February 2006
Farming/wildlife habitat, diabetes focus of workshops at EcoFarm
UC SAREP agricultural ecologist Robert L. Bugg
DAVIS- A Davis researcher moderated two workshops at one of the world's oldest and largest ecological farming conferences in Pacific Grove.
Robert L. Bugg, agricultural ecology analyst at the Davis-based statewide UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP), moderated and organized workshops on "Food Farming and the Wild," and "Ethnobotany, Beans, Blood Sugar, Diabetes and Obesity" at the Ecological Farming ssociation's 26th Annual Conference in the Asilomar Conference Grounds in January. Thomas Wittman, a Santa Cruz organic farmer, worked with Bugg on the sessions
"We were excited by the turnout and audience participation at both sessions," said Bugg, who was joined at the food/wildlife habitat workshop by Dan Imhoff of Watershed Media of Healdsburg, and Charles Moore of Seeds to Source in Occidental. They discussed the ways creative farmers and chefs integrate innovative cuisine, diversified farming systems and wildlife habitat.
In the diabetes workshop, Bugg gave an overview on the physiology of type 2 diabetes and scientific findings on the roles of foods and culinary herbs in managing it. His introduction was followed by more detailed presentations by dietician Amanda Archibald of Field To Plate in New Market, Md. and Kevin Dahl of Natives Seeds/SEARCH in Tucson, Ariz. The session focused on dietary connections to the emerging global crisis of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Media Contacts:
Robert L. Bugg, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
agricultural ecology analyst, (530) 754-8549, rlbugg@ucdavis.edu
Lyra Halprin, SAREP, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
