Farming, youth focus of event

The Georgia Organics 12th Annual Conference & Trade Show, which begins Friday, will feature a roster of events ranging from farm tours to workshops on everything from mushroom cultivation to urban homesteading, to cooking demonstrations, to a keynote address by influential author Michael Pollan.

Among the more than 700 attendees at Agnes Scott College in Decatur will be the 15 members of Cultivate —- a group of restaurant workers, farmers and educators who are united by their commitment to sustainable agriculture. And their youth.

“It’s for people in my age group who probably don’t have kids yet, who have all these different jobs and are maybe searching for a career, but are working toward some of the same goals,” says Kate Barney, the group’s 25-year-old leader.

Barney, who works as a server at Holeman & Finch Public House and runs the Thursday afternoon East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, describes Cultivate as “advisory board of sorts” that works with Georgia Organics. It was the brainchild of Georgia Organics executive director Alice Rolls, who wanted to encourage a new generation of leaders with an interest in sustainable agriculture.

“We like to call it the ‘good food’ movement,” says Barney, who in just three months has recruited a diverse membership “with a youthful appetite.” Members include urban farmer Collins Davis (whose Harvest Farm is in East Atlanta); youth programs manager Kyla Zaro-Moore of Oakhurst Community Garden; food stylist Meghan Brown of Alton Brown’s Be Square Productions; and “Lady Rogue,” who runs the Rogue Apron underground supper club.

“We trying to become a presence in our community,” says Barney, who says the good food movement needs more young voices. How young is young?

“We don’t have an age limit,” she says. “Really, age is more of an attitude than an actual number.”

GEORGIA ORGANICS CONFERENCE

> Most events are sold out. Go to www.georgiaorganics.org for details.

> Cultivate will host the conference’s after party —- Afterglow —- immediately following the Saturday night “Farmers Feast” (featuring a keynote address from Michael Pollan), at about 10:30 p.m. at Harvest Farm, 2124 Bouldercrest Road. A $10 donation will be used to send young people to the conference in 2010. Space is limited. Details: 404-281-9630.