Young Farmers Conference: Reviving the Culture of Agriculture
December 4, 2008 @ 9:00 AM - December 5, 2008 @ 1:00 PM
Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture presents The Young Farmers Conference: Reviving the Culture of Agriculture, a program especially for young and new farmers. While the number of American farmers aged 55 or older has grown from 37% to over 60% in the last 60 years, young farmers have emerged as part of a growing social movement. The future of farming depends on the continued entry of these new farmers. In order to better guarantee their success as individuals and as a movement, it is vital that they receive all the training, tools, and knowledge available.
...Read on for information on workshops and how to register.  We'll see you there!

The Young Farmers Conference will be a space to network with peers and learn from leaders in the field, helping to ensure that the next generation of farmers is equipped for the work ahead.
Workshops during the conference will cover topics on four tracks:
• Getting Started - the economics of buying land and starting a business
• General Skills - raising a variety of livestock and diverse produce
• Policy, the Farm Bill, and Global Agricultural Issues
• The Farmer-Chef Relationship- cultivating mutually beneficial partnerships with restaurants and chefs
In addition to workshops, The Young Farmers Conference will feature keynote addresses by Frederick Kirschenmann of Stone Barns Center and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and Eliot Coleman of Four Season Farm. The conference will also include a screening, contra dance, seed swap, tabling area, networking and more.
Workshops and activities have been organized in partnership with Just Food, Slow Food USA, the Yale Sustainable Food Project, and the Greenhorns.
The Young Farmers Conference is presented with support from Organic Valley.
Additional in-kind and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information about conference sponsorship, contact Amy Bodiker at 914-366-6200 x138.
For more information, contact Nena Johnson at 914-366-6200 x112.
Click here to view a full listing of workshop topics.
Click here to download a registration form.