Confluence Literary Festival 2009 - Eating the West (October, 2009)

Contents

Confluence: A Celebration of Reading and Writing
in Moab, Utah — October 20-25, 2009

 "Eating the West" – Local Food and Sustainability

Food. Food. Food.

So many questions revolving around how we eat...
What is the connection between food and tradition?
What did our ancestors eat and how has that changed?
How can we feed ourselves sustainably?
How is politics involved in what we eat?
What's with all this talk lately about slow food and local agriculture?
How is food connected with environment?
Am I what I eat?

Confluence: A Celebration of Reading and Writing is exploring food, agriculture, and the west.
We will host authors, poets, farmers, ranchers, chefs, and more for this exciting 5-day event.

Confluence Consists of 2 Main Events:

1. The Intensive Writing Workshop is a chance to study in depth with today's best authors.
   For 3 days, you'll be treated to inspiring and challenging writing classes that take place both indoors and out, enjoy the motivation of fellow authors, and be treated to locally made organic lunches.
   Registration is required for space is extremely limited.
    
2. A weekend celebration and exploration of our theme,
   "Eating the West," featuring author readings, presentations,
   hikes, discussions, and of course, lots of food!
    

What is Confluence?

The idea for Confluence began with a goal of resurrecting Canyonlands Field Institute's Desert Writers Workshop. For 19 years CFI brought renowned writers, such as Terry Tempest Williams, Ellen Meloy, and Scott Russell Sanders, to southern Utah to discuss and teach writing.

In 2008, with the 40th anniversary of the publication of Desert Solitaire, Confluence sought to reengage the community in the joy of the written word. Confluence served over 1,500 youth and adults during its first 2008 event, focused on the theme of Edward Abbey and Environmental Writing. Confluence is a celebration of reading and writing in the West and aims to inform, inspire, engage, and enrich the community through literary arts.
 
 

Confluence 2009 Events

Tuesday thru Friday – October 20 - 23, 2009
Intensive Writing Workshop 2009
12:00 PM at various locations, $425 until July 1 and $475 after July 1.
Your chance to study with 3 of today's most successful authors—Ann Vileisis, Susan J. Tweit, and Deborah Madison.
Visit Confluence Registration for more details and to register.
 

Wednesday & Thursday – October 21 & 22, 2009
MountainFilm in Moab
7:00 PM at Star Hall, $10.
Confluence is proud to partner with Mountainfilm in order to bring 2009's best independent films about sustainability and food to Moab.
This year, May 22-25, 2009, Mountainfilm in Telluride begins with a full-day symposium on food. Those of us here at Confluence were thrilled about this idea and hatched a plan. Perfect! we said. Now, let's bring part of the symposium to Moab. We'll show 2 different evenings of film on Wednesday and Thursday. Films will be announced later this spring.
 

Friday – October 23, 2009

• Local Flavors Tasting Event
  1:00 PM at Moab Arts and Recreation Center, $5/person, children under 12 are free.
  Enjoy the local flavors of the region.
  Try local wines, cheeses, honey, bread, meats, produce, herbs, wool, honey, bread, cheese, jellies, jams and more.
   
• Writing Workshop with David Mas Masumoto
  2:00 PM, location and price are TBA.
  Writing class with author, farmer, father Mas Masumoto.
  Details coming soon. Check the Confluence Website.
  David Mas Masumoto is an organic peach and grape farmer and the author of Letters to the Valley, A Harvest of Memories, published by Heyday Books, 2004. His previous books include Four Seasons in Five Senses, Things Worth Savoring (2003, W.W. Norton), Harvest Son, Planting Roots in American Soil (1998, W.W. Norton) and Epitaph For A Peach: Four Seasons on My Family Farm (1995, HarperCollins).
  A third generation farmer, Masumoto (52) grows certified organic peaches, nectarines, grapes and raisins. He works with his family on their organic 80 acre farm south of Fresno, California and also helps care for his parents who still live on the family farm.
   

Saturday – October 24, 2009

• Farmers Market Events
  8:00 AM at Swanny City Park, Free.
  In partnership with our friends at Slow Food Utah and the Youth Garden Project, we bring you The Moab Farmers' Market. This is your chance to shop for local produce, enjoy some locally grown and prepared foods, listen to our guest authors, and much more.
  Our theme for the day will be "Preservation" and the Youth Garden Project will provide an array of workshops and demonstrations—seed saving exchanges, workshops on drying herbs and making vinegars.
  Vendors from the surrounding 200 miles will offer food, natural products, soaps, jewelry, yarn, and plants. In addition, all our visiting authors will speak at the market.
  We are planning much, much more and will provide a detailed schedule of events for the Farmer's Market later in the year.
   
• Changing the World Community Discussion
  1:00 PM at Grand County Public Library, Free.
  Join our guest authors as they discuss current issues pertaining to local food production. Sponsored by our friends at Wabi Sabi.
  Led by aural historian and NPR contributor Jack Loeffler, these panel discussions are a highlight of Confluence and are an opportunity for the community and the guest authors to discuss small ideas that can change the world.
  The particular points of discussion will be chosen closer to October, but Jack Loeffler leads an exciting and interesting talk. Always. By the way, you can send your own ideas for discussion to admin@moabconfluence.org. We love hearing from you.
   
• Readings and Ramblings
  7:00 PM at Star Hall, $10.
  A guest artist extravaganza.
  Saturday evening is your chance to hear our guest authors read their latest work and talk about what is important to them. You will be treated to poetry, prose, performance, and maybe a ramble or two. Their books will be available for purchase at the event.
   

Sunday – October 25, 2009
Hike with Gary Paul Nabhan
9:00 AM, Location is TBA, $100 per person.
Confluence, in collaboration with Canyonlands Field Institute, offers you a rare opportunity to hike in the field and learn about traditional foods with Gary Paul Nabhan, a leader in the seed savers movement and an advocate of traditional foods. Gary has written many books including those listed here.
Very limited ticket availability. Call 435-220-0068 to register.

(All scheduling subject to change. See the current Schedule for the latest.)
 

Confluence 2009 Writing Contest

The annual Confluence Writing Contest encourages, supports and promotes authors. We are currently choosing the theme for our 2009 contest and will update the Writing Contest page once a decision has been made. Check back in the summer of '09. All submissions and judging will take place on line. Submissions must be less than 5,000 words, and one contest winner will receive $250. In addition to the monetary award, the winner will receive the opportunity to be published on the Mountain Gazette website or magazine.
 

Confluence 2009 Reflections

Tell us what interests you about our theme this year, EATING THE WEST. Suggest some speakers you like or books about the topic. Tell us what you think about sustainability and food production. We'll post your answers in this space. Visit the Reflect page for more.
 

Confluence 2009 Sponsors and Friends

Confluence simply couldn't happen without the support and financial help from our friends and sponsors. We invite you to learn more about them and visit their websites.

Back of Beyond Books  –  Canyonlands Field Institute  –  Eye Dandy Visual Communication
Grand County Public Library  –  Moab Area Travel Council  –  Moab Arts and Recreation Center
Moab Arts Council  –  Moab Poets and Writers  –  Moab Valley Multicultural Center
Slow Food Utah  –  Utah Humanities Council  –  Utah Arts Council  –  Wabi Sabi
Western States Art Federation  –  Youth Garden Project  –  The Bowen Motel

More information is available from:
Confluence Literary Festival
78 N. Main Street
Moab, Utah 84532
(435) 220-0068
Contact