Dec 6th Meeting of SWFSFN at UF/IFAS Gulfcoast REC in Hillsborough County

Hello members & supporters of the SW FL Small Farmer Network (SWFSFN)!   I am very pleased to send you this announcement and invitation to the next meeting of SWFSFN.  As you know, on July 31^st  and Aug 1^st we held our 2010 Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises Conference.  We now are going to provide you with a follow-up educational event on one of the topics from this conference, i.e., hoop houses and protected agriculture.  It will be hosted by Dr. Bielinski Santos and Teresa Salame.  For background info on their research program see their webpage at http://gcrec.ifas.ufl.edu/SantosHortProgram/index.htm

 

I am sure that you will not want to miss this opportunity for another very worthwhile SWFSFN event and an opportunity for social networking with your fellow small farmers in SW Florida.  Come meet your colleagues who are making our local food systems a reality!   Remember to bring seeds to share for our Seed Swap activity as a demonstration of the usefulness of our collective actions.  Finally, we are planning to have another spectacular pot lunch so bring your locally-grown foods prepared with you special recipes for the holiday season!
 
For your reference, here 's our meetings details and agenda:
 
Date:                         Monday, Dec 6, 2010
Time:                        9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Hosts:                        Teresa Salame and Dr. Bielinski Santos

Place:                        UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research & Education Center, 14625 County Road 672, Wimauma, FL  33598
Directions:                  see the webpage http://gcrec.ifas.ufl.edu/balmmapanddirections07.htm

Cost:                         NONE

RSVP:                        YES, please                      

 

AGENDA

 

9:30 to 10:00 am -                registration

 

10:00 am to 11:00 am -       welcome and presentation

-       Overview of the Research Center and programs.

-       "Solutions for Small Farmers and Home Gardens: Production Practices for Vegetables and Small Fruit Crops

-       Discussion on possible future research programs for meeting the needs of small farmers

 

11:00 am to 12:00 pm -       Tour of research and education on protected agriculture & hydroponics peppers, tomato and strawberries.

 

12:00 to 1:00 pm -                pot luck lunch & seed swap

 

1:00 to 2:00 pm -                  growers meeting - introductions & announcements

      a)  introduction of county SWFSFN grower leaders

                                                            b)   member  comments on 2010 FL Small Farm & Alternative Enterprise Conference in Kissimmee, FL (July 31-Aug 1, 2010)

 

2:00 to 3:00 pm -                  County Extension agents presentations:

      a)      Florida Market Maker demonstration (see http://fl.marketmaker.uiuc.edu/main/index)

      b)      Upcoming education events at county Extension offices

                                                                 c)     TBD

                                  

 . . . please, feel free to pass along this announcement to your fellow small farmers who would be interested in our activities.  If they are not familiar with SWFSFN, please, refer them to both our webpage (see http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/AG/swfsfn.shtml) and Yahoo Group (see http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/SW_FL_Small_Farms/)

 

Thanks,

 

Robert

 

Robert A. Kluson, Ph.D.

Agriculture/Natural Resources Extension Agent II

UF/IFAS - Sarasota County Extension

6700 Clark Road, Sarasota, FL  34241

(941) 232-3090;     FAX (941) 861-9886

http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu/AG/ag.shtml