Events
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| February 2012 |
Transition to Value-Added Meat Workshop
02/06/12 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Location TBA • Registration open to the public • The third workshop in the "Now We're Adding Value!" segment of our Transition to Value Added course, NABC will engage a group of value-added processing experts who will present one-day intensive class on meat smoking, curing, processing/freezing and packaging for retail sales. The class will cover cost analysis, processing, packaging, storing, food safety, and regulatory requirements. More details TBA soon. For more information, contact Jeff Voltz: jeff@agbizcenter.org / (360) 593-4744 |
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PCC Natural Markets Annual Board Retreat: Community Food Hubs Panel Discussion
02/11/12 - 02/12/12 Cedarbrook Lodge, SeaTac • PSFN Project Manager, Lucy Norris, will present to the PCC Board of Directors about the role PSFN has played in community food hub development, and additional hub development prospects for the future. |
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Women, Farms, and Food: Women in Agriculture (WSU)
02/11/12 - 02/12/12 This conference will be held simultaneously in 16 locations throughout Washington State. Webinars with national speakers and local presenters in each location will connect with other women farmers to share experiences, knowledge and resources. Women face unique challenges in growing viable businesses in farming and ranching. They also learn differently than men and like to connect with other women farmers in sharing experiences, knowledge and resources. Keynote speakers will be broadcast across the state to a site in the counties listed above; and local presenters will reflect the needs of those regions. Even though the name indicates Women in Agriculture, all agricultural producers are welcome to attend. Event page: http://extension.wsu.edu/womeninag/Pages/default.aspx PSFN's Emma Brewster will attend the Skagit County gathering. |
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University of Washington Food Safety and Health Class: The Local Food Movement
02/15/12 - 02/16/12 University of Washington • Closed enrollment class • PSFN's Lucy Norris will present to a UW Food Safety and Health classroom on trends int he local food movement and product development. |
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Real Food Challenge National Summit
02/16/12 - 02/21/12 Santa Cruz, CA • Invite-only registration • PSFN's Emma Brewster, a Regional Field Organizer for the Real Food Challenge, will attend and facilitate sessions at this annual national summit of college and university students and staff engaged in procuring more locally-produced food for campus dining facilities. |
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Transition to Value-Added Prepared Foods
02/16/12 - 02/17/12 Location TBA • Registration oen to the public • The fourth workshop in our category-specific Transition To value Added course, this full-day workshop will address value-added product development, and food safety and regulatory requirements, among other items. More details TBA soon. For more information, contact Jeff Voltz: jeff@agbizcenter.org / (360) 593-4744 |
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WSU Creamery Basic-Plus Cheese Making Short Course: Marketing Specialty Foods to Today's Consumers
02/21/12 - 02/22/12 Mount Vernon, WA • Paid registration open to the public • This 3-day offering is intended for the beginning cheesemaker who is serious about pursuing Cheesemaking as a business activity at the farmstead or artisan level. Avid hobbyist and enthusiasts are welcome too! Course is led by cheesemaking expert Mark Bates. PSFN's Lucy Norris will present on the marketing of local cheeses and other specialty foods. The program generally includes: * Opportunities and challenges for the Small Scale Cheese Maker * Milk sources, composition and quality * Steps of the cheese making process * Acidity testing and measurements * Cheese cultures and enzymes * Cheese evaluation * Hands on cheese making activity * Sanitation * Field trip to licensed cheese making facilities Event page: http://public.wsu.edu/~creamery/upcoming.htm For more information, contact Marc Bates: (509) 595-8652 / cheeseguy@charter.net. |
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NABC Legislative Reception
02/22/12 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Olympia, WA • NABC staff and a handful of NABC-affiliated food producers will hold a lunch-time reception for members of the state legislature. |
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Cut Flowers Growing School
02/24/12 - 02/26/12 Sakuma Auditorium Washington State University, Mount Vernon, WA • Registration open to the public • 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM • Local flower farmers Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm and Vivian Larson of Everyday Flowers are joined by third generation specialty cut flower grower Joe Schmitt of Fair Field Flowers, Madison Wisconsin to bring a dynamic learning opportunity for beginning and intermediate flower farmers in the Pacific Northwest. Focus will be on sustainable growing techniques. This two-day workshop will offer classroom and on-farm instruction to help students begin growing and selling high quality cut flowers. Participants will receive a complete workbook with resources and technical information. Topics covered will include: - Business planning basics - Plant selection - Growing techniques - Pest management strategies - Specialized equipment - Quality postharvest care - Season extension and - Marketing opportunities • For more information, contact Diane Szukovathy: (206) 290-3154 / diane@jellomoldfarm.com |
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7th Annual Farmer Fisher Chef Connection
02/27/12 - 02/28/12 Hosted by the Seattle Chef's Collaborative, F2C2 is Washington State's foremost business to business regional food conference. This all day event brings together local food producers, fishermen & chefs and is your best direct marketing opportunity of the year! Registration: http://seattlechefs.org/event/seventh-annual-farmer-fisher-chef-connection For information and updates please email f2c2@seattlechefs.org |
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University of Washington Neighborhood Nutrition Class: The Local Food Movement
02/28/12 - 02/29/12 University of Washington • Closed enrollment course • PSFN's Lucy Norris will speak to a UW nutrition class about developments in the local food movement. |
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Whatcom Farm to Table Trade Meeting
02/29/12 - 03/01/12 St. Joseph's Peace Health Education Center in Bellingham • Registration open to the public • PSFN's Lucy Norris will moderate a panel. More details TBA soon. |
| March 2012 |
Pacific Northwest Farm Direct Marketing Association
03/10/12 9:00 am - 5:00 pm PSFN's Lucy Norris and Emma Brewster, and NABC's Carolyn Goodrich Luke will present on the use of online marketing tools and social media in direct marketing of local products. More details TBA soon. |
| April 2012 |
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
04/01/12 - 05/01/12 Skagit County, WA • Open to the public • More information: http://www.tulipfestival.org/ |
| June 2012 |
Global Gateways and Local Connections: Cities, Agriculture, and the Future of Food Systems: Joint 2012 Annual Meetings & Conference of the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society, Association for the Study of Food and Society, & Society for Anthropology of Food and Nutrition
06/20/12 - 06/25/12 New York City, NY • Registration open to AFHVS, ASFS, and SAFN members • Project Manager, Lucy Norris, will represent NABC and PSFN at this annual joint meeting of food academics and practitioners. "As increasingly greater portions of the global population shifts towards urban environments, and cities position themselves as crucial hubs not only for food consumption, but also for its production and distribution, it becomes urgent for agriculture to reposition and reaffirm its strategic role in ensuring food security, access to governance, and acceptable livelihoods for all the actors involved. The theme of the conference highlights the need for more equitable and sustainable distribution of power and resources among various stakeholders, including those without a strong voice on the world’s stage, such as the urban and rural poor, farmers, and migrants. In line with the call for sustainable development and green economies at the core of the Rio +20 United Nations gathering, the conference offers an opportunity for scholars, students, activists, farmers, practitioners, and concerned citizens to come together and explore innovative solutions and alternative models for creative, culturally viable, and environmentally sound integration of urban and rural food systems." More information: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/conference/food_studies NYC Contact: foodconference2012@nyu.edu |
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Cider Making - Principles and Practices
06/25/12 - 06/30/12 Mount Vernon, WA • Registration open to the public • The Northwest Agriculture Business Center is bringing internationally recognized cider production expert Peter Mitchell back to the Skagit Valley to lead another of his popular and intensive week-long classes in cider and perry production. Mitchell has over 26 years of practical experience in hard cider production. He is a certified UK and USA cider competition judge and an award-winning producer in his own right. If you have wanted to develop your skills in hard cider and perry making, this is the course to attend. "Cider Making-Principles and Practices" will be held at the WSU Northwest Research and Extension Center in Mount Vernon, WA. The course will run 8:00am - 5:00pm daily, June 25 - 29, 2012. Mitchell will cover technical industry foundations such as the cider market, business opportunity, orcharding, production methods and management, and quality control. The class will provide practical processing and laboratory work along with lectures. The week will also be filled with cider making workshops and a field-trip visit to a commercial cider house. The format and content of the class is suitable for beginners, new businesses and existing producers (large & small-scale) alike. In addition to the week long program is an optional Certificate in Cider and Perry Appreciation by the National Association of Cider Makers'. This certification is designed for individuals who wish to gain a recognized formal industry qualification, the only one of its kind. Registration opens soon. |
| August 2012 |
Preserving Farm and Farmland: The Power of Healthcare's Institutional Markets / Practice Greenhealth 2012 Webinar Series
08/30/12 - 08/31/12 Online • PSFN's Lucy Norris and Karen Mauden will present on institutional market opportunities for local producers. |
| September 2012 |
Kneading Conference West
09/13/12 - 09/16/12 Kneading West is a gathering of home and professional bakers, farmers, millers, researchers, earth oven enthusiasts and anyone interested in handcrafted breads and pastries, locally grown grains, and the movement to restore regional food systems. Beginning Thursday afternoon and ending Saturday afternoon, the schedule includes hands-on workshops, lectures, and panel discussions with renowned leaders from the agriculture and baking worlds. More details TBA. Conference page: http://kneadingconferencewest.com/about-the-conference/ |
| October 2012 |
2nd Annual National Food Day
10/24/12 - 10/25/12 |
| November 2012 |
Ebey's Forever Conference
11/02/12 - 11/03/12 Whidbey Island, WA • General information: http://www.ebeysforever.com/index.html |