Friday – Sunday, February 10 -12, Camp Orkila
— from Rhys Hansen —
Join fellow farmers, regional experts, and local food and farm advocates this February 10–12 for a weekend of education, inspiration, and camaraderie at beautiful YMCA Camp Orkila on Orcas Island. The theme for this year’s summit, “Gather & Sow,” highlights community and the sharing of information, and will offer something for farmers, gardeners, and food lovers alike. Engage in workshops, film screenings, sessions, roundtables, and panel discussions focusing on the issues and practical steps essential to creating a sustainable food system.
Thursday Film Screening: SEED: The Untold Story
Kick off the weekend with the screening of SEED: The Untold Story. This film follows the passionate seed keepers protecting our 12,000 year-old legacy. The film will be shown at Seaview Theater at 7:30, with a suggested donation of $10.
Friday Workshops & Taste of the San Juans
On Friday, attend one of several hands-on workshops, including Farm Business Planning and Funding, Permaculture Design for the Farm and Homestead, Managing Soil from Compost to Forage, Food Safety, and Seed Cleaning and Production.
Friday evening activities begin with a seed and scion swap (5:30–8:30 p.m.), followed by Taste of the San Juans—featuring delicious foods from farms and chefs of Lopez, Orcas and San Juan islands (6:30–9:30pm). Tickets to the Taste and the Ag Summit may be purchased at the door or online at www.sjcarc.org/summit/.
Saturday Sessions
Saturday will begin with an inspiring discussion from Agrarian Visionaries including Anne Schwartz, John Navazio, Tom Thornton, and Don Tipping. Choose from over a dozen compelling sessions led by regional experts:
- Building a Seed Production Cooperative
- Food Safety
- Innovations in Local Cuisine
- Agricultural Resiliency in the Face of Climate Change
- Models and Tools for Farmland Access
- Pest and Disease Identification and Organic Management
- Coast Salish Perspective, and more.
Following the sessions, a panel of elected officials will discuss food and agricultural activism. Saturday will conclude with a social with live music, drinks, and a chance to connect with fellow Ag Summit participants. The full schedule of Saturday Sessions is available online on Eventbrite.
The Ag Summit will wrap up Sunday morning with opportunities to recap and discuss findings from the event through informal discussion groups. This will also be a time for participants to come together and formulate a plan for moving forward.
For more detailed information about the 2017 San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit schedule and to register, go to sjcarc.org/summit/ or find our Facebook Event “San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit”. Questions? Contact summit@sjcarc.org.
The 2017 San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit partners include the San Juan County Agricultural Resources Committee, the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild, Washington State University San Juan County Extension, the Northwest Agriculture Business Center, Orcas Food Co-op, YMCA Camp Orkila, the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, and the San Juan Islands Conservation District.
Thank you to our 2017 sponsors: San Juan County, Orcasong Institute, Orcas Island Film Festival, Doe Bay Resort, Blossom Grocery, Local Goods, The Market Chef and Wild Island.
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