To inquire about an event, please contact Gretchen Crary at February Media.

Lectures/ Workshops

Shannon Hayes’ speaking topics include inspirational/ motivational speeches founded on principles of sustainability; discussions and workshops about ecological living, self-reliance, sustainable farming and sustainable cooking. Content varies based on current news and developments, and the overall goals for your event. Current programs are outlined in more detail, below.
Interested in a customized workshop, lecture or keynote for your event? I am happy to accommodate. I love a new creative challenge! If you would like me to present something different than the programs you see outlined below, please allow a minimum of three months lead time in order for me to develop quality content.

Interested in scheduling an event with Jim, Adele or Bob?  You can contact the directly by clicking on the email addresses below.

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CURRENT PROGRAM OFFERINGS

Keynote Programs

Average time: 45-50 minutes

The Story of Local: A look at the growth and power of the local food movement that simultaneously examines the fuel behind it:  Neighbors, community, family, and love.

Unraveling Consumerism: Blending her characteristic story telling, unique farm humor, and her uncanny knack for stirring up trouble, Hayes examines the history of consumerism in America, how it played out in the household, the effects it has had on our food system and culture, and how we can recover our households, our communities, our ecosystem and our country. Like much of Hayes’ work, this talk is characteristically controversial, and is likely to stir up debate as well as inspire action, even among those who disagree. Lecture time 45-50 minutes, audience size not limited.

Real Cows in a Parallel Universe: This is an inspirational/ motivational talk that draws on sustainable farming sensibilities and lighthearted story telling as a way to explore how we can move from an extractive economy to a life serving economy. The subject matter is quite wide, exploring everything from fear and aging to food, growing practices, health crises and healthcare. The content is heavy, but the tone is gentle, tender, and often light-hearted. 45-50 min. Audience size not limited.

Better World in a Bag of Bones: Examines the role that small-scale, grass-based livestock farming can have in restoring ecological and social health in the United States. This visually-rich lecture once more uses Hayes’ characteristic light-hearted agrarian story telling style to weave the connections between a prudently-managed local food system and a healthier, happier population. Lecture runs 45-50 minutes.

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Mini-Workshops

Average run time: 60-90 minutes

Homespun Mom Comes Unraveled: A reading from Shannon Hayes’ newest book of comical and heart-warming essays, followed by a facilitated group discussion about the challenges and rewards of sustainable living and self-reliance. Hayes thoroughly addresses participants’ questions by drawing on her own farm/family practices and dynamics; as well as her extensive qualitative research with the nation-wide radical homemaking movement.

Making the Most of Animal Fat: Growing interest in locally-sourced, value-added products has led many professional herbalists and home-based entrepreneurs to develop their own hand-made candles, soaps, salves and balms. Strangely, the base ingredients for these “local” products are often imported from overseas or across the country, when superior alternatives are available wherever grassfed and pastured meats are produced. At the same time that we import olive oil, paraffin and palm oil, beautiful, clean, local animal fats are going to waste. Using an abundance of color photographs, this workshop will give step-by-step instructions for rendering animal fats. We will then explore how best to use them for everything from cooking and baking, to making salves, soaps, ointments and candles. Step-by-step photos will be shown to walk the participants through the production process. All recipes and formulas are included in Long Way on a Little: An Earth Lovers’ Companion for Enjoying Meat, Pinching Pennies and Living Deliciously. Workshop organizers may consider including copies of the book as part of the workshop fee (wholesale purchase rates would apply), or having them for sale on site. Lecture time is 45-50 minutes; Q&A can extend program time to 90-120 minutes. Audience size not limited. This program requires a digital projector, a podium and a microphone.

Long Way on a Little:Based on the work from Shannon’s most comprehensive cookbook, Long Way on a Little: An Earth Lovers’ Companion for Enjoying Meat, Pinching Pennies and Living Deliciously. This program teaches about stretching meat dollars as far as possible through the use of under-utilized resources such as bones and fat, and it examines the basic principles for a low-carbon, meat-based diet from the little-understood viewpoint of nutrient density and blood sugar control. Essentially, when we address nutrient density and minimize our bodies’ demands for insulin, we minimize our hunger, and greatly reduce our food intake, thereby minimizing our ecological impact. In addition to covering theory, we’ll spend time learning the basic (and easy) culinary skills required to put theory into action, from making broth and rendering fat, to putting together easy soups, casseroles and stir fries. Lecture time is 45-50 minutes, Q&A can extend program time up to 90 minutes. Audience size not limited. (lecture fees apply) This program requires a digital projector, a podium and a microphone.

Radical Homemakers Reading and Group Discussion:This program includes a reading from Radical Homemakers, accompanied by an animated, vivid powerpoint that features photos taken during my travels across country researching the book. The reading/ slideshow takes about 45-50 minutes and presents the basic premises of the book. The room is then opened up for workshop-style discussion. Typical run time is 1 hr 30 min, but can run up to 2 hrs with intense dialogue. Care is taken to keep the discussion inclusive and non-judgmental. Again, while the content is very serious, no one in the room is permitted to take themselves too seriously (Shannon included).

Enterprise Analysis: The brain (and heart) work behind diversifying your farm or setting up a home-based business (part of the art of staying gainfully unemployed): This program covers the basics of establishing a holistic family or farm goal, working out an enterprise budget, and then matching them together to see if a potential business venture could be profitable, and if it is an appropriate fit for your family and lifestyle choices. Ideal program time is 75-90 minutes. Audience size not limited. Requires a digital projector, podium, and either a flip chart with markers, or a chalk board or wipe-erase board.

Tender, Delicious Grassfed Beef, from Farm to Plate: This lecture is intended for farmers and non-farmers alike, aimed at helping folks understand all the elements along the path of grassfed beef production that will impact flavor and quality. Using countless color photographs, we look at farms, fields, processing facilities, and culinary techniques. Indoor and outdoor cooking techniques are discussed and demonstrated using photographs. The actual lecture component usually runs 45-50 minutes, and then the room is opened up for Q&A, which often leads the program to run 1 hr 30 min. Audience size not limited.

Kitchen workshop: Grassfed Steak: Discussion and demonstration of proper techniques for cooking a grassfed steak for maximum flavor and tenderness. This program, which takes place in a demonstration kitchen, also seeks to answer any questions participants have about selecting and preparing other sustainably-raised meats. Bring all your meat cooking questions and be ready to sample some tasty steak! Facilities required: Either a kitchen with cooktop, oven and ventilation fan with adequate room for workshop participants; OR an outdoor Weber charcoal grill and demonstration area. Small materials fee applies based on number of attendees.

Kitchen workshop: Grassfed Stew: Techniques for making a truly local stew from grassfed and pastured meats based on the principles of working with what’s on hand. Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to prepare stews without the use of a recipe. We will discuss broth preparation, cut selection, searing techniques, and timing of ingredients. Small materials fee applies based on number of attendees.

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Comprehensive Cooking Workshops

Run time: approximately 3 hours
Comprehensive Cooking Workshop Fee applies

*Comprehensive * Grassfed Grilling Outdoor Workshop: Outdoor workshop which demonstrates proper cooking techniques for cooking and serving several different cuts of grassfed beef and lamb and pastured pork. A lot of sampling is involved. I typically limit this program to 25 people; however, if bleacher-style seating and a hands-free sound system is provided, it can accommodate 100. This program will have an additional materials fee as part of expenses to cover the cost of ingredients.

*Comprehensive* Grassfed Cooking Indoor Workshop: Indoor program requiring only a simple kitchen (oven and stovetop) to demonstrate cooking techniques for different cuts of grassfed beef. This also involves tasting and lots of Q&A. . Space size is limited to what the kitchen facility can accomodate. This program will have an additional materials fee as part of expenses to cover the cost of ingredients.

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