Schedule - June 9
Practical Workshop
8:45-9:55 am
Biodiversity Solutions - From Underground to In the Sky
Eric Mayer (Napachar), Prof. Matthew Johnson (Cal Poly Humboldt), and Zach Heyman (Farmhand Foundation)
This workshop spans the full biodiversity spectrum. Underground, learn how to make and apply biochar, which can create "luxury condos for microorganisms," enhancing water and nutrient retention, plant delivery, and serving as a long-term carbon store. Aboveground, explore how hedgerows attract pollinators, shelter beneficial predators, conserve water, and serve as windbreaks — and how to choose plants, establish them, and access financial incentives. Finally, look to the sky with research on the benefits of barn owls, western bluebirds, and other songbirds across 60+ vineyards, showing that a single barn owl family can remove 3,000–4,000 rodents per year, while bluebirds rapidly colonize nest boxes to consume vineyard insect pests. Learn where and how to install and maintain nest boxes, and integrate birds into a chemical-free pest management strategy.
Keynote Address
10:10-11:00 am
Obi Kaufmann, Author, Naturalist, Illustrator, Poet | "Poetry, Place, and Policy: Emergent Trends in Ecological Philosophy"
Across California, a new land ethic is emerging. Under what framework might California—its endemic biodiversity, its systems of fire and water management, its fecundity, and the quality of its human stewardship—be in better condition at the end of the twenty-first century than it was at the end of the twentieth? Toward this end, what narrative leverage can be applied? What great poetry might be summoned such that the story of this land ethic transcends punditry and polarization, becoming something widely held—something culturally ubiquitous?
In the award-winning, best-selling Field Atlas series, Obi Kaufmann presents California’s more-than-human world through a complex yet discernible narrative, where data and art, poetry and ecology converge into a unified expression of knowledge. In his seventh book, California Inside Out: Mapping and the Ecology of Mind (Heyday, Fall 2026), Kaufmann argues the existence of a throughline of institutional thought that begins with poetry—as the vanguard of language, values, and ethics—and extends through scientific inquiry toward a renewed vision of policy: the instantiation of best practices within a community.
In this MINDSET keynote, Kaufmann will trace the historical precedents for this idea while engaging with the challenge of “solving for pattern” on the land. He explores novel ecologies across California, the economic realities of regenerative agriculture, the role of traditional ecological knowledge, and a range of landscape-scale solutions for the twenty-first century and beyond.
Asking Critical Questions Forum
11:15-12:30 pm
“How do we leverage authentic regenerative leadership as a powerful communications tool?”
Moderated by Anna Brittain with Alice Anderson (Âmevive Wine), Tiffany Nurrenbern (Zero Foodprint) and David Rosoff (freelance journalist)
Many consumers are seeking values-based products, with evidence that wines that share consumers' environmental and social ethos are outpacing the broader market, even as overall wine sales decline. Yet many point to a gap between stated preferences and purchasing behavior. The real gap may be communication: shoppers struggle to identify sustainable products on the shelf.
Brands holding steady are leaning into new stories about nature-based farming, caring for vineyard stewards, and lighter, greener packaging. Alice Anderson of Âmevive Wine has gained notoriety for sharing their regenerative journey — and the wines are consistently sold out. But she worries that "greenwashing" — small steps claimed as transformative wins — is eroding consumer trust. Tiffany Nurrenbern of Zero Foodprint, a James Beard Award–winning nonprofit that leverages hospitality to fund farmer transitions to regenerative practices, brings deep expertise in communicating climate-smart agriculture across the food and wine system. David Rosoff is a freelance journalist, and food and wine hospitality veteran, passionate about the regenerative storytelling opportunity. This forum explores how winegrowers translate genuine leadership into authentic storytelling that builds loyalty, commands premiums, and grows the regenerative movement.
Masterclass
1:30-4:30 pm
Masterclass: Using Biology & Diversity to Build Resilience
Led by John Kempf (Advancing Eco Agriculture) and Keith Berns (Green Cover)
What happens when you bring two of regenerative agriculture's sharpest minds together for a three-hour deep dive?
John Kempf of Advancing Eco Agriculture has helped growers across the country build plant health and resilience through biology and nutrition — reducing inputs while improving outcomes. Keith Berns of Green Cover has pioneered diverse cover crop systems that transform soil structure, boost fertility, and create habitat for beneficial insects.
They are teaming up for a Masterclass on Using Biology & Diversity to Build Resilience — a hands-on session designed for growers and winemakers ready to put these practices to work in the vineyard. This is a rare opportunity to hear from these two leaders, together on one stage, in conversation.
