NOFA - CT Announces Summer/Fall Opportunities

Please note that farmers with 10 or fewer years of experience qualify for the membership rate for these workshops and can also apply for a scholarship with this form: http://ctnofa.wufoo.com/forms/scholarship-application-to-ct-nofa-workshop/.

Members receive $10 discounts on registration fees. Non-members are encouraged to participate in our introductory membership deal of $15 to become a new member, and qualify for workshop discounts! Please join here: http://ctnofa.org/Join.htm

Compost, Soil Testing & Organic Fertility
Monday, August 20, 2012
4:00pm to 7:00pm
Community Farm of Simsbury
73 Wolcott Road
Simsbury, CT

Join CT NOFA and UConn's Tom Morris to learn about the value of soil tests, how to collect a representative soil sample, how to read results and how to respond with organic methods.  Learn also about how to fertilize organically while being mindful of phosphorous levels and avoiding the problem of excess phosphorous in the soil. For more information please visit www.ctnofa.org.

Members and Beginning Farmers: $30
Non-members: $40
To register visit www.ctnofa.org or call 203-888-5146.

Seed Saving
Sunday, August 26, 2012
1:00pm to 4:00pm
Comstock, Ferre & Co.
263 Main Street
Wethersfield, CT 

Comstock, Ferre & Co has sold seeds for two hundred years, and has agreed to cohost a workshop on what they do best with CT NOFA! Learn the basics of seed saving: hybrid vs. open pollination, heirloom seeds, annual vs. biennial, self fertile v. needing to cross pollinate, ways plants pollinate, and the seeds that are easiest to save.  Learn techniques for growing crops that need isolation, and about commercial seed production. For more information and registration visit: www.ctnofa.org

Members & Beginning Farmers: $30
Non-members: $40
To register visit www.ctnofa.org or call 203-888-5146.

Cheese Making Workshop
Monday, September 10, 2012
4:00 - 7:00 pm 
Beltane Farm
59 Taylor Bridge Road
Lebanon, CT

Join dairy farmer and cheese making professional Paul Trubey at Beltane Farm for a hands-on workshop that will teach you how to produce your own fresh seasonal goats-milk cheeses.  Learn the process of making different kinds of cheese from start to finish and end the day with a sample your own cheese to take home with you. 

This workshop is a great opportunity for farmers and food lovers to learn the technical details of cheese making from a well established and knowledgeable instructor. Registration will be limited to 20 people, so sign up soon!

Members and Beginning Farmers: $45
Non-members: $55
For more information and registration visit www.ctnofa.org or call 203-888-5146

Block Party #3
Saturday, September 15, 2012
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Urban Oaks Farm
225 Oak Street
New Britain, CT
CT NOFA is turning 30 this year, so join us to celebrate the next 30 years of great food, fun, and community! Come meet, socialize and bond with your local farmers, food-lovers, Organic Land Care Professionals. The evening will start with a farm tour of Urban Oaks, an inner-city organic farm and longtime CT NOFA member, a shared potluck dinner and a talk by Bill Duesing, our Executive Director.  All are welcome! Suggested donation of $7.  Space is limited, so please call the office at 203-888-5146 to make a reservation. 

Beginning Women Farmer’s Program
September 15, 2012
Application Deadline
If you are a beginning (less than ten years experience) women farmer or rancher in Connecticut and you are interested in joining the program, please contact Deb Legge at deb@ctnofa.org or at 203-888-5146 to request an application.  While there is a small fee to join the program, scholarships are available for those in need of financial assistance. The training begins in late October and consists of 10 all-day Saturday sessions. The first six are throughout the winter at Goodwin College in East Hartford, CT and the four remaining sessions are on on-farm at different locations throughout the state. 

It’s All About the Water, Managing Stormwater with Rain Gardens, Permeable Surfaces and Tree Boxes
September 27, 2012
9:00am – 4:30pm
The Beardsley Zoo
Bridgeport, CT
Directed at landscape, conservation and environmental planning professionals, “It’s All About the Water” is a day-long, intensive workshop about low impact development methods of reducing run off.  Participants will learn from presentations about these topics, tours of Beardsley’s existing rain gardens, and a review of the City of Bridgeport’s project “Water Quality Biofiltration Best Management Practices” scheduled to break ground at the Beardsley Zoo in spring of 2013.  Learn more and register at: http://www.organiclandcare.net/education/advanced-workshops
Price $140 for public, $125 NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals and NOFA members

SAVE THE DATE:
The NOFA Organic Land Care Program’s Annual Gathering
December 5, 2012
Sturbridge, MA
“Success with the Organic Land Care Market”
Join the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s Organic Land Care Program for a day-long conference about the newest organic land care techniques and communicating the organic land care mission to the public.  The 2012 keynote speaker is Eric T. Fleisher, the director of horticulture at the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy who has guided the organization on sustainable land care for 23 years.  The full speaker line up and program is coming soon. Check the NOFA Organic Land Care website for updates: www.organiclandcare.net .

For more information, please contact:

Kristiane Huber, Events & Outreach Coordinator

Connecticut NOFA & NOFA Organic Land Care Program

ctnofa.org • organiclandcare.net

(203)888-5146 • ctnofa1982.blogspot.com