Once again this year, EcoFarm presents you the opportunity to meet individually with highly knowledgeable industry and business professionals during Office Hours. In the comfort and quiet of the cozy Pirate’s Den living room, you can spend up to a half hour conducting a personal consultation for your farm business needs. As we step closer to EcoFarm, more experts will join our list. You will find the completed list in your conference program. All office hours will be held in Pirates Den, with the exception of FarmLink Group sessions which will be held in the Stuck-Up Inn, and Biodynamic Association individual sessions which will be held at their booth in the Exhibitor Marketplace.
Presently confirmed to consult with you
Marketing
Dina Izzo of BluDog Consulting, teaching marketing with a gentle paw. With 30 years of management experience in retail produce sales, wholesale distribution and non-profit education, BluDog understands the marketing challenges farmers face everyday. Friday, January 23 12:00pm-3:00pm, Pirates Den. Please sign-up for a 30 minute session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Estate Planning
Daniel Nassie Esq. leads his firm as a top litigator in real estates matters including estate planning. How to pass on farmland is a particularly relevant issue for many farmers. Daniel can speak with you in a common language to protect your life’s investment. Friday, January 23 9:00am-12:00pm, Pirates Den. Please sign-up for a 30 minute session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Food Safety
Cathy Carlson of Farm Food Safety Consulting has been working with farmers for several years as the resident expert at California Alliance of Family Farmers. Being a farmers herself, Cathy has a deeply rooted passion for farmers to understand the intricacies of a valuable food safety plan. Friday, January 23 1:30pm-3:00pm, Pirates Den. Please sign-up for a 30 minute session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Leases Group Session
Liya Schwartzman of FarmLink will be conducting group hours addressing the following questions: Do you have a sense that you should have a formalized agreement between you and your property owner? Not sure what to do to make that happen? Feeling uncertain about what you need to consider when approaching a landowner? Group Discussions will be directed by interest from the group but will cover the basics of agricultural leases, pitfalls to avoid, and innovative options to consider. Thursday, Jan 22 10:30am-12:00pm and Friday, Jan 23 from 10:30am-12:00pm. Please sign-up for a group session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Leases Individual Session
Liya Schwartzman of FarmLink will be conducting individual office hours, addressing the following questions: Do you have a sense that you should have a formalized agreement between you and your property owner? Not sure what to do to make that happen? Feeling uncertain about what you need to consider when approaching a landowner? Thursday, Jan 22 3:30pm-5:30pm and Friday, Jan 23 from 3:30pm-5:30pm, Pirates Den. Pre-registration is required, please sign-up for a 30 minute session beforehand via Brown Paper Tickets.
Biodynamic Agriculture
Thea Maria Carlson and Robert Karp of the Biodynamic Association will be available to discuss biodynamic philosophy, principles and practices and how you can use them to improve the health of your soil and the vitality of the food you grow. Whether you have a specific question about biodynamics or are just curious to learn what it's all about, Thea and Robert are happy to answer your inquiries. Thursday, Jan 22 and Friday, Jan 23, Exhibitor MarketPlace. Please stop by their booth in the exhibitor marketplace to sign up for a 30-minute session.
Beneficial Insect Habitat
Jessa Kay Cruz of the Xerces Society's Pollinator Conservation program will be offering office hours to assist farmers in planning their own pollinator and beneficial insect habitat restoration projects, and in accessing USDA conservation programs for financial assistance. The Xerces Society is offering several in-depth and general session workshops at EcoFarm, and this service will give attendees a chance to receive more intensive one-on-one advice. Bring maps of your farm, aerial photos, existing conservation plans and your questions! Friday, Jan 23 9:00am-12:00pm, Pirates Den. Please pre-register for a 30 minute session at registration at Surf & Sand.
Food Justice Certification
Michael Sligh and Vanya Goldberg of the Agricultural Justice Project’s (AJPs) Food Justice Certification program will provide an overview of the program including the documentation designed to support farmers and food businesses interested to implement social justice practices in a formal way. AJP Staff will answer questions about AJP standards and the certification process including fair prices for farm products, conflict resolution, democratic and cooperative structures, fair labor policies, health and safety. Thursday, Jan 22 12:00pm-3:00pm, Pirates Den. Please sign-up for a group session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Farmer Mentorship
Jim Leap will be providing consultation on a range of topics related to small-scale organic vegetable production for beginning and experienced growers alike. His areas of expertise include reduced tillage systems, bedding and seeding techniques, tillage sequences, cover cropping, irrigation, weed management, farm implement selection, tractor selection and optimization of equipment configurations for the beginning farmer. These Office Hours are made possible by a USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant. Friday, Jan 23 12:30-3:30, Pirates Den. Please sign-up for a group session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Sustainable Grocery Retail
Sam Mogannam is the second-generation owner of Bi-Rite Market, and founder of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses, which includes two San Francisco neighborhood Bi-Rite Markets, Bi-Rite Creamery, Bi-Rite Catering, and Bi-Rite Farms. Sam also co-founded 18 Reasons, a non-profit community food education space committed to empowering his community with the confidence and creativity needed to buy, cook and eat good food every day. Sam is a highly sought-after lecturer and advisor on artisan-made, organic, and sustainable food and effective grocery retail management and operations. Thursday, January 22nd 12:00pm-2:00pm, Pirates Den. Please sign-up for a 30 minute session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins are welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
Food & Farm Journalism
Todd Oppenheimer is founding Editor & Publisher of Craftsmanship Magazine, whose inaugural January 2015 issue is devoted to sustainable agriculture trailblazers and their quest to build a food system that lasts. Todd has three decades of experience in journalism, and is a long-time member of the SF Writers Grotto. He has written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New York Times among other publications, and has won a variety of reporting awards, including a National Magazine Award and first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors. Friday, January 23 3:30-5:30pm, Pirates Den. Please sign up for a 30-minute session onsite at registration at Surf & Sand. Drop-ins welcome. Those who signed up at registration will be given priority.
