The California Farm Conference offers a feast to farmers, farmers' market managers, policy-makers and educators hungry for facts and advice that will make small-scale farming more profitable, sustainable and enjoyable. Held this year Feb. 23-25 at the Riverside Convention Center and the Mission Inn in Riverside, the conference includes tours, short courses and more than 40 workshops on a wide variety of subjects, including horticultural therapy, small-scale meat production, establishing connections with gourmet restaurant chefs, community food security, making and using compost and growing medicinal herbs. Successful food marketing entrepreneur Frieda Caplan presents the keynote address Monday morning, Feb. 24. That evening, vice president of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, W.R. Gomes, discusses the dynamic partnership between the university and the state's small farmers and direct-marketing professionals. The conference registration fee will be waived for journalists.