The Sweet Springs Resort Park, in collaboration with Sweet Springs Institute and Omniverous Earth, will be hosting its first annual Sustainable Development Forum and Craft Fair from Friday, August 3rd to Sunday, August 5th at one of America’s oldest thermal spas, The Sweet Springs Resort, located in Monroe County, WV.
The event is open to the public, free of charge.
The main building at the historic venue is the majestic Hotel designed by Thomas Jefferson whose focus on the ‘dreams of the future’, which he liked better than the ‘history of the past’, is being carried forward through time by the present proprietor, O. Ashby Berkley, who envisions the resort as an Epicenter of Sustainable Development.
At the Forum, presentations will be given on the following topics: What is Sustainability?; Solar Energy for Homes, Farms and Businesses; HEMP: The Most Sustainable Plant on the Planet with Career Opportunities in Cultivation and 9 Market Applications; Hempcrete Insulation: A way to Grow Hemp and bring it to local Markets; Geo-thermal Projects and Case Studies; Water is Life: The Little Blue Drop; Eco-Tourism in a Sustainable Development Corridor; WVDA Career Opportunities and Incentives in Local and Organic Food Production under the new WV GROWN label; Peak Agriculture; Bio-diversity; Food Security and Forest Farming; and The Sustainable Self.
Among the distinguished guest speakers are: L. David Roper PhD, Physicist (Virginia Tech); Jeeva Abbate, Director of Sustainable Development, Yogaville; Ron Miller, Agriculture Liaison and Rural Project Coordinator; Crescent Gallagher, MPA, Communications Director/Legislative Liaison, WV Department of Agriculture; Brian Wickline, Monroe County Extension Agent; Doug Koenig of Greenbrier Valley Grown, Food Hub; Fritz Boettner of Sprouting Farms; O. Ashby Berkley of the Sweet Springs Resort Park; Autumn Long, Program Director WV SUN; Doyle Tenney, DT Solar, WV; Don Smith II of WV Hemp Farmers Association; Andrew Must of Design Build in Lewisburg; Roseanna Sacco, Sweet Springs Watershed (SSWA); Howdy Henritz, Indian Creek Watershed (ICWA); Leslee McCarty, Greenbrier River Watershed Association (GRWA); Dennis White, Friends of The Second Creek (FOTC); Autumn Crowe, WV RIVERS; Allison Tomlinson, Monroe County Extension Agent for Tourism; Pete Heus, Homesteader in Bio-diversity and Neal LaFerriere of Blackberry Botanicals.
In addition to an inspiring panel of speakers, there will be a screening of the award-winning documentary ‘Catching the Sun’, a visit to the nearby hemp field planted in early June, a guided tour of the new Tesla Model 3 electric car, Water Sampling, Food and Craft Vendors, Farm-to-Table food options, Music and Dancing, a Sunday morning Inter-Faith prayer service, a Yoga Session, a Petting Zoo with farm animals, a Piglet Raffle, Kids Activities, Historical Stations and more.
Farmers, growers and food or craft vendors are welcome to come set up tables or displays to promote their business or to sell lunch and dinner food, produce, products and crafts under the arches on the ground floor of the Sweet Springs Hotel. To reserve your space, please contact Nadine Sonneville via email at nsonneville@gmail.com
Proprietors of eco-tourism destination venues and retreats as well as musicians and performers or speakers interested in contributing to one of the topics listed above may call Roseanna Sacco at 304 536 1207 or send an email to: neom2864@gmail.com
Volunteers are most welcome to participate in setting up and managing the 3-day event. Please contact Roseanna Sacco at 304 536 1207 or send an email to: neom2864@gmail.com
Attendees are advised to reserve free seats at The Sustainable Development Forum and free camp sites in advance if you plan to stay overnight. Please, send an email with the dates and sessions you plan to attend (indicate morning, afternoon, evening) to: sweetspringsassistant@gmail.com
For the Program Schedule, please copy and paste the following link into your browser:
https://www.facebook.com/SweetSpringsResortPark/photos/gm.411605012581122/2098746363699359/?type=3&theater
Or visit the Sweet Springs Resort FB page. Click on ‘Events’, next on ‘The Sustainable Development Forum and Craft Fair’ and then ‘Click here for our Schedule of Events’
