Farming is a hard row to hoe, so to speak. Actually, it requires tending multiple, diverse rows all at once. In addition to planting and harvesting crops, farmers must navigate real estate, marketing, finance and logistics, with a little engineering and entomology thrown in.
So, when the 14th annual Tennessee Local Food Summit gathers at Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Dec. 6–8, there will be multiple “tracks” of conversation, covering topics as far-flung as insect identification and sales software selection.
“Our mission is to provide education, resources and connections for small farmers and other stakeholders in our community food system,” says Natalie Ashker Seevers, executive director of nonprofit Tennessee Local Food, which organizes the summit. Tennessee Local Food Summit is open to the public, welcoming stakeholders in the food system beyond working farmers.