Hello Arlo. I don't know how to reach you other than through this portal. I hope and pray that you may read it, or at the very least, if someone who can get this to you, would kindly do so.

I am a faithful like-minded follower since 1969. My spouse Peggy and I visited the Guthrie Center on Oct. 8th, a special day for everyone. We met George, who was working on several projects that day. We live in Washington State, about 80 miles north of Seattle, near the Canadian border. We have a small farm/homestead (Moonlight Homestead). I grew up in Pepperell Massachusetts, and went to UMass Amherst, then on to Washington State University. Anyway, I do go on sometimes...
Anyway, I am a proud member of Tilth Producers of Washington <tilthproducers.org>, a wonderful, 39-year-old organic farmers' association that feeds our educational appetites for farming the "good" way, and it is a great support group for us all regarding loving to get our knees stained and dirt under our fingernails. We number around 500 members, give or take a few.
I am working now, on our 40th anniversary conference, to be held November 7-9, 2014, in Vancouver WA, which is just north of Portland Oregon, and smack dab on the north edge of the mighty Columbia River, which your Dad immortalized in that wonderful song.

Arlo, we brainstormed about who we would want for our 40th anniversary keynote speaker, and I immediately recommended you. I know you were very well-received by the Viet Nam Veterans of America at their recent conference. I am also a Life Member of that organization, though I was not able to be there to hear you. Recently, I experienced your performance in Bellingham Washington, 15 minutes from our farm. I know our folks would resonate with you as our keynoter. If you are at all interested, and I sure hope you are, please let me know the "next steps". We expect maybe 650-800 people there (but more for sure if it is known that you would grace us with your presence!), and our members and conference-goers are intergenerational- lots of very passionate sustainable farmers who grow amazing food. Also, the organic movement has roots here in Washington State, and Tilth Producers were instrumental in forming the first set of organic certification rules. In fact, our state's first- and up until a couple of years ago- organic certification program leader, was called by President Barack Obama's administration, to head up the national organic certification program. I was also until 2 years ago, an organic certification field inspector, and now work for Osborne Seed Co. <osborneseed.com>, and for the Skagit Valley Food Cooperative <skagitfoodcoop.com>. It is 40 years old this year.

I am sorry for digressing. The point is, we think that your presence at our 40th conference would be most appropriate, an enormous tribute to our dedicated, long-time "hanging-in-there-through-thick-and-thin" organic farmers, as well as our new crops of young earnest farmers who want to learn from us "elders"- silverbacks, as it were....

If you are interested, Arlo, please give me a call or text (360-708-6931) anytime, or email <tomatomike@gmail.com>. I will be most happy to fill in the details. We do have a budget, and we are unanimous in having me ask you to come and share some of your time, experience, world spirituality, humor, talent, and folk wisdom, with lots of like-minded souls of all ages.

Thank you for taking a bit of your very busy time with your profession, farm, and family, to read this long request. It is appreciated so much.

By the way, Peggy and I, our kids and grand-kids, all sing along with "Alice's Restaurant" each and every Thanksgiving. I also love one of your quotes- "Our Center is a 'bring your own god' church". WoW. We felt that, last October, standing there in the kitchen with George. Amazing.

Okay- enough, I say.... with respect and with lots of love- Mike Hackett (and Peggy).

Mike, I hope the folkslinger sees this on here, but I suggest you e-mail your message to annieguthrie@risingsonrecords.com. She handles his booking requests.

Good luck, and keep up the good work!

Good luck! I think he would make a great speaker.