For Immediate Release
The Sustainable Farming Assn. of Minnesota will hold its Annual
Meeting for all 12 statewide chapters and agriculture professionals on
Saturday, February 28, 1998 at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, MN. The
theme of the meeting will Changing Times and will feature four topics:
Global Climate Change, Distinguishing El Nino from El Nonsense and
the Climate Outlook for the Spring of 1998, Whole Farm Planning, and
Whole Farm in Practice, plus informal discussion groups in the
afternoon.
Global Climate Change will be presented by Rebecca Bilek, PhD in
Atmospheric Chemistry. It will focus on explaining the fundamental
science of the problem of global climate change. An understanding of
the difference between the greenhouse effect, global
warming and global climate change will be provided. In addition,
discussion will include information on the key contributions to this
problem. How the actions of man over the past 100 years have changed
and continue to change the atmosphere. Potential consequences of these
changes, and where we can look for solutions.
Distinguishing El Nino from El Nonsense and the Climate Outlook for
the Spring of 1998 will be presented by Mark Seeley, Professor &
Extension Meteorologist/ Climatologist, Dept. of Soil, Water, and
Climate, U of M. Seeley will define El Nino Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) and its evolution. He will explain some of the myths and
misconceptions about ENSO. A preview for the Spring 1998 climate
outlook will include soil moisture, frost patterns, precipitation and
temperature probabilities.
Whole Farm Planning will be presented by Wayne Monsen, Minnesota
Dept. of AgricultureĐEnergy and Sustainable Agriculture Program.
Monsen will elaborate on how whole farm planning can be used at the
farm level and the community level to protect the environment, foster
economically viable farms and rural communities and to develop a
shared vision for the type of community and landscape the residents
of rural communities desire. He will share information gained from the
work of the Minnesota Whole Farming Planning Working Group and MDA
Whole Farm Planning Program.This is a valuable resource for farmers
interested in implementing whole farm planning into their farming
operation.
Dennis Rabe Eagle View Farms near Lake City, MN, recently featured in
Successful Farming magazine, will speak on Whole Farm in Practice 3A
sustainable farmer is a farmer willing to change,2 says Dennis Rabe.
Here is an opportunity to hear about Rabe1s innovative management
style which is based on whole farm valuation. Dennis is knowledgeable
in pasture farrowing of hogs, direct marketing, low input crop
production (zone tillage), beef rotational grazing, as well as other
important areas of sustainable agriculture. He will give us a brief
description of how he now farms, why, and the difference it has made
in his family's quality of life on the land. A question and answer
time will be provided after each session.
Afternoon informal discussion groups will be held on: 1. Grazing:
dairy, beef, sheep, swine, poultry 2. Cropping Systems 3. Value
Added Processing/Marketing, and 4. Community.
The Sustainable Farming Assn. of Minnesota is a farmer to farmer
network emphasizing sustainable farming and rural communities, and
sharing and fellowship between farmers and agriculture professionals.
For more information about this event or SFA, please contact DeEtta
Bilek at 218/45-5475, Rt. 1 Box 4, Aldrich, MN 56434, or email:
deebilek@wcta.net.
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