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| SPECIAL EVENTS |
Registration is required for all on-farm events, unless otherwise indicated. |
| Florida Organic Growers FUNdraiser and Film Screening of What's Organic about "Organic"? Sunday, October 30, 2011 - activities at 6:00 p.m., screening at 7:00 p.m. Come make organic candied apples, enjoy organic popcorn & watch a film with the Director & Character! $20/person, kids under 12 enter free Bring your own blanket! Community discussion will follow the screening. About the film: Directed by Shelley Rogers, this film rings the alarm for the need to develop an ecological consciousness. The film illustrates that the organic food debate extends well beyond personal choice and into the realm of social responsibility. Each of the film’s characters is intimately connected to the organic world; they’re farmers, activists, and scientists. While many folks can easily endorse “organic,” the characters in the film take the discussion beyond just shopping for another eco-label. As we glimpse into each of their lives, we see how organic agriculture has the potential to solve many of our environmental and health problems. The film will explore how organic farming can be used as a soil and air protection system, a healthy solution to toxic pollution, and an innovative means to combat global warming. What's Organic About "Organic?” delves into the debates that arise when a grassroots agricultural movement evolves into a booming international market. As the film moves from farm fields to government meetings to industry trade shows, we see the hidden costs of conventional agriculture. We also see how our health, the health of our planet, and the agricultural needs of our society are all intimately connected. The film compels us to look forward, towards a new vision for our culture and encourages us to ask, “How can we eat with an ecological consciousness?” Special guest Marty Mesh, Co-Producer of the film, will be present at the screening for a conversation with audience members. |
| Free Sustainable Nutrient and Pest Management Workshop Monday, October 31, 2011, 8:30 am - 2:00 pm Hosted by Worden Farm in Punta Gorda, a free sustainable nutrient and pest management workshop will provide practical information and advice about sustainable nutrient, pest, weed and disease management options for vegetable farmers seeking to learn and share knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices. Expert presenters will include vegetable entomologist Dr. Hugh Smith from the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, UF/IFAS vegetable specialist Dr. Monica Ozores-Hampton from the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, and Dr. Carlene Chase, Associate Professor of the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Participant farmers will benefit from the expertise of these speakers, and from the insights and experience of host farmers and the Education and Outreach team from Florida Organic Growers. Dr. Hugh Smith will share insights on sustainable pest and disease management. Some specific topics will include habitat manipulation for promoting natural enemies of insect pests, and ecological management options for horticultural crops, such as push-pull strategies. Dr. Monica Ozores-Hampton will lead a discussion on sustainable nutrient management, which will include phosphorus management as well as options to increase overall soil health. Dr. Carlene Chase will speak on sustainable weed management, including cover crops and synthetic and living mulch options for growers. Additionally, staff from Florida Organic Growers and host farmers Dr. Eva Worden and Dr. Chris Worden will lead a brief discussion about organic certification that will clarify what is required to achieve and maintain organic certification. The Farmer workshop is organized by Florida Organic Growers (FOG), a non-profit organization established in 1987 in Gainesville . FOG's Education and Outreach Program promotes organic agriculture and healthy and just food systems, informing producers, consumers, media, institutions and governments about the benefits of organic and sustainable agriculture. For more information or to register, visit www.foginfo.org/scbgworkshops, call 352-377-6355, or e-mail jose@foginfo.org. |
| Being Thankful Yoga Celebration Sunday, November 20, 2011, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Each Thanksgiving week, The Yoga Sanctuary and Worden Farm invite you to participate in our 'Being Thankful' celebration. As cultures have given thanks for centuries for a bountiful harvest, join us as we express gratitude for the blessings in our life through the practice of yoga. This celebration takes place, appropriately, at Worden Farm, Charlotte County's only organic community farm. You will learn about organic vegetables and farming, experience a mini yoga session, and share in a brief meditation on gratitude. This event is for the whole family! All donations collected will go to the Good Samaritans of Charlotte County to help those in need also enjoy the benefits of 'Being Thankful' on Thanksgiving Day. |
