TOFGA Conference: Part One
What an experience… My typing can’t keep up with my excitement right now. This past weekend I attended the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association Annual Conference in McKinney, and it was the best decision that I have made in a very long time. Speakers covered everything that ANYONE growing plants or produce needs to know to develop and sustain an organic program of care and cultivation. I came in contact with people that are actually living MY dream of producing organic crops. Now, let’s be honest. When you think of an organic farming conference, you think of something reminiscent of Woodstock. NOT the case this weekend. Most of the attendees were actually conventional farmers assessing their options for adopting an organic program.
One memorable experience was meeting an older couple that run a small organic operation in Eagle Lake, Texas. They are doing exactly what I would love to do: supplying chefs with very specific crops based on their needs. Diane, one of the owners and the “head honcho of planting”, began farming for chefs by way of her previous career as a health inspector. (Isn’t that great! The chefs ALWAYS know who the health inspector is!) She also realized the importance of making fresh vegetables widely available while working with dieticians at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She said, “Everything that was served to the patients was cooked. Cooked, cooked, cooked. Nothing fresh. And these people are already sick!” She also mentioned the importance of eating seasonally and eating locally, specifically with regard to tomatoes: “Tomatoes are not meant to be grown in North America. They are meant to be grown in South America. More than just buying organic, people need to be being LOCAL and SEASONAL.” Her passion for her life’s work was readily apparent and overwhelmingly refreshing – I would love to be in her shoes one day.
Another striking aspect of the conference was the incredible wealth of information that is available to so many people that don’t even know it exists. From companies that supply unique – and highly effective – organic amendments to publications that cater to those utilizing eco-conscious gardening and farming methods, there are so many resources that I think that home gardeners need to know about. (Then again, I always need to remind myself that not everyone who gardens enjoys spending four hours a day reading about or studying up on new methods or scanning the Internet for new and crazy varieties.) Nevertheless, I can’t wait to pour through all of the materials I picked up and then share them with you! Stay tuned for the next entry. I’ll be sharing the top ten organic growing tips I picked up at the conference.
For more information about TOFGA and the conference, click here.
