FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – A conference heading to Fort Wayne is looking to bring more opportunities for community-supported agriculture farmers.
In addition to the educational opportunities, the conference will feature a local foods menu developed and delivered by Walnut Hill Catering and Events. The menu will consist of 90% locally produced foods.
The full conference begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The featured farmer for that day will be Corinna Bench, co-founder of Shared Legacy Farm, a 400-share certified organic CSA, and founder of MyDigitalFarm podcast. Joining Bench will be Tricia Phelps, CEO of Taste the Local Difference (TLD), Michigan’s local food consulting, media, and marketing agency specializing in communication strategy for Michigan’s local food businesses.
Are you a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmer? Are you looking to start a CSA or wanting to increase the success of your existing CSA? If so, Thinking Inside the Box, the 2022 Tri-State CSA Conference is the place to be November 12-13 at Purdue Fort Wayne campus. This two-day conference will feature informative sessions and speakers covering a broad range of topics from marketing to managing your CSA to production practices.
Organizers released the following:
“This will be a great opportunity to network with other CSA operators”, said Christie Welch, one of the organizers of the conference. “I think farmers really value learning directly from their peers.” The conference gets underway Saturday morning, November 12 at the nearby Hawkins Family Farm in Manchester, Indiana. A farm tour will include information about how the Hawkins family plans and manages food safety on the farm, and attendees are encouraged to ask questions about the CSA operation.
“Additionally, to help facilitate networking amongst our attendees, we have a reception planned Saturday evening,” added Welch, “where you can visit with other conferencegoers and sample some of the best Indiana beers and/or wines.”
The Ohio State University, Purdue University, Michigan State University, Central State University, and USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education are the organizers of the conference. Conference sponsors include Northeast Indiana Local Food Network, Tractor Supply Company, Miller Chemical, Harvest Host, Rupp Seed, and the GUSNIP NTAE Center’s Nutrition Incentive Hub.
If you would like more information or to register, you can do so here. Tickets are $125 per person with an optional farm tour for an additional $25. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. The registration deadline is November 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. If you would like more information please contact Christie Welch at welch.183@osu.edu.
What: 2022 Tri-State CSA Conference
When: Saturday, November 12 & Sunday November 13, 2022
Where: Purdue Fort Wayne, Classic Ballroom at Walb Student Union
Website: go.osu.edu/csa
Tickets: $125 per person (with an optional farm tour for an additional $25)
