session.

Leigh Hauter has been a CSA farmer for over a decade now, owning and farming Bull Run Mountain Farm CSA which is now the oldest and largest CSA serving the Washington DC area. Before starting his own CSA he worked on food security issues, managed farmers markets in low income areas of Washington DC, and started the organizations CSA while director of From the Ground UP. Leigh has a history of progressive activism, having served as director of Maryland Citizen Action, the organizing director for Americans for Legal Reform, Deputy Director for Organizing at People for the American way and has been a writer and organizer for several other public interest groups. Mr. Hauter has a BA in literature from Colorado State University and a MA from George Mason. He taught high school and college for almost ten years, teaching writing and literature courses at George Mason University.

Philip Witmer and his wife Terry operate Grazeland Dairy, Inc., a 175 acre grazing dairy in Dayton, Ohio. Philip graduated from Eastern Mennonite University with a B.A. in International Agriculture and a minor in socio-economic development. In 1995, he and his wife worked in Haiti doing agricultural and health developmental work with the Mennonite Central Committee. This work was with a group of farmers/facilitators with a lesson/practice implementation program to reduce soil erosion and encourage sustainable agricultural practices.

David and Lee O’Neill started Radical Roots Community Farm in 2000. The farm’s mission is to create a community farm that fosters connections between people the land. High quality, organic vegetables and herbs are grown in a sustainable way by managing the farm as an evolving ecosystem on 2 acres of intensively cultivated, beautiful garden soil, and 3,000 square foot greenhouse. Radical Roots sells produce and plants at the Charlottesville City Market, Staunton Farmers Market and through a 50 member CSA.