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Airlie's Winter Forum is Friday
Airlie's Winter Forum is FridayThe Local Food Project at Airlie will hold its third annual conference — “Half Pint and Essex: A Tale of Two Farms” — on Jan. 9 at the Airlie Center in Warrenton.
The full day Winter Forum will provide an up-close look at whole-farm systems design by featuring in-depth discussions of the innovative systems that have brought success to two sustainable agriculture operations — Half Pint Farm (Burlington, VT) and Essex Farm (Essex, NY).
Presenting for the first time in Virginia, Half Pint and Essex will share a complete picture of how their farms operate — from creating a plan and producing quality products, to building and expanding a customer base.
In addition to providing a detailed look at two thriving farm systems, “A Tale of Two Farms” will offer the opportunity to network with speakers and other participants.
Mara and Spencer Welton, of Half Pint Farm, grow baby greens and gourmet specialty crops for direct sale to farmer’s markets and restaurants, and wholesale to local grocery stores.
Located at Burlington’s Intervale (a reclaimed urban waste site), Half Pint operates on one and a third acres, and has found its niche by selling high-quality vegetables and establishing lasting relationships with customers.
Kristin and Mark Kimball, of Essex Farm, run a unique CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) enterprise that provides community members with a full grocery bag of food each week — vegetables, orchard fruits, grains, baked goods, dairy, and grass-fed meats. Powered by a team of Belgian draft horses, Essex Farm feeds 75 families year-round.
“We are excited to offer Virginia food growers and policy experts the chance to hear from Half Pint and Essex,” said Pablo Elliott, director of the Local Food Project at Airlie. “Many of our programs feature innovative projects from our own region. By bringing in farmers from another area, we hope to inspire fresh ideas in our community as we work to meet the increasing demand for locally grown food.”
Backyard gardeners, small farmers, food-policy experts, and other fans of local food will be interested in attending “A Tale of Two Farms” to learn about the key factors that make these two unique farms so successful.
To register, send an e-mail to localfoodproject@airlie.org.
For more information, visit www.airlie.org and click on “Local Food Project” or visit our blog at http://sixteenfootladder.blogspot.com.
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The Local Food Project at Airlie
Established in 1998, the Local Food Project at Airlie operates an organic garden and hoophouse which supply fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers to the Airlie Center.
The Local Food Project at Airlie hosts seminars and conferences to promote sustainable food production and offers tours and educational materials to the center’s guests to promote the advantages of local food systems for the well-being of communities.
Learn more at www.airlie.org.
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