It's early December, and annually on this week we find ourselves at the Ecological Farmers' Association of Ontario conference. A place at which we've been enriched with relationships, knowledge and farm hacks presented by farmers from around the world. Conferences have been held from the Blue Mountains to Belleville. This week the conference is in our house.
We eat pretty well here, but there's something about dropping the conference fee and enjoying food made by the hotel chefs using local farm fare. We miss that. And childcare for our kids to mingle with their peers. And being in a new place. And seeing friendly farmer faces. Snack bowls in the hallways, coffee brewed for us. Trade shows featuring comparative taste-tests of carrots from our favourite Non-GMO organic seed companies. Meeting Simon, the CAO from a farm family who launched Harvie.
The advantages? Savings in travel, accommodation and ticket costs. (In the past we've couch surfed and shared hotel rooms.) Access to recordings to relisten to sessions during which we were too tired, zoned out or overloaded to absorb more information. Hearing our farmer friends' voices in Zoom gatherings. Being able to prep veggies for you while in session.
