Celebrating 45 Years!

We are excited to gather together January 22-25, 2025 for our 45th year! Four+ days of more than 50 skill-building workshops in English and Spanish, keynotes, pre-conference events, farm tours, seed swaps, tastings, networking, and expo! Check out the lineup of workshops below.

WORKSHOP TRACKS:

  • Agronomy

  • Commerce

  • Empowerment

  • Environment

  • Fauna

  • Growing

  • Infrastructure

  • Spanish/Español

View workshops by track here.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2025

Keynote: 8:00pm -9:45pm

  • In 1981 a small group of organic farmers and their colleagues convened the first EcoFarm conference in a Winters CA firehouse to network and discuss common interests. A sole guest speaker, entomologist Everett Dietrick, talked about biological control. In early organic farming days, there were “no signs or dividing lines and very few rules to guide”. 45 years later, we find ourselves with a full-fledged organic “industry” featuring market share, commodification, and rules galore, amidst a world more full of toxins than ever. Are we a success? Are we victims of this success? And what might the next 45 years look like for our movement and agriculture itself?

    In this moderated format we’ll hear from seasoned veterans of that early EcoFarm conference and fresh creators of ecological farming’s future, spinning threads that intertwine past, present, and yet to be.

    Moderator: Tom Willey, T & D Willey Farm, emeritus

    Speakers: Miguel Altieri, UC Berkeley, emeritus; Dru Rivers, Full Belly Farm; Chanowk Yisrael, Yisrael Farms; Sarah Patterson, Red Acre Farm

    Chanowk Yisrael was born and raised in the South Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento, California, an area identified as a “food desert” by the USDA. During the 2008 economic crash, Chanowk began growing food in his backyard as a response to rising food prices. In 2011, Chanowk traded in his frequent flyer miles for seeds and soil and together with his wife Judith, started Yisrael Farms & began to learn the answers that are contained in the soil. For the past 13 years, Yisrael Farms has been a beacon of ecological land stewardship, regenerative agriculture, racial equity and justice, community building, and workforce development & consists of multiple locations that include chickens, livestock, & market gardens. Yisrael Farms is not only providing healthy food for the community but changing the narrative & overcoming the systemic barriers that stand between us, land & justice. Chanowk has served as president of Slow Food Sacramento, is a founding member of the California Farmer Justice Collaborative, and is on the leadership team of the National Black Food Justice Alliance.

    Dru Rivers is a founding partner of Full Belly Farm where she has dedicated her life to sustainable farming through education, day to day operations, flower and animal production and 41 years of farmers markets. Dru raised her 4 children at the farm, with hands on schooling and organic food that made three of them want to stay on and become partners in the farming operation. Dru has served on the Board of Directors of EcoFarm for 40 years and has played a significant role in fundraising for the organization through the Hoes Down Harvest Festival - an on-farm fundraising event that is now in its 33rd year. Dru has been a speaker, writer and visionary for the past 40 years on organic farming practices around the state.

    Miguel A Altieri is an emeritus Professor of Agroecology at the University of California, Berkeley. He has conducted most of his research in California and Latin America working closely with farmers on implementing principles of agroecology to design productive, biodiverse, and resilient farming systems. He has written more than 250 scientific articles and more than 40 books among them Agroecology: the science of sustainable agriculture, Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems and Agroecology: Science and Politics. He is currently Co-Director of the Centro Latino Americano de Investigaciones Agroecologicas (CELIA –www.celia.agroeco.org). He is also a farmer in the hillsides of south west Antioquia, Colombia, where together with his wife, Dr. Clara Nicholls, they established an agroecological lighthouse promoting food sovereignty projects in impoverished neighboring rural communities.

    Sara Patterson is a farmer, activist, chef, and entrepreneur. At age 10, her family moved from the San Fernando Valley to rural Southern Utah. At age 14, she officially started Red Acre Farm, a CSA with four shareholders and one acre. It is now a 2-acre biodynamic certified organic farm with a full diet CSA, farm stand, kitchen, and farm stay. At age 20, Sara co-founded Red Acre Center, a nonprofit for Food and Agriculture. The Center has passed over 19 bills directly helping farmers and artisan producers. It hosts the Utah Farm and Food Conference in its ninth year.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2025

Session A: 8:30am-10:00am

  • INFRASTRUCTURE

    Plasticulture has revolutionized  the agricultural landscape by providing innovative solutions for crop production, irrigation, and soil management. However, the growing dependency on plastic in agriculture has raised concerns about environmental sustainability. In this session, we will explore various strategies to reduce our reliance on agricultural plastics. We will discuss methods for reusing plastic materials, identify alternatives that can replace conventional plastic products, and explore effective recycling practices that have been widely adopted across CA Central Coast. 

    Speakers: Jazmine Mejia-Munoz, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey, CA; TBA

  • AGRONOMY

    Second Generation Seeds tends to the kinship between the Asian and South West Asian/North African (SWANA), particularly Palestinian diasporas and the plants who have evolved alongside us. They are working as a collective of Palestinian and AAPI farmers and organizers focused on preserving, improving, and breeding crops significant to their respective communities. At a time of erasure, ecocide, and genocide in Palestine, saving seeds reminds us of life and its sacred value. Through their Seed program, they are building a decentralized seed network, where preservation means actively growing and continually improving. Growers around the country share, multiply and adapt seeds to various climates. We will hear stories of some of these seeds and their keepers.

    Speakers: Kristyn Leach, Second Generation Seeds, Winters, CA; Scott Chang-Fleeman, Second Generation Seeds;  Nadia Barhoum, Second Generation Seeds, El Sobrante, CA

  • ENVIRONMENT

    After a year of accepting public comments and hosting listening and working group sessions, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has put forward a definition of regenerative agriculture for state policies and programs. With this definition and its associated practices, we hope to see more holistic methods of farming that protect, sustain, and enhance natural resources on our farms and farming communities throughout California.

     Hear from various agricultural stakeholders on how this new definition sets the bar for other states to establish environmental, human health, and climate goals.

    Moderator: Rebekah Weber, CCOF

    Speakers: Elizabeth Whitlow, ROA & Regenerative Agriculture Work Group; Eric Morgan, Braga Fresh Family Farms; Bryce Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms

  • ESPAÑOL/SPANISH

    Exploraremos la producción avícola en pastoreo, y las decisiones prácticas para gestionar un negocio. Un guía empresarial de NCAT/ATTRA abarca la planificación integral de la granja; presupuestos; selección de razas; salud preventiva; diseño de viviendas; manejo de depredadores; suelos saludables; incrementación del negocio; y reglamentos de procesamiento. Conclusiones sobre la rentabilidad del sistema avícola integrado con cultivos serán discutidas en este taller.


    Speakers: Ann Baier, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Soquel, CA; Myrna Cadena, University of CA, Davis, Davis, CA; Areli Fentanes Marquez, Rancho Soquel, Soquel, CA

  • INFRASTRUCTURE

    Being able to readily and accurately assess the quality of land for agricultural uses can be instrumental in avoiding pitfalls down the road. While time is always a constraint, having the right set of questions prepared ahead of time around soil and water quality, and critical infrastructure, like housing, barns, electrical and cold storage are going to go a long way to helping you make a clear-headed and rational decision. In this session, we will walk through this process with past Sustie award winner Jim Leap, who has led feasibility assessments for multiple land trusts and organizations. After Jim’s presentation, which will walk through some past assessments, we will engage in a Q&+A as well as a land assessment exercise that attendees will be able to take with them.

    Speaker: Jim Leap, School Road  Farm, Aromas, CA

  • COMMERCE

    With stiff competition at farmers' markets, it is imperative to present crops and products in a way that stimulates customers to visit your stand. Speakers will discuss how to engage customers with beauty, color, and bounty, and to make the most of the space and products available. Hear from an experienced organic market farmer and a market manager about creating abundance in your stall and optimizing sales.

    Speakers: Jamie Collins, Serendipity Farm, Aromas, CA; Dina Izzo, Urban Village Farmers Market Assn. & EcoFarm, Ben Lomond, CA

  • GROWING

    Integrated crop-livestock farms combine livestock and crops by using their animals to graze crop residues and cover crops. Integrating livestock in crop production has many benefits such as reducing pests or weeds, increasing soil fertility, and strengthening farm income. Soil health is improved when soil remains “covered” between cash crops using cover crops. Since ICLS require cover crops for forage, livestock grazing allows implementation of several soil health principles to help conserve natural resources and reduce nitrate leaching thus increasing  soil fertility and leading to higher nutrient density of crops. This workshop will cover good agricultural practices using livestock, food safety mitigation strategies, and soil health benefits. Researchers will provide the latest findings on multi-state research conducted on these systems. Farmers will share their experience with livestock integration in orchards and vegetable production systems. 

    Speakers: Amelie Gaudin, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; Rosie Burroughs, Burroughs Family Farms, Denair, CA; Rye Muller, Full Belly Farms, Guinda, CA

  • GROWING

    Urban Agriculture is crucial for communities and local economies, diversity of ecosystems, and climate resiliency. The workshop will highlight a collective set of goals aimed at uplifting the importance of and need to support urban agriculture in California. Urban agriculture is a vital entryway for urban communities to connect to the greater food system. This session  will offer space for important discussion around bridging urban and rural agricultural communities to build stronger relationships and power for our local food producers. It will also inform participants about the benefits and challenges of urban agriculture, current programs and opportunities, and how to advocate for all of California’s small farms. 

    Speakers: Keely Cervantes, CAFF, Chula Vista, CA; Julieta Munoz, Growing Roots Farm, Pomona, CA;

Session B: 10:30-12:00 pm

  • AGRONOMY

    Ecological Place Making from the Backyard to the Ranch from the Gardener to the Professional

    Regenerative landscaping is the most straightforward and effective method for transforming millions of lives and acres through ecological place making, water harvesting, carbon sequestration, food production, and community building. 

    Learn from Erik Ohlsen, author of The Regenerative Landscaper, lifelong expert in Regenerative Design and owner of Permaculture Artisans, a professional landscape contracting company established 20 years ago.

    Learn why transforming the landscape industry one backyard and farm at a time, is the quickest way to scale a regenerative economy, and bring life sustaining sustenance to all living beings. 

    Speaker: Erik Olhson, Permaculture Artisans, Sebastopol, CA

  • EMPOWERMENT

    How to grow plants, people, & communities together! Founded in 2009, Planting Justice’s mission is to empower youth & adults impacted by mass incarceration & other social inequities with the urban agricultural skills & resources to cultivate food sovereignty, economic justice, & community healing. Speakers–all formerly incarcerated–include: Manager of PJ’s 3-acre East Oakland Aquaponics Farm & Training Center (currently under construction) which will grow 180,000 pounds of organic produce & offer a workforce development program to train dozens per semester & incubate local urban farms. PJ grant writer & land steward of PJ’s 4-acre Mother Farm in El Sobrante, which grows 1000 varieties for propagation at our 2-acre East Oakland Nursery. PJ’s Holistic Reentry Program Coordinator, who supports staff and family members with wrap-around reentry support services.

    Speakers: Covonne Page, Planting Justice, Oakland, CA; Sol Mercato, Planting Justice, Oakland, CA; Mark Fujiwara, Planting Justice, Oakland, CA

  • COMMERCE

    Is your organic business ready for a marketing boost? Attend this workshop to learn about a new marketing toolkit from CCOF and CAFF, covering concepts and practical steps to enter new markets. Tools will be provided in English and Spanish, emphasizing resources for small and underserved growers.

    This session is supported by the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program


    Speakers: Arabelle Schoenberg, CAFF, Santa Rosa, CA; Paulina Hernandez, CAFF, Salinas, CA; Grace Jackson, CAFF, Sonora, CA

  • AGRONOMY

    Weeds are a persistent issue in vegetable production. This session discusses effective rotations, ground preparation, water management, and cultivation for weed control, along with new technologies for removal, including laser weeding.


    Speakers: Jim Leap, School Road Farm, Aromas, CA; Richard Smith, University of California Cooperative Extension, Salinas, CA; TBD

  • ESPAÑOL/SPANISH

    Un suelo saludable empieza con un equilibrio entre el agua y el aire para los microorganismos. Este equilibrio apoya las comunidades microbianas y el ciclo de nutrientes. El manejo de riego desempeña una función importante en este equilibrio. La presentación incluirá la importancia del oxígeno y el agua en el suelo, técnicas para mantener la humedad adecuada, una actividad práctica midiendo la humedad del suelo, y una presentación sobre enfermedades del suelo, plagas y nematodos que ocurren por exceso de agua.

    Speakers: Daniel Hoffman, National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), San José, California; Martin Guerena, NCAT, Davis, California; Eduardo Medrano and Noemi Avalos, E&N Organic Farms, Salinas, California

  • GROWING

    Chef Beth Dooley and grower Gary Nabhan will discuss the spice crops already grown on a limited scale in the U.S, that have adaptations to the increasingly arid landscapes they call Plant Desert. Many of these are high-value, hand-picked crops ideal for growing in the shade understory of agrisolar and aggoforestry systems in the Sun belt, and yet we import most of the spices and dried herbs currently used in America. By collaborating with immigrant farmers, farmworkers and chefs  who grew up with these spices in agroforestry systems and now hope to harvest and use them, we will reduce imports, water and energy use per acre and protect farmworker exposure to extreme heat and dehydration.

    Speakers: Gary Nabhan, Tucson, AZ; Beth Dooley, Twin Cities, MN

  • FAUNA

    The CA Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap has been released by CDPR and will be encouraging all growers to evaluate their pest management program. The mandate is to learn to manage pests more holistically. What does that mean and how do growers comply? Learn about the SPM Roadmap and its way forward and how growers can start the process, utilizing more holistic tools of pest management and encouraging a Whole Systems Approach on the farm.

    Speakers: Julie Henderson, CA Dept. Pesticide Regulation, Sacramento, CA; Gina Colfer, Wilbur Ellis Ag, Salinas, CA

  • ENVIRONMENT

    Consumer demand for local products is increasing each year while smaller farms and other producers face increased scrutiny from regulatory agencies. This workshop explores federal and state regulations that particularly impact small farms, including the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Rule, the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act, state regulation of raw dairy and Right to Farm laws. We will consider state regulation of cottage food production, value-added products, agritourism and more. As many regulations impacting independent producers are at the state level, we will address California and neighboring states’ laws. We will also touch on the impact of county, municipal, or township regulations that impact smaller producers such as zoning, land use ordinances, and sales regulation.

    Speakers: Alexia Kulwiec, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Madison, WI; Peter Ruddock, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Los Banos, CA; Javier Zamora, JSM Organics, Aromas, CA

Keynote: 1:30pm-2:45pm

  • In his new history of resistance from the US/Mexico border region, Nabhan shows an unbroken chain of resistance to colonial forces, as well as creative disruption and innovation to the present day. The key themes of the new book, Against the American Grain, are that innovation usually emerges from the margins of our society, that bilingual and multicultural individuals generate problem-solving strategies that spill out from rural areas to enrich all of America, and that multi-cultural collaborations have enriched American landscapes and protected the poor and marginalized in innumerable ways.

    With a farm workforce that now includes climate refugees from more than a dozen desert countries, we should anticipate another wave of resistance and innovation. Speaking as an orchard-keeper, agave and spice-grower, and rural community development organizer with a half century of experience, Nabhan will inspire more direct action from multicultural alliances that will leave no farmer, farmworker or food service worker behind.

    Gary Paul Nabhan is a recipient of a Sustie Award for his work on sustainable food systems in the bi-national Southwest. He is a Lebanese-American and grandson of an Arab fruit peddler who became a refugee from climate catastrophe and war in the Middle East. He is also an Interfaith Franciscan Brother who has spearheaded the Sacred Plant Biocultural Recovery Initiative for which he has received awards from foundations in the U.S. and Arab World. He is author of 35 books, most recently the James Beard award-winning Agave Spirits, Against the American Grain, and Chile, Clove and Cardamom. He grows over 100 varieties of desert adapted fruits and nuts, 55 of agaves, and two dozen spice crops near the U.S./Mexico border.

Session C: 3:30pm-5:00pm

  • GROWING

    There are hundreds of medicinal plant species that can be grown in North America. Most of them are perennial and not appealing to herbivores or insect pests and some don’t even need water! Sounds too good to be true? It might be. Lots of species are slow growing and hard to propagate. Also, a commercial scale drier is pretty much a prerequisite if you want shelf-stable products. Oh, and you will have to deal with FDA compliance, not just USDA. But with prices that are literally higher than gold, maybe it's worth planting a row and trying your luck. If you are curious about adding medicinal herbs to your crop rotation, come listen to a panel of experts share their hard-earned lessons.

    Speakers: Noey Turk, Yes Yes Nursery, Santa Barbara, CA; TBD

  • GROWING

    Public Land Grant universities in recent years have mostly abandoned classical plant breeding, and large, global, private seed companies have focused on developing just a few broadly adapted cultivars and eliminating the rest. As a result, regional, farm-based seed companies have emerged to fill some of the void for trialing, assessing, breeding and selecting many climate-resilient and dependable varieties over a wide range of bioregions, leading to a resurgence of biodiversity, and a greater number of seed choices in the marketplace. Seed company success will ultimately depend on forging strong, lasting relationships with seed farmers for supplying open pollinated, true-to-type, adaptable seed and creating a strategic partnership that offers business opportunities benefiting them both. 

    Speakers: Don Tipping, Siskiyou Seeds, Williams/OR; Kristyn Leach, Second Generation Seeds, Sebastopol/CA; Quin Shakra, All Good Things Organic, Ojai/CA

  • FAUNA

    Plant diversity in and around the farm, spread out evenly through time and space, deters pests and/or enhances natural enemies. Increasing soil organic matter through green or animal manures, compost and other amendments enhance antagonists that control soilborne pathogens. When there is a diversity of habitat and a diversity of soil microorganisms, it makes for better pest control because there are enough niches for a variety of beneficials and other resources. The beneficials can provide a blanket of attack, instead of the big predatory insects eating the small ones, or soil pathogens dominating, if there is little food available and little competition. These critical concepts help farmers' understanding of what happens when bringing nature back to the farm.

    Speakers: Dr. William E. Snyder, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Dr. Miguel Altieri, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

  • COMMERCE

    Learn all about USDA free technical and financial assistance programs for organic growers including organic transition incentives. Workshop speakers from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will explain how to request free NRCS planning & engineering services, establish eligibility and make application for financial assistance from the USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA) for a wide variety of farmland/crop/soil & irrigation water enhancing practices that benefit crops including practices to improve and protect the natural resources that exist on organic farms. NRCS and FSA Centers are located and accessible throughout the United States. A question-and-answer period will be included at the end of the workshop. Note: NRCS is a non-regulatory agency.

    Speakers: Drew Mather, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Capitola, CA; Karen Lowell, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Salinas, CA; Heidi Cartan, Common Roots Organic Farm, Santa Cruz, CA

  • DISCUSSION GROUP

    Join members of the California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force to share your priorities and ideas related to equitable land access for agriculture and traditional tribal agricultural uses. This session will begin with a short update on the work of the Task Force and then transition into a group discussion where we'll hear from attendees about their land access experiences, priorities, and models that should be well-resourced. The conversation will inform the Task Force as they develop recommendations on how to address the land equity crisis and submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature by January 2026. 

    Speakers: James Nakahara, Kitchen Table Advisors, Task Force member, Santa Cruz, CA; Tessa Salzman, Strategic Growth Council, Agricultural Land Equity Task Force, Oakland, CA; TBD

  • ENVIRONMENT

    Bringing food safety and conservation objectives together can result in challenges during audits, especially third party audits or second party audits from distributors. Because comanagement of both food safety and conservation are important to achieving environmental and human health objectives, being prepared to address audit concerns regarding risk management is key. Learn about food safety hazards and risks associated with conservation practices such as hedgerows, vegetated ditches and non-crop beneficial insect habitat. What does science tell us about Real vs Perceived risks? Develop a Risk Management approach to analyzing hazards and assessing risk as well as responding to challenges by auditors. 

    Speakers: Armando Figueroa, Braga Fresh, Soledad, CA; Amy Lamendella, CCOF/ Earth Violet Consulting, Santa Cruz, CA; Alda Pires, University of CA, Davis, Davis, CA

  • ESPAÑOL/SPANISH

    La planificación y la preparación son elementos esenciales de la preparación y la resiliencia de las poblaciones vulnerables antes, durante y después de un desastre. En California, los trabajadores del campo constituyen un grupo vulnerable que enfrenta desafíos al prepararse para los desastres. Este taller educativo proporciona recursos e información sobre preparación para desastres para mejorar los esfuerzos de preparación de agricultores y trabajadores del campo, reforzando así su resiliencia ante los desastres. Este taller es crucial para quienes desempeñan un papel fundamental en la infraestructura crítica de los sistemas de producción de alimentos durante los desastres. Los participantes se llevarán recursos y plantillas para planificar y preparar a sus comunidades para desastres y no planificados.

    Presentadores: Emily Jane Freed, Farmer Freed, Santa Cruz, CA; Marsha Habib, Propietario de una granja orgánica, Hollister, CA; Daniel Gutierrez, CA Listos, Monterey, CA

  • EMPOWERMENT

    Come learn about Farm to Corrections California, an innovative and exciting effort increasing incarcerated people’s access to fresh, local fruits and vegetables, while expanding markets for small and medium growers. Our Harvest of the Month program – the first in a prison system in the US – is partnering with a local food hub to deliver organic and sustainably grown produce to over 90,000 individuals incarcerated in California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities. This workshop will explore our efforts to improve the food environment for incarcerated people while supporting local and organic agriculture, and our trauma-informed nutrition education workshops for returning citizens released from incarceration. Come learn about our successes, challenges, future plans and market opportunities for growers!

    Speakers: Heile Gantan, Impact Justice, Los Angeles, CA; Kassandra Bacon, Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, CA; Hope Sippola, Spork Food Hub/Fiery Ginger Farm, Davis, CA

  • COMMERCE

    A video clip taken by a smartphone shows new farm equipment that harvests broccoli. A series of photos tells the story of how potatoes are seeded and transplanted. An infographic introduces new production staff at the start of the growing season. Social media is a powerful platform in amplifying initiatives on your farm, telling your story and in doing so connecting you with the greater community including consumers. This workshop covers the basics of social media and is intended for aspiring, new or experienced farmers, who are running the farm, and having to market/publicize their work with limited resources/budget. Social media is also a good strategy for low-cost online sales/marketing. Taught by a journalist and communications specialist you’ll get real-life, practical ideas and explanations to help you build a successful online presence, grow your customer base, and sell more products.

    Speakers: Lauryl Gonzalez, From Farms to Incubators, Monterey, CA; Amy Wu, Farms to Incubators, NY

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025

Keynote: 8:30am -11:00am

  • Kelly Brown is a queer farmer and florist living and working on traditional land of the Amah Mutsun in Santa Cruz, CA. Kelly started Do Right Flower Farm in 2020, farming four acres of organic specialty cut flowers at the northern tip of coastal Santa Cruz County, CA. Do Right is the culmination of 11 years of prior experience growing and selling flowers at Blue Heron Farms in Corralitos, CA and a desire to make a positive and equitable contribution through their work. For Kelly, owning a farm business is an opportunity to create a supportive and growth-focused working environment for themself and other underrepresented workers. They believe in the revolutionary quality of cultivating natural beauty and becoming intimate with natural cycles. Prior to farming, Kelly received BAs in Feminist Studies and Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz and was a worker/owner in a local bike messenger co-op. When they are not tending to the farm business, Kelly is wandering the streets and mountains of Santa Cruz, CA with their dog, practicing yoga, and learning to take it easy.

    Born and raised in San Diego, CA, Justin Miller spent his early career running large scale food manufacturing plants in both Sonoma County and Southern California and now calls Placer County home. Along with his wife and partner Camelia Enriquez, Justin owns and operates Twin Peaks Orchards, a 100-acre certified organic farm growing specialty varieties of fruits and vegetables. Founded in 1912 by Camelia’s family, Justin made a promise to her grandfather to continue the orchard in his legacy, farming in respect to the land and its natural resources. In addition, Justin is very involved in supporting local agriculture, serving on the Board of Directors for CCOF, as chairperson for CDFA Small Scale Producers Advisory Committee, and is the current Board President of the Sebastopol Farmers Market. Aside from farming, Justin spends his spare time reading, cooking, traveling and enjoying time with their children and beloved dogs.

    Wanda Stewart is the Executive Director of Common Vision, an organization “doing good” at the nexus of education, food, and the environment. Common Vision’s work reflects gardens in schools, trees in ground, and food to families, with a focus on the needs of disenfranchised communities of color and school children. After many professional years as a school administrator, Wanda defines her essential roles now as farmer, community organizer, and enthusiastic tree-hugging environmental steward. As a Black woman, mother and teacher, what’s central are cultural connections, creativity and courageous conversations to her personal growth, her work in community, and her steadfast determination to be of meaningful service in the transition to a blossoming new world.

    Javier Zamora came from a farming background in Mexico and landed in Los Angeles at the age of 20. For the next 20 years, Zamora learned English and eventually attended college at the age of 43, earning a degree in Horticulture. Following college, he attended Agriculture and Land Based Learning (ALBA,) whose mission is to create economic opportunity for limited-resource and aspiring organic farmers through land-based education in the heart of the Salinas Valley. After completing the rigorous program, he began his farming career on an acre and one-half or organic ground. Today, Zamora farms 65 acres in the Pajaro Valley. And more importantly, Zamora is giving back --- mentoring farmers and providing an important voice in the organic community. He currently mentors several first generation farmers, showing them where to get financial help, how to look for land and how to access other resources to be successful. He regularly collaborates with organizations that have the shared vision of supporting family farms and building a more equitable food system.

Session D: 10:30am -12:00pm

  • FAUNA

    Choosing what practices and materials to use is key to success for both growers newly transitioning to organic methods and seasoned farmers. Technology is adding to the toolbox of materials to use for pest and disease control. Hear about the factors going into the decision to treat crops following organic principles, and about the science behind several of the newest biological substances for a wide variety of problems. Some products confirmed include: 1). ProBlad® Verde, a polypeptide-based product with a unique mode of action against Fire Blight, Botrytis, Powdery Mildew and more. 2). Eckosil Shield Cuticle Enhancer, used for crop heat stress and sunburn. Other products may include innovative fermentation of micro-organisms or plants, and highly micronized minerals that are effective in much lower concentrations than in the past.

    Speakers: Jon Martin, Sym-Agro, Visalia, CA; Zea Sonnabend, Fruitilicious Farm, Watsonville, CA; TBA

  • DISCUSSION GROUP

    Our annual Policy Discussion Group is always a great place to talk about how policy affects farmers. This year we will dive deeper into local regulation and talk about working at the county level with local Agriculture and Environmental Health Departments. We always look forward to hearing from farmers about the problems they are experiencing, some of which we can help them overcome by working to understand the regulation, some by correcting the regulator, while others are collected toward future law changes. 

    Speakers: Peter Ruddock, Resilient Foodsheds, Santa Nella, CA; Paul Towers, CAFF, Sacramento, CA

  • ESPAÑOL/SPANISH

    El acceso a terrenos agrícolas es uno de los principales retos que agricultores y ganaderos de mediana y pequeña escala deben enfrentar con más y más frecuencia. Los altos precios del terreno agrícola en California, la escasez de terrenos apropiados para la agricultura y ganadería de menor escala son sólo algunas de las razones que han llevado a organizaciones y grupos de agricultores a buscar alternativas no convencionales. Varias organizaciones y productores han comenzado a acercarse cada vez más a California FarmLink con preguntas sobre las estructuras de acuerdos apropiadas y consideraciones para ayudar a garantizar el éxito de estos esfuerzos grupales de acceso a terrenos. Acompáñenos en una conversación con agricultores, sobre cómo enfrentan estos desafíos a través de modelos alternativos de acceso a terrenos agrícolas.


    En un panel de discusión dirigido por un miembro del equipo de acceso a tierras de California Farmlink, los agricultores y proveedores de servicios discutirán su experiencia y cómo tener o no acuerdos por escrito y contratos les han enseñado lecciones importantes.

    Presentadores: Hugo Sanchez, Tierras Milperas, Watsonville, California; Isabel Rosas, Dream Farm, Soledad, California; Laura Poliné González, California Farmlink, Aptos, California

  • AGRONOMY

    Reduced till management involves a system that depends on scale. Large, medium and small scale farms may have very different methods and equipment. Many have tried, and many don’t give up after repeated trial failures. Why? Because of their vision of the future and what it holds and how reduced till can help them get there. Differences in scale matters because of differences in market, selling price, crop variety, equipment, field management/culture, acreage, weed and pest management, plant health, soil health, business goals and long term view. Learn from the farmers themselves who are trialing reduced till at each of these scales. Find out what works and what doesn’t. What do they need to think about to be successful and what does success look like? 

    Speakers: Eric Morgan, Braga Fresh, Salinas, CA; Elizabeth Kaiser, Singing Frogs Farm, Sebastopol, CA; Paul Muller, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, CA

  • INFRASTRUCTURE

    Are you wondering where to focus your attention when it comes to high-quality agricultural jobs and retaining a capable workforce? In this presentation we will narrow in on employment practices that can increase employee and employer well-being and business performance, share helpful resources and areas of change, and hear from experts in the field. Using the results of a agricultural job survey developed by UC Cooperative Extension, we will explore key elements that contribute to job satisfaction, based on11 categories. Among Napa vineyard workers, results indicate that four major sources of job (dis)satisfaction predict turnover: communication, pay, nature of agricultural work, and family commitments. We’ll dive into how improvements in these areas can increase job satisfaction and retention of existing workers to stabilize the agricultural workforce. This workshop features California FarmLink staff, and partners who run a course focused on creating quality agricultural jobs.

    Speakers: Judith Redmond, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, CA; Malcolm Hobbs, University of California Cooperative Extension, Napa County

  • EMPOWERMENT

    Come learn about the business side such as building a team, knowing your market, early investments, and navigating bureaucracy, as well as the soil side, such as crop diversity and creating systems. Kelly started their farming career by selling flowers for Blue Heron Farm at their farmer's market booth and then went on to spend another 10 years growing crops, learning the business, and building out the flower program at Blue Heron, and now owns and runs their own farm, Do Right Flower Farm.

    Speakers: Kelly Brown, Do Right Flower Farm, Santa Cruz, CA; TBD

  • COMMERCE

    Partnering with retailers and wholesalers can be a great way to generate new outlets for your products. It can also present challenges that can take multiple deliveries to identify and adjust to. Get ahead of the learning curve on the expectations of grocers and distributors and how they can differ from direct-to-consumer sales. Experienced buyers from retail and wholesale establishments provide a crash course on what they look for from partner producers, from invoicing and product grading to crop planning and the ever more complex compliance requirements; from scheduling deliveries to maintaining tight communication.

    Moderator: David Weinstein, Corvallis, OR   

    Speakers: Shane Terry, Earls Organics, San Francisco, CA; Jonathan Kitchens, Good Earth Markets, Marin County; Veritable Vegetable, San Francisco, CA

  • Item description

  • GROWING

    Everyone has seen and heard about regenerative agriculture, particularly how ranchers and farmers are able to build soil quality, increase available forage crops, and sequester atmospheric carbon. Come learn from the local practitioners who have successfully cracked the code on regenerative grazing with animals. 

    Speakers: Carrie Richards, Richards Regenerative;  Paul Glowaski, Knuckleball Agricultural Services

Session E: 1:30pm-3:00 pm

  • ESPAÑOL/SPANISH

    Explora el papel crítico de la planificación, el mantenimiento de registros precisos y la creación de redes de recursos en la agricultura. Esta presentación cubrirá el desarrollo de un plan de gestión de riesgos para mejorar la sostenibilidad y rentabilidad en las operaciones agrícolas. Aprende cómo estas prácticas fundamentales pueden ayudarte a construir un negocio agrícola más resiliente y exitoso.

    Presentadores: Tania Zuniga, Kitchen Table Advisors, Salinas, CA; Wendy Sosa, Kitchen Table Advisors, Sacramento , CA

  • DISCUSSION GROUP

    Quite a few communities have established food sheds in recent years. These are organized to benefit local farmers and increase the resilience for regional food supply systems. They are also very complex and require a tremendous amount of planning to implement a lasting structure. Come listen to a panel of food hub organizers and managers from across the West to learn from their successes, challenges and about how you can join the movement.

    Speakers: Ellee Igoe, Foodshed Cooperative, San Diego CA; Jason Diven Triple 3 Family Farm Lake City, CA; Keng VangFresno BIPOC ProduceFresno, CA

  • AGRONOMY

    Cover crops are essential for vegetable and strawberry production but can be difficult to integrate due to high land rents and scheduling conflicts. This session explores innovative strategies to include cover crops without disrupting planting schedules, along with novel species for increasing cover crop diversity.

    Speakers: Michael Cahn, University of California Cooperative Extension, Salinas, CA; Eric Brennan, USDA, ARS, Salinas, CA; John Bauer, Keithly Williams Seeds, Nevada City, CA

  • ENVIRONMENT

    People are working towards recognizing the Right-to-Food as a human right, enshrining that right in state constitutions. The components of a Right-to-Food include accessibility, availability, adequacy, and sustainability, enabling producers and consumers to determine local food pathways. The process has begun to pass a Constitutional Amendment in California. We’ll explore that and the impact of such an amendment with its author.

    Speakers: Senator Melissa Hurtado (invited), California Legislature, Fresno, CA; Fiona Lu, What We All Deserve, Los Angeles, CA

  • ENVIRONMENT

    After 10 years of planning and preparation, 2024 marks the start of implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Hear from three farmers about groundwater plans in their regions, their involvement in local groundwater conversations, and how family farmers in different parts of the state are being impacted. Attendees will leave the session with resources on how to find clear information about SGMA implementation in various parts of California, given the regional variety of Groundwater Sustainability Plans and proposed management actions. The session will be framed around the importance of sustainable rural livelihoods, access to drinking water, and environmental needs in the context of water conservation and management.

    Speakers: Jesse Trace, Traceland Organics, Cayucos, California; Rosie Burroughs, Burroughs Family Farms, Denair, California

  • FAUNA

    Barn Owls are voracious predators of common rodent pests, such as gophers, voles, mice, and rats. Owls from a single nest can consume upwards of 3,000 rodents annually. While their diet comprises over 99% of these agricultural pests, they use riparian zones, and conserving these natural areas could benefit owls. Beavers can help restore our wetlands, creating waterways that are more resilient to floods, droughts, and even wildfire. Learn about the best designs and management for barn owl nest boxes and innovative tools and strategies for supporting and co-existing with beavers. Fostering these pest control managers and ecosystem engineers in our agricultural landscapes increases farm viability and sustainability. 

    Speakers: Breanna Martinico, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Napa, CA; Audrey Taub, SLO Beaver Brigade, Atascadero, CA

  • EMPOWERMENT

    Women are seldom at the forefront of farming and ranching, yet they are often the backbone of the operations. Women have plowed through the challenges, and they’ve also changed American agriculture, operating more diversified, regenerative farms and ranches compared to their male counterparts.

    Learn from 3 inspiring women and how they got into ranching–the challenges, the benefits, and their love for the land and animals.

    Speakers: Sarah Silva, Green Star Farm, Sebastopol, CA; Mukethe Kawinzi, TomKat RanchPescadero, CA; Cole Bush, Shepherdess Land & Livestock, Ojai, CA

  • INFRASTRUCTURE

    An in-depth how-to for solar-powered infrastructure on small farms presented by Elis Herman of Do Right Flower Farm. Learn how to design and implement solar-powered systems on small farms to power coolers, greenhouse systems, irrigation, and more. Detailed guidance will be provided and Q&A will follow

    Speaker: Elis Herman, Do Right Flower Farm, Davenport, CA

Session F: 3:30pm -5:00 pm

  • EMPOWERMENT

    The Urban Farming movement is spreading throughout the country based on the success of well-known programs in places like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Berkeley. This session is a chance to highlight some of the programs that aren't as well known and hear from powerful folks who run these programs. All of these are bringing healthy produce to underserved areas and educating customers in nutrition, cuisine, and sustainable farming. 

    Speakers: Wanda Stewart, Common Vision, Berkeley, CA; TBD

  • COMMERCE

    Come and learn from a panel conformed by farmers, TA providers, CDFA Farm to School regional reps and School Districts. We will share tips, learnings, requirements, and available resources to help you prepare to sell to school districts.

    Speakers: Chris Massa Ventura County, CA; Yadira Mendiola The Queen of Vegetables Watsonville CA; Kelsey Perusse, Live Oak School District

  • ESPAÑOL/SPANISH

    En esta sesión, guiaremos a los participantes a través de los pasos esenciales para solicitar un préstamo y las prácticas críticas de gestión financiera necesarias para tener éxito en los negocios. Los asistentes aprenderán qué esperar del proceso de solicitud de préstamo, incluyendo cuales documentos financieros y proyecciones son claves, y entenderán qué buscan los prestamistas en los posibles prestatarios. Además, la sesión cubrirá las mejores prácticas en gestión financiera, como la elaboración de presupuestos, la gestión del flujo de caja y el mantenimiento de registros financieros precisos.

    Speakers: Tito Ortega, California FarmLink, Salinas, CA; Asia Hampton, California FarmLink, Oakland, CA

  • ENVIRONMENT

    Learn about the "Forgotten Practices" that save and/or optimize irrigation water, reduce drainage and soil erosion issues, and improve soil health and crop production on the farm. Besides the obvious practices of drip irrigation and irrigation water management/scheduling, there are at least two dozen other practices that also reduce irrigation water use, improve crop quality and production, enhance soil health and reduce operational costs on the farm at the same time. Speakers from USDA and a local Resource Conservation District, including an organic farmer, will share their expertise and/or experiences with the use of many of these "Forgotten Practices" providing details of each. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation. 

    Speakers: Rich Casale, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Capitola, CA; Cameron McDonald, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz Co., Capitola, CA; Heidi Cartan, Common Roots Organic Farm, Santa Cruz, CA

  • DISCUSSION GROUP

    The Farm Bill, the cornerstone of U.S. agriculture and food policy, is overdue for renewal. After delays in both 2023 and 2024, we’re still operating under the 2018 version. A new Farm Bill is urgently needed! In this interactive session, you'll gain insider perspectives on the current legislative landscape and explore how we can influence the new Farm Bill to prioritize organic agriculture and promote equity. Join us for an engaging discussion on shaping the future of food policy and driving meaningful change! 

    Moderator: Abby Youngblood, National Organic Coalition, Arlington, MA

  • DISCUSSION GROUP

    Women gather in a warm living room environment for a semi-facilitated discussion. There are no panel or presenters– each woman who attends is a speaker, if she chooses, sharing stories regarding their farm, family, job, community, and all the issues facing women in agriculture no matter the scale or work sector.

  • AGRONOMY

    Let’s hear about soil microbes in agricultural systems. What does the latest microbiology research say about how common practices in annual crop production, such as tillage and compost applications, affect soil life? Should any weight be given to fungal to bacterial ratio measurements in soil? What fungi are important? Which bacteria are beneficial? How can specific practices promote biodiversity in annual cropping systems? What tools should farmers use to measure their progress in soil health? Expand your understanding of soil microbes with these incredible scientists.

    Speakers: Linley Dixon, Real Organic Project, Durango, CO; Tim Bowles, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA; Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Carbon Initiative, Livermore, CA

  • FAUNA

    Increase pollination and pest predator voracity with flowers on your farm! Learn how to keep a honey bee hive, recognize and capture a queen, and control common diseases. Native bees, pollinators and pest predators can be attracted by the right organic flower mix that can sustain their health and viability. Easy-to-grow organic flower mixes can be used as a field row or property edge that provides pollen for livestock bees and Native insects. Learn the right mix that works for your goals, whether as habitat, saleable crop or increasing the attractiveness of your farm. 90+ crops rely on pollinators, including many fruit and nut trees, cruciferous vegetables and berries. Increasing biodiversity is the best way to have a healthy farm!

    Speakers: Katie Chiapuzzio, Braga Fresh, Monterey, CA; Tora Rocha, Pollinator Posse, Oakland, CA; Susan Kegley, Pesticide Research Institute/ Bees n Blooms Organic Flower Farm, Santa Rosa, CA

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025

Session G: 8:30am -10:00am

  • INFRASTRUCTURE

    Mark Arax has written about California agriculture for decades, and Bianca Kaprelian and her family have been living it for generations. Bianca and Mark will have a dynamic dialogue exchanging experience and ideas about what they've seen over time - Mark as a geographic historian and the Kaprelians as variety innovators, organic trendsetters, and conscientious stewards.  Come be a part of this intergenerational exchange of knowledge how they decide responsibilities through the succession plan, and how Mark's historical expertise intersects their lived experience.

    Speakers: Bianca Kaprelian, Fruit World; Mark Arax

  • GROWING

    Explore Maiz, one of the oldest domesticated species, known for its diverse shapes, colors, and superfood antioxidant profiles. This session will cover cultivation, varieties, and uses, with growers sharing insights.

    Speakers: Alondra Cano, Hungry Turtle Farm, Amery, WI; Rebekka Siemens, Gonzales Siemens Family Farm, Wasco, CA

  • EMPOWERMENT

    The pandemic highlighted the need for regional food systems. Food Hubs are being established as various types of entities to meet community needs. This session will cover what works best for regions, featuring a case study of a Sonoma food hub that transitioned to a farmer-owned cooperative model.

    Speakers: Peter Ruddock, Resilient Foodsheds, Santa Nella, CA; Therese Tuttle, Tuttle Law Group LLP, San Francisco; Tim Page, FEED Cooperative, Petaluma, CA

  • ENVIRONMENT

    What is the role of frontline communities as we transition into a cleaner economy? Much of the environmental movement focuses on what is needed, from a Western science perspective, from communities who are at the frontline of climate change. Many times, the actual issues, lived experience, and needs of those communities are overlooked. Rather than being prescriptive about the role of undervalued communities, this panel will illuminate the audience in the connections needed between systems to refine the role of frontline communities in climate/agriculture. In this session, key climate leaders will create greater understanding, and define roles for different industries as we position farmers to take on climate change.

    Speakers: Irene de Barraicua, Líderes Campesinas, Oxnard, CA; Thomas Joseph Tsewenaldin, Indigenous Environmental Network; Nonglak Suksawat, Farmer, Fresno

  • EMPOWERMENT

    This session applies an Indigenous lens to explore practical steps for decolonizing our minds and diets, removing barriers like reliance on seed catalogs and garden stores. We'll embrace the growth mindset of our ancestors, who adapted plants like maize across continents, understanding the importance of sharing, evolving, and prioritizing seeds and community.

    Participants will gain practical knowledge and actionable steps to implement in their gardens and farms, empowering them to grow a climate resilient and culturally connected food system in their chosen communities.

    Speakers: U'ilani Wesley, Monique Sonoquie, and Julia Dakin are all part of Xa Kako Dile; Mendocino County, CA

  • AGRONOMY

    Pioneering soil scientist William Albrecht argued in USDA’s 1938 Yearbook of Agriculture Soils and Men: “Attempting to hoard as much organic matter as possible in the soil, like a miser hoarding gold, is not the correct answer. Organic matter functions mainly as it is decayed and destroyed. Its value lies in its dynamic nature.” It is more useful to imagine our soils as a battery, continuously charging and discharging solar energy stored biochemically in myriad carbon forms both living and dead. Learn from a pair consisting of a wizened academic and farmer how to best manage this dynamic for the benefit of your crops.

    Speakers: Louise Jackson, University of CA, Davis, Tom Willey, T&D Willey Farms

Keynote: 10:30am -11:45am

  • Dr. Rupa Marya is a physician, activist, writer, mother, and a composer. She is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, where she practices and teaches internal medicine. Her work sits at the nexus of climate, health and racial justice. Dr. Marya co-founded the Do No Harm Coalition, a collective of healthcare workers who advance health equity through structural change. She also works with the Deep Medicine Circle (DMC), an organization committed to healing the wounds of colonialism through food, medicine, story and learning. Marya has toured twenty-nine countries with her band, Rupa and the April Fishes, whose music was described by the legend Gil ScottHeron as “Liberation Music.” Together with Raj Patel, she co-authored the bestselling book Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice.

    Charlene Eigen-Vasquez, J.D. is of Ohlone descent, from the village of Chitactac. She is dedicated to land back initiatives, land preservation, land restoration, cultural revitalization and environmental justice because these initiatives have a direct impact on physical and mental health. As a mother and grandmother, she completed a law degree so that she might better serve Indigenous communities. Today her focus is on regenerative leadership strategies and leveraging her legal and mediation skills to advocate for Indigenous interests, negotiate agreements, and build relational bridges. She is an acknowledged peacemaker, trained by Tribal Supreme Court Justices. Charlene is the former CEO and Director of SelfGovernance for the Healing and Reconciliation Institute. Charlene also serves as Chairwoman of the Confederation of Ohlone People, Co-Chair of the Pajaro Valley Ohlone Indian Council and Board Vice President for the Santa Clara Valley Indian Health Center. Charlene was recently brought into the Planet Women’s 100 Women Pathway, a cohort of diverse women leaders at the helm of the environmental movement