Are you a FOOD BUYER?  Interested in meeting dozens of regional food producers who offer the best, freshest, local products that your customers are hungry for?  Join us for an afternoon of networking and planning for a collaborative 2008 season.  REGISTER BY NOVEMBER 30.

And if you didn't get enough of Eliot, or have friends & family who want to hear from this icon of sustainable agriculture, come back at 7 for his special evening talk, a featured event of Buy Local Week. 

Click for details & registration information:
WORKSHOPS--8:30-12:30, $25-35
LUNCH--12:30-1:30, $10
TRADE MEETING--1:00-4:00, free
ELIOT'S EVENING TALK--7:00-8:30, $5-10

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Workshops: Winter Farming & More

When: Friday, December 7, 8:30am-12:30pm, followed by optional lunch and Buy FRESH Trade Meeting, with local producers & buyers in attendance, from 1-4pm
Where: American Museum of Radio & Electricity, 1312 Bay St, Bellingham, WA
Registration: $35 general, $25 for Food & Farming Program or Bellingham Farmers Market members. REGISTER ONLINE HERE by November 30 (farmers have priority until Nov. 20), or call (360) 647-7093 x106
Lunch by the Panini Grill & Deli, $10, 12:30-1:30 (Order your lunch when you register)
Staying for lunch & trade meeting is entirely optional, but highly encouraged!

PLEASE NOTE: These workshops are tailored for farmers, and space is limited.  To ensure that the greatest number of farmers can benefit, we ask that interested non-farmers wait to register until AFTER NOVEMBER 20, on a space-available basis. (You can still register for the trade meeting now.) Thanks!

Workshop session 1:

The Four-Season Farm, with Maine farmer Eliot Coleman:
Extending the season is one avenue to increased profits and customer loyalty.  Join renowned architect of the organic food movement, local farm advocate, author and successful four-season farmer Eliot Coleman for this conversation about the opportunities, incentives, and logistics of extending the growing season.  “For the past eight years, in defiance of our long, cold Maine winters, we have been developing an environmentally sound, resource efficient, and economically viable system for extending fresh vegetable production into ‘the other eight months.’"

Workshop session 2 (breakouts):

Diversification: Products, Markets & Adding Value, with the Northwest Ag Business Center
Developing new products and finding new market niches are increasingly important strategies for successful farms.  This is the specialty of the NW Ag Business Center.  Gary Merritt, the NABC’s marketing director, will share his expertise on emerging market niches, the process of developing and marketing new products, and resources available to farmers.  He'll also address the value and relevancy of the many certifications and labels available for farm products.

Money Matters: Financial Planning for Success, with Larson Gross, pllc
Financial planning, accounting, taxes and the rest often take a backseat in farm operations, but are critical to the health of any business.  This is our most-requested workshop topic.  Larson Gross, a local accounting firm with deep experience in the agriculture sector, will address common pitfalls and how to avoid them.  Participants will have their questions answered by knowledgeable professionals, and leave well-armed with resources for great fiscal responsibility. 

Keep it Legal, Grow the Best & Cover your Tail
Customers are looking for the best products out there, and are increasingly concerned about food safety.  Safety and legality, from the ground to the label, are huge (and often overlooked) considerations in modern agricultural operations.  And for when all else fails, the security of insurance is an important safeguard.  Richard Dougherty, food safety specialist with WSU Extension, Lesa Boxx, with Country Insurance and Boxx Berry Farm, and John Belisle, Bellewood Acres, will help you to address these important topics in your own business.  Moderated by Patrice Barrentine, WSDA Small Farm & Direct Marketing. 

Lunch by the Panini Grill & Deli, 12:30-1:30
A simple buffet, featuring fresh, local deliciousness. 
$10--please sign up when you register for the Workshops and/or the Trade Meeting HERE.

Join us for casual networking over good food, as we transition from workshops to trade meeting.  Workshop participants can carry on the morning conversations, while trade meeting attendees can jump-start the afternoon.  Doors open for the trade meeting at 1:00.

Buy FRESH Producer/Buyer Trade Meeting, 1:00-4:00
Featuring an in-depth conversation on current opportunities to increase efficiency of product ordering and distribution, with a keynote address by Eliot Coleman. 

Hosted by Sustainable Connections' Food & Farming Program,
co-sponsored by 21 Acres and the Bellingham Farmers Market. 

When: Friday, December 7, 1-4pm, preceeded by optional lunch
Where: American Museum of Radio & Electricity, 1312 Bay St, Bellingham, WA
Registration: FREE: REGISTER ONLINE HERE by November 30, or call (360) 647-7093 x106

Producers encouraged to bring trade show wares for display or sampling.  Shared 6-foot tables available (free for SC or BFM members, $15 others).  Please sign up when you register. 

This is the best opportunity for producers and buyers alike to plan for a collaborative and profitable 2008 season, and a great opportunity to weigh in on exciting new developments in online ordering and distribution. 

Partial funding provided by WSDA.