Food

Conference features speakers, workshops, farm tours and banquet. Keynote speaker: Forrest Pritchard, farmer and author of Gaining Ground. $200. $125/day pass.

This class is designed to provide information about ways to grow in limited space including container, balcony, porch, raised beds and more. Speakers: Marilyn and Donelle Simmons, Gardens Inspirations/The FarmGirls Organic Gardening Radio Show. Free. Info: 972-742-2296.

Participants will receive:

• Excellent training, featuring nationally known instructor Larry Wilhelm 
• Composting Book
• C.E. Shepherd Compost Bin (Attendance to all 3 classes required.)

$40/Fort Worth residents; $55/non-residents.(Couples: $20/spouse but includes only one set of supplies.)

Ten scholarships available to certified teachers with students in Fort Worth.

Pre-registration is required. Deadline is Feb. 3. info: 817-871-7966 or Larinda.Smith@fortworthtexas.gov.

 All you ever wanted to know about growing tomatoes, featuring Bill Adams and Tom LeRoy, authors of “Common Sense Vegetable Gardening in the South” and “The Tomato Lover’s Handbook.”

Covering:

•The Tomato: King of the Home Garden 

•Tending the Tomatoes

•Managing the Problems

•Tomato Relatives: Their Care and Culture 

•Q&A With Bill and Tom

Break-Out Sessions:

•Make & Take Tomato Cages 

•Cooking With Tomatoes 

•Make & Take Drip Irrigation 

•Raised Beds: Tips & Tricks

Register online or by mail. Cost: $45, includes box lunch and snacks. Info: Pam Braak at 817-488-5665 or p.braak@verizon.net. 

Master Gardeners earn 6 CEUs.

Dallas Vegan Drinks checks out the "Spirit of 76" bar, with 25 taps, wine, root beer and more. This is the newest Whole Foods DFW location, and it's as vegan-friendly as many of the others around the Metroplex. 

Besides the beer, the WF team will be treating the group to complementary appetizers, as well as custom-made vegan paninis for purchase. 

Join the Dallas Vegetarians for its 4th Annual Vegan Christmas Feast at Veggie Garden. RSVP on Meetup.com.

Fourth annual event featuring speakers, cooking demos, fitness sessions, a vegan chili cook-off, vegan wine tasting and 5K. $300 through Dec. 25. $350 after Dec. 26. Hosted by the nonprofit Get Healthy Marshall. See website for details.

A Winter Solstice Celebration with entertainment and ceremonies of various cultures will occur simultaneously throughout the evening both indoors and out will be presented by the Labyrinth Walk Coffee House. Free. Donations accepted. Bring a canned good or clothing item for the needy. 

See website for details.

In this all-day workshop, Joel Salatin takes us through his entire family farm operation from the production of pastured poultry (eggs, broilers, turkeys), salad bar beef, pigaerator pork, forage-based rabbits and forestry products through to the relationship marketing approach his family business has developed that has made Polyface Farm, the internationally recognized and strictly local farm it is today. The presentation and workshop help the homeowner, food gardener, farmer, rancher, land owner and landscape professional get more value from their practice. $175.

Free healthy food samples @ 11 a.m. Talk is from noon to 2 pm. Free.

Other Joel Salatin events held in conjunction:

A Steward's Dinner, Jan. 28, 7-9 p.m.

Local Food to the Rescue, an All-Day Workshop, Jan. 29, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.