2009

Jo Ann Baumgartner is director of the Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) whose mission is to promote a healthy, viable agriculture that protects and restores wild Nature. She is co-editor of Farming and the Fate of Wild Nature: Essays in Conservation-Based Agriculture and the author of many WFA Briefing Papers. Before joining WFA in 2001, she worked on dairy, fruit, vegetable, and fiber production issues, was senior research editor for Life on the Edge, a book of California's rare wildlife species, and an organic farmer for over a decade. She has a keen interest in the conservation of native species for their own sake, and the connections between farms and larger ecosystems.  That's partner Sam Earnshaw in the photo with her.

Sam Earnshaw is the Central Coast Program Coordinator for Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF).  He studied Forestry at U.C. Berkeley, graduating in 1974.  In the mid-1980's  Sam and his wife Jo Ann Baumgartner started their own farm, Neptune Farms, and marketed organic vegetables and cut flowers to retail stores, farmers markets and wholesalers in the local area. In 1992, Sam began working as Lighthouse Farm coordinator for CAFF, sponsoring monthly meetings and field tours for farmers, sharing techniques in biologically based farming techniques. Sam's work with local growers in Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Salinas and Hollister through this program has led to CAFF's involvement in land use and water issues on the Central Coast. He is the author of Hedgerows for California Agriculture: A Resource Guide published by CAFF.

On October 11, 2004, 13 Indigenous Grandmothers from all over the world—the Alaskan Tundra, North, South and Central America, Africa, and Asia—arrived at Tibet House's Menla Mountain Retreat amidst 340 acres of forests, fields and streams in upstate New York. Within a few days of convening, the grandmothers agreed to form a global alliance; to work together to serve both their common goals and their specific local concerns.

The first council gathering was a time of hope and inspiration. The grandmothers are both women of prayer and women of action. Their traditional ways link them with the forces of the earth. Their solidarity with one another creates a web to rebalance the injustices wrought from an imbalanced world; a world disconnected from the fundamental laws of nature and the original teachings based on a respect for all of life.

Since 1974 -Amigo has done diversified small organic farming in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Northern California growing a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, nursery stock and animals. He is devoted to teaching young people farming and homesteading skills through apprenticeship and education. Currently farming at Heaven and Earth Farm on the San Juan Ridge, Nevada County, CA.

In 1972 he founded We The People Natural Foods Cooperative. Developed and managed retail store and wholesale distribution company. The wholesale division is a parent of Mt. Peoples Warehouse, which, in turn is the parent of United Natural Foods, the country's largest organic and natural foods distributor. See www.unfi.com. During this time, Amigo designed and built a propane powered, refrigerated delivery truck as a model of alternative energy. Also developed a recycling center to facilitate recycling and transportation for recyclables from North Lake Tahoe, CA.

“V” is an 18 year old senior attending Street Academy High School in Oakland, CA.  At age 7 he became interested in spoken word and a few years later founded his business Nature’s Creations. This unique business is one in which he designs and produces jewelry for both women and men. Among his accomplishments is raising money through that business to travel to Paris where he performed for 3,000 people. He also visited Morocco and lived in France for 2 months studying culture and culinary arts. He is now performing original songs that bring social and political issues of our contemporary times to the forefront. He can be contacted at www.myspace.com/vturf

Twilly Cannon is a lifelong practitioner and teacher of non-violent direct action. He dates his involvement in the environmental and human rights movement to 1970 when he helped organize the first Earth Day. During his college years at Evergreen he was involved in anti-nuclear and anti-Trident campaigns. He participated in many large-scale occupations of nuclear facilities after college. In 1983 he spent a year doing medical relief in war-torn Nicaragua. Returning to the Seattle, he joined Greenpeace as a volunteer, spent two years captain the Greenpeace ship Vega, and was then named as the national director of Greenpeace’s direct action unit. He went on to work for Greenpeace International, again in its direct action unit.

Tim Blakley has been an aromatherapist/herbalist for the past 30 years.  In the past he was part owner of the California School of Herbal Studies, created the farm and education program at Herb Pharm and helped create and manage the National Center for the Preservation of Medicinal Herbs.  He teaches at conferences around the world with a focus on Essential Oil Therapeutic Uses, sourcing, conservation, quality and safety.  He presently travels N. America and the world as the aromatherapist/educator for Frontier/Aura Cacia as well as sourcing oils from around the world.  On recent sourcing trips he has traveled to E. Europe, Ukraine, W. Europe, India, Nepal, Australia and New Zealand as well as throughout N. America.  He is the author of ‘Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field and Marketplace’.  He lives peacefully on his homestead in Hawaii and absolutely loves to teach. 

Steve Bhaerman is an internationally-known author, humorist, and workshop leader. For the past 20 years, he has written and performed as Swami Beyondananda, the “Cosmic Comic.” Swami’s comedy has been called “irreverently uplifting” and has been described both as “comedy disguised as wisdom” and “wisdom disguised as comedy.”

As the Swami, Steve is the author of  Driving Your Own Karma (1989), When You See a Sacred Cow, Milk It For All It’s Worth (1993), Duck Soup for the Soul (1999) and Swami for Precedent: A 7-Step Plan to Heal the Body Politic and Cure Electile Dysfunction. 

Suzi Prozanski, author of the book Fruit of the Sixties, the Founding of the Oregon Country Fair, has attended the Fair since 1984. To document the Fair’s beginnings, she interviewed more than 300 Fair participants and extensively researched archived newspapers files, early Fair records, and other sources. A team from the Fair’s History Crew, headed up by long-time fairgoer Hal Hartzell, also contributed to the project by recording more than 40 interviews during the 2004 Fair. The book intertwines numerous short stories derived from the interviews and research into a compelling tale of the Fair’s founding years.  The book can be found and purchased at the Speaker Store, across the path from the Rabbit Hole Stage.

Dr. Sharif Abdullah is an author and advocate for inclusivity and the transformation of society to align with our common spiritual values. As Director of Commonway Institute he has visited over 35 countries and over 100 distinct cultures.  His books include the award-winning Creating a World That Works for All. 

Sharif is an expert in the emerging field of “demos-dynamics” – how human populations interact and change. Sharif teaches groups and individuals how to understand and practice inclusivity – the connection with all beings.

Dr. Abdullah visits Sri Lanka several times a year, to volunteer with Sarvodaya Shramadana as a Senior Advisor.

Sharif’s awards and recognitions include:

·    2009 “Martin Luther King Lifetime Achievement Award”. World Arts Foundation.