Wednesday, April 4, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Central Middle School, 4795 Magnolia Ave

Conference keynote speaker: Curtis Stone

Learn with 10 sessions through five tracks.

Network with regional food systems stakeholders.

About Curtis Stone: Curtis Stone is a farmer, author, speaker and consultant with expertise in high value, quick-growing annual specialty crops for direct consumer market streams. His book, The Urban Farmer, demonstrates organic intensive techniques with a focus on business and growing systems to streamline labor and production. Stone offers a new way to think about urban farming where quality of life and profitability coexist. Curtis’ farm, Green City Acres located in Kelowna, BC, Canada, generates $100,000 per year on one-quarter acre utilizing a mix of specialty crops and intercropping strategies; Green City Acres is internationally recognized as a flagship urban agricultural model demonstrating profitability and productivity.

Breakout Sessions

• Track 1: Agritourism
• Track 2: The Business of Urban Farms
• Track 3: The Workings of a Sustainable Farm
• Track 4: Community Crops, Health, and Policy
• Track 5: Training the Next Generation (Student Program)

2-Day Profitable Urban Farming Workshop with Curtis Stone

Thursday & Friday, April 5-6, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

About the Workshop:

Is it possible to make a good living on less than an acre of land? Learn how you can farm on half an acre of land and make up to $50,000 to $100,000 per year. Curtis Stone is the owner/operator of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm in Kelowna, BC. Since 2010, he has been successfully farming on multiple urban lots in the city’s downtown, and will demonstrate to you, that you can farm on very small plots of land without the debt burden of a mortgage or the high capital expenses of the usual infrastructure that most farms need.

In the 2-day Profitable Urban Farming Workshop, participants will learn about strategic production techniques that focus on high-value crops with short growth cycles as well as specialized and niche market streams such as restaurants, and cooperative CSA’s. Participants will also learn how to use modern technology to better manage your business that will save you time and money! Curtis wants to show you how you can shave off two to three years of the mistakes he made, and get you off to a strong start now, making a great living doing something you love!

This two-day workshop runs from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. There are two 15 minute breaks at 10:15 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and an hour locally-inspired lunch break at 12:30 p.m.

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5th Annual Citrus Circle Farm-to-Fork Dinner

Wednesday, April 4, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Grab your fork and knife, the Citrus Circle Farm-to-Fork Dinner is back! Enjoy an evening of entertainment, local food, and drinks at Fox Farm. This is a fundraiser dinner where proceeds support the GrowRIVERSIDE Initiative.

Riverside Farms Tour

Saturday, April 7, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Join us for a one-day tour of multiple innovative projects in the Inland Region including:

Eastside Heal Zone
California School for the Deaf Urban Farm
Huerta Del Valle
Amy’s Farm

Parking and Check-in Location: Ryan Bonaminio Park, 5000 Tequesquite Ave, Riverside, CA 92501

Check-in begins at 7:45 a.m. The tour bus leaves promptly at 8:30 a.m., returning by 5:00 p.m. Lunch is provided.

Speakers

• Thom Curry, Owner of Temecula Olive Oil Company

• Ice Murry, FSA Loan Specialist, Resource Director

• Allison Paap, Vice President Lending Manager at American AgCredit

• Scott Berndt, Owner of Fox Farm, Urban Farmer

• Scott Tenney, Director of Operations, Strategy Coordinator

• Glenn Tanaka, Owner of Tanaka Farms

• Diana Ruiz, Public Affairs Manager at RCRCD

• Jennifer York, Community Agriculture Program and Design Manager

• Kerwin Russell, Natural Resource Manager

• Adrian Rodriquez, President, Rodrigrows Organics

• Robert Hewitt, District Conservationist, NRCS

• Joe Johnston

• Katie Critchley, Farm Director of the Farm at Agritopia

• Dr. Shene Bowie-Hussey, Vice President of Health Strategies & Chief Strategic Office

• Sue Spagna, Coordinator, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Food Pantry

• Don Webber, Founder of Harvest2U

• Liya Schwartzman, Central Valley Regional Program Coordinator, California Farm Link

• Malissa McKeith, Founder and President of CURE

• Claudia P. Diaz Carrasco, 4-H Youth Development Advisor

• Ana Galvis Martinez, Agroecology Education

• Paul Roge, Research & Education

• Justin Rohner, CEO of Agriscaping Technologies