Minnesota Landscape Arboretum hosts sustainable farming summit

Learn the latest research in sustainable farming - both rural and urban - and network with leaders in the movement at the Sustainable Agriculture Summit: Growing the Farmer to Farmer Network, set for Friday and Saturday, February 15-16, at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The conference runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the fee is $90 a day (through January 15) and $95 a day (after January 15).

Presented by the Arboretum in partnership with the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, the summit offers an unprecedented opportunity for Minnesota's rural and urban farmers and supporters to come together to explore ways to farm profitably, build a sustainability community and advance mutual goals of land stewardship.

Speakers include Michael Ableman, founder of Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens and author of "On Good Land" and "Field of Plenty." He will give a keynote address and help lead the initiative to launch the new Twin Cities Urban Ag Alliance. Other speakers include Dr. Mark Seeley of the University of Minnesota, discussing weather/climate impacts on Minnesota agriculture, tourism, transportation, energy and natural resources, and Dr. Marla Spivak, a MacArthur Fellow and professor in the U of M Department of Entomology, discussing bees and bee health.

Attendees will enjoy sessions on such topics as: seed-saving, specialty crops business management, animal welfare certification, grazing practices, raw milk best practices, aligning rural and urban ag, sizing and scaling the farm business for success, cold-climate grape growing, meat processing, new garlic diseases, interrupting carcinogenesis with food plants, social media marketing success stories and more.

The Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota has more than 22 years of experience in creating solutions to contemporary farming challenges, exploring agricultural innovations and providing a forum for people committed to sustainable agriculture. This summit offers an unprecedented opportunity for rural and urban farmers to come together to explore ways to farm profitably, build a sustainability community and advance mutual goals of land stewardship. Register online at: www.arboretum.umn.edu/2013SustainAgSummit.aspx or call 952-443-1422.

Tags: news, updates, farm, agriculture