Features Production Research
Guelph Organic Conference an enviro pilgrimage

January 21, 2011, Guelph,
Ont – Thousands of people have attended the Guelph Organic Conference in the
past three decades. Their ages are as varied as their lifestyles, from budding
young families to active seniors, fifth generation farmers to city gardeners,
but they all have one thing in common: They make the environment a priority on
the last weekend in January at the University of Guelph.

January 21, 2011, Guelph,
Ont – Thousands of people have attended the Guelph Organic Conference in the
past three decades. Their ages are as varied as their lifestyles, from budding
young families to active seniors, fifth generation farmers to city gardeners,
but they all have one thing in common: They make the environment a priority on
the last weekend in January at the University of Guelph.

The atmosphere in the
University Centre is charged with excitement. Newbies discover they are not
alone in their pursuit of a healthier planet when they browse the organic expo
and tasting fair – more than 150 booths where they can nibble free samples of
organic chocolate, frozen desserts, cheese and popcorn while learning about
organic seeds, farming, clothing, wine and food, and even international
development agencies working in sustainable agriculture.

For veterans of the
original green movement, the conference is a festive rendezvous, with friends
reuniting over complimentary fair trade organic coffee and hot cider, or
browsing book stalls sharing tips on their latest good read. With so much going
on, it is hard to keep an eye on the clock.

The wide range of
workshops, though, from organic farming strategies to new research, backyard
composting and climate change, make sticking to a schedule worthwhile. This
year, the Sunday morning Holistic Management workshop will be particularly
helpful for anyone that has struggled with lifestyle choices that everyone in
the family can live with. This kit bag of priority-setting tools can help keep
you on track when it comes to reducing your footprint on this planet.

“It is applicable to any
family or small business, or to farmers and ranchers,” says Tony McQuail, who,
with his wife Fran, will present the Coles Notes version of this whole-life
approach.

McQuail points out that
when your written plan considers future resources like clean water and a
healthy environment to achieve your goals, it reminds you that you need to
invest time and energy into preserving those resources.

“Holistic Management is
really grounded in the environment, and keeping family and your spiritual
beliefs as core values.”

The 30th Guelph Organic
Conference takes places January 27 to 30, 2011 at Guelph University Centre.