This year's meeting of the Amaranth Institute is rapidly approaching. It
will be held Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8, 1998, in Sidney, Nebraska.
Friday's program will feature talks on amaranth production, utilization,
marketing, and ethnobotany. There will be a producer discussion and a
roundtable session on opportunities and challenges in marketing amaranth.
The farm land around Sidney, Nebraska, is the center of U.S. amaranth
production. Saturday, August 8, we will tour farms that produce amaranth
using conventional and organic production methods. You will have the
opportunity to talk with amaranth growers about how to grow and market amaranth.
Background on amaranth
Amaranth is a small-seeded grain crop with a dramatic history. A staple of
the Aztec diet, annual grain tributes of amaranth were made to the Aztec
emperor. Production of amaranth in Latin America diminished dramatically
after the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs in the 1500's, likely as a result
of Spanish efforts to crush Aztec culture. However, amaranth production
spread throughout the world. During the 20th century, it has been grown in
China, India, Africa, and Europe as well as North and South America. People
around the world utilize either the grain or the leaves in a variety of
recipes. In India and South America, popped amaranth appears in many
confections. Amaranth also is used medicinally and as a protein supplement
for infants and children. In the United States, amaranth is grown mainly for
the natural and health food markets.
Amaranth is a broadleaf plant well-adapted to a range of arid and humid
environments. The grain has a high protein content with relatively high
lysine levels. It is currently grown in the U.S. on a small scale, much of
it organically. Though production is fairly low, interest in this crop has
been quite high for decades now.
Everyone interested in attending is warmly invited!
Following is a registration form and information on getting to Sidney.
Registration is $15.
To register or for more information, contact:
Jane Sooby 308-254-3918
High Plains Ag Lab, 3257 Rd. 109 308-254-2402 fax
Sidney, Nebraska 69162 USA phrc031@unlvm.unl.edu
----------------------------------Registration
form------------------------------------
Name:________________________________________________________________________
Company or
affiliation:__________________________________________________________
Address:______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Phone/fax:_____________________________________________________________________
E-mail:_______________________________________________________________________
Date:__________________________________________________
Registration for 1998 Amaranth Institute meeting August 7-8, 1998,
Sidney, Nebraska
Make checks out to the Amaranth Institute. Call 308-254-3918 for more
information.
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Amaranth Institute Meeting, Aug. 7-8, 1998
How to get to Sidney, Nebraska, USA
car
Sidney, Nebraska, is easily accessible by automobile from anywhere in the
United States. It lies directly on Interstate 80 about 53 miles (85 km) east
of the border of Wyoming and Nebraska. Sidney is closer to Cheyenne,
Wyoming, than to Lincoln, Nebraska. Cheyenne is 100 miles (161 km) west of
Sidney while Lincoln is 344 miles (553.5 km) east.
air
To reach Sidney by air requires flying into a nearby population center and
completing the trip by car. Another alternative is to take a shuttle bus
from Denver International Airport which will bring you to Sidney. If you
prefer this alternative, please contact Jane Sooby with your flight arrival
and departure times so that she may make a reservation on the shuttle for you.
If you would rather fly closer to Sidney than Denver, the cities of
Cheyenne, Wyoming, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and North Platte, Nebraska, are
accessible by United Express airline. Their toll-free number is
1-800-241-6522. Mileages from these cities are shown below.
train
Amtrak passenger trains also pass near Sidney. Ft. Morgan, Colorado, and
Cheyenne, Wyoming, are nearby stops. Amtrak's toll-free number is
1-800-872-7245.
Nota bene: International travelers may not be able to use the listed
toll-free numbers. You may need to use the services of a local travel agent
to complete your travel arrangements.
Mileage from local population centers:
Denver, Colorado 165 miles/265.5 km
Cheyenne, Wyoming 100 miles/161 km
Scottsbluff, Nebraska 75 miles/121 km
North Platte, Nebraska 120 miles/193 km
Airlines serving Denver International Airport and toll-free reservation numbers:
American Airlines 1-800-433-7300
Delta Airlines 1-800-221-1212
Continental Airlines 1-800-231-0856
Northwest Airlines 1-800-225-2525
TWA 1-800-221-2000
United Airlines 1-800-241-6522
US Airways 1-800-428-4322
general
For more information about Sidney and the area, check out this website:
http://www.sidney-nebraska.com/
And if you have any further questions, please contact Jane Sooby at
308-254-3918.
Bon voyage! See you August 7 and 8 in Sidney!
Jane Sooby
University of Nebraska-Lincoln alternative crops research technician
Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society western organizer
High Plains Ag Lab
3257 Rd. 109
Sidney, NE 69162
308-254-3918
308-254-2402 (FAX)
308-254-0725 (HOME)
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