Events

At the New Society Publishers booth at the Pennsylvania Mother Earth News Fair, demonstrating how to string weave tomatoes.
Photo Ingrid Witvoet/New Society

Events List Updated 1/15/19

January 11-13, 2019 Virginia Association for Biological Farming, at the Richmond Omni Hotel, 100 S 12th St, Richmond, VA

Friday 1/11 half-day 1-5 pm, Year Round Hoophouse Vegetables:

Which factors should you consider when planning how to keep your hoophouse filled with productive food crops all year? We consider suitable crops for various times of year: cold-hardy winter greens for cooking and salads; turnips, radishes and scallions; early warm weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers; high summer crops such as edamame, cowpeas, melons, sweet potatoes. We also look at less common ideas: bare-root transplants for planting outdoors in spring, seeds, flowers, and cover crops for soil improvement.

The workshop includes ideas on how to maximize use of the space, including transplanting indoors from outdoors in the fall, seasonal transitions, packing more in with succession planting, interplanting and follow-on cropping. Planning is an important part of success: deciding which crops to grow, deciding how much to harvest and how much to plant, crop rotation, mapping and scheduling. We also look at the challenges of low temperatures, nitrate accumulation, snow, soil-borne diseases, and the challenges of summer: high temperatures, bugs, salt build-up. Year-round use includes attention to caring for the soil: maintaining organic matter, and pest management including solarization.

Cold Hardy Winter Vegetables, 90 mins Saturday 1/12 2.30 – 4 pm

Details on crops, timing, protection and storage. Why farm in winter? Here’s the information to succeed – tables of cold-hardiness, details of four ranges of cold-hardy crops (fall crops to harvest before serious cold, crops to keep growing into winter, crops for all-winter harvests, overwintering crops for spring harvests); scheduling; weather prediction and protection; hoophouse growing; vegetable storage.

Crop Planning for Sustainable Vegetable Production, 90 mins Sunday 1/13 4 – 5.30 pm

A step-by-step approach to closing the planning circle, so that you can produce crops when you want them and in the right quantities, so you can sell them where and when you need to and support yourself with a rewarding livelihood while replenishing the soil. Never repeat the same mistake two years running! 

Handouts for all my workshops. Book signings and sales after each workshop.

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January 17-19 (Thurs – Sat), 2019 Future Harvest CASA, 

College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center,

3501 University Boulevard East, Hyattsville, MD 20783

Two 90 min workshops. Book sales and signings after the workshops.

Lettuce Year-Round, Friday 1/18 2.00 – 3.30 pm

This presentation includes techniques to extend the lettuce season using rowcover, coldframes and hoophouses to provide lettuce harvests in every month of the year. The workshop will include a look at varieties for spring, summer, fall and winter. We will consider the pros and cons of head lettuce, leaf lettuce, baby lettuce mix and the newer multileaf types. Information will also be provided on scheduling and growing conditions, including how to persuade lettuce to germinate when it’s too hot.

 Cover Crops for Vegetable Growers, Saturday 1/19 2.00 – 3.30 pm

Use cover crops to feed and improve the soil, smother weeds, and prevent soil erosion. Select cover crops to make use of opportunities year round: early spring, summer, fall and going into winter. Fit cover crops into the schedule of vegetable production while maintaining a healthy crop rotation.  

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January 23-26, 2019 (Weds to Sat)

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Conference, Little Rock, AR. https://www.ssawg.org/conference/

Visit https://www.ssawg.org/january-2019-conference/

https://www.ssawg.org/2019-mini-courses

Thursday January 24, 1 – 5pm Mini-course (4 hours)

Hoophouse Production of Cool Season Crops

Want to know how to keep your hoophouse filled with productive food crops in the cool season? This course is loaded with practical information. In this course you’ll learn: 1) how to choose which crops to grow, including winter greens, turnips, radishes and scallions; 2) how to plan for continuous harvests with maps, schedules, and month by month planting lists; 3) how to maximize use of the valuable space, with transplants, succession planting, interplanting and follow-on cropping. The course also includes tips to help minimize unhealthy levels of nitrates in cold weather with short days.

Diversify Your Vegetable Crops Friday January 25, 8 – 9.15 am (75 mins)

Learn how to make your selection of vegetables the most interesting one around. Offer a broader range of vegetables and keep your customers’ coming back for something new and different, while still supplying their old favorites. Attract restaurant chefs by offering crops and varieties they don’t easily find elsewhere. Introduce your CSA members or your school and other institutional clients to crops they haven’t tried before. This session will help you distinguish between the crops likely to succeed and the siren call of too many weird eggplants.

Book sales and signing Thursday evening.

PASA Conference

February 6-9 2019 Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. Lancaster County Convention Center. https://pasafarming.org/conference/

Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square

1500-2000 people.

Three 90 min workshops,

Sequential Planting of Cool Season Crops in a High Tunnel, Friday 8.45 am – 10.15 am

Which factors should you consider when planning how to keep your hoophouse filled with productive food crops in the cool seasons? Suitable crops, cold-hardiness, deciding which crops to grow, deciding how much to harvest and how much to plant, crop rotation, mapping and scheduling, month by month planting, seasonal transitions, packing more in with succession planting, interplanting and follow-on cropping.

Lettuce Year Round, Saturday 8.45 am- 10.15 am

This presentation includes techniques to extend the lettuce season using rowcover, coldframes and hoophouses to provide lettuce harvests in every month of the year. The workshop will include a look at varieties for spring, summer, fall and winter. We will consider the pros and cons of head lettuce, leaf lettuce, baby lettuce mix and the newer multileaf types. Information will also be provided on scheduling and growing conditions, including how to persuade lettuce to germinate when it’s too hot.

Succession Planting for Continuous Vegetable Harvests Saturday 10.30 am -12 noon.

How to plan sowing dates for continuous supplies of popular summer crops, such as beans, squash, cucumbers, edamame and sweet corn; cold-weather hoophouse greens and year round lettuce. Using these planning strategies can help avoid gluts and shortages.

Handouts

Book-signing

Recordings for sale.

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March 8-10 (Fri-Sun) 2019

Organic Growers School Spring Conference 

Mars Hill University, Asheville, NC.

2000 attendees.

Handouts

Book-signing

Year-Round Growing on the Farm & Garden workshop with Ira Wallace.

Friday all day 9.30 am – 12.00 pm, 1.30-4.30 pm. 30-60 people. 1½ hours for lunch

At Creekside Farms in Arden, NC  https://creeksidefarmwc.com

Join experienced vegetable, herb, and seed growers Pam Dawling & Ira Wallace for a step-by-step approach to growing year-round. Learn the tools to manage space effectively, grow the quantities of crops when you want them, and efficiently meet your growing goals. The workshop will cover:

  • Defining your Market: Are you growing for yourself or for others? When and how much do you need to harvest? Learn about yields of common crops and begin to create a growing plan.
  • Season Extension: From transplants and row cover in the spring, to hoop houses in the winter, learn to keep crops alive through the seasons. Calculate the last worthwhile planting date in your area, and choose a suitable combination of warm weather crops, cool weather crops, storage crops and cold-hardy crops appropriate for your scale.
  • Temperature Resilience: Discover tips to deal with extreme hot and cold temperature ranges including getting seeds germinated, identifying crops that do well in both extremes, and the importance of crop diversification. Climate change necessitates adaptive growing practices. We will incorporate soil building and water management, as well as the importance of seed saving and variety trials.
  • Crop Rotation: Keep roots in the ground at all times! Learn the art of crop rotation using planting calendars, observation, and garden planning. Discover relay planting, cover cropping, isolation distances, plants to attract pollinators, as well as tricks for fitting minor crops into available spaces.

 

 Saturday 3/9/19  and Sunday 3/10/19. 9.00-10.30 am, 90 minute workshop 20-40 people each

Sustainable Farming Practices,

An introduction to year round vegetable production; crop planning and record-keeping; feeding the soil using crop rotations, cover crops, compost making and organic mulches; production tips on direct sowing and transplanting, crop spacing, succession crop scheduling to ensure continuous harvests, efficient production strategies, season extension, dealing with pests, diseases and weeds; determining crop maturity and harvest methods.

March 20-24 2019

Virginia Festival of the Book

Presentation and book signing and sales

Louisa Central Virginia Master Gardeners Group

Thursday April 11, 2019, 9am – noon

Tour of Twin Oaks Gardens, greenhouse and hoophouse

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April 27-28 2019

Mother Earth News Fair Asheville

https://www.motherearthnewsfair.com/north-carolina/

Lettuce Year-Round

This presentation includes techniques to extend the lettuce season using row covers, cold frames, and hoop houses to provide lettuce harvests in every month of the year. The workshop includes a look at varieties for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Pam Dawling considers the pros and cons of head lettuce, leaf lettuce, baby lettuce mix, and the newer multileaf types. She also provides information on scheduling and growing conditions, including how to persuade lettuce to germinate when it’s too hot.

Cold-Hardy Winter Vegetables

Hear details on crops, timing, protection, and storage. Why farm in winter? Here’s the information to succeed: tables of cold-hardiness, including details of four ranges of cold-hardy crops (fall crops to harvest before serious cold, crops to keep growing into winter, crops for all-winter harvests, overwintering crops for spring harvests); scheduling; weather prediction and protection; hoophouse growing; and vegetable storage.

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June 1-2, 2019 Mother Earth News Fair Maryland

https://www.motherearthnewsfair.com/maryland/

Lettuce Year-Round

This presentation includes techniques to extend the lettuce season using row covers, cold frames, and hoop houses to provide lettuce harvests in every month of the year. The workshop includes a look at varieties for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Pam Dawling considers the pros and cons of head lettuce, leaf lettuce, baby lettuce mix, and the newer multileaf types. She also provides information on scheduling and growing conditions, including how to persuade lettuce to germinate when it’s too hot.

Cold-Hardy Winter Vegetables

Hear details on crops, timing, protection, and storage. Why farm in winter? Here’s the information to succeed: tables of cold-hardiness, including details of four ranges of cold-hardy crops (fall crops to harvest before serious cold, crops to keep growing into winter, crops for all-winter harvests, overwintering crops for spring harvests); scheduling; weather prediction and protection; hoophouse growing; and vegetable storage.

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September 13-15, 2019 Mother Earth News Fair PA.

Lettuce Year-Round

This presentation includes techniques to extend the lettuce season using row covers, cold frames, and hoop houses to provide lettuce harvests in every month of the year. The workshop includes a look at varieties for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Pam Dawling considers the pros and cons of head lettuce, leaf lettuce, baby lettuce mix, and the newer multileaf types. She also provides information on scheduling and growing conditions, including how to persuade lettuce to germinate when it’s too hot.

Cold-Hardy Winter Vegetables

Hear details on crops, timing, protection, and storage. Why farm in winter? Here’s the information to succeed: tables of cold-hardiness, including details of four ranges of cold-hardy crops (fall crops to harvest before serious cold, crops to keep growing into winter, crops for all-winter harvests, overwintering crops for spring harvests); scheduling; weather prediction and protection; hoophouse growing; and vegetable storage.

Pennsylvania