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Now accepting session proposals for the 2027 Care Farming Network National Conference!

Call for submissions now open: 2027 CFN National Conference. Deadline: Aug 17, 2026. Slide presentations, panel discussions, small group discussions, hands-on learning.

 

The third annual conference takes place January 28-30th in Raleigh, North Carolina. Our 2027 theme is “This is care farming.” Join care farmers, educators, practitioners, and advocates from across the country for an inclusive, energizing event that deepens connections and cultivates a thriving national care farming community.

Conference goals

  • Create a collaborative space that fosters connections between aspiring and established care farmers, care providers, educators, and allies.

  • Elevate the care farming movement by:

    • Highlighting the therapeutic power of farming and its potential to address challenges faced by marginalized and vulnerable populations

    • Spotlighting the diverse care farming operations of the Piedmont region

  • Support farmers by providing practical tools and resources to strengthen care farming operations across the United States.

  • The presenter lineup will reflect the diverse experiences and identities of the care farming community.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible space. The conference provides opportunities for all voices to be heard and valued, and we invite individuals with firsthand knowledge of care farming to actively participate and shape the conversation.

The information below is for those submitting formal proposals to present at the conference. If you’d like to recommend a session topic, presenter, and/or affinity group theme but don’t intend to develop a proposal, please email Sarah at Conference@carefarmingnetwork.org and share your idea.

Proposal selection

Conference organizers strive to provide programming that meets the needs of our diverse network. We evaluate proposals using the following criteria:

  • Consistency with CFN’s mission to connect established and aspiring care farms, foster meaningful support, and build awareness about the transformative power of care farming

  • Relevance of the topic for care farmers, care providers, educators, and allies, addressing common challenges and questions

  • First-hand knowledge of care farming and lived experience

  • Clarity and thoroughness of the proposal


Looking for inspiration? Below are examples of breakout topics to get your wheels turning. 1.) Growing Your Care Farm: For aspiring and beginning care farmers. e.g. insurance coverage, land acquisition, choosing an organizational structure, building and sustaining boards, creative partnerships. 2.) This is care farming! For general audiences, newcomers, and self-advocates. e.g. Deep Dive into your care farm (what makes it unique + successes and challenges); self-advocacy; leading with lived experience. 3.) Everyday farm practices: for farm managers, job coaches, and program staff. e.g. Accessible and adaptive farm strategies (fieldwork techniques + tools, farm + garden design); winter program ideas; food safety. 4.) Sustaining the farm: for executive directors, development staff, and communications staff. e.g. grant writing; ethical storytelling and marketing; funding strategies for LLCs; selling your product: tips from the trade. 5.) Trends in care farming: for researchers, evaluators, advocates, and allies. e.g. research demonstrating care farming benefits; policy + systems change; how you measure impact + what to do with the data; connecting with allies.

 

We encourage you to view the 2025 Conference Agenda and 2026 Conference Agenda for examples of past sessions.  

Submit Your Proposal

Timeline and process

Deadline to submit proposals: August 17, 2026. We encourage early submissions—presentation slots may fill up quickly!

Notification: Applicants will be notified by late-September 2026. We may contact you before then if we have questions about your proposal.

If your proposal is accepted, we’ll work with you to refine the content as needed. We may ask you to provide additional session information; for example, if you’ll be using a slideshow, we’ll ask you to submit your slides before the conference. You may be asked to attend one or more meetings with the CFN team. We’ll provide speaker guidelines for you to review, and you’ll submit a bio.

Questions? Contact Sarah at Conference@carefarmingnetwork.org.

Session length and formats

  • Lightning Session (10-15 minutes): Brief presentation to spark conversation and share insights, innovative projects or programming, or thought-provoking ideas. 

    Standard Session (60 minutes): Standard Sessions may include one or more of the following formats:

    • Lecture / Slide presentation:  1-2 presenters use slides or visuals to share information, research, or a compelling story (e.g. Deep dive on farm or practice; demonstration of a practical skill).

    • Panel discussion:  A facilitated conversation featuring 3–4 speakers sharing diverse perspectives on a specific topic, followed by audience Q&A.

    • Small group discussion: You facilitate an interactive discussion for crowdsourcing ideas or problem-solving.

    • Hands-on learning: Participants engage in an activity or a series of interactive stations.

  • Extended Session (90 minutes)

  • If you have an idea that utilizes a different format, feel free to share it!

Presenter support

We value the knowledge and perspective our presenters contribute to the care farming community. To thank presenters for their efforts, we offer a reduced presenter registration rate.

If you need additional support for registration and/or lodging, you will have the opportunity to complete the scholarship application when registration opens. Presenters are prioritized in the scholarship award process. 

Submit your proposal