Mackensy Lunsford

mlunsford@citizen-times.com

ASHEVILLE - Registration is open for the Annual Organic Growers School Spring Conference, March 12-13 at UNC-Asheville.

The annual event features classes good for beginning backyard growers and the advanced commercial farmer. OGS expects more than 2,000 people to attend the weekend of workshops.

The OGS Spring Conference is the largest, locally run, sustainability conference in the Southeast. In addition to classes, expect events including a farm-to-table dinner, trade show, seed exchange and a children’s program.

This year’s conference offers more than 70 sessions per day in themed tracks including gardening, livestock, permaculture, farming and more. New tracks for 2016 include Sustainable Living and Voices from the Field.

Throughout the weekend, there are also half-day hands-on workshops focused on do-it-yourself subjects.

“Our teachers reflect the best our region has to offer, from long time farmers on the cutting edge of biodynamics to renowned herbalists to the very best mushroom experts and thought provoking discussions on community food,” said OGS executive director Lee Warren in a press release.

As the largest grassroots conference of its kind in the region, OGS has served to reinforce Western North Carolina’s role as a regional leader in sustainable food and farming. Attendees come from 18 states and Canada, and have described the event as a ritualistic kick start to the growing season, and even “a peeling off of winter,” according to local attendee, Lara Ladendorf.

OGS offers more than 150 opportunities for individuals to attend the conference by means of a work-exchange program. More information and tickets at www.organicgrowersschool.org. Request a registration form at sabrina@organicgrowersschool.org or (828) 278-9332 or find them at area retail stores and Cooperative Extension offices.

More from the press release:

The 2016 Spring Conference will feature these full-day pre-conference workshops March 11:



The Principles of Biodynamics, An In-depth Study with The Barefoot Farmer with Special Guest Jeff Poppen

Join the Barefoot Farmer for a full day of inspiration looking deeper into the knowledge of how people grew plants and animals before the advent of industrial agriculture. Nature knows best, and we can mimic her on our farms and in our gardens. This introductory workshop will take the foundational material and show how to grow a garden and tend farmland profitably, easily and sustainably, without extensive off-farm inputs. This workshop will first give a general overview of the basic building block elements of plants and how the biodynamic method ensures healthy plant growth through microbial interaction with the whole farm organism. Biodynamic principles that will focused on include: remineralization; legumes and cover crops; livestock and composting; and proper loosening of the soil.

Ten Medicinal Herbs to Know and Grow: A Sustainable Apothecary in your Garden and Forest with Patricia Kyritsi Howell

Plant an apothecary in your garden and learn the practical art of herbal self-reliance! Discover 10 essential herbs that will produce medicine, food, and beauty for you and your family. This in-depth, full day workshop introduces each herb, its historical and current uses, detailed, easy-to-follow guidelines for growing and harvesting, as well as medicine making instructions and recipes for incorporating these herbs into everyday life. Get inspired in your garden and learn how to grow and use these wonderful herbs from a renowned herbalist. Plants covered include: Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera); Boneset (Eupatorium perforatum); Echinacea (Echinacea spp).; Elder (Sambucus nigra/Canadensis); Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum); Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinale); Sage (Salvia officinalis); Vitex (Agnus castus); Motherwort (Leonurus cardiac); Calendula (Calendula officinalis)



Backyard Chickens & Beyond, with Jim Adkins of the Sustainable Poultry Network

Are you interested in learning the entire process of breeding, hatching & growing your own chickens? This on-farm workshop will cover everything you need to know including: identify the poultry breed that best suits your farm; learn how to brood, properly feed & grow poultry, basic husbandry, disease control, and also the basics of processing & cooking. Join these sustainable poultry specialists for the A-Z of homesteading, backyard chickens; and you’ll be off and running in no time.

New for the 2016 Spring Conference is the Farm to Table Dinner: Dine with Pierre & OGS: A fundraising dinner to benefit Organic Growers School on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 5:30pm at the UNCA Campus, Asheville.



Join Organic Growers School on Saturday night at 5:30pm, directly following the last class, for an exclusive reception and organic, farm-to-table dinner in an elegant setting on the UNC Asheville campus. Celebrate local food and farmers as we extend the joy and connection of the day. All proceeds benefit the important work of Organic Growers School, and tickets can be purchased on a sliding scale.



Very special Guest, Bill Whipple, aka Pierre Geaux, will host the OGS fundraising dinner with all the finesse of a French food snob. Pierre is a passionado for what the French call “Terroir” or local flavor. Recently released from detainment at Guantanamo Bay for telling US customs that he was a “Terrorist”, he found American cuisine there to be lacking in what he would say as, “Les choses interessant”. Despite this misunderstanding, Pierre is on a mission to teach Americans something about cuisine, and he encourages us to eat something “interesting” by exploring the local flavors of small farms. Pierre will be addressing the dinner audience with profound, esoteric, arrogant, and amusing insights related to food, culture, delight, and the heart.



Expect four delicious courses of expertly curated local foods: colorful samplers showcasing the best in local charcuterie, cheeses, and pickles, unique presentation and mouthwatering main dishes for all palettes, plus delectable dessert. The forthcoming menu is in the works, and promises to showcase spring’s freshness, and WNC’s bounty.

Additional long-standing traditions at the OGS Spring Conference weekend include the following:

The 12th annual Children’s Program for kids ages 4 to 12 which focuses on the importance of the natural environment and gardening.sources. This supervised full-day event is split into two age groups, 4-6 and 7-12, with a registration limit of 40 children. Activities include Nursery Dairy Goats, Pollinator Awareness, Starting & Saving Seeds Crafting & Grafting, Urban Gardening & Making Seedballs, Fibers & Felting with Wool, Appalachian Storytelling, and Herbs for Kids. Cost is $30 per child per day.



● The Tradeshow, which showcases a wide array of exhibitors and products: local farms, gardening suppliers, and cottage industries that specialize in organic products, books and resources for organic growers and Permaculture practitioners, and several non-profit organizations with information on related topics. (A full list of exhibitors is on the Organic Growers School website and is updated regularly.)

● The Seed and Plant Exchange booth is open throughout the weekend and offers us the opportunity to preserve genetic diversity and protect regionally adapted varieties. Attendees may bring excess seeds and small plants to share, barter, or trade. Seed saving supplies and recommended readings will be provided.