[Sdpg] General announcements / PCA Conference on 12/8 in SLO Ca

[Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson]

,Greetings!

1.  Have you heard about ATTRA?  Check out their new & updated publications
2.  SUSTAINABLE BUILDER’S COUNCIL Meeting 10/22 (6:30 pm)­talk on bldg 
materials
3.  Discussion on IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE WATER QUALITY PROGRAM 10/23, 12­3 pm
4.  CELEBRATION/WORKSHOP at Cesar Chavez Garden in Nipomo 11/1, 10-1 pm
5.  Free EDUCATOR OPEN HOUSE at the SLO Botanical Garden  11/1, Noon-4 pm
6.  Tour to TIERRA MIGUEL BIODYNAMIC FARM (San Diego Co.) 11/1, all day
7.  BIODYNAMIC WORKSHOP at Cal Poly organic Student Farm 11/2 9-11 am
8.  2nd ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AG PCA CONFERENCE on December 8th !!!!!!!!!!!!!
     Hosted by the SARC!

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1.  Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), the sustainable
agriculture information service of the National Center for Appropriate
Technology (NCAT), has recently released several new and updated additions to
its publications list.  New topics include: Information on Conservation
Easements;  Organic Alfalfa Production;  Organic Orchard, Vineyard, and Berry
Crop Documentation Forms (ready-to-copy forms for documenting practices that
demonstrate compliance with the National Organic Program rules);  and Organic
Livestock Documentation Forms.  Updated documents include information on
Constructed wetlands and Amaranth Production.  These and more than 250 other
ATTRA publications are available free to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents,
market gardeners, and others engaged in commercial agriculture, by calling 1-
800-346-9140 (English) or 1-800-411-3222 (Spanish). The publications may also
be downloaded from the ATTRA Web site, http://www.attra.ncat.org.

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2. This month’s meeting of the SAN LUIS OBISPO SUSTAINABLE BUILDING COUNCIL
will host local green architect Marilyn Farmer, who will be presenting a
discussion and slide show on:  “How to Find and Choose Sustainable Building
Materials”.  Wed. Oct. 22, 6:30 PM at the EOC Building, 1030 Southwood Dr., 
San
Luis Obispo.   Admission is free.  Any one interested in sustainable building
practices is welcome to attend.  Questions?  Call Mark Phillips at 461-0376.

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3.  All irrigated agricultural operations in the central coast region and 
other
interested parties are invited to attend a public WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS PROPOSED
IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE WATER QUALITY PROGRAM and conditional waivers of waste
discharge requirements.   The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control
Board (Regional Board) will hold a public workshop to hear and discuss 
comments
on a proposed program for irrigated agricultural operations’ discharges
throughout the Central Coast Region.  This meeting will be informational only;
no Regional Board action is proposed.  After receiving oral and written
comments, the Regional Board may consider action on this matter on December 5,
2003.  DATE, TIME,  LOCATION: October 23, 2003, 12:00 pm ­ 3:30 pm,
Multicultural Center, University of California, Santa Barbara.  All relevant
draft documents concerning the proposed program are available at
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb3/Board/Meetings/index.htm.  If you wish to
receive paper copies of any documents, or if you have any other questions,
please contact Alison Jones at (805) 542-4646 or send an email to
ajones at rb3.swrcb.ca.gov.

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4.  A community workshop celebrating the LIFE OF CESAR CHAVEZ at the Cesar
Chavez Garden in Nipomo on November 1st  between 10 am and 1 pm.  Participants
will be invited to learn about and plant a variety of California native
plants.   For more information about the Nipomo Cesar Chavez celebration, 
visit
www.ecoslo.org/images/chavez.pdf or contact: Allyson Nakasone at
allyson at ecoslo.org or 805-544-1777.

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5.  The Second Annual FREE EDUCATOR OPEN HOUSE will be held at the San Luis
Obispo Botanical Garden on November 1st from noon to 4 p.m.  Come and connect
to the environmental education community at the Botanical Garden in El Chorro
Regional Park on highway one across from Cuesta College. Open house will
feature: Field trip sign ups from several environmental education providers,
Hands on activities and team building games, Free international hot dog BBQ,
Free curriculum for teachers.  For further information, visit: www.slobg.org,
or contact Teresa Lees, SLOBG education coordinator, at 927-5922.

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6.  “Be An ORGANIC FARMER For A Day” environmental networking bus tour to
TIERRA MIGUEL FARM in Northern San Diego will take place on November 1st.
This will be an all day tour of a growing Biodynamic Farm in the beautiful
Pauma Valley.  The day will include a farm tour and various workshops on
landscaping, soil-building, biodynamic composting, herbal healing 
applications,
native plants and healthy cooking. Price: $30 adult, $15 child.  Bus will pick
passengers in Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, or Pasadena.  Potluck lunch.
Beautiful valley.  Inspiring farm.  Nice people.  To RSVP or to request info,
contact Wiep at: wiepfrog at cs.com, or call 626-798-1592.

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7.  A BIODYNAMIC COMPOST workshop will be held at the Student Experimental 
Farm
on Sunday, November 2nd from 9-11 am.  This free, informal gathering will 
teach
participants how to make a fundamental compost preparation used in Biodynamic
agriculture called “BD 500”.  Social and gardening activities will 
follow.  For
more information, or directions to the farm, call Hunter at: 756-5086.

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8.  2nd ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PCA CONFERENCE!!

We are now preparing for our second conference for professional PCAs (Pest
Control Advisors) which will occur on Monday, December 8 in San Luis Obispo.
We are privileged to have a wonderful line-up of speakers this year:

8:00-8:30 a.m.  Holistic Approaches to Pest Control: A Key Component of
Sustainable Agriculture.  Dr. John Phillips, Horticulture and Crop Science
Department,  Cal Poly

8:30-9:15 a.m.  Pest Control in Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS)
Dr. Jenny Broome, Associate Director, SAREP (Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education Program ­ UC Davis)

9:15-10:15 a.m. The Use of Organic Management Practices in BIFS Projects: 
Focus
on Strawberry Production.  Dr. Sean Swezey,  Director, SAREP (Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education Program ­ UC Davis)

10:15-10:30 a.m. Refreshments

10:30-11:30 a.m. 8 Years of Experience with the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape
Commission’s BIFS Program: The Importance of Pest Monitoring and Record 
Keeping.
Dr. Cliff Ohmart, Research/IPM Director, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission

11:30-12:30  Adopting Integrated Farming Practices to Reduce Pesticide Risk:
The Central Coast Vineyard Team (CCVT) BIFS Project
                 Kris O’Connor, Executive Director, CCVT;
                 Brenda Wolgamott, BIFS Project PCA, CCVT;
                 Bryan Wallingford, Vineyard Manager, San Juan Vineyard

12:30-1:15 p.m. Catered Lunch

1:15-2:15 p.m.   Biocontrol for Invasive Pests: Focus on Cittus.  Dr. David
Headrick, Horticulture and Crop Science Department, Cal Poly

2:15-3:30 p.m. Regulations Governing Biocontrol & the Role of the PCA in
Successfully Implementing Biocontrol Practices.  Stacy Carlsen, Agricultural
Commissioner - Director of Weights and Measures, Marin County

3:30-3:45 p.m.  Refreshments

3:45-5:15 p.m.   Pest Control Advising for Organic Growers: Complying with 
USDA
Organic Regulations.  Vanessa Bogenholm, VB Agricultural Services;  VB Farms;
Chair of the Board, CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers)

For more information about conference details, call Hunter Francis at 
756-5086,
or visit the Environmental Horticulture website at:  www.calpoly.edu/~envhort/

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Hunter Francis
Program Coordinator
Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium
c/o Horticulture and Crop Science Department
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California  93407
(805)756-5086

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