It’s time to put down your hoe, scrape the mud off your boots and leave your garden behind for a few days. Our Annual Conference & Campout, Friday, July 15 through Sunday, July 17, is a great opportunity to meet up with like-minded folks, learn new things, and listen to national leaders in the seed movement.

This year’s theme is all about seeds–growing them, harvesting them, and saving them–with plenty of workshops to show you how it’s done.

We’ve invited all of the Seed Savers Exchange advisors to the farm this year–experts in their respective fields who regularly advise SSE on a range of horticultural and policy topics, people like Clive Blazey from The Digger’s Club in Australia and Suzanne Ashworth, from California, the author of the classic book “Seed to Seed.”

So, whether you’ve been here before or coming for the first time– there is sure to be something for everyone. It’s a great place to see old friends and a perfect time to make new ones.

Register Now

Workshops
Whether you want to get down-and-dirty with gardening demonstrations, discuss exciting new preservation projects at Heritage Farm or sit-back and listen to inspiring presentations, the 2011 conference will have a workshop for you! Board members, advisors and SSE staff—including Rosalind Creasy, David Cavagnaro, Glenn Drowns, Keith Crotz, John Swenson and Joel Girardin—will share their expertise on garlic, gardening, heritage livestock and more. We’ll have seed saving workshops with Suzanne Ashworth, author of the encyclopedic seed-saving guide “Seed to Seed,” as well as heritage bud grafting with orchard advisor Lindsay Lee.

Speakers

Jeff McCormack is the founder of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. He is also the founder or co-founder of a number of other organizations, including Garden Medicinals and Culinaries. Jeff has authored articles on topics related to ecological pest management and genetic conservation and has written a series of manuals on organic seed production for the Mid-Atlantic and Southern United States. He is currently conducting research for a book on the bush medicine of San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

Woody Tasch is Founder and Chairman of Slow Money, a nonprofit formed in 2008 to catalyze the flow of investment capital to small food enterprises and to promote new principles of fiduciary responsibility to support sustainable agriculture and the emergence of a restorative economy. Woody is author of the book “Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money.

Matthew Dillon was the founding director of Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). He was also the organization’s first executive director from 2003-2007. His current focus is on issues of intellectual property and farmers’ rights, consolidation and competition in the seed industry, genetic contamination, as well as the principles, values and benefits of organic seed systems. Prior to OSA, Matthew was an organic farmer, seed producer and the Executive Director of Abundant Life Seed Foundation.

Craig LeHoullier has been a member of Seed Savers Exchange since 1986. He is a chemist by education and profession, but his true passion is gardening—particularly growing tomatoes. In 2006 Craig initiated a tomato breeding project—breeding, as he calls them, “tomorrow’s heirlooms.” Craig also organizes an annual Tomatopalooza event in North Carolina.

Note: Due to a scheduling conflict, Vandana Shiva will not be speaking at the conference.

Dig and Discover – Youth Registration

Workshops, play, and adventures in nature for children ages 6-14 (15 and older require full registration. Children under age 6 are free). Activities include forest hikes, music in the garden, fresh food preparation, a bonfire, and a few surprises along the way. Dig and Discover registration below.

Online Registration Now Available

Use this form to register online. You can also register by calling 563-382-5990.

For hotel info and details on other area attractions, click here. We also have limited camping availble on-site Friday and Saturday for those who sign up (see form below).

Meals: Use the form below to sign up for lunch and dinner on Saturday. Trout River Catering will be providing a delicious spread of local and organic fare for dinner. Meals will be available for purchase from local vendors such as the Oneota Community Food Co-op on Friday evening and Sunday noon.

31st Annual Conference & Campout
July 15-17, 2011

Heritage Farm
3074 North Winn Road
Decorah, Iowa 52101