Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference attracts record number

I’ve attended the Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference three times since I became director in 2005, and I’ve been amazed at the strong support it receives from participants. This year was exceptional, boasting its highest attendance ever. The 11th annual conference took place Jan. 29-30 at the Grayling High School in Grayling. Farmers, educators and others who are curious about farming, food and communities listened to speakers, attended educational sessions, viewed demonstrations and networked with other attendees. Sixty-three percent of attendees stated that they plan to make changes in their farms or businesses as a result of what they learned at the conference. A majority of participants (60 percent) have attended past conferences, and of those, 77 percent have made at least one change in their farms or businesses as a result of the conference, and 48 percent have made three or more changes in their farms or businesses as a result of the conference. Whether you’re a farmer or a food lover, you may want to put the conference on your schedule next year. It’s always on Friday night and all day Saturday on the last weekend in January.