OVERVIEW | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | WORKSHOPS | INTENSIVES | MORE ACTIVITIES | CHILDREN'S CONFERENCE | DETAILS
Intensive workshops devote a full day to exploring a single topic and will take place on February 19, the day after the main conference. Led by knowledgeable presenters, there is plenty of time for discussion, question and answer, and networking with peers. All intensive workshops will take place in person at the UVM Davis Center in Burlington, VT from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
In person in Burlington, VT | Sunday, February 19 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm | $80 for NOFA-VT members, $95 for non-members
Join us for a birds-eye view of farm-level biodiversity practices and why they matter to both nature and the bottom line. Farms with greater ecological complexity both above and below the soil surface are more productive and profitable - in a word, more resilient to disruption by outside events - while also greatly benefiting the natural world. Led and facilitated by the Wild Farm Alliance, gain both a big picture of biodiversity concepts as well as strategies to implement this coming season. Explore the biodiversity continuum and how soil, water, and climate tie in. Specific examples and research will be presented. Local organizations, experts, and farmer panels will focus on practices like hedgerows, no-till, bird habitat, biological pest control, complex crop rotations, cover cropping, pollinator plantings, perennial species, and forest ecology.
Choose option to add on intensive workshop during registration
In person in Burlington, VT | Sunday, February 19 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm | $80 for NOFA-VT members, $95 for non-members
Today, democracy at every level is threatened by special interests and corporations with undue influence over the political process. To combat democratic decline and continue fighting for just and equitable policies in our food system and beyond, we know that community-based organizations must work to rebuild participatory democracy from the ground up.
Are you curious about engaging in social change and bringing your skills and experience to social justice work? Join 350Vermont and other presenters for an engaging workshop to explore one of the key ways we organize for change: campaigns. Learn why and how to design effective campaigns to achieve your goals and make impactful change. We'll use case studies and interactive exercises to understand how to pick goals, figure out who has the power to give you what you want, plan creative and impactful actions, and explore the components and arc of a campaign that gets us where we need to go. We'll close with short presentations about some of the most exciting and relevant campaigns happening in Vermont right now and give you ways to put your newfound skills to work and get involved.
Choose option to add on intensive workshop during registration
In person in Burlington, VT | Sunday, February 19 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm | $80 for NOFA-VT members, $95 for non-members
Having a rockstar boss and workplace culture contributes to higher team morale and overall productivity. Are you interested in improving your skills when it comes to budgeting for hired labor? Have you been wanting to write a personnel policy for years and have just not made the time for it?
In this intensive session, we will take a deep dive into feedback systems, an aspect of employee/employer communication that can transform your farm team and lead to more satisfied employees and increased efficiency. Learn about different types of feedback and how to set up successful communication systems on your farm that encourage good, productive feedback. We will present templates for personnel policies, job descriptions, and other materials that contribute to a thriving workplace culture. We will also dive into budgeting and the financials behind farm labor, using the Cost of Labor Estimator and the Equipment Cost Recovery Analysis Tool. There will be plenty of opportunities to work alongside other farmers to think through and develop materials, labor budgets, and systems specific to your farm. Whether you are about to hire your first employee or you have been an employer for many years, you will leave this session with tools and skills to enhance your team and overall farm productivity and profitability.
**Participants are encouraged, if possible, to bring along laptops and/or farm records to work on during the session.
Choose option to add on intensive workshop during registration
In person in Burlington, VT | Sunday, February 19 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm | $80 for NOFA-VT members, $95 for non-members
The Vermont Sheep and Goat Association, along with special guests from Doe’s Leap Farm, Rolling Bale Farm, and Greylaine Farm, will engage attendees on a range of topics for raising healthy small ruminants. Topics will include dairy goat management; wholesale vs retail sales and consumer education; pros and cons of pasturing on leased land; systems for winter, shearing, and milking; and lambing and kidding systems. Katherine Petersson and Lizzy Kass from the University of Rhode Island will give an overview of integrated parasite management and ongoing research focused on alternative methods of parasite control.
Choose option to add on intensive workshop during registration
