Pre-registration Open Through Jan. 11
Or Register in Little Rock
the Weekend of the Event

Southern SAWG conference logo

Did You Forget Something?

Did you forget to pre-register for Southern SAWG's Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms conference? Pre-registration ends Friday, January 11th. Download a registration form or register online. After that, registration will be on location in Little Rock. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Lodging Deadline Looms

There are two days left to get our Southern SAWG group rate. To ensure our excellent lodging rate of $89.00 per room, plus taxes, you need to book your lodging by midnight on January 11, 2013. Click here for details. Prices increase sharply after this date.

The Peabody is sold out of lodging rooms on the nights of January 24 & 25, 2013. BUT, there are still some rooms available at our overflow hotel, the Doubletree Hotel--just one block away.

Seed Exchange

FREE Seed Swap!

Thursday, Jan. 24
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

We'll provide space on Thursday evening for those who wish to swap seeds. This will be a good opportunity to meet seed savers and learn about varieties dear to their hearts. Don't forget to bring your seeds! Bring photos and samples too if you can.

Outstanding Presenters

For this conference we always look for the best of the best to provide you the useful information you need to succeed. The over 80 presenters we are bringing together for this event this year are outstanding in their field, with plenty of expertise to share. Here is just a sampling of what to expect.

Field trip host and presenter, entrepreneur, and gardener Chris Hiryak's mission in starting the Little Rock Urban Farming was to educate the community and increase awareness of how consuming locally grown fruits and vegetables can lead to a stronger economy and community. Chris interned back in 2009 at the farm of another of our stellar presenters—Mark Cain! Click here to read more about Chris and his work in the Arkansas Times.

Mark Cain, of Dripping Springs Garden, is a perennial favorite at the Southern SAWG conference. Mark and his partner Michael Crane are true veterans in the sustainable farming movement, having produced organic vegetables, herbs, blueberries and specialty cut flowers for over 20 years. Mark will be instructing a cut flower mini course as well as a general session about on-farm apprenticeships. This Ozark farm was recently profiled in The Arkansas Traveler.

Ira Wallace is both worker and owner of the cooperative Southern Exposure Seed Exchange seed company. She will be presenting two conference sessions on seeds: organic seed production basics, and integrating organic seed production into your diversified farm. Learn more about Ira and her work with seed saving in this article from Mother Earth News. And don't forget to bring your favorite seed varieties to the seed swap on Thursday night. See announcement to the left for more details.

The Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Association website provides a wonderful introduction to Dr. Ann Wells and her commitment to the research and production of quality grass-fed beef. Ann is a veterinarian, specializing in natural healthcare for ruminants. She also produces lamb and beef for Ozark Pasture Beef--a group of farms committed to producing meat in a natural environmentally sustainable manner. She will be leading a pre-conference short course on controlled grazing management and a conference session on holistic animal healthcare.

Click here to learn more about the rest of our great presenters.

Keep up with Southern SAWG through Facebook and Twitter. Show your support for Southern SAWG by liking and following us!

SSAWG logo

www.ssawg.org