It's official now...We have hats!

Today was Damian's birthday and it was the last day of the Missouri Organic Association conference in St. Louis. We decided to have a different kind of "farm fun" and go mingle and talk with other farmers. Of course, we had to go to the MOA conference representing our own farm project with our new "Leafy Greens Farm" hats.

We talked up the vendors, sampled some local Missouri farm products, and attended a few sessions while at the conference. We learned how we can use Blue Hubbard Squash as a trap crop for our pests/nemeses - cucumber beetles and squash bugs. I learned about how to write a business proposal to help us secure grants in the future. Lastly, we learned about a farm in Nashville, TN called Delvin Farms.  They are running a 800 member CSA as well as selling produce to restaurants and wholesale. They are running an unbelievably cool and profitable operation on their 96-acre farm that started in 1972. They were way ahead of the curve in organic produce and became certified organic in 1998. Too often, we hear about farmers struggling to make enough money to pay their bills and how profits are not to be expected in the first 5-10 years. During their presentation, Damian asked a million questions and we stayed after their presentation to ask more about how they were about to make their farm so profitable. They were informative,  professional, and even invited us down to Nashville to tour their farm. True southern hospitality & true inspiration!

Another vendor of note that we came across in the conference was Slow Foods. According to their website, Slow Foods is "an international, educational organization devoted to promoting fresh, local, and sustainably-produced food, biodiversity, and the preservation of food traditions, as well as celebrating the pleasures of the table." They host farm/health related movie screenings and fun events such as the Drop.Swap.Grow., which is a Seed Swap in St. Louis on Saturday, February 25 from 12-3pm. Check it out if you are interested.

With Damian's job traveling all over Illinois, he has had the opportunity to tour a couple other small farms this week that we want to give recognition to: Golden Oldies Farm in Decatur, IL and Biver Farm in Edwardsville, IL. Both were gracious enough to let him have a tour without an appointment and talk about small farm practices. Other "good people growing great produce." :)