<strong>Hotchkiss Site of National Biodynamic Agriculture Conference
Theme: Harmonizing Through Polarities
In their eleventh year of annual conferences, the biodynamic agricultural Fellowship of Preparation Makers will meet at Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss and address the “idea” of polarity as it relates to the two spray preparations BD #500 and BD #501.
According to Redland Mesa biodynamic farmer, Pat Frazier, “This year we deepen our understanding of the Biodynamic Preparations “Horn Manure” and “Horn Silica” through lectures, hands on demonstrations and artistic expressions representing the concepts of polarity, reunification, and harmony.”
The four-day conference will be held for the first time in the Rocky Mountain West and will be hosted by the newly forming “North Fork Biodynamic Community” and the local “Valley Organic Growers Association” (VOGA). The conference opens on March 1st and will run through the morning of Sunday, March 4th.
A Thursday pre-conference will precede the main conference and will focus on a primary study of Biodynamic principles. The Fellowship of Preparation Makers welcomes and encourages preparation makers at all stages of interest to join them on this path.
Speakers include Philippe Armenier, under whose guidance; well over 2000 acres of high quality California vineyards have transitioned to Biodynamic practices. Jim Barausky has been involved in Biodynamics since the 1970’s and is currently involved with the North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program as a mentor farmer. Hugh Courtney served an apprenticeship in the making of the biodynamic preparations under the tutelage of the premier preparation maker in the U.S., Josephine Porter. These gentlemen will be joined by a host of other speakers with both history and knowledge in the Biodynamic field.
Both the Main and the Pre-Conference will be held at Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss. Additional information can be found at www.vogaco.org or you can contact Pat Frazier -ppfarminfo@paonia.com. Registration deadline is February 9, 2012.
Lilliputian Winery’s Ginger Wine Named One of Five Most Important Colorado Wines of 2011
On-line magazine Colorado Local Wino (coloradolocalwinos.com) recently posted a list of the “most important Colorado wines of 2011. Included were, Lilliputian Winery’ of Roger’s Mesa’s ginger wine. CLW editor Jacob Harkins says that the wine is tasty and fun and equally admires production methods that allow it to be made year round.
San Francisco Discovers Avalanche Cheeses
A “SFoodie” foods writer, Jonathan Kauffman, writing for the San Francisco Weekly newspaper, was touting Avalanche cheeses from Paonia in a late December column. He quoted a local cheese buyer/ expert:
“By this point in his career, Gordon Edgar, head cheese-buyer at Rainbow Grocery and author of Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge, knows a good cheese when he sees one. “The most exciting thing I found this year,” he says, “was Avalanche Cheese Company in Paonia, Colo., which I’d never heard of before 2011.” Quote – un-quote.
Actually Avalanche’s goat dairy in on Stewart Mesa outside of Paonia and their cheesemaking is done in Basalt.
And Avalanche and Peak Spirits Win National Good Food Awards.
Then Avalanche Cheese doubled up on the kudos by winning a National Good Foods Award in the cheeses category.
Peak Spirits of Redlands Mesa won in the gin and vodka categories.
The awards, chosen by a panel of 71 judges from across the nation were presented on January 13 in San Francisco with chef Alice Waters presiding over the ceremonies.
You Pick EGGS…Now there’s a concept!
Jeff Schwartz over at Delicious Orchards has a new take on the U-Pick concept. He’s spent some time this winter designing and constructing a new chicken coop and yard and will be offering U-PICK eggs in the near future.
Big B’s Fabulous Cider Mill is pressing close to three thousand gallons of juice a day plus they’ve upgraded and stoked up their FERMENTATION room… North Fork Cellars hard cidery. They have several tanks of apple varieties fermenting away… Wait until you taste these new releases in April!!!
The Living Farm’s Farmers Market
Just to let you know, the Farmers Market out at The Living Farm open again on Saturdays between 9:00 and 12:00 You can pick up some salad, potatoes, citrus, eggs, chicken and other tasty treats, sign up for their winter CSA or just to chat about all the great things they have planned for Spring. They miss seeing everyone so please come on by!
It’s not too late to Purchase the New 2012 Nearly Naked Farmhouse Calendar, Wahoo!
Celebrate your New Year with our beautiful new calendar. It is full of tastefully photographed, striking people, stories describing life on the farm, and great recipes from Chef Dava. A little fun and a lot time and good intentions went into the making of this Calendar.
Tags: Crawford, Hotchkiss, North Fork Valley, Paonia
