Mon. Nov. 2nd, Mark Shepard SLO Grange from 7-9 pm as part of our Sustainable Ag Lecture Series. Mr. Shepard is owner of New Forest Farm and author of ‘Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers.’
 http://cfs.calpoly.edu/sustainable_ag_lecture_series.html

He will share the story of his farm and provide an introduction to Restoration Agriculture, which will include topics such as farm-scale permaculture, agroforestry, keyline design, perennial cropping systems and water management for resilience in times of flood and drought. 

Restoration Agriculture

A public lecture by Mark Shepard, owner of New Forest Farm and author of 'Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers'

Monday, November 2nd 
7 - 9 pm
SLO Grange Hall
2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo


Mr. Shepard will share the story of his farm and provide an introduction to Restoration Agriculture, which will include topics such as farm-scale permaculture, agroforestry, keyline design, perennial cropping systems and water management for resilience in times of flood or drought.

About Mark Shepard

Mark ShepardMark Shepard is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises LLC and founder of Restoration Agriculture Development Inc. and Restoration Agriculture International Inc. He runs New Forest Farm, the 106-acre perennial agricultural savanna considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agriculture projects in the United States.

New Forest Farm is a planned conversion of a typical row-crops grain farm into a commercial-scale, perennial agricultural ecosystem using oak savanna, successional brushland and eastern woodlands as the ecological models.

Trees, shrubs, vines, canes, perennial plants and fungi are planted in association with one another to produce food (for humans and animals), fuel, medicines, and beauty. Hazelnuts, chestnuts, walnuts and various fruits are the primary woody crops. The farm is entirely solar and wind powered and farm equipment is powered with locally produced biofuels that are not taken from the human food chain.

Trained in both mechanical engineering and ecology, Mark has developed and patented equipment and processes for the cultivation, harvesting and processing of forest derived agricultural products for human foods and bio fuels production. Mark was certified as a Permaculture designer in 1993 and received his Diploma of Permaculture design from Bill Mollison, the founder of the international Permaculture movement.

Mark serves on the board of the Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council. He teaches agroforestry and Permaculture worldwide. Mark is a farmer member of the Organic Valley cooperative, the worlds largest Organic Farmer’s marketing co-op, and is the founder and chief Cydermaker for the Shepard’s Hard Cyder winery in Viola, Wisconsin.

Event Details

The lecture is open to the public. A $5 entrance fee is requested. No reservation is required. It is being presented as part of the Center for Sustainability’s quarterly lecture series and is being co-sponsored by Central Coast Bioneers, the SLO Permaculture Guild and the SLO Grange. The event will be preceded by a three-day workshop given by Mr. Shepard at Orella Ranch in Santa Barbara County October 31 – November 1 (info@orellaranch.com).


For more information about Mr. Shepard's weekend workshop which precedes the lecture, please go to: http://restorationagricultureworkshop.weebly.com/