MOFFA SUMMER SOCIAL

Saturday, July 17th., 11 - 3

Featuring Oyster Farming
on Popham Creek

4703 Bayfields Rd
Harwood, MD 20776

Please Bring A Dish To Share

Contact Holly at 443-975-4181 or budd13@verizon.net for more information.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maryland Organic Food and Farming Association

19th Annual MOFFA Winter Meeting

Saturday February 20th
 
Maryland Department of Agriculture
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis

Directions to MDA: www.mda.state.md.us/about_mda/ directions_mda.php

              

8:00    Registration and Sponsored Coffee / Networking

 

8:45    Welcome and General Announcements

            MOFFA

MDA Organic Certification Program: Deanna Baldwin and William Rawlings

 

9:00-9:45 Session I

• Organic No-till and Strip-Till Vegetable Practices: Dr. Ron Morse, Virginia Tech. 
• Maryland Pesticide Network: Research & Info About The Impact Of Pesticides - Ruth Berlin, LCSW-C Crop
                     

9:50-10:35 Session II

• UMD Extension Eastern Shore. Organic Weed Management. Research Results from Organic Vegetable Trials on Eastern Shore, Laura Hunsberger
• Farm Service Administration (FSA). FSA loan opportunities for small farmers.  Frank Spray. 

 

10:35-10:55 Break       

 

11:00-11:45 Session III

• Research Findings from Organic Vegetable Trials at Upper Marlboro Extension Farm with Focus on Insect Control, Jerry Burst, UMD Extension
• Local Food Cooking Demonstration, Chef Odessa Piper, Le’Etoile Restaurant

 

11:50 -12:30 Key Note What Nature Has to Teach Us about Building a

   Sustainable Economy, Dr. Hank Cole.

 

12:30-1:30 Pot Luck/ Lunch Auction / General Announcements

            Board Nominations

 

1:35-2:20 Session VI

• Two Part Talk: Use of Cover Crops to Manage Flea Beetles and Colorado Potato Beetle in Eggplant, Dr. Cerruti Hooks, MD Extension Service
• Insurance Options for Small Farmers, Discussion topic, do CSA farms fit into convention crop insurance, how can crop insurance be modified to benefit CSA farmers.   Examples of AGR-Lite, Mark Powell and Gene Gantz AGR-Lite Specialist

 2:20 -2:35 Break / MOFAA Board Elections

2:35 -3:20 Session V

•  "Is Your Cover Cropping Practice Benefiting? From a soil ecologist's point of view" Dr Koon-Hui Wang, Ph.D. University of Hawaii
•  MICFA. Karine Bouis-Towe

3:25-4:10 Session VI

•  Best Practices for Organic Farmers: A Moderated Organic Farmer Information Swap. "What fertilizer are you using?, What cultivars and OMRI Products are working for you?,  Any advice on purchasing health insurance for a family farm?.
• Research Needs for Maryland Organic Farmers, What research would best benefit Maryland’s Organic farmers. Increased availability of federal grant money for organic research has spurred interest in local organic research initiatives.

4:30 Adjournment

4:45 2010 MOFFA Board Meeting

Agenda is subject to change.

Registration at the Door, $5.00 for MOFFA Members, $20,00 for Non-Members

 

 

 

SNOW DATE: Saturday February 27, 2010.  If in doubt, check the web site or call Scott Hertzberg directly at 301-237-7538 or 301-301-627-6211 for a recorded message.  Generally if three inches or less is predicted for Annapolis, for the meeting will be held.

VOLUNTEERS:  If you are interested in volunteering prior to or during the meeting or would like to assist in publicity please contact Holly Budd by email at budd13@verizon.net.

POT LUCK LUNCH: This is an opportunity to highlight why MOFFA works for ecological farming and local food production.  Last years diversity was fantastic.  Please bring a dish featuring your farms products or a family specialty.  MOFFA farmers will prepare home grown main dishes.  All attendees are invited to contribute but not required, main, side and especially deserts are appreciated.  Beverages will be provided. 

AUCTION: The Suzie Harrison Memorial Auction is an annual fund-raiser for MOFFA.  Last year's was a great success.  Please contribute home grown, home baked, hand crafted items agricultural related or not.  Prior contributions have included, paintings, a hand knit sweater, organic feed, cook books, gardening tools or services.  We are happy to recycle, do you have great auction or yard sale find that just doesn't work for you, bring it in!

LITERATURE AND DISPLAY TABLES: Tables will be available at no charge for any participants that would like to display products or services; we only request that you donate an item to the auction.

REGISTRATION: Registration will be at the door, please complete the registration form (click to download) and have cash or check prepared prior to arriving at the meeting to expedite the registration process.