VERMONT VEGETABLE AND BERRY GROWERS ANNUAL MEETING
Monday, February 26, 2007, Capital Plaza Hotel, 100 State Street, Montpelier.
(802) 223-5252  www.capitolplaza.com. Sponsored in part by USDA Risk Management

8:30 Registration, Trade Show, Refreshments

9:30 President’s Remarks.  David Marchant, River Berry Farm, Fairfax

9:45 Slide Tour of Vermont Vegetable and Berry Farms.  Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension

10:15 Starting a Community Supported Agriculture Farm in Vermont.  Mimi Arnstein, Wellspring Farm, Marshfield

10:45 How I Get the Government to Pay Me for Good Farming Practices.  Bob Pomykala, Pomykala Farm, Grand Isle, Amanda Gervais, Savage Gardens, North Hero

11:15   Recordkeeping that Works for Highly Diversified Farms.  Dan Kaplan, Brookfield Farm, Amherst MA

11:45 Luncheon and Trade Show

1:15     Business Meeting: Election of Officers, Public Relations, etc.

1:30 Production and Marketing Small Fruit at Norris Berry Farm.  Norma Norris, Norris Berry Farm, Monkton

2:00  Creating a Farm Web Site for Fun and Profit.  Jack Manix, Walker Farm, Dummerston

2:30 My Experience Using Clear Plastic Mulch and Row Covers.  Jake Guest, Killdeer Farm, Norwich

3:00 Agriculture in Lesotho, South Africa.   Ben Pomykala, Peace Corps / Pomykala Farm

3:45 Adjourn  - Trade Show

PRE-REGISTRATIONS  must be received by Feb. 23rd  (Add $5 for at-the-door registrations.) $25 Members or $35 Non-Members, includes lunch and morning coffee.

Membership dues for 2007 are $35. Benefits include: A 2006-2007 New England Vegetable or Small Fruit Management Guide, or a book ‘Managing Cover Crops’ or ‘Building Soils’
or a UVM horticulture video, and a subscription to the Agriview newsletter (which contains the VT Vegetable and Berry News.

Mail your check to: VVBGA, c/o Doug Johnstone, P.O, Box 701, Springfield, VT 05156

For additional information or to request special accommodations, call UVM Extension 802-257-7967 (ext. 13) or E-mail: vernon.grubinger@uvm.edu

NEW ENGLAND GREENHOUSE TOMATO SCHOOL
Wednesday, March 14, 2007. DoubleTree Hotel, Burlington, Vermont.
 
From I-89 take Exit 14E onto Route 2 East. Go straight through traffic light, the hotel is approximately 1/10 of a mile on the right.
Overnight rate is $93. Call 802-658-0250.
Sponsored in part by USDA Risk Management.

8:30     Registration and Coffee

9:00   Update on greenhouse tomato production practices in Quebec.  Andre Carrier, Horticulture Specialist, Quebec Ministry of Agriculture

10:30  Break

10:45 Best management practices for biocontrol of greenhouse tomato pests.  Les Shipp, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

11:30 Grafting tomatoes, hands-on session.  Experienced grafters mentor beginners with live plants (provided).

12:00 Lunch – included in registration fee

1:00  Greenhouse tomato diseases and their management.  Ann Hazelrigg, University of Vermont Extension

1:45  Bees, a new way to deliver microbes for pest control and disease suppression.  Les Shipp, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

2:15  Grower Panel: innovative greenhouse practices.
            Skip Paul, Wishingstone Farm, Little Compton RI
            Mike Collins, Old Athens Farm, Westminster VT
            Dave Colson, New Leaf Farm, Durham, ME

3:00 Questions, answers, discussion

3:30  Adjourn

$30 pre-registration per person includes lunch (registration will be $40 at the door).
Send check to ‘UVM Extension’ c/o Vern Grubinger, 11 University Way, Brattleboro VT 05301-3669.
For more info 802-257-7967 ext. 13, or vernon.grubinger@uvm.edu

OTHER UPCOMING GROWER MEETINGS
(for details see www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry, click on meetings.

Direct Marketing Conference. S. Royalton, VT. Jan. 13, 2007

New Jersey Vegetable Growers Meeting. Atlantic City, NJ. Jan. 16-18, 2007

NOFA-MA Winter Conference. Worcester, MA. Jan. 20, 2007

Mid-Atlantic Vegetable and Fruit Convention. Hershey, PA. Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2007

NH Farm and Forest Expo. Manchester, NH. Feb. 2-3, 2007

New England Vegetable and Berry Grower Meeting. Waltham, MA. Feb. 3, 2007

North American Berry Conference. Ventura, CA. Feb. 9-12, 2007

NOFA-VT Winter Conference. Randolph Center, VT. Feb 10, 2007

Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY. Feb. 14-17, 2007

Perennial Plant Conference. Storrs, CT. March 8, 2007