Draft animal power, gardens and farms will be showcased at the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer Conference and Northeast Animal-Power Field Days held at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Friday Aug. 12 to Sunday, Aug. 14. Workshop topics include farming, gardening and land care to draft animals in farming and forestry and more. This is a family event with concurrent (and supervised) workshops designed for children and teens, plus music and dance, an old-fashioned country fair, farmer's market, and games.

Carl Russell, a horse-logger and forestry consultant from Vermont, will teach two workshops.

Russell specializes in ecological forestry and low-impact timber harvest with draft animals. Carl and his wife, Lisa McCrory, own and operate Earthwise Farm & Forest, a 150-acre diversified enterprise, where they raise organic vegetables and grass-fed livestock, use draft animals for logging and field work, and offer workshops.

Carl Russell and Lisa MCrory are the original organizers and producers in of Northeast Animal-Power Field Days, and the founders of Draft Animal Power Network.

Keynote speakers are Ignacio Chapela and Eric Toensmeier.

Chapela is actively involved in debates on technology policy and the consequences of declining biodiversity. An associate professor of biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a senior scientist at the Norwegian Center for Biosafety, Dr. Chapela exposes both the ecological dangers of genetic engineering and the political crisis of accountability that threatens food security.

Toensmeier has spent 20 years exploring edible perennial agro-ecosystems and authored the award-winning book Perennial Vegetables and co-authored Edible Forest Gardens with Dave Jacke. Eric studies the potential of perennial farming systems to provide a stable source of food and livelihood for communities in the Northeast and around the globe.

For information call (413) 549-1568. An array of workshops and hands-on activities for children ages 5 to 12 will take place concurrent to adult workshops. The Saturday afternoon fair features games such as apple bobbing, cow plop, corn cob gnaw, veggie art, pie-eating contest.

In the largely urban Fairfield County, Connecticut, the third Annual Easton Farm Tour is Saturday, Aug. 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Farms and stands include Aspetuck Valley Apple Barn, Buttonwood Farm, Candee Farm, Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens, Gray Friesian Farm, Historic Bradley-Hubbell House Barn and Historic Gardens, J&L Orchids, Lion Hill Farm, Maple Row Growers, Maple Row Tree Farm, Sherwood Farm, Silverman’s Farm, Sport Hill Farm.

Stop by the Easton Firehouse Green, 1 Center Rd., for a map of events and incentives offered by farmers and community organizations at the different locations throughout day.

The Easton Banjo Society, pony rides, hayrides, petting zoo, food tastings, greenhouse tours, and picking veggies and fruit fresh from the farm. A premiere of the recently released film “Keeping on the Sunny Side” on Easton farming will be shown at the Easton Public Library.

Meet the people of The Aspetuck Land Trust, a group devoted to preserving open space and natural resources in Easton, Fairfield, Weston and Westport, Connecticut.

Also going on this weekend is a hands-on, basic hitching and driving educational seminar at Blue Heron Farm, Charlemont, Mass., Friday, Aug. 12, Saturday, Aug. 13, and Sunday, Aug. 14.Instructor is Pat Wolfe, a well-known Fjord horse breeder, trainer, certified evaluator and judge from Ontario, Canada. The cost, $300. If you missed this workshop, visit www.blueheronfarm.com, or call Bill or Norma Coli, (413) 339-4045, for information on other offerings.

Editor's note: Meet “Charlie,” a 13-year-old Belgian gelding from Stevens and Beatty Pulling Horses of Chaplin, Connecticut, featured with our model and a handknit cowl with a story on Moo Dog Knits Magazine, on our network.