Farm Tours

Shady Oaks Farm is a berry and daffodil farm started in 1997 by Chris and Leslie Burdette. Winners of the 2011 Conservation Farm Award for Putnam County, Chris and Leslie have continued to manage their farm using sustainable practices and will be certified organic in 2025. They specialize in organic blueberry container plants, daffodils, and u-pick berries. Blackberries should be ripe just in time for this tour!

These informal gatherings are a chance for community members around Ohio to connect with staff from the OEFFA’s Policy program and discuss food and farm policy issues. You’ll be able to learn about the work they do to advance state and federal policy, see how you can plug into these advocacy efforts, and engage with other changemakers! Policy and Pints offers an opportunity to network with food and farm policy leaders from across the state. They are free and open to anyone interested in sustainable and organic agriculture and getting involved in policy advocacy.

Join OEFFA and Green Umbrella for Green Drinks: Policy and Pints! This gathering will take place at Turner Farm where participants will be able to experience the farm, market, and teaching kitchen. We will have a brief talk about farm policy from OEFFA’s Policy program and discuss food and farm policy issues. Space is limited and registration is required for this specific event.

The Ohio Pawpaw Festival is a fun-filled, educational community event celebrating one of America’s largest native tree fruits, the pawpaw. Visit ohiopawpawfest.com to learn more about an informational session organized by OEFFA, "Making Sense of Labels: What Does Organic Really Mean?"

Established in 1992, Finch Creek Farm has 300 acres of certified organic land with grass-fed and -finished cattle, pastured meat chickens, and pastured laying hens. Reinhold and Melissa Finkes prioritize animal health and conservation through rotational grazing on the farm. Learn about their innovative business structure, which includes both direct sales and a CSA program, and how they made the transition to organic.

Brandt Family Farm grows corn, soybeans, wheat, and a variety of other cereal grains sold through the on-farm cover crop business, Walnut Creek Seeds. For more than 50 years, the Brandt family has been committed to soil conservation and building healthy soil. The guided tour will focus on soil health, cover crops, no-till practices, and heritage grains.

These informal gatherings are a chance for community members around Ohio to connect with staff from the OEFFA’s Policy program and discuss food and farm policy issues. You’ll be able to learn about the work they do to advance state and federal policy, see how you can plug into these advocacy efforts, and engage with other changemakers! Policy and Pints offers an opportunity to network with food and farm policy leaders from across the state. They are free and open to anyone interested in sustainable and organic agriculture and getting involved in policy advocacy.

Eric Grim from Grim Dairy will be sharing real, on-the-ground insights from improving grazing practices and infrastructure on his farm. He’ll also walk through how he uses the Pasture.io management system to track cow and forage data. The tour will also discuss opportunities in the dairy industry, like apprenticeships and internships through the Dairy Grazing Apprentice program. Whether you’ve been in dairy for years or are just getting started, this tour is a great chance to connect, swap ideas, and learn something new. Register for this free tour here. This event is a part of the 2026 OEFFA Farm Tour Series. It is held in partnership with the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program and the Ohio Organic Farmer Research Network.

Paul and Fannie Mae Miller run an organic dairy in Wayne County. This tour will highlight their management and grazing systems, and serve as a gathering for grass farmers, aspiring graziers, and dairy farmers. See an exemplary organic dairy farm up close and join a discussion on organic dairying and grazing in Ohio. Register for this free tour here. This event is a part of the 2026 OEFFA Farm Tour Series. It is held in partnership with the Rodale Institute and Propogate.

Nut and Horse Farms is a small-scale commercial farm focused on owners Joe Hietter and Amy Rothe-Hietter’s two passions: trees and horses. One side of the farm grows tree nuts and some fruit trees. The other side is dedicated to horse husbandry.  Their nut tree orchard consists of chestnut, hazelnut, black walnut, heartnut, butternut, pecan, hickory, and hican (cross between pecan and hickory) trees. They have permaculture implemented, and will explain what is involved in growing nut trees with a number of examples of their successes and failures. Please follow signs and the address below when arriving to find parking. The tour will be across the street. Register for this free tour here. This event is a part of the 2026 OEFFA Farm Tour Series. It is held in partnership with the Ohio Nut Growers Association.

Rust Belt Riders’ mission is to feed people, not landfills. They are a worker-owned cooperative that redirects food waste from landfills and converts it into nutrient-rich compost. This compost serves as the foundation of their Tilth Soil blends for farmers, home gardeners, houseplant parents, and everyone in between. This tour takes place at Rathlin Soils' compost site, where Rust Belt Riders is co-located. Walk through this composting facility and learn more about how diverting food from landfills supports our local food system. Register for this free tour here. This event is a part of the 2026 OEFFA Farm Tour Series.

J&J Poultry is a poultry processing facility in northwest Ohio. Each year, they process between 10,000 and 12,000 chickens. Farmer Jim Jacobs will give a tour of the facility, explaining the ins and outs of being a processor. Register for this free tour here. This event is a part of the 2026 OEFFA Farm Tour Series.