Join the Local Food Revolution: A Celebration of Community and Connection

Published: Jan 2025
By: Rachel Wood

As Marbleseed prepares for our 36th Annual Organic Farming Conference and our communities settle into winter reflection, there’s no better time to get inspired by this year’s conference theme: Local Food Revolution.

For someone who has moved around much of my life, the idea of “local” can feel elusive. What is local? Is it the Midwest? Is it Wisconsin? My neighborhood? While defining local often falls short, the feeling of local is unmistakable. Local is knowing the farmer who grew your veggies. Local is recognizing a little extra kick in your favorite jam after the maker perfected their recipe. Local is the meat producer who thoughtfully cared for their livestock from its first day to its last. Local is the new faces on day one of the conference becoming familiar friends by day three. Local is community.

While geography can help us define local, ultimately it’s about relationships—the ties between people, food, and places. We can grow and strengthen local food movements by bringing these networks together. At the Organic Farming Conference, we bring individuals from across the region, each contributing their own sense of what local means. As we get to know one another, sharing our similarities and learning from our differences, a foundation of respect, understanding, and mutual support is built.

Through skill-building, collective decision-making, and sharing goods and ideas, these hubs of local food transform into an interconnected web. Each maintains its distinct identity while growing stronger as part of a larger, unified network. The local food revolution is a revolution rooted in relationships, and at Marbleseed, we’re dedicated to creating spaces where the Midwest organic farming community can build those relationships. . That dedication is the foundation on which the Organic Farming Conference was built and why we’re thrilled to host it for the 36th year.

This year’s conference begins on Thursday, February 20, with half-day sessions developed in collaboration with our incredible regional partners. These sessions offer attendees the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to help their farm business, and by extension local communities, thrive this upcoming growing season. The tradeshow is a snapshot of the 100+ businesses, service providers, academic institutions, and nonprofits that make the Local Food Revolution possible. Friday’s Farmer Summits bring farmer voices to the forefront, placing their leadership and expertise at the center of the conversation. These summits provide a platform for farmers to share local insights, contribute to decision-making, and collectively shape the future of our food systems.

But our commitment to local doesn’t stop with our conference programming. It’s woven into every part of the 3-day conference. Seventy percent of the food served is donated by generous regional sponsors. This year’s entertainment features the beloved local band, Frog Slough, and La Crosse’s very own Trivia Tim. The conference itself a reflection of our local community.

A robust local food system is critical for creating a resilient future. It’s a powerful tool for building climate resilience, supporting community health, and strengthening local economies. But this revolution isn’t just about systems—it’s about people. It’s about the farmers who steward the soil with care and wisdom. It’s about the advocates who fight for a more equitable and sustainable food system. It’s about the consumers who choose to invest in their communities by supporting local growers and producers. The Local Food Revolution encompasses all of us.

At the Marbleseed Conference, these values come to life. You’ll feel it in the energy of a packed workshop. You’ll see it in the inspiration sparked by this year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Dunn. And you’ll witness it in the familiar connections formed over a shared meal.

The conference is more than just an event: it’s a living, breathing example of the Local Food Revolution in action. Together, we’re proving that this revolution isn’t just an idea. It’s happening now; one conversation, one handshake, one meal at a time.

As we look ahead to the 2025 Marbleseed Conference, we invite you to join us. Whether you’re a farmer, an advocate, or someone who believes in the transformative power of local food, your voice and passion are vital to growing this movement. Meet the faces behind your food, learn from the experts driving change, and leave with the tools and inspiration to create meaningful change in your own community. Learn more here .