Visit to MOSES Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, Wisconsin

By Andrew Mefferd, Johnny's Selected Seeds

DAY 2 — MOSES 2015 Conference

Johnny's at MOSES 2015

The next day I headed to the MOSES (Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Services) Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I had packed my plaid, since I'd heard that was the thing to wear to the MOSES conference. And, indeed, there was a lot of plaid being sported. Though it’s hard to say if there was more than any other gathering of farmers.

The first thing that really impressed me was the size of the conference. Organizers said there were more than 3500 attendees over the three days. Besides the sheer number of participants, I was impressed by their positive energy and enthusiasm. There were a lot of good ideas and sharing going on, both at the trade show and at the many workshops scheduled for the conference.

Upper Midwest Territory Sales Rep,
Ken Fine shares some of the finer points
of Johnny's pumpkins

My first stop was the Johnny’s booth, where our upper Midwest sales rep, Ken Fine was manning the booth and talking to customers. One of the best things about trade shows is the opportunity to spend time at the booth meeting our customers. I learn more about growing by talking to customers, and finding out what their challenges and questions are, than any other way.

Though of course there were many other, more formal ways to learn as well. MOSES had organized many educational workshops for growers both days of the conference, plus a pre-conference “Organic University” for those who really wanted to go in-depth.

Sandy Dietz, whom I had visited the day before, gave a good presentation along with her husband, Lonny, about how to transition out of off-farm jobs and into farming full time. They speak from experience, as they both have made the transition.

I also went to an excellent presentation by Adam Montri of Michigan State University, called “Are You Making Any Money in Your High Tunnel?” He pointed out how even though almost anything grows faster and bigger in a high tunnel, profitability is not assured. He presented some practical strategies farmers can use to track expenses and set prices to make sure they are profiting off their high-tunnel produce.

This was a great conference that I would consider attending again in the future. The food was great, and MOSES made every effort to source the food from local farms whenever possible. The other learning and networking opportunity was the huge tradeshow, which took up the entire floor of a basketball court and spilled out into the arena. I headed back to Maine exhausted and at the same time energized by the people I had met and all I learned, ready to put it to good use this coming season.

Sometimes a great conference is just what I need to get ready for another season.

Learn more...

• Visit our Commercial Sales hub to learn more, meet your territory sales representative, or view our upcoming tradeshow calendar »
  
  

Read Andrew's Day 1 Minnesota Blog Post • Visit to Whitewater Gardens' Geoexchange Greenhouse in Altura, MN »

Events, Conferences, & Tradeshows We're Attending

2014–2015 Schedule

We'll be continuing to update our 2014–2015 schedule at Johnnyseeds.com — check back at your convenience.

Event Location Dates Hoes Down Harvest Festival Guinda, CA October 4–5, 2014 European Seed Association (ESA) Annual Meeting Lisbon, Portugal October 12–14, 2014 Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition Moultrie, GA October 14–16, 2014 Mother Earth News Fair • Topeka Topeka, KS October 25–26, 2014 North Country (NH) Fruit & Vegetable Seminar Whitefield, NH October 29, 2014 Farmer to Farmer (Maine Organic Farmers  & Gardeners) Northport, ME November 1, 2014 Growing Power Urban & Small Farms Conference Milwaukee, WI November 7–9, 2014 Tilth Producers of Washington Annual Conference Vancouver, WA November 7–9, 2014 Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Sustainable  Agriculture Conference Greenville, NC November 10–12, 2014 Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA) Asian  Seed Congress Macau, China November 10–14, 2014 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association (PNVA)  Conference & Trade Show Kennewick, WA November 12–13, 2014 Mississippi Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association Conference Jackson, MS TBD Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional  Network (ACORN) Halifax, NS, Canada November 12–14, 2014 National Young Farmers Conference at Stone Barns Pocantico Hills, NY December 03–05, 2014 Great Lakes Expo (GLEXPO) Grand Rapids, MI December 9–11, 2014 New England Vegetable & Berry Growers  Association (NEV&BGA) Manchester, NH TBD State of Maine Agricultural Trades Show Augusta, ME January 13–15, 2015 Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism, &  Organic Conference (ISCAOC) Springfield, IL January 07–9, 2015 Great Plains Growers Conference St Joseph, MO January 08–10, 2015 Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference Savannah, GA January 08–11, 2015 Minnesota Organic Conference St Cloud, MN January 9–10, 2015 Northeast Organic Farming Association of  Massachusetts (NOFA–MA) Winter Conference Worcester, MA January 10, 2015 Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group  (SSAWG) Conference Little Rock, AR January 14–17, 2015 Ohio Produce Growers & Marketers Association  (OPGMA) Congress Sandusky, OH January 19–21, 2015 NYSVGA Empire State Producers Expo (New York  State Vegetable Growers Association) Syracuse, NY January 20–22, 2015 Indiana Horticultural Congress Indianapolis, IN January 20–22, 2015 Vermont Vegetable & Berry Growers  Association (VVBGA) Fairlee, VT January 21, 2015 Ecological Farming Association (EcoFarm) Conference Pacific Grove, CA January 21–24, 2015 Practical Farmers of Iowa Ames, IA January 23–24, 2015 Northeast Organic Farming Association of  New York (NOFA–NY) Winter Conference Saratoga Springs, NY January 23–25, 2015 American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Vegetable  & Flower Seed Conference Tampa, FL January 24–27, 2014 Scotia Horticultural Conference Greenwich, NS, Canada January 26–27, 2015 Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention Hershey, PA January 27–29, 2015 Pacific Agriculture Show Abbotsford, BC, Canada January 29–31, 2015 Guelph Organic Conference Guelph, ON, Canada January 29 – February 1, 2015 Texas Organic Farmers & Growers Association  (TOFGA) Conference San Antonio, TX January 29 – February 01, 2015 Virginia Association for Biological Farming  (VABF) Conference Richmond, VA January 30–31, 2015 Northeast Organic Farming Association of  New Hampshire (NOFA–NH) Concord, NH January 31, 2015 Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture  (PASA) Farming for the Future Conference State College, PA February 04–07, 2015 Missouri Organic Association (MOA) Conference Springfield, MO February 05–07, 2015 Organicology Portland, OR February 05–07, 2015 Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association  (OEFFA) Conference Granville, OH February 13–15, 2015 Northeast Organic Farming Association of  Vermont (NOFA–VT) Burlington, VT February 14–15, 2015 Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention (OFVC) Niagara Falls, ON, Canada February 18–19, 2015 Farm to Table New Mexico Organic Farming  Conference Albuquerque, NM February 20–21, 2015 Georgia Organics Conference Athens, GA February 20–21, 2015 Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education  Service (MOSES) Conference Lacrosse, WI February 26–28, 2015 Oregon Small Farms Conference Corvallis, OR February 28, 2015 Northeast Organic Farming Association of  Connecticut (NOFA–CT) Winter Conference Danbury, CT March 7, 2015 Harvest New England Agricultural Marketing  Conference & Trade Show Sturbridge, MA TBD Mother Earth News Fair • Asheville Asheville, NC TBD Nevada Indoor Agricultural Conference (AG • NV) Las Vegas, NV TBD International Seed Federation (ISF) World  Seed Congress Kraków, Poland May 1–31, 2015 PNW Mother Earth News Fair (formerly in  Puyallup, WA) Albany, OR TBD

Johnny's Goes Back to School with the Paul Parent Garden Club Radio Show

Johnny's Selected Seeds has partnered with the Paul Parent Garden Club Radio Show for a 12 week “Vegetable School” segment on Sunday mornings. Listen to a knowledge member of Johnny’s staff speak about a variety of topics ranging from vegetables to plant now, growing info and tips to harvest techniques. 

Tune in every Sunday morning at 8 a.m. EST. 

• To find a station near you broadcasting our 1/2 hour segment, visit the Paul Parent Garden Club Radio Show website here. 
• You can also listen to the show via Pod Cast at anytime here

Visit the Johnny's Website

Paul Parent has been on the radio providing gardening advice to listeners in New England for the last 30 years, according to his website. 

The show broadcasts on 35 prime stations in New England and 39 additional stations across the nation.

Tune in and then let us know what information you found helpful!

See the 2014 Catalog Cover and Explore our New Products

Don't feel like waiting any longer to see our NEW 2014 catalog cover? Well here it is! 

 

You can now also browse all of our NEW products at Johnnyseeds.com.
Let us know which new product is your favorite by leaving us a comment under this blog post.

The Time to Comment Is Now | Food Safety Modernization Act

Dear friends and customers, On behalf of Johnny's Selected Seeds, we invite you to join us in sharing your opinion with the FDA regarding new Produce Food Safety Rules and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

We recognize that most of you will be touched by the proposed changes, in some cases dramatically. While the day-to-day demands of farming may keep us running from sun-up to sundown, when it comes to legislation that places the very livelihoods of many farmers across our country in jeopardy, it's time to express your well-earned opinions.

To learn more about the rules and leave your comments, visit Regulations.gov. To date, the grower's voice is underrepresented. With your input, the FDA will get the "real dirt" as to just how the specifics of this proposed legislation -- constituting the largest food safety overhaul in more than 70 years -- could impact your farming operations.

We encourage you to speak up now -- the FDA's comment period closes November 15th!

By taking the time to participate in the discussion now, you can make a real difference in the long run. And again, thank you for choosing Johnny's as your source for seeds and more -- we look forward to serving you for many years to come.


Johnny's Selected Seeds
TOLL-FREE: 800-854-2580
FAX: 1-207-238-5388

Johnny's Rob Johnston Receives All-America Selections 2013 Breeders Cup Award

Burlington, Ontario, CANADA — All-America Selections (AAS) hosted their annual Summer Summit August 12–14 this year in Ontario, Canada. Rob L Johnston, Jr, Founder and Chairman of Johnny's Selected Seeds, was selected by the AAS Board of Directors to receive the 2013 Breeders Cup. The AAS Breeders Cup Award recognizes someone who has had a significant impact in horticulture by breeding stand-out varieties.

Rob's contribution to the world of horticulture includes helping produce varieties that in diverse climates have outstanding flavor, disease resistance, and garden performance. Under Rob's leadership, the Johnny's breeding team has introduced more than 50 varieties. Seven of these Johnny's-bred varieties have been honored with the prestigious All-America Selections award.

READ THE REST OF THE PRESS RELEASE AT JOHNNYSEEDS.COM >>>

Rob Johnston accepting the AAS 2013 Breeders Cup Award

Johnny's will be Participating in Bejo Seed's August Open House and Demonstration Trials

This August, Johnny's will again be a part of the Bejo Seed's Open House. Stop by our booth and say hello!

Members of our Research Department
at the 2012 Bejo Seeds Open House

At our booth, you'll have a chance to:

• See our demonstration plots of Sunflowers, Squash, Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Eggplants, and Peppers.
• Learn how to use the latest tools at the equipment demonstrations, including a demonstration of our Quick Cut Greens Harvester.
• Meet Johnny's Commercial Territory Sales Reps as well as Product Technicians from our Research Farm in Albion, Maine.

 

We will be on hand at the Johnny's booth throughout the Open House to answer your questions and discuss all your tools and supplies needs.

Bejo will also be providing refreshments as well as a light lunch for attendees on Tuesday, August 27.

Event Details

When: Tuesday-Wednesday, August 27-28, 2013 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Where: 4188 Pre Emption Rd., Geneva, NY 14456
Please RSVP at: (315) 789-4155
Website: www.bejoseeds.com


Our Recap of the 24th Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference

Johnny’s Selected Seeds Maine-based Territory Representative, Ken Fine, attended the 24th Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference held recently in La Crosse, Wisconsin (February 22–24, 2013). This was Ken’s 12^th year attending the show as an exhibitor! Johnny’s was pleased to serve as a sponsor of the tradeshow, as well.

Johnny’s double-sized booth was located on the corner of the third row of exhibitors, near the entrance to the educational sessions and lunch room. Some of the items we displayed this year at the booth were our 60-lb. JSS 'Polar Bear' Pumpkin with an informational poster board, a video of our new Quick-Cut Greens Harvester in action, and various informative materials about our new Salanova® Lettuce Collections.

This year we also brought our Quick-Cut Greens Harvester, along with live pea shoots and wheat grass, so Ken could demonstrate how efficient and easy to use the tool is to tradeshow attendees.

 

According to the MOSES website, over 3300 people attended the conference.

Participants came from all over the U.S. and overseas — the 'most adventurous' award goes to the person who came all the way from Nigeria! It was great to see the complete range of ages at the conference — if it takes a village to get things done, the organic farming community is well on its way to creating a brighter future.

Some additional highlights from the conference:

• Keynote Speakers: Filmmakers Jeremy Seifert and Joshua Kunau, and organic farming pioneer Carmen Fernholz. Fernholz, who has been farming organically for over 40 years, shared his view of the ideal food system, one which includes engaged and informed eaters.

• Charlie Johnson of Madison, South Dakota, was honored as the 2013 MOSES Organic Farmer of the Year. The Johnson family farm has organic roots dating back to the 1970s, well before the organic farming movement had gained serious traction.

Have a look at some of Ken's photos from the Conference, below. Whether or not you, too, attended the conference or you simply wish to share your thoughts, we'd enjoy hearing from you in the Comments section below. Or, visit us on our our Facebook page anytime!

 

The Set-up Process of the Booth Begins

 

A Look at the Booth

 

Attendees Begin Exploring the Booth

 

Folks Filling out the Raffle Tickets

 

An overview of the Conference

 

Another Look at the Tradeshow Floor