Westward Slow! Turning the Herd Conference, Denver, CO

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Slow Food USA, Slow Food International and the students of Metropolitan State College Hospitality, Meeting & Travel Administration Department will host a three day conference: Westward Slow! Turning the Herd, July 9, 10, and 11, 2004 to showcase, celebrate, and promote the natural and cultural diversity of food growing practices, production techniques and traditions in Rocky Mountain and the Southwest regions.

Diverse national and local opinion leaders will highlight a full schedule of educational events including: seminars; tastings; a panel discussion; and a marketplace. The event will provide an open discussion panel, Turning the Herd, on modern meat raising and processing practices. Westward Slow! will be the vehicle to promote successful local, national and global examples of sustainable farm and ranch production, artisanal producers and cultural traditions to the waiting market and distribution channels. The stage will be set to share the Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions’ examples of responsibility, taste and culture with the world. Seminars will allow participants to learn of and debate such wide ranging issues as sustainable meat production, local small scale food production in a global economy and much more in small, comfortable settings with the experts in each field.

Slow Food International will bring a world presence by providing examples of Presidia successes from Italy and the Americas. The Arc Action projects are the Slow Food answer to preserving bio diversity around the globe and right here at home. Meet the people who are the front line in the battle to retain our cultural and food heritage.

Westward Slow! attendees will learn about the Rocky Mountain and the Southwest regions’ unique environments, products and people. Slow Food USA and Slow Food International’s event will draw a large national and international audience that will place Denver, Colorado and the Rocky Mountain / Southwest regions at a positive and crucial crossroads with respect to these important world issues.

Potential Keynote Speakers:
Alice Waters
Michael Pollen
Mayor John Hickenlooper – Former Brewer and Restauranteur

Potential Seminar leaders and Panel Participants:
Deborah Madison – Chef and Cookbook author.
Dale Lasater – Colorado Rancher and Slow Food Award Winner.
Patrick Martins – Slow Food USA.
Paulo Di Croce/Anya Feynald – Slow Food International Ark/Presida.
Bill Niman – Niman Ranch.
Barbara Bowman – Petaluma Poultry.

Preliminary Timeline and Topics:
Westward Slow! July 9, 10, 11, 2004

Friday, July 9:
8am – 12pm Final Organizational Meeting and kickoff for SF and
volunteers.
5pm – 9pm Registration for out of towners and Slow Food dinners at
local restaurants.

Saturday July 10:
8am – 9pm Registration & Reception.
Welcome from Slow Food Colorado, National & International.
9am – 12pm Seminars, tastings, demonstrations.
10am – 5pm Market Place Open.
10am – 6pm Cooking & Food Demonstrations, Exhibits.
11:30am – 1:30pm Lunch held in the Market Place.
2pm – 5pm Turning the Herd Panel discussion and breakout seminars with
experts in each field including: Bill Niman, US Under Secretary of
Agriculture Chuck Lambert, Colorado Department of Agriculture Don Ament,
Dale Lasater and others.
5pm – 7pm Free time with our Italian and American Counterparts, open
dialogue.
7pm – 10pm Grand Dinner/Keynote Speakers, Meet Denver Mayor
John Hickenlooper, Alice Waters and Eat Slow Food prepared by the
finest chefs, at a snails pace Meet and greet our other Rocky Mountain
Neighbors, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, New Mexico,Texas, Arizona, Idaho