Growing Together: Open Forum

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  • 1.  Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 01-09-2023 08:57:00 AM
    Is there a comprehensive list for annual conferences related to agriculture, ag.ed, farm to school, horticulture etc. related information out there that someone knows about? I'm interested in seeing what is going on for 2023. Either in person or virtually!
    Thanks!
    Erica
     
    Erica Blumenfeld
    Farm Manager
    office: 828-254-5356 ext 303
           
     


  • 2.  RE: Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 01-09-2023 07:29:00 PM
    Here is one conference I just discovered so I have no personal info, just the conference blurb:  National Children and Youth Garden Symposium

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    Kelly McCartney
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  • 3.  RE: Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 01-10-2023 11:09:00 AM
    NCYGS is a conference I attend every year - at least for the last 6-7 years. It is a very practical conference, and I always come back to work with new ideas, activities, and lessons I can actually implement. A few things I have also implemented in my home garden. Everyone I have met at the conference has been lovely and more than wiling to share information and learn from one another. It's reliably good. 


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    Franke Smith
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  • 4.  RE: Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 01-10-2023 12:37:00 PM
    Erica, here are a few I know of:
    - National Children and Youth Garden Symposium (yes, I know it has been mentioned, but the garden I work at is the local host this year- we would love to have you join us! AHS is accepting session proposals until Jan 13!)
    - EcoLOGICAL Gardening Symposium (at the University of Tennessee Gardens, Knoxville; 1 day event; 5 presenters; general gardening practice and information; find out more here or contact me; this is not teaching focused but is very informative for responsible and thoughtful gardening)
    - Grow Teach Knox (in Knoxville, Tennessee; will be at UT Gardens again this year; local educator-focused symposium to encourage outdoor/gardening education in our schools; 1/2 day in-person event; will take place this fall)
    - Outdoor Learning Conference (in Banff, Alberta, Canada; focus on outdoor/environmental education/place-based learning/indigenous ways of knowing, etc; May 4-6, 2023) 
    - Greater Greenville Master Gardener Symposium (Greenville, South Carolina; info intended for home gardeners/Master Gardeners-- excellent info every year; usually in February)
    - https://conference.naaee.org/ (North American Association for Environmental Education)

    Also, I would check the following sources:
    - Your state's Ag in the Classroom website
    - Your state's 4-H office (you can usually contact the Extension office to find this info)
    - Take Me Outside (they have amazing webinars year round and are a partner doing the Outdoor Learning Conference)

    Finally, I would note that the National Children and Youth Garden Symposium is really the only one I have heard of that operates at the intersection of horticulture/gardening AND youth education. Of course I am biased, but it's truly such a valuable experience and the network is amazing. I think I met people in every single career stage and role and from across the entire US at last year's symposium, so literally no one is out of place there if you have any connection to youth and gardening/horticulture/farming.

    Hope this helps a bit. I'm happy to chat in more detail at whitneyhale@tennessee.edu.



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    Whitney Welch
    University of Tennessee Gardens, Knoxville
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  • 5.  RE: Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 01-13-2023 11:28:00 AM
    This thread is so great! Just asked my KidsGardening colleagues and we're adding all the conferences related to youth gardening that we know about for this year and all the ones shared on this thread in a Google Doc for anyone to view. The list is organized by month and most, if not all, of the conferences currently listed are open to a national/international audience. Happy to add any state or more regionally-specific conferences, too. Keep adding to this thread!

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    Amelia Dupuis
    Kids Garden Community Manager
    KidsGardening
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  • 6.  RE: Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 01-17-2023 11:14:00 AM
    The National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference happens every year toward the end of June. This year it's in Orlando Florida, June 26-29, 2023.
    More info: https://agclassroom.org/conference/

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    Kelsey Fortin
    Maine Agriculture in the Classroom
    Augusta ME
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  • 7.  RE: Conferences, Conventions, symposiums...

    Posted 02-01-2023 02:16:00 PM
    Edited by Ritza Francois 02-01-2023 03:48:54 PM
      |   view attached
    At the Ithaca Children's Garden, we have historically done a Play Symposium! bringing in educators from across the country to talk about equitable access to nature.It was on an every 2 year schedule but the pandemic surge made it difficult for us to bring it back in recent years. Though it may come back in 2024!  Here is the itinerary from 2019 when we did it! Please keep us on your radar!

    https://icgplaysymposium.sched.com/

    Hope this helps!

    -Ritza


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    Ritza Francois
    Director of Development
    Ithaca Children's Garden Ithaca, NY
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