Saturday, February 18th
Session III: 3:45 - 5:00
Agroecology Movement Farmer Forum
Local, national, and international partners are founding an Agroecology and Movement Building School in Vermont, in collaboration with La Via Campesina North America, part of a 200 million+ peasant movement of food producers working for food sovereignty around the world. This is an opportunity for farmers, organizers, and educators to talk strategy and goals for the Agroecology, Food Sovereignty, and Just Transition movements. Please come be part of this conversation about the School, and collaborations for justice and resilience in our food systems and communities.
Presented by Rural Vermont Grassroots Organizing Director Mollie Wills, Henry Harris, Freddy Congo, & Yorlis Luna
Saturday, February 18th
Session II: 2:15-3:30
The Farming & Childcare Conundrum: Strategies & Discussion
Raising children on the farm, keeping them safe, and building your farm business can be stressful and costly. Come hear and share practical strategies for juggling kids of all ages and work. Tell us what kind of programs and policies would make it easier to raise kids on the farm. We also want to hear how we, as farm organizations, advocates, and researchers, can support you, your family, and your farm business.
Presented by: Florence Becot, National Farm Medicine Center; Shoshanah Inwood, Ohio State University; Graham Unangst-Rufenacht, Rural Vermont
Saturday, February 18th
Session III, 3:45-5:00 pm
Biochar: For Improved Soils, Carbon Sequestration, and Greater Yields
This workshop will introduce biochar for use on crops and gardens. We will describe biochar's nutrient and water retention properties for better crop yields and soil health, as well as its remediation use of contaminated soils. We will also describe how we and our Indigenous partners incorporate hemp and mycology into our work for healthy soils to complement the biochar. We will discuss current USDA/NRCS programs available now for farmers to be reimbursed for use of biochar and these other practices.
Presented by: Earl Hatley, Missisquoi Band Abenaki Nation, VT Healthy Soils Coalition; Tim Houseberg, Native Health Matters Foundation