Free childcare is available for kids 12 and under from 8:30am to 12:00pm, and 1:30pm to 5:15pm on both conference days. Payment is only required for childrens’ meals.

Kid’s Lunch (12 and under): $18
Youth Lunch (13-18): $35

Kid’s Banquet Dinner (12 and under): $27
Youth Banquet Dinner (13-18): $55

Please indicate interest in child care and kids’ meals when you register. Payments can be made at the conference registration desk.

We are looking for individuals with childcare experience who are interested in volunteering for a half day in the childcare room, in exchange for a half day conference pass (+lunch). Please contact events@efao.ca.

In order to make the conference accessible to all farmers and future farmers in Ontario, EFAO strives to reduce financial barriers for registration by using a Pay What You Can model. To register, please complete this form. Not attending the conference but interested in sponsoring a farmer to attend? Donate today!

Rooms at the Four Points by Sheraton have been blocked at a special conference rate of $145 for one king bed, or $155 for 2 queen beds. All room bookings include a hot buffet breakfast.

Room rates are based on single occupancy – for additional guests, a charge of $19.49 per day will be added for breakfast.

Call the hotel and book before Oct. 30th to reserve the special rate! Mention that you are attending the EFAO Conference. (1 519-681-0600).

Rooms will be released to the public on Oct. 31st and may sell out. To guarantee a room, book before Oct. 30th!

Conference meals will feature food donated and provided by EFAO members and other local ecological farmers and food providers. You don’t want to miss the Wednesday Banquet Dinner! A delicious meal, musical entertainment, and good conversation with new and old friends.

EFAO has reserved the Kent Room for use during meal times (lunch Nov 29, dinner Nov 29th, lunch Nov 30th) with the purpose of offering a space with a HEPA filter to attendees who need to take extra precautions against viral illnesses. This room has a capacity limit of 15 people. Therefore, EFAO asks that folks accessing this space only use the room for time needed to eat, in order to allow more space and time for others to use the room. Please contact us or visit the registration desk if you have any questions.

After the Wednesday Banquet Dinner, join us for some lively upbeat music with the Kumao Latin Band, a nine piece salsa band from Hamilton that loves bringing Latin American music to events and communities! Many of the band members have been playing together for over 20 years.

If you’re keen to get your feet moving, you’re invited to join a salsa dancing lesson! Dance instructors Julie and Rafael will teach us a few steps, while Carlos Velasquez, Danny Castro and their musical friends provide the latin rhythms that inspire us to move. This will be a beginner-friendly dance experience, and tons of fun for young and old!

Please contact us if you require any accommodations in order to participate in the Conference, or have any medical conditions (for example, severe allergies) you would like EFAO and/or the hotel staff to be aware of. Please note that although EFAO strives to make the Conference accessible, it may not be possible to accommodate all requests.

Although wearing a mask is no longer mandatory, you are always welcome to do so, as it remains a strongly recommended practice by public health authorities to reduce the transmission of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, especially when symptoms are present. EFAO will continue to follow all public health guidelines.

The conference venue, meeting rooms, hotel, and other on-site facilities are all physically accessible. For accessibility details, scroll to the bottom of this page. To confirm specific accessibility features and services, please call the hotel at +1 519-681-0600.

Please see Meals for details of mealtime accommodations for those wishing to take extra precautions against viral illness.