EcoFarm to honor longtime local farmer Israel Morales Sr., an organic innovator.

Founded more than four decades ago, the annual EcoFarm conference has served as a meeting place for generations of organic farmers and enthusiasts from around California and beyond.

“One of the most powerful things about EcoFarm is the intergenerational exchange of knowledge,” Ecological Farming Association Communications Manager Katya Baty says. “It’s incredibly inspiring to see experienced farmers, first-time growers and advocates come together to learn from one another and strengthen the future of organic farming and build a resilient food system.”

This year’s conference, with the theme “Seeds of Strength: Empowering Farmers for a Changing Climate,” features farm tours, seed swaps, tastings, a dance and more than 65 skill-building workshops. Pre-conference workshops began on Jan. 21 and the event continues at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove through Sunday, Jan. 25.

One of the workshops is moderated by retired UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser Richard Smith. He will lead a panel discussion about the system created by the acclaimed and recently deceased grower and cofounder of JV Farms Organic, Israel Morales Sr., who will be honored at the conference with a posthumous Sustie Award, which recognizes leaders who advance agroecology and sustainable food systems.

“Going back 35 years ago, he first started developing a system for reducing tillage in the Salinas Valley,” Smith says. “He used that reduced tillage system throughout his career after he developed it. Other people did not really pick up on it, but they are now. His life’s work is really gaining relevance now with the younger generation.”

Morales’ method also consisted of cover cropping, or growing crops not intended for sale but for the enrichment of the soil. “That’s a keystone practice for improving the health of the soil,” Smith says. “They provide biomass and basically carbon to the soil. Carbon is the key ingredient to soil organic matter and in building soil organic matter, you build soil health.”

Smith has taken part in the conference for many years and says he always learns something new. “This is one of the more hopeful events,” he says. “Growing food in a sustainable way and reducing the use of pesticides is very hopeful.”