6th Annual TOGA Conference Information

Conference Information

Local and Organic Food to the Rescue

Friday & Saturday, March 5th & 6th, 2010 from 8 am - 5 pm

Cool Springs Marriott
700 Cool Springs Blvd.
Franklin, TN 37067

BOOK A ROOM FOR JUST $95 A NIGHT

Our yearly gathering has been expanded to two days of educational workshops, speakers and farm tours, capped with a keynote address by author, activist and farmer Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms located in the picturesque and productive Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

The conference begins at noon on Friday with an afternoon touring local farms that specialize in producing products for local direct sales, ranging from animal to mushroom production, and all practicing organic and sustainable methods. The tours offer fellow farmers and growing enthusiasts a personal look inside farm operations and an opportunity to talk directly to farmers about their successes, hurdles and opportunities. Bus transportation is provided for the tours, which conclude at 5 p.m.

A full day of workshops starts on Saturday at the Cool Springs Marriott with a welcoming breakfast session at 8:30 a.m., featuring an organic breakfast from Whole Foods Market and Bongo Java Coffee. Workshop sessions commence at 9:00 a.m., where professional farmers, hobby farmers, backyard gardeners and local food enthusiasts alike will find sessions that fit their skill level and areas of interest, and range from urban farming, mushroom production, organic fruit production, beekeeping to local food systems and more.

Taking a mid-day break from workshops, attendees will enjoy lunch provided by Whole Foods Market and feature meats from Peaceful Pastures Farm, Bongo Java Coffee, Provence Breads and locally grown produce. Complimenting lunch, keynote speaker Joel Salatin will inspire the crowd, addressing the importance and implications of creating strong regional food systems based on sustainable and organic growing methods.

Tennessee Organic Growers Association 6th Annual Conference Speakers Information - Coming Soon.
2010 Conference Workshop Schedule - Coming Soon.

Directions and information - Cool Spring Marriott .