||| FROM KELSEY GREEN for AGRICULTURAL SUMMIT |||
The 11th Annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit is taking place in-person on San Juan Island March 3 & 4, 2023.
Event highlights include: Friday “Summit Hub” at Brickworks Event Center, where folks can gather, see friends and find resources, with four morning and four afternoon workshop options across San Juan Island; a free Farmer Roundtable at San Juan Island Grange, and an evening Hoedown Celebration.
Saturday is an in-person conference day at University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs, featuring breakfast, lunch, and sixteen sessions across four tracks: Plants, Animals, Water, People, as well as keynote by Katie Pencke: “From Water Conservation to Lard Lip Balm: A Story of Leveraging Challenges to Fuel a Thriving Farm Business.”
Join Katie as she tells the story of Alluvial farms, a thriving farm in the Pacific Northwest producing high quality pork, lard-based wellness products and pet treats, and creating farm experiences that inspire ecological stewardship and resilient local food sheds. Learn how Alluvial embraced surface water conservation, leaned into the value-added market, leveraged coaching and mentorship programs, and layered in mindful events to create a thriving farm business with a goal of increasing equitable land access and improving regional food security.
Housing is available this year at the Conference venue, with various single and shared options. Kids programming is available on Saturday through Little House in the Forest.
Online pre-registration is required this year for all Summit events and runs through February 19. For more details and registration: https://extension.wsu.edu/
The San Juan Islands Agriculture Summit is a valued annual event that provides a unique opportunity for the food and agricultural community from across the islands, and beyond, to gather. Designed as a space for inspiration, education, and camaraderie, the Ag Summit features keynotes, hands-on workshops, presentations by farmers and regional specialists, panel discussions, meals and social events.
The Summit theme this year is The Changing Tides of Island Agriculture which honors the intersections of water and agriculture in the islands, the challenges and opportunities for water use and conservation, as well as the rapidly evolving landscape of our local food system.
Follow the Summit on Facebook: @sjcwsuextension.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
