http://www.tilthproducers.org Tilth Producers of Washington, a Chapter of Washington Tilth Association, is the organic and sustainable farm organization of Washington State. A membership organization of over 400 Washington growers, Tilth Producers fosters and promotes ecologically sound, sustainable agriculture in the interest of environmental preservation, human health and social equity. en-us 2006 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:34:00 PST Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:34:00 PST webweaver@tilthproducers.org (Chrys Ostrander) Paul Stamets, extraordinary mycologist and long-time Tilth member, takes you to the outer limits of the miracles of mushrooms in this wide-ranging and ground-breaking talk. Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:34:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/Stamets.mp3 Dr. Vandana Shiva inspires and awakens us as she describes the history of her anti-corporate/pro-farmer activism in her home country of India. Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:34:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/Vandana1.mp3 "There are interesting analogies between agricultural systems and the three pillars of physics'Newtonian Mechanics, Quantum Theory and Relativity Theory'in that some facets of agriculture are predictable (Newtonian), whereas others are relative (Relativity) and considerably less predictable (Quantum)." Fred Provenza, Dept. of Forest, Range and Wildlife Sciences, Utah State University Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:34:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/FredProvenza.mp3 An episode of KUOW's Exploring Seattle Series Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/universitydist.mp3 Helena Norberg-Hodge's Keynote Address at the 2006 Tilth Producers of Washington Conference in Vancouver, WA. Introduction by Tilth Producers President Anne Schwartz. Helena Norberg-Hodge is a leading analyst of the impact of the global economy on cultures and agriculture worldwide. Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:34:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/HelenaNorberg-Hodge.mp3 Mark Wheeler of Pacific Botanicals in Grants Pass, OR and Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski of Friends of the Trees Society will talk about their vast experience growing medicinals as cash crops and as multiple-use elements in the farm ecosystem. Topics include large and small-scale production, harvesting, processing, marketing, agroforestry, and permaculture plus little-known facts about growing and harvesting a few specific species. (1 hr. 21 min.; 9.37 MB) Tue, 30 Jan 2007 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/wheeler-pilkarski.mp3 Panelists: Helena Norberg-Hodge, a leading analyst on the impact of the global economy on cultures and agriculture world wide, Paul Roberts, lecturer and author of The End of Oil and Fred Fleming, a Reardan, Washington wheat farmer and co-founder of Columbia Plateau Producers and Shepherd's Grain describe what will be required to develop strong regional food systems. Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/Food-System-Panel.mp3 Kentucky farmer, essayist and poet Wendell Berry, often cited as an original inspiration for the Tilth movement, delivers the Tilth Organizations' 20th Anniversary Keynote Speech entitled Conserving Communities in Portland, OR, Nov. 1994. Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/WendellBerry.mp3 Dr. Elaine Ingham of Soil Foodweb, Inc. Corvallis, Oregon and Soil Foodweb Institute, New South Wales, Australia describes in precise detail the composting process and how the organic farmer or backyard gardener can make compost that really works. From the Tilth 30th anniversary conference in Portland, OR in 2004 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/Elaine1.mp3 Dr. Elaine Ingham of Soil Foodweb, Inc. Corvallis, Oregon and Soil Foodweb Institute, New South Wales, Australia describes in precise detail the processes of making and using aerobic compost tea and how the organic farmer or backyard gardener can make aerobic compost tea that really works. From the Tilth 30th anniversary conference in Portland, OR in 2004 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/Elaine2.mp3 Dr. Alan Kapular, former Research Director for Seeds of Change and founder of Peace Seeds and JJ Haapala, former Director of Research and Education for Oregon Tilth and former Project Administrator for the Farmer Cooperative Geneome Project. Issues covered include: Public domain vs. private patent ownership of seeds, germplasm and plant varieties; Impact of genetic engineering on seed saving; What do advances in genetic technology mean to the organic community? Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:30:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/seeds.mp3 Organic no till farming offers the potential to stimulate high crop yields, improve soil fertility and structure without using agricultural inputs restricted in certified organic agriculture and to confront run-away climate change from greenhouse gas emissions while improving soil productivity and health. (1 hr. 3 min.; 7.2 MB) Tue, 30 Jan 2007 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-08-Keynote.mp3 Blair McHenry, Executive Director of the Canadian Organic Greenhouse Growers Association, owns and operates both Dominion Organics, a certified organic greenhouse operation, and Agroganic Products, a commercial fertilizer production company which specializes in certified organic fertility inputs. Blair provides an overview of the conventional hydroponic greenhouse vegetable production industry that has developed in Holland, Canada and the United States, and contrasts these "mega" high tech, capital-intensive operations with the opportunities afforded the smaller, low tech, local organic grower. (1 hr. 12 min.; 8.34 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Greenhouse-Veg.mp3 Learn more about producing and using compost, compost tea, and compost extracts in a safe and effective manner. Become a proactive biological farmer; inoculate your soil and plants with beneficial microbes while keeping a safety net between your farm and lawsuits. Steve Scheuerell, workshop presenter, teaches sustainable agriculture at the Evergreen State College in Olympia and has been an organic farmer and researcher with Oregon State University and the USDA Horticultural Crops Research Lab. (1 hr. 17 min.; 8.85 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Compost-Tea-and-Food-Safety.mp3 Mike Peroni of Boistfort Valley Farm says this about his session: "Keeping in mind the scale and nature of Tilth members' operations, I am going to quell the urge to talk about the newest latest equipment, most of which I cannot afford myself, and concentrate on those pieces that our operation uses the most and which are of greatest benefit to us ... such as Planet Junior Seeders, Mechanical Transplanters, John Deere 71 planters, and Farmall Super A's." Mike takes you through the process of plant production to harvest highlighting the equipment choices that have worked well for his farm. (1 hr. 31 min.; 10.5 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Use-of-Farm-Equipment.mp3 Amy Sills, former greenhouse and crop manager at Full Circle Farm in Carnation, describes her methods of planning and growing organic starts for a 260-acre organic farm operation. Jeff Miller of Willie Green's Organic Farm south of Monroe, talks about season `extension practices for west of the Cascades. (1 hr. 14 min.; 8.51 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Greenhouse-Season-ext.mp3 Chuck Timblin, resource specialist with Whatcom Conservation District, and farmer Hans Wolfesburg cover some of the main resource management and environmental issues related to raising livestock using pasture-based feeding in Western Washington. They also address some of the economic issues associated with livestock production and introduce a proven method for improving pasture production. (1 hr. 5 min.; 7.43 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Hay-and-Pasture-Mngmnt.mp3 Micaela Colley of Organic Seed Alliance and Nash Huber, of Nash's Organic Produce in Sequim discuss opportunities in organic seed production such as grain production for local markets, on-farm animal feed, cover crops and organic vegetable seed production in compliance with the NOP regulations. (1 hr. 9 min.; 7.92 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Organic-Seed-on-Diversified-Farms.mp3 This informal roundtable discussion explores how to make apprenticeship relationships work for both the farmer and the intern. Blue Heron farmers Anne Schwartz and Jules Riske facilitate, addressing several systems designed to help both parties find their way through challenges associated with these unique relationships. (1 hr. 29 min.; 10.1 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Intern-Labor-Discussion.mp3 Rebecca Slattery (Persephone Farm, Indianola, WA), John Eveland and Sally Brewer (Gathering Together Farm, Philomath, Oregon) have been learning the old fashioned way how to market the products they grow. Some highlights include taking biodiversity to the limit- selling "weeds" for decent profit; branding without advertising; old-school frugality (Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle), finding a niche in overwintering crops, and always looking for ways to stack functions. (1 hr. 10 min.; 8.09 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Local-Marketing.mp3 Scott and Amy Turner of Blue Dog Farm in Carnation describe how they recycle horse bedding from local stables into composted material suitable for application on organic blueberries and raspberries. They describe the static aerated pile method they use and the equipment required to operate it. You'll also hear about recordkeeping for the organic program, final product testing, and how the compost is used in Blue Dog Farm's berry operation. (1 hr. 7 min.; 7.7 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-On-Farm-Composting.mp3 Learn how to grow great potatoes...or at least pretty good ones. Tim Terpstra has been growing potatoes for Ralph's Greenhouse in Mount Vernon, Washington for the past five years, facilitates this discussion on small-scale organic potato production. Topics discussed include soil, nutrient, weed, disease, and irrigation management. Tim is joined by Laura Masterson from 47th Avenue Farm in Portland for a discussion about the results of the farmer-directed OSPUD project, a participatory learning process focused on improving potato quality and profitability through on-farm variety trials and research. (1 hr. 7 min.; 7.71 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Organic-Potatoes.mp3 Miles McEvoy, Director of Washington State Department of Agriculture's Organic Food Program discusses organic standards from a local to international level. Local issues include WSDA's farmers' market surveillance inspections and enforcement actions taken by the program to protect organic integrity. National issues include new requirements for livestock to have access to pasture and new requirements on using organic seeds. International issues include grower groups, Participatory Guarantee Systems, and the work of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) to support the full diversity of organic agriculture around the world. (1 hr. 17 min.; 8.88 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Organic-Standards.mp3 Hear about the ecology, behavior, life cycle, and preventative management tools of two lovely Northwest pests, the cabbage maggot, Delia radicum, and a non-insect terrestrial arthropod- the the gray field slug, Deroceras reticulatum. Amy Dreves, Applied Integrated Pest Management Researcher, Extension and Education Specialist at Oregon State University. (1 hr. 6 min.; 7.64 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Mngmnt-of-Slugs-and-Maggots.mp3 Lindsey du Toit, vegetable seed pathologist for Washington State University in Mount Vernon, covers the basic principles of diagnosing plant problems, including a systematic process to help differentiate problems caused by biotic (living) agents from those caused by abiotic (non-living) agents. Further processes are demonstrated that help differentiate among types of biotic plant problems (i.e. insect pests vs. pathogenic diseases, and bacterial vs. fungal vs. viral vs. nematode pathogens. (1 hr. 16 min.; 8.77 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Plant-Disease-Part-1.mp3 Lindsey du Toit, vegetable seed pathologist for Washington State University in Mount Vernon, covers the basic principles of diagnosing plant problems, including a systematic process to help differentiate problems caused by biotic (living) agents from those caused by abiotic (non-living) agents. Further processes are demonstrated that help differentiate among types of biotic plant problems (i.e. insect pests vs. pathogenic diseases, and bacterial vs. fungal vs. viral vs. nematode pathogens. (1 hr. 14 min.; 8.49 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TILTH-2008-Plant-Disease-Part-2.mp3 David Muehleisen, entomologist and faculty member at The Evergreen State College, offers this session on setting up and managing an effective on-farm orchard Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for Western Washington. He covers the latest sampling and biologically based insect pest population management strategies for selected orchard pests of apples, pears and cherries. David talks about how to enhance orchard habitat to promote beneficial insect populations, biological and bio-rational control agents for each of the pests, and alternative sustainable nontoxic strategies for managing pest populations. (1 hr. 07 min.; 7.69 MB) Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST http://tilthproducers.org/Audio/TITLH-2008-West-Side-Orchard-Insects.mp3