SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc. (NOFA-NY) is pleased to announce registration is open for its 2020 Winter Conference.
NOFA-NY’s annual Winter Conference will take place January 17-19, 2020 at the Oncenter in Syracuse, New York. One of the largest farming conferences in the region, the NOFA-NY 2020 Winter Conference will feature over 100 educational workshops across 13 tracks. The theme of this year’s conference is “Extending the Table.”
NOFA-NY’s 2020 Winter Conference will take place directly following the New York State Vegetable Growers Association’s Annual Expo and 2020 Becker Forum, also held at the Oncenter.
The NOFA-NY Winter Conference will feature several special events. Dairy Day on January 18 will provide dedicated workshops for dairy farmers. A Children’s Conference will offer programming for kids ages six to 12. And NOFA-NY will hold a Farm Share Fair from 2:30pm – 5:30pm on January 18, where community members can meet local farmers, gather tips about cooking seasonally-inspired meals, and learn about the benefits of community supported agriculture.
NOFA-NY is honored to have artist and author Peter Jemison as our Winter Conference Keynote Speaker. Jemison is the site manager of Ganondagan State Historic Site, which houses the Iroquois White Corn Project that currently yields an average of 5,000 pounds of corn per year. He is a Heron Clan member of the Seneca Nation of Indians.
Each year at the Winter Conference, NOFA-NY presents a Farmer of the Year award to a leader in organic agriculture. The 2020 NOFA-NY Farmers of the Year, Lou and Merby Lego, will also give a keynote speech. The Legos, along with their two sons and their families, operate Elderberry Pond Farm, a country food store and farm-to-table restaurant near Skaneateles.
Registration is open to all, whether you are a farmer, gardener, homesteader, or eater. To learn more and register for the conference, visit www.nofany.org/winterconference.
Founded in 1983, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) is the premier statewide organization growing a strong organic and sustainable agriculture movement in New York State. NOFA-NY provides education and assistance to local organic and sustainable farmers; connects consumers with farmers; advocates policies that support a sustainable food and farm system at both the state and federal levels; and is the largest USDA-accredited organic certifier in New York, certifying over 1,000 organic operations in the state. Learn more at www.nofany.org.
–Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York