Cumberland Seed Commons 2024 Spring Convening Schedule
Atrus Ballew Farm
SESSION ZOOM LINKS
April 20 – 23, 2024
| Saturday April 20, 2024 | 3pm-11pm | Atrus Ballew Farm, Richmond, KY |
| Sunday April 21, 2024 | 12 noon-4pm | Berea College, Boone Tavern, Berea, KY |
| Sunday April 21, 2024 | 6pm-9pm | Berea College, Boone Tavern, Berea, KY |
| Monday April 22, 2024 | 9am-4pm | Forestry Outreach Center |
| Monday April 22, 2024 | 6pm-9pm | Berea College, Boone Tavern, Berea, KY |
| Tuesday April 23, 2024 | 9am-4pm | Forestry Outreach Center |
CELEBRATION TO OPEN OUR SPRING CONVENING: Saturday April 20
Jim Embry’s 3/4 Century Birthday and Butterflies Celebration
Jim has made significant contributions to the development of our Cumberland Seed Commons initiative and welcomes friends and family to the Historic Atrus Ballew Farm for this community celebration that opens our Spring Convening. Join us Down on the Farm!
This celebration will begin at 3pm and conclude at 11pm on the Atrus Ballew Farm (Jim’s home), 265 Norris Road Richmond, KY. The Ballew family has stewarded this land and community since the early 1800s. (For directions call: 859-270-3699)
Feel free to attend all or portions of the day long activities.
Activities 3-5 PM
- Work Party: planting of fruit trees, plants, berries, seeds and more!
- Establish Monarch Butterfly Waystation
- Hands-on art projects to take home; paint Butterfly molds
- Farm tours
- Seed Swap and farm products tables
- Fishing in the pond
- Games: Ping Pong, Corn Hole, etc.
Activities 6-11 PM
- Ancestral Tribute
- Dinner-food provided but bring your own drinks and chair
- 3/4 Century Birthday salutes
- Entertainment: drumming, music, spoken word
- Fireside conversations and stargazing
Set up for dinner and evening program – 5pm-6pm
Activities 6-11pm-(we are expecting 40-50 people)
- Dinner – Potluck: please bring a plant-based/vegetarian food dish for dinner if able. Bring: 1) a dish to share, 2) your own drinks and 3) your chair if able.
- Ancestral Call with drumming
- 3/4 Century Birthday Celebration program with family history
- Entertainment: drumming, music, spoken word, musical tributes
- House band: Positive Movement Band, African dancing, salsa dancing
- Fireside conversations and stargazing
DAY 1: Sunday April 21
SPRING CONVENING SESSIONS: 12 noon – 9pm
REGISTRATION 11 AM – 12 noon
In the lobby of Boone Tavern (100 Main St)
FARM TOURS – 12 noon – 4 PM
Begins in from of Boone Tavern.
During the farm and campus tour, participants will have the opportunity to visit:
- The Berea College Horticultural Farm guided by Janet Meyer (seed-production), and
- The Berea Urban Farm led by Richard Olson (agri-culture-garden).
During these tours, participants will get a close hand look at urban farming operations, seed farming operations, seed cleaning equipment, hear about seed research and varietal selections, seed storage, and seed processing. (SEE FARM TOURS FOR MORE INFO)
- Campus Tour: Local historian/Griot Sharyn Mitchell will lead a tour of the Berea College campus walking from the Berea College Horticultural Farm (Scaffold Cane Rd.) to the Berea Urban Farm (201 Adams St.). A bus will be available for those who need transportation to the urban farm.
- Tour of Old Town: after the tour of the Berea Urban Farm, participants can visit the various shops of Old Town (artisan-village), and return on your own to Boone Tavern for dinner at 6pm.
DINNER WITH SPEAKERS – 6-9 PM
Held at the Boone Tavern EVENT SPACE– Participants will be provided dinner with speakers. The evening program will include: introductions of local farmers, presenters, sponsors, and all participants.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF BILL BEST
Please join us in a toast to our beloved elder Bill Best, THE SEED MAN on Sunday, April 21 6-9pm during our Spring Convening dinner held at Boone Tavern event center. This recognition for Bill Best will occur about 8pm with a joint recognition proclamation by Mayor Fraley, Mayor Blythe, and County Judge Taylor.
Tickets for the dinner are $35 each and can be purchased at this site:
Individuals and organizations are welcome to bring written or other forms of tribute as well.
Speakers will include Jennifer Bailey of Washington, DC; Vicki Assevero of Trinidad and Tobago; Eva y Acosta Hernandez of Puerto Rico, Tanya Price of Cincinnati. (presenters).
Other evening creative expressions include: spoken word artists: Farmer Brown/Trevor Claiborn of Lexington and Randall Daniels of Cincinnati.
DAY 2: Monday April 22
SPRING CONVENING SESSIONS: 9 AM – 9 PM
9am-4pm-Sessions with speakers, workshops, and lunch held at Berea College Forestry Outreach Center 2047 Big Hill Rd.
6pm-9pm: DINNER with speakers held at Boone Tavern EVENT SPACE 100 S. Main
MORNING SESSION 9 AM – 12 noon
The morning session will include these themes: 1) overview of Cumberland Seed Commons initiative, 2) local seed farming, 3) indigenous cosmology of seeds, 4) pathways to strengthen the Seed Commons movement, 5) vision for bioregional initiatives.
Presenters will include: Jim Embry, Susana Lein of Salamander Springs Farm; Brian Chadwell of Berea; Bill Best of Berea;
LUNCH WITH SPEAKER 12 noon – 1:30 PM
Speaker: Kiki Hubbard-The National Perspective: Collaboration with USDA Seed Liaison
During lunch we will have special recognition and unveiling of this mural created by local artist Heather Dent. This mural was commissioned by Sustainable Berea specifically for display at the Forestry Outreach Center during the Spring Convening and will have permanent installation at the Berea Urban Farm.
AFTERNOON SESSION – 1:30 – 4 PM
The afternoon session will include core themes focused on seed farming, seed saving, seed storage, on-the-farm seed research projects and indigenous cosmology of seeds.
Presenters will include: Michael Flores of Belize; Femeika Elliott of Rooted East Knoxville. We will review greetings from such luminaries as: Daniel Wanjama of Kenya Seed Savers Network, Baba Malik Yakini of Detroit; Mya Price of Civil Eats, Rowen White of Sierra Seeds.
VISIONING SESSION – 3:30 – 4 PM
DINNER WITH SPEAKERS – 6 – 9 PM
Participants will be provided dinner with speakers.
Speakers will include: Jennifer Bailey of Daughters of the Underground; Jim Embry; and Sherrie Smith of Black Farm Finder App.
We will also review greetings from such luminaries as:; Daniel Wanjama of Kenya Seed Savers Network, Baba Malik Yakini of Detroit; Mya Price of Civil Eats, Rowen White of Sierra Seeds.
DAY 3: Tuesday April 23
SPRING CONVENING SESSIONS: 9 AM – 4 PM
9am-4pm-Sessions with speakers, workshops, and lunch held at Berea College Forestry Outreach Center 2047 Big Hill Rd.
MORNING SESSION – 9 AM – 12 noon
The morning session will include: 1) Overview of Cumberland Seed Commons development, 2) pathways to strengthen the Seed Commons movement, 3) vision for bioregional initiatives.
Presenters will include: Jim Embry of Sustainable Communities Network; Sarah Hall of Berea College; Asher Wright of Caney Fork Farms; Rose Beverly of City of Berea; Michael Flores of Belize; Femeika Elliott of Rooted East
LUNCH WITH SPEAKER – 12 noon – 1:30 PM
Speaker: Charlie Logsdon of Roundstone Seeds. Participants will be provided lunch with speaker.
AFTERNOON SESSIONS – 1:30 – 4 PM
The afternoon session will include core themes focused on developing the Cumberland Seed Commons through formation of Working Groups.
1:30-1:50 PM break
1:50-2:30 PM Discussion of the way forward, organizational structures, seed hubs, themes for Working Groups, participants select Working Group(s) to join.
2:30-3:30 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS: Working Groups meet, create mission, select facilitators, times to meet, vision for the year.
3:30-3:50 PM Working Groups report back
3:50-4:00 PM Closing thoughts, next steps adjourn
