We journeyed to Louisville, KY to become more educated in the field of sustainable agriculture. We attended the annual Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Conference held January 16-19. We were enlightened by the various courses and seminars offered at the conference. Ben, Frank, Marie, and myself were educated by many successful small-scale farmers about vegetable production, ways to enhance your soil, and the alternatives to chemical use. Topics included organic vegetable production, cut flower production, hoop house production, organizational development, multi-species grazing, permaculture, and sustainable weed management. These courses will help us educate the community to practice sustainable gardening.
Besides encountering a multitude of people that share our vision of urban gardening, we were given the opportunity to hear Wendell Berry and Joel Salatin speak. These two gentlemen are considered pioneers in sustainable farming, and they shared wisdom from personal life experiences. By the end of the conference we felt inspired to go out and make a difference in our community.
Jeff
