VABF Virginia Association for Biological Farming

01/04/2025

Meet the speakers for our Fruits, Unique & Heirloom Crops track!
Jon Jackson 🌿 Ira Wallace 🌱 Pam Dawling 🌾Dr. Sanjun Gu 🍎Joseph Martinez 🍇 Tim Jordan 🌳Allyson Levy & Scott Serrano

Join us next weekend for the 25th Annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference in Roanoke, VA! Registration is still open, visit https://vabf.org/conference/

01/03/2025

Your voice is essential in shaping a robust, farmer-centered approach to technical assistance. Whether you’re a small-scale grower, a regenerative pioneer, or somewhere in between, we want to hear from you!

Register today to join American Farmland Trust, the Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Virginia Tech's Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition for a collaborative listening session focused on identifying the holistic technical assistance farmers need to thrive.

This session is an opportunity for producers to share their experiences, challenges, and priorities in managing soil health, adapting to market changes, and improving farm resilience. Your input will guide the development of tailored resources and support systems that address the unique needs of farmers across Virginia.

Together, we’ll explore:
- Gaps in current technical assistance offerings
- Opportunities for more integrated support
- Innovations that could help advance sustainable farming practices

Free Event
Friday, Jan. 10th from 5PM - 7PM

Washington Lecture Hall at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center

Limited to 50 people
with free appetizers and a Cash bar

01/03/2025

There's still time to register for next week's Conference!
https://vabf.org/conference/

The Virginia Biological Farming Conference brings together farmers, gardeners, eaters, educators, industry professionals, and advocates of sustainable, regenerative, biological, and organic agriculture. The three day Conference includes: Pre-Conference intensive workshops, 60+ concurrent sessions, locally sourced farm meals, book sales with author signings, and 50 tradeshow exhibitors.

We listened to your feedback and desire for more networking opportunities! Included in your Registration, on Saturday evening immediately following the end of sessions, we will be having a networking social with appetizers and a cash bar in the Roanoke Ballroom. The networking social will give attendees an opportunity to mingle with tradeshow exhibitors and fellow attendees, as well as provide an additional opportunity to connect with other farmers and farming professionals in your region via regional seating areas.

12/29/2024

🌿 We're so excited for our Keynotes for the upcoming Virginia Biological Farming Conference: Jon Jackson & Niaz Dorry!

There's still time to register, visit: https://vabf.org/conference/

Saturday Keynote with Jon Jackson - "Harvesting Resilience: Cultivating People Through Cultivating Our Land"
During this discussion Jon Jackson explores the profound connection between sustainable agriculture and community well-being. This enlightening journey highlights how nurturing the land not only fosters ecological health but also strengthens the bonds within communities. By embracing regenerative practices, we can cultivate not just crops, but also resilience, empowerment, and social cohesion.

Sunday Keynote with Niaz Dorry - "Celebrating Our InterDependence"
In this keynote address, Niaz Dorry explores the question of what ‘interdependence’ really means, and why it proves critical at this juncture of the world’s history–especially when it comes to food systems. She will share deep learning from her “America the Bountiful” tour around the country, during which she met with the nation’s food producers and experienced firsthand the struggles and joys of frontline communities in the struggle for interdependence and community. Finally, she will lead an inclusive, participatory process for audience members to contribute to an emerging document and tool for social change, “The Declaration of InterDependence,” so come with an open mind ready to move in collective action!

12/22/2024

Meet the speakers for our Looking to the Past to Grow the Future track at the upcoming Virginia Biological Farming Conference!
🌾Amyrose Foll 🌿 Chris Smith 🌼 Bonnetta Adeeb 🌶 Christian Keeve 🌱 Jeff Po**en 🌷 Chelsea Belle Graves ✨ Gabriella Soto-Velez 🍁 Ronald R Seagrave
https://vabf.org/conference/

12/21/2024

Meet the Speakers for our Agroforestry, Agroecology & Permaculture track!
🍇 Ryan Blosser 🌱 Nicky & Dave Schauder 🍎 Ben Friton 🌳 Thomas Leonard 🌲 Stesha Warren 🌼 Steve Haring

Interested? Learn more: https://vabf.org/conference/

The 25th annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference will be held January 10-12, 2025 at The Hotel Roanoke - Register today!

12/20/2024

Just 3 weeks away! The Virginia Biological Farming Conference will be held January 10-12, 2025 at The Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia. Join us! https://vabf.org/conference/

The conference brings together individuals and organizations dedicated to learning about, advocating for, and advancing sustainable, regenerative, biological, and organic agriculture.

12/20/2024

🌞 Happy Solstice Eve 🌞

21 days until Conference! January will be here so soon. We'd love to see you in Roanoke! https://vabf.org/conference/

12/20/2024

Thank you Edible Blue Ridge for this beautiful write-up about our upcoming Biological Farming Conference in January and a highlight of the Taste of Virginia Expo & Market! We're so excited and looking forward to seeing everyone there! (Be sure to stop by Edible Blue Ridge's booth to connect with these folks!)

Read the article:

Official Edible Partner

12/14/2024

Taste of Virginia! Vendor spaces are still available, join us for the annual celebration of all things local! Register today: https://vabf.org/taste-of-virginia-expo-market-2/ #!form/TasteofVA2025

Special highlight for 2025: Chef Stephanie Miller of Mystic Pine Farms will be our chef demo at the Taste of Va!

**Please note** Any comments on Taste of VA posts that request that you DM the individual to apply as a vendor are *S·P·A·M* please only apply by visiting our website!**

12/13/2024

VABF wishes to extend a huge thank you to Dr. John Munsell for being an integral part of our organization over the past six years!

We are now accepting nominations (and self-nominations) for the VABF Board of Directors. Apply by Dec 19th!
Find details: https://vabf.org/2024-vabf-board-of-directors-nominations/

12/07/2024

7 Full and Half-Day Pre-Conference workshops plus an urban farm & composting tour on happening Friday, January 10th! Add Pre-Conference to your Conference Registration or just join us for Pre-Conference.

Find out more: https://vabf.org/pre-conference-workshops-and-schedule/

Looking to reduce the cost? We're still accepting volunteers, including pre-conference volunteers!

12/02/2024

VABF Farmer Listening Sessions! We'd like to hear from you! 🌿
Please join us for conversations about challenges, concerns, and ideas to improve our food and agricultural system and to better support your farm.

·· Blacksburg: Dec 4th
https://vabf.org/events/ #!event/2024/12/4/farmer-listening-session-at-rising-silo-brewery-blacksburg

·· Norfolk: Dec 10th
https://vabf.org/events/ #!event/2024/12/10/farmer-listening-session-at-jordan-newby-anchor-branch-library-at-broad-creek

·· Virtual: Dec 11th
https://vabf.org/events/ #!event/2024/12/11/farmer-listening-session-virtual

Feedback from this event will shape VABF's program planning, be shared with our grantors, and guide our advocacy efforts to ensure we're working for what matters to you.

11/25/2024

Save $30! 🌿 Register Today with Early Bird Pricing! vabf.org

VABF Members save an additional $75! Join VABF or Renew your membership and connect with an awesome group of biological and organic farmers, gardeners, eaters, advocates and supporters and get low Member Conference rates along with other Member Benefits.

The 25th annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference will be held January 10-12, 2025 at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. The Conference brings together farmers, gardeners, eaters, educators, industry professionals, and advocates of sustainable, regenerative, biological, and organic agriculture.

The three day Conference includes: Pre-Conference intensive workshops, 60+ concurrent sessions, 50+ speakers, locally sourced farm meals, book sales with author signings, and 50 tradeshow exhibitors.

Conference highlights include a youth and teen program for ages 5-17, a local farm tour + 7 half and full day workshops, a silent auction and plenty of networking opportunities!

Also featuring a regional networking meeting, fireside chats in an intimate space with a scheduled speaker, morning yoga for farmers, a networking social with food and drinks, and book sales with author signings.

11/20/2024

Amazing work! Great reminder to focus our dollars on supporting communities that are still recovering from Helene for this holiday season.

When we say your support means the world, this is what we mean! Due to the overwhelming support of our customers and community, we were able to donate 20% of all sales for three weeks to two local grassroots organizations doing amazing work in the Asheville and Western North Carolina area. While the media and press has largely left our region, the recovery work is far from over, and many in our community will be struggling for months and years to come. These funds will make a direct impact for those who need it most, and we couldn’t be more proud to be able to say we have raised just over $12,000!

And as we approach the holiday season, this is a great reminder to support small businesses in WNC ❣️

And once again, the biggest THANK YOU to our amazing customers!

Love, STS 💚

11/18/2024

·· Financial Aid Applications closes tonight (11/18)!
(Volunteer applications remain open.)
https://vabf.org/2025-conference-volunteers-and-financial-aid/

·· Thanks to additional funding we've procured, we're offering Reduced Pricing on a few of our Pre-Conference workshops!
https://vabf.org/pre-conference-workshops-and-schedule/

·· Early Bird Rates till Nov 25! Register today!
https://vabf.org/events/ #!event/2025/1/10/25th-annual-virginia-biological-farming-conference-1