For anyone who is interested in attending the 2010 PASA Conference in State College, PA, today is the last day that you can pre-register.  If you are interested, you can register at:

http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1946&EID=5895

The 19th annual PASA Farming for the Future Conference is being held February 4th-6th.  PASA is the Pennsylvania Sustainable Association for Sustainable Agriculture which seeks to “Promote profitable farms that produce healthy food for all people while respecting the natural environment”.  A laudable goal that supports local fresh foods throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

The conference brings together a plethora of individual and organizations who are expanding responsible agriculture within Pennsylvania and beyond.  Keynote speakers this year are Michael Reynolds, an architect responsible for the Earthship Biotecture, and Lisa M. Hamilton, author of “Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness“.  In addition to their lectures there will be a number of educational tracts and workshops held each day.

It is the workshops I am most interested in as for the first time I am attending the event.  My day starts early however as I am making a day trip of it and will need to leave by 530am to make the  7am opening. Being tardy will likely see the classes I want already filled.  For the AM this means Beekeeping for Beginners I and II. Running my own hives has been a goal for sometime but first hand knowledge from mouth to ear is better than page to book in this case.    The afternoon is less specific with a short list of possibilities, in order of interest: Itching to Farm? Start from Scratch: No Land Solutions, Earthen Building from the Ground Up, or Luscious Landscapes for Everyone — with Fruits!.

If you are interested in attending the conference, registration is open up until the day of the event, though early registration ends on Sunday, January 24th.  After that prices go up $15 until the 31st.  After that, add an additional $25.  If you are not a member, it is worth signing up as you can get a membership and register for the conference for the price of a non-member registration, this provides you with a number of benefits including a bi-monthly magazine.

I hope to see you there!