MOFFA Organic Intensives in Michigan

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Taylor in Events, Farming Resources, Management, Organic, Small Farms, Workshops // 0 Comments

MOFFA Organic Intensives Coming Up in Michigan – 2020

MOFFA Organic Intensives is a day-long concentrated learning experience for farmers, serious gardeners and anyone passionate about what they eat. MOFFA is proud to bring you the following nationally recognized experts to discuss today’s most important topics in organic, sustainable, and regenerative farming.

When: Saturday, January 11, 2020.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. Sessions from 9 a.m. EST – 5 p.m. EST. Lunch will be served.

Where: Plant and Soil Sciences Building, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI


Michael Phillips Successful Biological Orcharding	Andrew Mefferd Organic No-Till Farming	Jim McDonald Local Organic Herbs for Health

Successful Biological Orcharding

Fascinating biological connections make for a healthy orchard ecosystem. All insect pests and fruit tree disease – whether fungal or bacterial – have launching points and particular timing. Healthy trees address these challenges first and foremost from within. Growers utilizing an ongoing investment in soil nutrition and biodiversity set the stage for gentler organic sprays to grow a successful fruit crop. The challenges you face at your locale will become far more manageable as you build a holistic system that keeps trees and berry plantings healthy from the get-go. We’ll wrap up this day with important marketing perspective for selling the good fruit. Our guide for this session will be Michael Phillips of Lost Nation Orchard, author of The Holistic Orchard, The Apple Grower, and most recently Mycorrhizal Planet: How Fungi and Plants Work Together to Create Dynamic Soils. See the flyer for more information.

Organic No-Till Farming

In recent years we have learned that tilling kills beneficial soil life, burns up organic matter, and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If the ground could instead be prepared for planting without tilling, time and energy could be saved, soil organic matter increased, carbon sequestered, and dependence on machinery reduced. Andrew Mefferd, author of The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution will discuss his experiences in talking with farmers during the development of the book, and will address practical as well as philosophical approaches that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase efficiency and profitability, and promote soil health. He will also discuss his experiences working on a no-till research farm, and how he applied the ideas on his own farm. See the flyer for more information.

Local Organic Herbs for Health

An investment in your diet is an investment in your health and quality of life. Are herbs a part of your diet and/or your farm or garden food and medicine growing? They certainly can and should be. jim mcdonald, one of the country’s premier herbal practitioners and educators, will offer a detailed look at several ways herbs that you can grow, harvest or purchase locally can be used in your daily diet for health. jim has been teaching practical herbalism for decades. His website (herbcraft.org) has long been a source of information and a starting point of exploration for budding and blooming herbalists. Focus topics will include bitter herbs as an important dietary health component, gut healing teas, profiles of a range of easy to grow and harvest plants, and detailed demonstrations of using, extracting (water, alcohol, oil) and preserving methods. See the flyer for more information.

Learn more about the speakers and presentation topics here.

Space is limited, so register today for MOFFA Organic Intensives to guarantee your spot, and become a MOFFA member to save $30 over the non-member rate!

REGISTER NOW AT https://www.moffa.net/oi-registration.html

A limited number of scholarships for the MOFFA Organic Intensives are available. Please contact us at moffaorganic@gmail.com if the cost of registration is a barrier to your attendance.