 CONFERENCE
IS
SOLD
OUT!
ASAP 2005 Marketing Opportunities
for Farmers Conference
Saturday
February 26
Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa, NC
7:30 am - 5:30 pm
*
FREE ADMISSION for the first 20 tobacco farmers or recent tobacco farmers
who register! (Call 828-236-1282 to confirm availability).
Local
markets are a growing and promising outlet for area farmers. Join the
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), local farmers,
agriculture
professionals, and food representatives from diverse marketing areas
for a day-long conference on marketing. For serious farmers or those
seriously
interested in farming.
Conference Agenda
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Sign-in (Cannon Lounge)
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
- Welcome: Local Marketing Opportunities
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM –
Workshop Session I
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
- Break (beverages and snacks served in Jenson)
11:00 AM – 12:15
PM – Workshop Session II
12:15 – 2:15 PM
Local Food Lunch
Guided walking tour of Warren
Wilson College Farm and Gardens
Visit displays and networking
in Canon Lounge
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM Workshop Session III
3:45 PM- 4:15 PM
Break (beverages and snack served in Jenson)
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM Workshop
Session IV
Workshops
Presenter
Biographies
*Schedule subject to change
Workshop
Session I: 9:30 a.m. -10:45 a.m.
Processed Foods
Learn about how to incorporate
processed foods into your farm enterprise, and learn how the new Blue
Ridge Food Ventures (BRFV) food processing facility can help move your
farm into value-added possibilities. Mary Lou Surgi, Executive
Director and facility manager for Blue Ridge Food Ventures; Sandy
Smith, Sandy Hollar Farms
Transitioning to Organic:
Is it Right for Your Farm?
Organic is the fastest growing
sector within US agriculture and represents a true opportunity for WNC
farmers. Experienced organic buyers and sellers will guide you through
understanding current organic food preferences in the marketplace, your
organic marketing options including direct and wholesale markets, developing
an organic marketing plan, and establishing and maintaining relationships
with organic buyers. This workshop will mostly be tailored to wholesale-scale
producers. Sandi Kronick, Eastern Carolina Organics;
Rob Everett, Greenlife Grocery; David Mole,
EarthFare; John DeJean, Whole Foods Market; Anthony
Owens, Windy Ridge Farms
Keeping the Records that Keep
You Going
How
do you keep it all going?!?! Planning and financial monitoring are critical
to successful farming. Start the year off right with good farm financial
management tips and advice. Explore and try different farm management
computer software to determine which is best for you. Multiple laptops
will be available for you to try out different farm management software.
Play before you pay . Tammara
Cole, NC Cooperative Extension
"Grass-Roots Style!"
Creative & Simple Techniques to Connect Your Farm Products to Customers
Forget
about someone else doing your farm marketing. Who better than you to
turn the tables on the traditional wholesale marketing system? No
matter what your farm product is, the key to your financial success
is customer recognition & appreciation for who you are and what
you do. Give your customers something to talk about: YOU! This workshop
will help you build confidence to promote your farm. We will actually
step through the nuts & bolts process of creating or re-invigorating
your farm's identity through a memorable farm name, a simple farm logo
and your very own product brochure! Theresa
Nartea, NC A&T Cooperative Extension
Internet Marketing:
Level I
Is
Internet marketing right for your farm? This workshop will introduce
you to the basics about using a computer, getting connected to the Internet,
and establishing an e-mail address. Learn how to use e-mail for marketing,
how to use listservs and the web for marketing tips and information,
and how to get your farm listed on third party websites. This session
will not cover how to create your own farm
website. Come to Internet Marketing Level II for more advanced topics.
ASAP staff. Workshop repeated in Session III.
Workshop
Session II: 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Opportunities with Medicinal
Herbs
Western North Carolina has
a reputation for being the source of a wide variety of native medicinal
plants with exceptional healing properties. Although most of these herbs
are wild-harvested from our forests, these botanicals present a unique
opportunity for WNC growers. Information on a new project in which 25
growers will coordinate on growing a variety of medicinal herbs will
be presented. How to grow and market medicinal herbs appropriate for
this region will be covered. Enterprises for the small and large farm
will be discussed. An emphasis will be placed on opportunities for value-added
products and nursery production. Jeanine Davis, Mountain
Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center
Getting Your Product
from Farm to Chef
The southern Appalachians
are filled with wonderful restaurants committed to serving the freshest
locally grown food available. Learn what it takes for your farm to market
to are restaurants from local chefs and farmers. Fred Snyder,
The Market Place Restaurant; Hal Oliver, Oliver
Organics
AGR-Lite and Crop Insurance
Learn about the brand new
AGR-Lite whole-farm revenue protection plan of insurance that is now
available in NC. This insurance is well-suited for small to medium scale
farms. Most farm raised crops, animals and animal products are eligible
for protection. In addition, this workshop will cover the basics about
other available crop insurance programs. Phillip Farland,
NC Department of Agriculture; Sandra Strayhorn, USDA
Risk Management Agency
Customer Focus - That
Says it All in Direct Marketing!
Thinking about marketing your
farm products direct to consumers? This workshop will cover the basics
about direct marketing in various venues, including tailgate markets
and Community Supported Agriculture. John O'Sullivan, NC
A&T Cooperative Extension; Annie Louise Perkinson,
Hickory Nut Gap Farm Market Gardens
Internet Marketing:
Level II
This
workshop is geared for the more internet-savvy farmer who wants to improve
Internet marketing skills and explore more advanced topics in using
the Internet as a marketing tool. Creating a domain name, building,
designing, and hosting your own website, and Internet commerce will
be covered. Michelle Mrozkowski, Madison Farms. Workshop
repeated in Session IV.
Workshop
Session III: 2:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Farmers Tailgate Marketing
Come learn everything you
need to know to set up and operate a vendor booth at a tailgate market.
The workshop will focus on tips for producer presentation and other
aspects of selling your goods at market. Charlie Jackson,
President Mountain Tailgate Market Association (MTMA);Vanessa
Campbell, vendor at North Asheville Tailgate Market and Julie
Mansfield, vendor at West Asheville Tailgate Market.
Local Food to Local
Kids: A Farm to School Case Study
Schools are located in every
community and may provide your farm with another valuable market. See
what is being done in western North Carolina now, and learn what you
can do to sell your locally grown food close to home while providing
school children with fresh and healthy food. Emily Jackson,
Growing Minds and Farm to School Director, ASAP; Dewain
Mackey, Mackey Farm
How GAPs and Third Party
Audits Can Make or Break YOUR Markets
Produce, recently thought
of as a safe product, has been identified as a cause of major foodborne
illness outbreaks in recent years. Good Agricultural Practices, or GAPs,
is a voluntary set of general guidelines that focus on four primary
components of production and processing: soil, water, hands, and surfaces.
Voluntary yes, but industry is moving this ball forward fast; a session
with extension agent and grower going through the actual process. Make
sure you don’t get left behind!
Diane Ducharme, NC Cooperative Extension
Agritourism and U-Pick:
Selling a Farm Experience
Agritourism is fast growing
and provides many opportunities for farmers. U-pick operations are one
way to provide a farm experience to visitors. Find out if this is right
for you and your farm. Carol Kline, NCSU; Pam
Zimmerman, Zimmerman Berry Farm
Internet Marketing:
Level I
Is
Internet marketing right for your farm? This workshop will introduce
you to the basics about using a computer, getting connected to the Internet,
and establishing an e-mail address. Learn how to use e-mail for marketing,
how to use listservs and the web for marketing tips and information,
and how to get your farm listed on third party websites. This session
will not cover how to create your own farm
website. Come to Internet Marketing Level II for more advanced topics.
ASAP staff. Workshop repeated in Session III.
Workshop
Session IV: 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Playing & Winning in the
Marketing Game!
Making
a stable living at farming on a small scale is not a wistful dream,
it is within your reach if you have a fundamentally-solid, but flexible
marketing game plan. Why daydream or take unnecessary, risky chances
with your family's present & future livelihood? This workshop will
help you make a U-turn or even begin to take the first step on the rewarding
road that leads to your farm's financial success. Learn how to create
a simple marketing plan that can work wonders for your farm's bottom
line and your personal peace of mind! Theresa Nartea,
NC A&T Cooperative Extension
Packaging
and Handling: From Tailgate to Wholesale
Good packaging and handling
are critical to the success of farmers entering new markets. Learn what
you need to know about packaging and handling in a variety of market
venues, including tailgate markets, grocery stores, and wholesalers.
Ron Ainspan, Mountain Food Products; Rob Everett,
Greenlife Grocery; Missy Huger, Jake's Farm
Marketing to Large Grocers
This workshop will provide
regional farmers with important information on how to deal with and
sell to large grocers. The discussion will include topics such as ordering
and delivery schedules, payment, crop-specific market demand, institutional
legal requirements and packaging/labeling needs. William Shelton,
Shelton Farms
Direct Marketing Pasture
Raised Meats in Western NC
Specialty meats are in great
demand and offer potentially lucrative markets for farmers. Find out
the different types of specialty meats, how to label and market, and
rules and regulations governing sales. Farmers will present on marketing
pastured beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and eggs. John Pilson,
Farm Manager Warren Wilson College; Amy and Jamie Ager,
Hickory Nut Gap Farm Spring House Meats
Internet Marketing:
Level II
This
workshop is geared for the more internet-savvy farmer who wants to improve
Internet marketing skills and explore more advanced topics in using
the Internet as a marketing tool. Creating a domain name, building,
designing, and hosting your own website, and Internet commerce will
be covered. Michelle Mrozkowski, Madison Farms.
*As a
highlight of this year's Conference, we will offer two levels of Internet
Marketing continuously throughout the day.
Conference
Cost:
$20 - includes lunch of locally grown food and marketing resource notebook
Lunch
will include tours of the Warren Wilson Farm and Garden and opportunities
for farmers and produce buyers to meet.
WANT
TO BE A CONFERENCE SPONSOR?
If
you would like to sponsor ASAP's 2005 Marketing Opportunities for Farmers
Conference, contact ASAP to
discuss your options. Your organization or business will receive publicity
on conference materials.
Directions
to and map
of Warren Wilson College and conference location.
Near-by
accommodations:
Holiday
Inn - Biltmore East at Blue Ridge Parkway - 828-298-5611
Motel
6 - 828-299-3040
Days
Inn - 828-298-4000
Super
8 - 828-298-7952
Conference Sponsors:
Sustainers:
Cultivators:
ATTRA
- The National Sustainable Agriculture
Information Service, a project of NCAT
- The National Center for Appropriate Technology
Soil Builders:
Earth
Fare
HandMade
in America
West
End Bakery
Seed Savers:
North
Carolina Farm Bureau Federation
MANNA
FoodBank
Hendersonville
Community Food Co-op
Center
for Participatory Change
North
Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
For more information email conference@asapconnections.org
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy,
this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
Send comments or suggestions to webmaster@asapconnections.org
©Copyright 2005 Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture
Project
Privacy Policy
729 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806 -Join the ASAP E-mail
List serve
Voice: 828-236-1282 or fax: 828-252-2882 email: info@asapconnections.org
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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