OSA staff is participating at events throughout the country. Take a look at the schedule below for event and registration details. We hope to see you soon!
On-Farm Variety Trials: Benefits and Methods | July 23, 2012 Join OSA’s Micaela Colley at Greenbank Farm, Whidbey Island, Washington, on July 23rd from 12 pm – 3pm for an On-Farm Variety Trial course. The course will provide training in basic on-farm experimental design, as well as the tools to efficiently and effectively manage on-farm trials and utilize trial results. For more information and to register, please visit the Greenbank Farm website.
Student Organic Seed Symposium | August 5-8, 2012 The purpose of the Student Organic Seed Symposium is to develop and support new leaders in organic and sustainable plant breeding and seed systems. This project is a student-led initiative that provides a unique opportunity for graduate students interested in organic seed systems to share resources with one another and learn from leaders in the field. OSA’s John Navazio and Jared Zystro will present workshops on Participatory Plant Breeding and organic breeding at this exciting new symposium in Greensboro, Vermont. For more information, please visit the Student Organic Seed Symposium website.
2012 Organic Seed and Breeding Field School | August 9, 2012 Join OSA’s John Navazio and Jared Zystro at High Mowing Seed’s 2012 Organic Seed and Breeding Field School on August 9, 2012 from 9 am – 6 pm in Wolcott, Vermont. This is a day-long training for extension agents, seed growers, seed companies and farmers. The event will include talks by leading plant breeders from around the country as well as hands-on participatory activities. Key areas of organic focus will include: Plant Breeding and Selection, Research Trials and Seed Production. This event is intended to be intensive and will have limited registration. For more information and to apply to register, please visit the High Mowing Organic Seeds website.
Seed Saving and Breeding for Organic Farms | August 13, 2012 Learn the fundamental skills to maintain, develop, and adapt seed varieties for your organic farm at this workshop in Verona, Wisconsin hosted by University of Wisconsin-Madison and Organic Seed Alliance. The workshop is presented as part of the Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative (NOVIC), a farmer-researcher participatory network working to breed and test varieties in the northern tier for organic farms. Organic plant breeding specialist Dr. John Navazio and Professor Bill Tracy will discuss such topics as: the biology of seed, on-farm seed production basics, choosing appropriate seed crops for your system and climate, maintaining the genetic integrity of varieties with appropriate population sizes and isolation distances, conducting variety trials, and basic on-farm breeding techniques such as mass selection and progeny testing. NOVIC participants from UW will share regional NOVIC efforts and trial results. This workshop will be of interest to farmers who want to improve their success with saving seed for on-farm use as well as those seeking to breed their own varieties or grow seed on a larger scale. For more information and to register, please visit the NOVIC website.
Organic Variety Selection and Seed Saving Workshop | August 16, 2012 Organic vegetable farmers need varieties with more disease resistance, better ability to compete with weeds, less susceptibility to insect pests, and excellent flavor and nutritional attributes. Organic Seed Alliance, Purdue University, Washington State University, and the Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture (CIOA) project will host this one-day workshop at Purdue University Meig’s Horticulture Research Farm in Lafayette, Indiana. This workshop will address how to maintain and adapt vegetable varieties for your organic farm, and how to participate in regional efforts to develop new varieties that thrive on organic farms. For more information and to register, please visit the Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture (CIOA) events page.
Sourcing Seed Just Got Easier: An introduction to Organic Seed Finder | August 21, 2012 Join OSA on August 21, 2012, for an eOrganic webinar introducing Organic Seed Finder, a new database hosted by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies. Beginning this fall, Organic Seed Finder will serve as a valuable tool by providing reliable organic seed availability information. The database aims to facilitate the growth and success of the organic seed sector, and support farmer, certifier, and handler decisions for better meeting the national organic seed requirement and serving organic production, which remains one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. food industry. This webinar is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. To register for the webinar, please visit eOrganic.
Fundamentals of On-Farm Plant Breeding Workshop | September 22-23, 2012 Learn the fundamental skills to develop and adapt seed varieties for your organic farm conditions at this 2-day workshop in Nevada City, CA hosted by Organic Seed Alliance and Sierra Seed Cooperative. Organic Plant Breeding Specialist Dr. John Navazio of Organic Seed Alliance and Washington State University will discuss such topics as: the biology of seed production, seed harvest and cleaning, choosing appropriate seed crops for your system and climate, maintaining the genetic integrity of varieties with appropriate population sizes and isolation distances, conducting variety trials, and basic on-farm breeding techniques such as mass selection and progeny testing. For more information and to register, please visit the registration page.
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Sustainable Agriculture Conference | October 26-28, 2012 Join OSA’s Micaela Colley at the 27th Annual CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Greenville, South Carolina this October. The event includes workshops on regional seed security, farm business, policy, hands-on techniques, and farm walks. For more information, please visit the CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference website.
Tilth Producers of Washington Annual Conference | November 9-11, 2012 Join OSA’s Kristina Hubbard and Jared Zystro at Tilth Producers of Washington’s annual conference in Port Townsend, Washington this November. Twenty-five workshops will be offered throughout the weekend by organic and sustainable farmers, researchers and agency educators. Included will be an OSA workshop on seed concentration and protecting organic integrity. For more information, please visit the Tilth Producers of Washington conference website.
Seed Production 101 | November 10, 2012 Join OSA’s Jared Zystro at Mano Farm in Ojai, California to learn the fundamental skills to produce seed and develop and adapt seed varieties for your organic farm conditions. Topics will include the biology of seed production, seed harvest and cleaning, choosing appropriate seed crops for your system and climate, maintaining the genetic integrity of varieties with appropriate population sizes and isolation distances, conducting variety trials, and basic on-farm breeding techniques such as mass selection and progeny testing. Follow OSA’s event page for more details to come.
Southern SAWG Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference | January 23-26, 2013 Join OSA at Southern SAWG’s annual conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. The conference will include a seed track co-organized by OSA staff. For more information, please visit the Southern SAWG Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference website.
Organicology Conference | February 7-9, 2013 OSA is a co-host of the biennial Organicology Conference in Portland, Oregon. Organicology is an interactive conference designed to meet the diverse needs of our rapidly expanding trade. The conference offers educational and networking events that enhance the understanding and skills of our diverse organic community, from seed producers and farmers, to distributors, retailers, researchers, chefs, policy activists, and eaters. The 2013 conference will continue to focus on sustainability, farming and seed issues, and a wide range of timely topics that impact the organic trade. For more information, please visit the official Organicology Conference website.
