Report on Guelph Weekend

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Report on Guelph Weekend

Organic Farming Demystified, 16th Annual Organic Conference and Eco-Products Trade Show, held January 24-25, 1997 at the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.;

The annual conference in Guelph, co-operatively organized by several groups including COG, was held on the last weekend in January. I highly re-commend that all COG members try to visit this conference at least once. It gives you so much information and the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals.

The conference took place Saturday at the University of Guelph and was followed on Saturday evening and Sunday morning by COG events and meetings at Ignatius College. There are inexpensive rooms near the university and also at Ignatius College, a retreat and conference center on the outskirts of Guelph. The main conference was preceded by special programs on Friday: an all-day composting workshop, a CUSO global organics workshop, and an evening public forum. A biodynamic workshop was held on Sunday, as well.

We began our day Saturday in the University Centre by listening to the opening address, "Can Organic Farming Feed the World?", by Fred Kirschenmann, an organic grain farmer from North Dakota and an articulate, intelligent speaker. (See page 26 for a condensed version of his address.) An all-day trade show provided participants with the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of products and services. Sixteen workshops were offered, and you could choose to attend any four of these. The topics covered different aspects of crop production, livestock, farmer-consumer link-ups and global organics. These workshops were designed for farmers, although any person interested in agriculture would find them fascinating. Some conventional farmers were at the conference to learn about ecological farming. However, I couldn’t help wishing that the seminar leaders, in addition to speaking to the converted at the Guelph Organic Conference, could also attend some Ministry of Ag seminars to open conventional farmers’ minds to the benefits of organic farming.

The workshops were followed by COG’s annual general meeting, then COG’s organic dinner, held at Ignatius College. This great feast, organized by Guelph-area COG member Audrey Fyfe, planned by local chef Audrey Disher, and prepared by Ignatius College with generous donations of food from many local organic producers and processors (see below), was accompanied by organic wine and followed by wonderful singers and a storyteller.

On Sunday morning, members of COG's 1997 executive met to sort out their positions. We welcome our new president, Mary Alice Johnson of Sooke, B.C. I am confident that this executive will do a wonderful job. (See page 5 for a list of our national executive members and their positions.) Then about 25 of us attended COG’s general planning session, led by our new president. The debate was lively, to say the least. There was much difference of opinion in the room and although the lack of consensus meant less was accomplished, democracy is certainly alive in our organization.

—Judy Hurvid

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