goat radishes and sunflower
green beans
SOUTHERN SAWG E-NEWSLETTER, VOL. 1, #5                                                              January/February 2006

Dear Friends,

First, we'll take this opportunity to wish you the best for the coming year. We'll also remind you that the year will get off to a great start in Louisville in just ten days at our 2006 Conference. Hopefully we'll see you there. We'd love to hear from you, so please drop us a line at ssawg@aol.com.

Many thanks,
--Your friends at Southern SAWG
Highlights of This Issue:

Conference Update

Disaster Relief Training at Conference

Disaster Relief Training

Southern SAWG, in collaboration with the Farmers Legal Action Group, the Rural Advancement Foundation International and Farm Aid, is hosting a 1-day training on Federal disaster assistance programs for farmers and rural communities. This program is open to all individuals who advise farmers, including staff of community-based organizations, agricultural agencies, extension service, consultants, other professionals and concerned individuals, including farmers who plan to assist others in their community.

The training will take place from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM on Thursday January 19 in Louisville, KY, in conjunction with the SSAWG annual conference.

The training will cover the range of Federal disaster assistance programs available to farmers, including eligibility, deadlines and application procedures for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), Risk Management Agency (RMA) and crop insurance programs. It will also cover the Katrina disaster aid package recently passed by Congress. It will also cover the specific needs of individuals who have been through disasters, and phases of disaster recovery.

All participants will receive a copy of the Farmers Guide to Disaster Assistance, a comprehensive, user-friendly guide to disaster assistance programs; and comprehensive information on disaster
assistance programs and practical experience in assisting farmers who have been through a natural disaster.

Visit http://www.ssawg.org/conference
-pre.html#DisasterRelief for registration information.

Archives, Subscribe and Unsubscribe

Southern SAWG E-Newsletters are archived at http://www.ssawg.org/newsletter.html. Please visit this site if you received the text version and would like to see the complete layout or to browse through past issues. Also, use this link to subscribe to receive the monthly newsletter by email.


This E-Newsletter was made possible in part through a partnership with USDA Risk Management Agency.
2006 Conference Update


The Program
The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference is just around the corner. Are you planning to be there? Check out this year's terrific program: http://www.ssawg.org/
conference-program.html

Preregistration Deadline is January 11th.
Preregistration will be accepted until January 11th, so please pre-register today. After the Jan. 11 deadline, please plan to register on-site. Download the registration form at: http://www.ssawg.org/2006ConferenceRegistrationForm.htm

Short Courses
Space is still available in the Management Intensive Grazing of Beef and the Pastured Turkey Short Courses. These short courses are being offered for those who want to learn as much as they can in one day about operating these sustainable farming enterprises ideal for small-scale family farmers. Don't miss out on this excellent educational opportunity. Register now while space is still available. Learn more at: http://www.ssawg.org/conference-pre.html

Lodging
All lodging at the Hyatt Regency is now booked. We have secured rooms at the nearby Galt House for the same great $69.00 rate. Learn more at: http://www.ssawg.org/conference-lodging.html

Silent Auction
We are seeking donations for our silent auction. If you have some good tools or equipment you no longer use or have some special plants/bulbs, snazzy garden art, farming books or any farm related items of use/interest, we'd love to have them. And remember, regifting is a great way to recycle those Christmas gifts you won't use. Let us know if you have a donation. Email Robin Verson at: hhcsa@scrtc.com

2006 Conference Intensive Short Courses and Field Trips

Pre-conference events include optional Intensive Short Courses on Thursday, January 19 and a selection of Field Trips on Friday, January 20.

Each six-hour Short Course is designed to provide in-depth information on sustainable farming enterprises with take-home materials that will include Enterprise Development Manuals, videos, and other valuable resources. The courses being offered are Management Intensive Grazing of Beef, Pastured Turkey Production and Marketing, Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing, and Cut Flower Production and Marketing. Learn more about these exceptional learning opportunities here, http://www.ssawg.org/conference-pre.html.

Five optional Field Trips are also being offered before the conference sessions begin. Among the tours are Au Naturel Farm's diversified sustainable farm operation, Louisville Community Food Systems projects, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Demonstration at Kentucky State University, Pastured Poultry at KSU's Research and Demonstration Farm, and Meat Goats, also at the KSU Research Farm. Complete descriptions of the Field Trips are available here, http://www.ssawg.org/conference-field.html.

Currently spaces in each of the four Short Courses and the five different Field Trips are still available. With limited space, though, we highly recommend you register for these immediately to secure your place. Find out more at http://www.ssawg.org/conference-reg.html.

Visit Southern SAWG
online at:

http://www.ssawg.org

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Inc. (Southern SAWG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to promote sustainable agriculture in the Southern United States.