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Hosting Next Seed Savers Conference
15 April 2008
After the success of our recent twentieth conference in Gulgong near Mudgee we are looking for a host for next year's conference. It would be great if a local seed network in Western Australia, Tasmania or Northern Territory would take up this opportunity to promote seed saving as we have not had conferences in those states before. It has been twelve years since we had one in Qld.
Here is what is involved:
The aims of our conferences are to promote the seed saving message out and to enthuse people to save seeds and other sensible practices.
While we have the usual conference format of keynote speakers, other speakers, a forum and afternoon workshops, Seed Savers conferences are quite informal affairs, sometimes held in marquees, sometimes in ancient show halls, even once a tin shed and another time an unfinished mud brick hall. This way they are friendly and also quite low-cost.
However if your group has the energy to beat up the event into a major event that attracts more than our average of 80 people, please do.
Dates
Up to 2006 we held the conference on the third weekend in October, but from 2007 it was moved to late March. We are not fixed on that time and are open to all ideas including working in with other events, as we did in Melbourne in 2007.
Organisers in previous years
Until 2006 the conference was held in odd years at Seed Savers in Byron Bay and even years elsewhere. From 2006 we decided that all conferences be held elsewhere as the Byron area is saturated with the message and to give our Local Seed Networks more opportunity to promote seed saving in their areas.
Our esteemed hosts have been: -
- Castlereagh Seed Savers in Gulgong near Mudgee in 2008
- Cultivating Community et al in Collingwood in 2007 (we missed 2006 due to the April N. Queensland cyclone scuttling our plans)
- Permaculture Southern Highlands in Bowral in 2004
- SA Seed Savers in Adelaide in 2002
- Permaculture Sydney et al in Sydney in 2000
- Permaculture Melbourne in Eltham in 1998
- Grovely TAFE in Brisbane in 1996
- individuals in Katoomba in 1994
- local seed group in Mt Tamborine in 1992
Each organising group consisted of a very few dedicated volunteers with other volunteers coopted for the weekend. The Melbourne 2007 conference was one day of a six day series of events around the theme of Cities Feeding People and attracted some 150 people.
Venue
A hall that holds at least 70 people is best. Tea making facilities and withdrawal rooms or verandah spaces where tea and lunch can be served and workshops can be held are also necessary. Field trips to seed saving gardens and farms that demonstrate diversity are also usually held on one of the two days. A new idea, or the expansion of an old one, is to have workshops during the field trips.
Target Audiences
- Seed Savers subscribers - easy through our newsletters
- Your local permaculture people - ditto in your mailouts
- Organic farmers - is there a local growers group?
- General public - attracted through radio and newspaper announcements
Naturally the number of people coming would depend on the amount of publicity generated and the profile of the speakers.
Speakers
Speakers and workshop presenters need to be booked in advance, especially if they are busy people. Each year Seed Savers tries to bring an interesting speaker to the conference. The hosting group should look for distant speakers and presenters some months beforehand, but we may have contacts in the area. Speakers are usually happy to contribute for nothing, or just the cost of their petrol. If you get a personality they will charge, but also will attract the crowds. A tough ethical choice ...
Publicity
Free publicity is available on local radio and in local papers. Inexpensive A4 posters and A5 flyers can be photocopied to post out to people and to pin up in shops.
Here is a schedule we have found works:-
- Place notices in national media such as Grass Roots and Earth Garden some four to six months in advance - we can do that unless you would like to;
- Place notices in Seed Savers newsletter the two issues beforehand, collated February and July - we'll do that;
- Place notices in local groups' newsletters in the months leading up to it - you do that;
- We'll put it up on our website and send out a bulk email to thousands three months in advance;
- Put up posters about a month in advance;
- Fax or email local papers some three weeks in advance;
- Contact local radio stations to arrange an interview some three weeks in advance.
- Put up more posters and flyers in the weeks beforehand;
- A banner can be made from an old sheet with holes in it to put up in the last two weeks;
- Seed Savers can supply a professionally made banner with our logo and website for the event.
Food
The food is a great opportunity to demonstrate what we are on about. We are not on about white bread and soft drinks! Arrangements are best kept within the capabilities of the organisers.
We found the best arrangement was in SA where all participants were asked to bring a plate made from garden ingredients. The spread was wonderful and it cut everyone's costs and all that extra work!
What has not worked so well is asking a third party to cater and including that in the cost in the ticket.
Also not so successful is asking a third party in to sell food as it is often quite over-priced and it is hard to predict numbers.
If your crew is good at it, then catering yourselves can help some money to support both groups.
Finances
Seed Savers conferences are for promotion, not profit making. However we need to cover costs and hopefully make a little for future projects and expansion of our activities. Make up a budget for costs and income and discuss it with us a few months beforehand. Costs can include petrol money for speakers, telephone and postage.
Seed Savers can fund upfront costs if necessary such as hire of hall and chairs and the publicity. We share any profit 50:50 with the organising group.
Insurance
Provided the event is always slated as a Seed Savers' Network event, it is covered by our insurance policy. Please arrange that with us.
Volunteers
It is good to have at least a dozen helpers on the day. Jobs may include:-
- setting up, including signage along roadways;
- manning registration desk;
- speakers coordinator - organises someone to look after each speaker:- greeting speaker, their requirements, water, that they get a cup of tea and lunch;
- workshop coordinator - sets up sheets about workshop topics and venues;
- chairing sessions such as the fora with speaker panels and questions from audience;
- coordinator of the seed exchange;
- coordinator of teas and biscuits;
- someone in charge of receiving, counting and banking money;
Horticulture students from a TAFE, if there is one nearby, can receive free entry in return for parking duty or similar. Everyone lends a hand on the day.
Garden and Farm Tours
Each year we like to showcase the best local seed saving and biodiverse gardens and farms on the Friday, Sunday or Monday. A bus can be hired if the event is going to attract enough people, otherwise car pooling works well.
Other Matters
Billetting of speakers and attendees: if you are in an area where accommodation is scarce or expensive this would be really appreciated.
Commercialisation?
We have not had any sponsors in the past and prefer not to have commercial products for sale at the event as there is just too much of that at events these days. Local permaculture teachers can put their stuff out and the host group can sell items, such as their seeds, seedlings, trees they grew and any products from Seed Savers.
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