The 2012 Small Farm Summit on 4/14/12 was the culmination of months of dedicated work by the North Shore Land Alliance, and numerous Long Island gardening, local food, and healthy school lunch advocates. Hundreds came to Hofstra University to hear football-player-turned-farmer Will Allen of “Growing Power” from Wisconsin, and Renegade Lunch Lady and Author, Chef Ann Cooper (See ChefAnn.com). Will Allen started the day with many success stories of projects he’s started, teaching kids how to grow their own food in urban areas. (See www.growingpower.org). I also got to hear about innovative rooftop farms like Brooklyn Grange, a 40,000 sq ft farm growing on warehouse roof in Long Island City, Queens. (See http://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com). On a scary note, Professor Birgit Woelker, Nassau Community College, reminded us of the many reasons to be concerned about genetically modified crops being grown around the globe, the need for labeling here in the U.S. (See http://tinyurl.com/GMO-NO). I also learned how to make a vertical green wall from teacher Steve Ritz of  Green Bronx
Machine (greenbronxmachine.weebly.com/index.html).

With numerous exhibits and workshops happening at once, the Farm Summit was a smorgasbord of positive learning and sharing. Glad I got to be a volunteer and a sponsor as Green Inside and Out Consulting, to help make this day a wonderful success. See http://www.smallfarmsummit.com/.