The Eighth Annual Winter Conference of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, New Hampshire Chapter (NOFA-NH) is set for Saturday, March 6, 2010 at Rundlett Middle School, Concord, New Hampshire.

This year’s conference theme is, “A Place at the Table”, which provides a forum for gathering all constituents of New Hampshire’s organic food and agriculture community: farmers, gardeners, herbalists, landscapers, localvores, educators, and consumers.

Addressing the theme is right on target for keynote speaker Sharon Astyk, an author (Depletion and Abundance: Life on the New Home Front, A Nation of Farmers: Defeating the Food Crisis on American Soil, and Independence Days: A Guide to Sustainable Food Storage and Preservation), blogger, and a determined voice for truth about our global “ecological predicament”. Her topics include food and agriculture, energy and depletion, climate change and environmentalism. Her view as a writer on science, culture, and politics is integrated with her daily life choices and actions. As she examines energy depletion and climate issues and the results of human activity on our environment, she articulates a vision for “creating a viable way of life.”More information about Sharon can be found at http://sharonastyk.com/

The conference will feature over 40 workshops, in subjects as diverse as permaculture, cooking organic foods, growing and using medicinal herbs, pest management and weed control, and raising animals, all presented by local experts and educators. One track of sessions will be dedicated to children aged 5 – 10 years, and a new track this year will focus on youth aged 10 – 17 years. Plan on strolling through the popular Green Market Fair where 80 vendors and a farmers’ market offer all things green and organic. A raffle of local products and services will be offered, and new for this year a Silent Auction will be held for higher-value bundled items.

Two critically-acclaimed films on national organic issues will be shown, with a panel discussion after the last afternoon screening. A potluck lunch, featuring organic food cooked by conference participants and local food establishments will precede the keynote speech.

Registration information, including admission prices and discounts for membership and early registration, is posted on the organization’s website, www.nofanh.org. If you need additional information, please contact Delia Windwalker, the Winter Conference Coordinator, at 603-654-7595