What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Bioneers by the Bay Early Bird Discount (30%) Ending September 30, 2011

Note: This is a highly regarded conference!

The 7th annual educational Connecting for Change conference, is set to take place once again in downtown New Bedford, on October 21-23, 2011.  The Connecting for Change: a Bioneers by The Bay Conference brings awareness of the importance of environmental activism and sustainability.  Connecting for Change is committed to affordable access for all to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded individuals. Discounted (30%-off) Early Bird Registration is available ONLY until midnight on Friday, September 30.
 

NOFA Organic Growing Summer Conference ~ August 12-14, 2011

From Friday August 12 through Sunday August 14, the NOFA Summer Conference will take place at the UMass Amherst campus. Stay for the weekend to select from over 200 organic growing workshops, enjoy organic food, friends and exhibitors.

There are 225+ workshops on organic farming, gardening and land care, draft animals in farming and forestry, homesteading, sustainability, nutrition, food politics, activism, and much, much more.

Some special workshops are designed for kids and teens. An educational, fun opportunity for your children to bond with others from the Northeast while you attend workshops and events.

Entertainment for the whole family: Music and dance, an old-fashioned Country Fair, farmer's market, games and fun. Modest registration, inexpensive dorm rooms, camping and delicious, wholesome organic meals.

They guarantee it will be worth your while!

Register online!

Developing the Rhode Island Seafood Knowledge Economy ~ June 26-28, 2011

Announcing the 10th Annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

Developing the Rhode Island Seafood Knowledge Economy: Perspectives on Seafood Sustainability 

June 26-28, 2011

Scientists, seafood suppliers, and chefs will offer their perspectives on sourcing sustainable seafood, consumer preferences, and health topics, among others, and participants will get to prepare—and taste—sustainable seafood dishes under the guidance of expert chefs.

VENUES:

Johnson & Wales University Center for Culinary Excellence
Save The Bay
Johnson & Wales University Culinary Museum

Providence

Agenda Highlights

Interactive Panel Discussion on Sourcing Sustainable Seafood
Chefs, scientists, and suppliers will share their thoughts about seafood sustainability and the social, economic, and environmental issues impacting worldwide seafood sourcing today.

Hands-on Sessions with Haddock, Salmon, and Summer Flounder 
One of the unique aspects of the 2011 Baird Symposium is our ability to offer hands-on sessions where participants can handle and prepare fish species featured in our science program.

Species-Specific Session: Scup vs. Tilapia
Scup (porgy) is a plentiful and sustainable underutilized fish species found throughout New England. This session will focus on the state of the scup fishery and why it is sustainable and include a tasting of scup followed by a side-by-side tasting of scup and tilapia.

Hands-on Interactive Session: A Vertical Tasting of Oysters
This interactive, sensory session will feature a vertical tasting of oysters provided by American Mussel Harvesters Inc., of North Kingstown, R.I. Chefs will describe the sensory aspects of each oyster in the tasting while Perry Raso, owner of Matunuck Oyster Farm and Bill Silkes, owner of American Mussel Harvesters discuss how the specific oyster species are raised and why they are both sustainable and profitable.

Chefs' Panel on Consumer Seafood Perceptions and Preferences
This interactive panel discussion will feature chefs from the fine dining, retail, and manufacturing sectors, and will provide attendees with insights regarding preference, preparation, and consumption at the end of the supply chain.

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION | DOWNLOAD DRAFT AGENDA

Note: The registration fee of $175 includes all meals noted in the agenda. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. For more information, visit the Baird Symposium website or contact Rhode Island Sea Grant at (401) 874-6800.

Environmental Symposium for High School Students ~ May 18, 2011

Wednesday, May 18, 2011 ~ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
612 Academy Avenue, Providence, RI 02908

 

The Environmental Club of LaSalle Academy would like to cordially invite you and your students and/or colleagues to participate in a state wide student run environmental symposium. This two hour session will give students from environmental clubs and classes throughout the state a chance to come together and discuss issues and concerns they may have about RI and the environment. This will also be a time for students to present ideas and issues being discussed or worked on at their schools.

If you or someone you know would like to be a part of this event, please forward the following information to Jessica DiGiulio:

Name
School or Organization
Whether or not you or one of your students would be interested in presenting
Approximately how many guests will join you or your team at the event. 

For more information contact: 

Jessica DiGiulio, Biology and Environmental Science, [email protected]

RI Agriculture Day ~ May 12, 2011

GOVERNOR CHAFEE, URI PRESIDENT DOOLEY, USDA UNDER SECRETARY AVALOS, AND FARMERS TO CELEBRATE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE DAY IN STATE HOUSE FESTIVITIES ON THURSDAY,  MAY 12

Attendees Invited to Enjoy Samples of Rhode Island-Grown Food Products

 

To recognize the importance of the state's $100+ million agriculture industry, the Department of Environmental Management will host Rhode Island Agriculture Day at the State House on Thursday, May 12.

This year’s RI Agriculture Day program will feature a roll-out of RI Agricultural Partnership Five -Year Strategic Plan, and also serve as a platform to discuss new initiatives around state institutional purchasing of locally grown products, fisheries marketing and promotion.  In addition, the event will highlight many ongoing initiatives to maintain the viability of farming in Rhode Island, including locally-produced milk and beef, farmers' markets, and buy local and agri-tourism programs.

Rhode Island Agriculture Day will showcase Rhode Island's agriculture industry and all that it brings to the state. Farming is an integral part of the state's economy and provides a valuable contribution to Rhode Island's open space and quality of life. Beyond fresh produce, nursery stock, and Rhode Island's own Rhody Fresh milk, agriculture contributes to tourism, open space, landscaping businesses, and a variety of food-related industries.  The event will also continue to highlight the statewide “Get Fresh. Buy Local.”campaign.

As part of the Rhode Island Agriculture Day festivities, approximately 50 exhibitors will host displays in the State House Rotunda from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibitors include farms and land trusts, as well as government and non-profit agencies that work with farmers. Coordinated by DEM's Division of Agriculture, the exhibits will highlight Rhode Island agriculture and the many organizations that collectively participate in its viability.

Large Variety of Locally-Grown Foods Available for Sampling

Moving Forward in Urban Education Policy Reform ~ May 19, 2011

Urban Education Policy (UEP) Program Annual Conference • May 19th, 2011 • 8am - 5pm
Brown University Faculty Club
One Magee Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02912
 
Please mark your calendars to attend this year’s Urban Education Policy (UEP) Annual Conference hosted by the Education Department at Brown University.  The conference theme is “Moving Forward in Urban Education Policy Reform”.   As the current administration looks to usher in education reform and new policy, practitioners are engaging in discussion that informs the improvement of both policy and practice.
 
This year’s UEP conference will also engage and inform invited guest as current urban education policy graduate students give presentations and lead discussion on their internship experiences with education policy agencies, organizations, school districts and schools.  Please plan to attend the conference and engage in rich and thought provoking discourse with our students, as well as, many invited professionals working in a myriad of education environments.


Use the following link to pre-register for the conference by May 10th:
https://sites.google.com/a/brown.edu/uep/
 
This year's conference agenda will be posted in the upcoming days.
 
Please send any questions that you may have about the conference to: [email protected].

Rhode Island Women in Agriculture ~ March 31, 2011

Reminder!

The Women in Agriculture Conference, sponsored by URI, USDA-FSA, NRCS, RINLA, and RI Farm Bureau will be held Thursday on March 31, 2011 at URI Coastal Institute, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration and continental breakfast from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Registration is $20 and includes boxed lunch.
 
The conference will bring together farmers, educators, agricultural service providers and activists to build production and business skills, share educational and organizational strategies and forge new connections all aimed at expanding the success of women in sustainable agriculture. It will celebrate farm women's accomplishments and set the stage for future success. 
 
Conference topics include: Opportunities and Challenges of Being a Woman in Agriculture, Financial Opportunities for Women, Marketing, Balancing Farm and Family, Beginning Farmer - Things to Know, Transitioning the Farm to the Next Generation and Networking Opportunities Using New Technologies.
 
Registration form and additional information available here.
 
Contact Heather Faubert for questions & additional information by e-mail  or by calling 874-2967

Composting Food Scrap in Rhode Island ~ Progress Report ~ March 25, 2011

The Large-scale Collection and Composting of Food Scrap: Possibilites and Financial Viability in Rhode Island, was held at the Chace Center, RISD, on March 22. It was a tremendous showing of support for moving forward on a comprehensive compost program in our state. For a report on the forum, see ecoRI, Compost Facility Closer to Reality, by Tim Faulkner. The photo of Mike Merner of Earth Care Farm in Charlestown is also by Tim and originally published on ecoRI.

Links to the presentation will be posted online soon, but meanwhile, here are the notes on next steps to make commercial, large-scale composting a reality in Rhode Island. 

• Talk to City Councilors, Mayors, State legislators and the Governor’s office, and everyone you know about the importance of composting
• Study the economic viability for municipalities of food scrap composting as opposed to sending this valuable soil-enriching material to the Central Landfill
• Support Home composting and Worm composting
• Get compost collection into municipal comprehensive plans
• Explore Tipping fee structure and options (in a cost-neutral way?)
• Identify municipalities and organizations that want to start programs and pilot projects at all scales
• Site a number of local facilities to cut down on handling and transportation costs.

A Wake-up Call to Action: Rhode Island's Transportation Funding Crisis ~ April 6, 2011

Coalition for Transportation Choices (CTC) collaborating with URI Transportation Center and RIDOT to organize a panel of national and local experts to discuss how Rhode Island can best achieve and sustain a 21st century transportation system, so vital to the health of our economy and environment

 

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, Senate President M. Teresa Paiva-Weed and House Speaker Gordon D. Fox are inviting fellow elected officials, business and civic leaders and community stakeholders to a panel forum entitled "A Wake-up Call to Action: Rhode Island's Transportation Funding Crisis." It will take place on Wednesday, April 6th, 1:00 -3:00 p.m. at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

 

The forum is free and friends of the CTC are invited to attend. Reservation are required.  Please RSVP by March 31, to CTC Co-Chair John Flaherty. 

 

Source: CTC E-Brief, March 23, 2011.

4th Annual Interfaith Conference on Climate Change ~ March 24, 2011

Global warming is already increasingly producing harmful impacts on humanity and all species around the globe.  How will social issues such as immigration pressures, food insecurity, access to drinking water and year-round utilities be impacted?  What are its implications for RI? What can we do to prevent or lessen an impending crisis?

Rhode Island Interfaith Power and Light is organizing its 2011 conference, entitled “A Social Justice Response to  Climate Change.”  It is hosted by La Salle Academy, Providence, RI, on the evening of Thursday, March 24, 2011, from 4:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

For a lively Panel Discussion of how science, economics, policy and faith bear on this important issue through the lens of social justice, along with educational workshops, tours of LaSalle’s solar greenhouse, kick-off of the IPL Food & Faith program with multi-faith blessings and a taste of RI local foods and an expanded exhibit section, the RI-IPL Low-Carbon Footprint Fair featuring alternative energy providers & more.  Interested in exhibiting?  View the details on vending options on-line.

Early sponsors of the conference include Beneficent Congregational Church, Blarney Stone Consulting, Community Relations Council of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, La Salle Academy, Newman Church, UCC, and Unitarian Universalist Church of South County.

Register online and pre-select the workshop of your choice.  Thank you, and we will see you there!