Six Strategies to Optimize your Investment in Farm Conferences or Educational Events

Reader Contribution by Lisa Kivirist
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The winter months usher in an inspiring annual line-up of farm conferences from coast to coast, some tailored to small farms, including EcoFarm in California, PASA’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Pennsylvania, and the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in the Midwest. And there are the Mother Earth News Fairs at numerous spots around country throughout the year, too. But add in the cost of conference fees, lodging and travel as well as time away from the farm or homestead, and the stakes are high that you want a strong knowledge return on the investment it takes to attend, especially if you are a beginning farmer with limited resources.

What’s the best resource to help navigate these conferences and make the most of your attendance? Advice from fellow farmers and homesteaders seasoned in attending such events. I tapped into the network of women farmers I write about in Soil Sisters: A Toolkit for Women Farmers and via my hats leading the MOSES In Her Boots Project and Soil Sisters Wisconsin event for easy and accessible tips to maximize your investment in attending a conference or fair.

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