To register please go to: http://easternontariomixer.brownpapertickets.com/
Young Agrarians is excited to grow into other parts of Canada. After attending a Young Agrarians Mixer on Vancouver Island this past Spring, Ayla Fenton is organizing a mixer in the area where she farms, near Kingston, Ontario. Please help us get the word out and make this event a success! Want to help organize or donate food and supplies to the event? Get in touch: theyoungagrarians@gmail.com. To join the event on Facebook and invite your people please go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/816988275002482/
Young = new and young farmers (40 and under), and anyone else who wants to join us. Event is open to all ages.
When: Saturday, October 25 – Sunday, October 26, 2014
What: Young Agrarians Eastern Ontario Mixer
Location: RKY Camp, 1194 Sugarbush Lane, Parham, Ontario, K0H 2K0
Directions to Camp: http://www.rkycamp.org/contact/directions.html
Weekend young farmer retreat – join us to network, workshop, and have fun!
Saturday, October 25
8:30-10:00am Registration, coffee/tea
10:00am-12:00pm Welcome & Community Networking with Young Agrarians Coordinator Sara Dent
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-2:00pm Workshop Session A
“Business Planning 101” with Harris Ivans, Grounded Business Solutions and Fleming College Faculty
OR “Biodynamics for every farmer” with Tom Waller Elm Tree Farm
2:30-3:30pm Workshop Session B
“Intro to Brix and Plant Health” with Harris Ivans
OR
“Value Adding in a Small Farm Business” with Tim Noxon, Vicki’s Veggies
4:00-5:30pm Interactive Food Policy for Farmers Session with Mara Shaw, Executive Director of Loving Spoonful and chair of Kingston Food Policy Council and National Farmers Union Youth Ayla Fenton, Coral Sproule and Dan Kretschmar
5:30 – 6:30 Free Time
6:30pm onwards Community Potluck Feast + Live Music – bring a dish to share!
Sunday, October 26
8:30-9:30am Breakfast
9:30-11:00am Workshop Session C
“Calculating Cost of Production” with Evan Quigley, Kitchen Garden
OR
“Seed Saving for Farmers” with Cate Henderson, Heirloom Seed Sanctuary
11:15am-12:15pm Workshop Session D
“Marketing to chefs and distributors” with Ian Stutt and TBD
OR
“Wild Plants – food and medicine” with Sid Vereecken, local young farmer
12:15-1:15pm LUNCH
1:30-2:30pm Workshop Session E
“Increasing effectiveness of networking and the power of groups” with Paul Reeds
2:30-4:00pm
Film Screening and Discussion
“Til the Cows Come Home”
This film tells the story of an extraordinary display of civil disobedience and asks provocative questions about the Canadian government’s hardening approach to criminal justice, food security, and democracy itself. (See http://
OR
Open space for group discussions, topics TBD
4:00-4:00pm Closing Circle
About our fabulous organizer: Ayla Fenton is the harvest and marketing manager at Roots Down Organic Farm, a mid-size organic vegetable farm near Kingston, Ontario. We have a 100-member CSA, sell at farmer’s markets in Ottawa, Kingston, Brockville and Gananoque, and supply to Wendy’s Mobile Market, an innovative local business that connects producers in our area to local restaurants, grocers, and individual consumers. We are located in the heart of the Fontenac Arch Biosphere, the most biodiverse region in Canada! Our primary goals are to preserve this biodiversity on our farm and to provide the healthiest food possible at an affordable price.
