Cooperative Farming Learning Series
2024-11-04 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | Zoom
Cooperatives do business differently—they are member-owned and controlled businesses that share profits and other benefits with users based on principles like self-help and equity. The model has long been applied in agriculture. Learn about the cooperative business model in local food and agriculture contexts in this three-part series.

Cooperation as a business model (October 21)
Success as a cooperative (October 28)
Cooperative farming financial considerations (November 4)

Register at the link below.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

Unlocking Local Grain Potential
2024-11-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
This webinar series is intended to teach small grain-related businesses about successful strategies for working with local grains. The three sessions will cover grain testing with Hartwick College (September 10), strategies for bakers to gradually scale their use of local grains through flour blending with King Arthur Flour (October 7), and effective strategies for storytelling and marketing local grains (November 4).
Learn more and register at the link below.

Climate Health Equity Webinar Series: Climate Change, Food Access and Health Outcomes in Greater Cincinnati
2024-11-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
The 1-hour webinar hopes to address how climate change has impacted our food access and security and effects on health outcomes in the region, and ways to address this issue not only for the individual but also on a systems change level. This event is part of the “Climate Health Equity” webinar series, which builds on a recently completed report in partnership with Scioto Analysis, “Climate Health Equity – Analyzing the Impacts of Climate Change and Health Outcomes in Greater Cincinnati.” To highlight the findings of this report and accelerate action on key related issues, Green Umbrella will also be releasing a Public Service Announcement toolkit connected to the topics covered in the webinar series.
This event is the eight webinar in Green Umbrella’s “Climate Health Equity” series. which builds upon a recently completed report in partnership with Scioto Analysis, “Climate Health Equity – Analyzing the Impacts of Climate Change and Health Outcomes in Greater Cincinnati.”
Speaker : Aileen Lawson – Pantry Manager, CAIN
Moderated by: Bamidele Osamika, and Maddie Chera – Green Umbrella

Ohio Organic Farmer Research Network Meeting
2024-11-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Mary Hathaway from the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) will share information about their Farmer-Led Trials program. Now in its second year of accepting proposals, this grant program puts farmers in the driver’s seat and recognizes their wisdom, experimentation, and problem-solving skills. The program provides organic farmers with technical assistance and a small amount of funding to investigate and learn about solutions to their most pressing production challenges. Plan to join us and bring your questions!
More information:

Learn about the FLT program, last year’s recipients, and OFRF’s work at ofrf.org/research/farmer-led-research-trials.
OFRF will have a longer online forum about the FLT program on October 29, featuring last year’s farmer researchers.
Application deadline is December 1.

Past OOFRN meeting session topics and YouTube links are posted at offer.osu.edu/oofrn-events.

Ohio Soil Health Week
2024-11-10 08:00 - 2024-11-16 17:00
Ohio Soil Health Week provides a time and space to celebrate, honor, and protect Ohio’s soils. This weeklong celebration includes outreach, education opportunities, and events to raise awareness around Ohio’s most valuable natural resource: our soil.
The celebration will occur annually every second full week in November, honoring the late David Brandt, a sustainable agriculture trailblazer and the “Godfather of Soil Health”, whose birthday falls that week. Ohio Soil Health Week will feature a variety of events hosted by multiple organizations and individuals around the state—all celebrating soil health.

We invite anyone who is interested in planning an Ohio Soil Health Week event to complete this form.
On April 9, 2024, Ohio State Senator Tim Schaffer introduced Ohio Soil Health Week as an amendment to H.B. 162 to the Ohio Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. If you would like to support this legislation with testimony, a letter of support, or by contacting your state representatives, please contact OEFFA Grassroots Policy Organizer, Lauren Hirtle, at lauren@oeffa.org.

Developing Regenerative Pastures and Community Connections: A Soil Health Field Demo Day in Champaign County
2024-11-10 10:00 - 15:00 | Truest Farms, 7808 Ohio 161, Mechanicsburg, 43044, United States
Celebrate the inaugural Ohio Soil Health Week with a one.two.five Benefit Corporation field day that will begin with a 90-minute field tour* with Cory Stratton, the main farmer and co-owner of Truest Farms, a 21-acre regenerative farm established three years ago, focusing on poultry, hogs, and lambs. Then, everyone will meet for a 90-minute field tour* with Tonni & Graham Oberly, co-owners of Oaks & Sprouts farm. The Oberly’s grow a variety of vegetables and have a small livestock operation that includes pigs, a cow, goats, and livestock guardian dogs. The Oberly’s practice minimal tillage, use reusable landscape fabric, and rotate livestock to improve soil health.
In between the two tours, attendees will meet for lunch and conversation at In Good Taste Catering & Market in Urbana.
*each farm tour will feature interactive, hands-on learning and Q&A time with the farmers
The cost of registration is $35/person. Lunch is provided. Ridesharing/carpooling is recommended. Please see the registration form for scholarship and cost-reduced registration options.

Ohio Soil Health Week Farm Tour
2024-11-10 14:00 - 17:00 | Martin Hollow Heritage Farm, 8854 Martin Hollow Road, Russellville, 45168, United States
Kick off the new Ohio Soil Health Week with a soil-focused farm tour! Martin Hollow Heritage Farm is a unique collaboration between landowner Carolyn Moore and farmer Danny Losekamp who raises cattle on the land, with support from longtime beef grazier Jim Linne. Walk through the pastures and identify the various species of grasses and legumes, take Brix readings, dig up some soil for a water infiltration demonstration, and talk about how USDA conservation programs helped fund the grazing infrastructure.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

SWOEFFA Harvest Feast Potluck
2024-11-10 16:00 - 18:00
OEFFA’s Southwest Ohio Chapter, SWOEFFA, is hosting a Harvest Feast Potluck on Sunday, November 10 at 4 p.m. Email Cori (email address below) for more details and to RSVP.

Environmental Professionals Network: Inaugural Ohio Soil Health Week Breakfast
2024-11-12 07:15 - 09:30 | Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, 43210, United States
This Environmental Professionals Network (EPN) Program brings together myriad soil science and health professionals and experts to celebrate the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week. The event includes a morning breakfast with planned talks from soil health researchers, farm managers from across Ohio, and representatives from OEFFA. Mainly, the speakers will present on the theme of soil health in diverse landscapes in Ohio, including on production agriculture fields, gardens, livestock grazing paddocks, prairies and grasslands, and lawns and landscaped areas.
The speakers will discuss how healthy soils hold more water, reduce run-off, and protect water quality. They’ll describe how healthy soil practices build soil fertility reducing the need for fertilizer and providing a positive return on investment for farmers. Additionally, the event will educate attendants both in-person and online (through a YouTube livestream) about how healthy soil practices can sequester carbon to mitigate harmful greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change and build on-farm resilience.
All participants, regardless of in-person or virtual attendance, must register online. The cost of attendance for non-students is $25, $5 for students, and free for all virtual livestream participants. The price of in-person registration includes a coffee bar and a breakfast buffet.

Determining Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Maize Varieties in Ohio
2024-11-12 10:30 - 11:30 | Waterman Farm, 2548 Carmack Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43210
To celebrate the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week, participants are invited to visit a maize experiment at Waterman Farm in Columbus, Ohio (adjacent to OSU) where different maize varieties were grown during the summer of 2024 that fix nitrogen (N) from the air, promoted by beneficial bacteria in aerial roots with mucilage, offsetting the need for mineral N fertilization. The Maize plots in this experiment are a great example that Improved, Heirloom and Mexican Landrace Maize can be grown in Ohio with little nitrogen input, providing researchers and farmers a reliable solution to decrease over-reliance on fertilizers and reduce environmental hazards on soil.

Soil Health and Human Health: Intersection of Microbiomes
2024-11-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
In honor of the inaugural Ohio Soil Health Week, the Nature Conservancy is hosting a webinar with Danielle “Dani” Kusner, who teaches about the soil and human microbiomes at Deep Soil LLC, empowering farmers and consumers to make choices that heal the soil and their bodies. She is a Certified Crop Advisor and expanded her expertise into human health as a Certified Terrain Advocate through The Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health. Dani earned a degree in Sustainability Studies from The University of Dayton in 2008 and since then, has been on a journey of transforming soils and food production through people’s connection with Mother Earth.
Register for the free webinar here.

The USDA and You: Conservation Programs
2024-11-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Explore USDA conservation programs and the ways they can benefit farmers. This session will focus on the NRCS’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Learn about the historic funding in the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as how the programs work, their impact, and how farmers and farm advocates can influence their implementation to improve them over time. If you have used one of these programs, or are thinking about it, please join the conversation!
Register at the link below.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

Soil Health Breakfast
2024-11-13 07:30 - 09:00 | Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District, 771 East Main Street Suite 100, Newark, Ohio, 43055, United States
Join Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District for bacon, eggs, and soil health! Attendees will receive a free breakfast while learning how to use Web Soil Survey to create a personalized soil map. The hosts will share information about cover crops, soil health, and drought assistance programs, and attendees will have the opportunity to take their own soil test. The meeting will provide fertilizer re-certification credit.
No registration required.

Celebrating Soil Health in the Miami Valley
2024-11-13 14:00 - 16:00 | The Foodbank Inc., 56 Armor Place, Dayton, 45417, United States
Let’s celebrate Ohio Soil Health Week with a special focus on the Miami Valley. Local organizations such as The Foodbank, Inc., The Ohio State University Extension Montgomery County Office, Central State University Extension Southwest Office, and Five Rivers MetroParks are collaborating to provide their programs at The Foodbank’s Urban Garden.
Exploring the innovative approach to tackling hunger through soil health, the tour of The Foodbank, Inc.’s Urban Garden shines a light on sustainable solutions in the Dayton area. The OSU Extension’s demonstration of the Soil Moisture “Robot” and insights on interpreting soil test results lay the groundwork for understanding soil’s vital role. Further discussions with Five Rivers MetroParks delve into the potential of soils as carbon sinks, offering a dual benefit of climate change mitigation and enhanced soil fertility, while the compost kitchen initiative demonstrates practical steps for waste reduction and soil enrichment. CSU Extension complements this knowledge with a deep dive into the benefits of cover crops and soil biology alongside practical soil infiltration tests, offering a holistic view of soil health.
Register for free here.

Those Who Feed Us: An Art Exhibition Celebration Soils
2024-11-13 16:30 - 19:30 | Hopkins Hall Lobby (main floor), 128 North Oval Mall, Columbus, 43210, United States
To celebrate Ohio Soil Health Week, the Living Art and Ecology Lab at The Ohio State University’s Department of Art invites you to a short, juried exhibition seeking to appreciate those who feed us through building and maintaining our soils. Artists are invited to submit work that explores soil as community: from microbes and mycelium, to plants and people, and beyond. Artists working in all mediums are welcome to apply. Submissions are due by October 20th at 11:59 p.m.
Registration not required.

2024 BIPOC Farm Tour Circuit
2024-11-14 09:15 - 17:30 | Eden’s Harvest, 307 Saint Louis Avenue, Dayton, 45405, United States
Join the Agraria Center for Regenerative Practice in celebrating the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week with a full day of BIPOC farm tours. This is a unique opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the regenerative farming community, as well as the practices they use to regenerate the soil.
Tour Highlights:

Farm Visits: Explore diverse regenerative farming practices and learn from new and experienced BIPOC farmers.
Lunch: Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch featuring fresh ingredients sourced directly from from of the farms we will visit, creating a delicious and sustainable dining experience.
Networking: Engage with fellow farmers, community members, and advocates for regenerative agriculture.

Register by Monday, November 11, 2024 here. Limited spots available.

Soil Health Rally
2024-11-14 11:30 - 14:30 | Athens County Municipal Court, 8 East Washington Street, Athens, 45701, United States
Celebrate Ohio Soil Health Week by joining Rural Action and partners to learn about soil health in Ohio and hear from local and state speakers. Get fired up for soil health by learning about its role in food production, watershed health, and climate mitigation. Visit Rural Action at tables around the Athens Courthouse steps before and after the speakers to enjoy demos and learn more in-depth. Attendees at this event will learn about the past, present, and future of soil health conservation in Ohio and what they can do in their backyard to take part.
Registration not required.

Artist Talk: Teatime with Soil Kin
2024-11-14 14:30 - 15:30 | Hopkins Hall Lobby (main floor), 128 North Oval Mall, Columbus, 43210, United States
In honor of Ohio Soil Health Week, the public is invited to join artist and Ohio State professor of Art & Technology Amy Youngs for tea in the Hopkins Hall lobby as she discusses her artistic practice for listening to and learning from soils. Participants will consider the many critters at work in making soil, and will participate in this circle of life by offering their tea bags to one of the artists’ homemade worm bins at the end of the talk. Tea and mugs will be provided, although participants are encouraged to bring their own mugs as well.
Registration not required. Additional details will be posted here.

Soil Health Testing Livestream
2024-11-14 15:00 - 15:30 | Zoom
You don’t have to be a soil scientist to know if your soil is healthy. To celebrate Ohio Soil Health week, you’re invited to join Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District as they look at soil health at one of their Urban Greens Community Gardens, Marshall Greens. This short, virtual program might give you the tools to check your soil health at home. You’ll see how to utilize a penetrometer and shovel to measure compaction, infiltration rings to measure water infiltration, and a slate test to measure aggregate stability. Expect a few more tricks and tips!
The event will be virtual on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/MuskingumSWCD

Take Action for Soil Health!
2024-11-15 08:00 - 17:00
Celebrate the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week by joining OEFFA in telling Ohio legislators that soil health matters! OEFFA, the Ohio Soil Health Initiative, and allies are urging decision-makers to pass House Bill 568, which would create a Healthy Soils Task Force to develop a comprehensive healthy soils initiative for Ohio.
Healthy soil is essential to our future. Soil is the foundation of our food and farm systems and when its health is prioritized, it holds more water, reduces runoff, and protects water quality. Healthy soils also help combat climate change by sequestering carbon and building on-farm resilience to withstand the ever-increasing extreme weather events. Farmers want to take advantage of soil health practices that build soil fertility and reduce their need for fertilizer—keeping more money in their pockets. Ohio policies can help.
That’s why OEFFA, the Ohio Soil Health Initiative, and allies are urging decision-makers to pass House Bill 568, which would create a Healthy Soils Task Force to develop a comprehensive healthy soils initiative for Ohio.
In just a few minutes, you can email your Ohio legislators to let them know how important soil health is to Ohio—and that you want support for this vital piece of legislation!
Take action now!

Organic Vegetable Production Deep Dive
2024-11-15 08:30 - 16:00 | 1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691, 1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, 44691, United States
Join FairShare CSA Coalition for this day-long workshop on organic vegetable production, food safety, and market connections.
The day-long workshop will be held in Wooster, Ohio and is for organic and organic-leaning vegetable producers. Whether you’re scaling up or honing your skills to serve current customers, learning from your peers can help you improve production systems to work better for you and your farm needs. Join FairShare CSA Coalition as they take a deep dive into organic vegetable production on two crops – carrots and onions – with three farmers of varying scales per crop as they share the details of their systems. A regional buyer will also be present to share opportunities for sales outlets, and food safety practices will also be included.
Registration is $45 including breakfast, snacks, and lunch, and the deadline is Friday, November 8.

18th Annual Stinner Summit
2024-11-15 09:00 - 16:00 | The Lodge at Hocking College, 15770 SR 691, Nelsonville, 45764, United States
Each year the Stinner Summit gathers farmers, researchers, educators, policy leaders, and organizations together in a different region of Ohio. Using a participatory process, specific project ideas are crafted and then funded through the Stinner Endowment.
This year the event returns to southeast Ohio on Friday, November 15. Participation is open to anyone with an interest in healthy agroecosystems, but registration is required. A lunch featuring local foods will be provided.
The Stinner Summit is an opportunity to learn what others are doing to advance local food systems, share individual ideas and experiences, and pool resources to design community-led initiatives. To learn more about the Stinner Summit or Ohio State’s AMP program, visit amp.osu.edu.

Healthy Soil Festival
2024-11-16 09:00 - 12:00 | Hamilton County Conservation District Training Center, 2710 East Kemper Road, Sharonville, 45241, United States
Join the Hamilton County Conservation District for a morning of fun and learning as we celebrate healthy soil—and the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week!!
Healthy soil supports growing healthy food, both in our backyard gardens and in our crop fields. Healthy soil also supports communities that are good places to live: nourishing shade trees and landscaping, absorbing rainwater, and supporting diverse wildlife. At the Healthy Soil Festival, you can learn ways to help improve and protect soil in your own yard or neighborhood.
The Open House style Festival will include interactive learning stations and exhibitor and vendor booths. The last hour of the Festival will be a program on soil testing with a speaker describing how to conduct a soil test, how to interpret results, and introducing methods to improve soil fertility to achieve your growing goals. Attendees are welcome to bring their soil test results (if they have tested in advance), or they can pick up soil test kits that day to bring home.
Registration is recommended but not required.

BYO Bucket Cincinnati Compost Sale
2024-11-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Camp Washington Perennial Farm, 3220 Colerain Avenue, Cincinnati, 45225, United States
In honor of Ohio Soil Health Week, join Green Umbrella at Camp Washington Perennial Farm for their “Bring Your Own Bucket” fall compost sale! This 2-hour event offers high-quality compost perfect for putting your gardens to bed for the winter, along with essential education on the composting process.
Event Goals:

Provide high-quality compost for fall garden winterization

Educate attendees about the composting process and its benefits for soil health

Promote sustainable gardening practices for the fall and winter seasons

Showcase our farm’s commitment to soil stewardship

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own buckets to purchase compost by volume ($8), with bagged compost also available for sale ($10). Learn how to properly prepare your garden for winter using our nutrient-rich compost. Our knowledgeable staff will be on hand to explain the composting process and answer your fall gardening questions.
Open to the public (gardeners)
If you’re looking for compost now, order online any time, and learn more at the Common Orchard Project’s website.

Common Ground Virtual Film Screening
2024-11-16 16:00 - 18:00 | Zoom
Join OEFFA Policy in celebrating the first annual Ohio Soil Health Week with a virtual screening of Common Ground. This 2023 film is a companion to Kiss the Ground, which was released in 2020. Common Ground explores regenerative agriculture and its potential to heal our soil, communities, and planet. After the film, we’ll have some time for sharing thoughts and ideas.
Register for free here.

Farmer Help Shop
2024-11-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
OEFFA’s team of educators is available to assist farmers at any stage of their journey. Whether you are making the switch to organic, are already certified, or have questions about sustainable agriculture practices, OEFFA can share guidance and support. Drop in virtually each month to talk to sustainable agriculture educators with your queries and questions.
Click the link below to register and receive the Zoom meeting link.

Ohio Proud Food Summit
2024-11-21 11:00 - 13:00 | The Department of Agriculture, Bromfield Building Auditorium, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, Ohio, 43068, United States
Looking for something new, made by food and agricultural producers, to add to your menu, grocery store, or specialty retail space? If so, the Ohio Department of Agriculture invites you to attend the Ohio Proud Food Summit event on Thursday November 21, 2024, from 11am-1pm.
The Ohio Proud Food Summit features Ohio Proud partners and their locally made products and is FREE to attend!
Join us in meeting local businesses and sampling Ohio made products that include snack foods, baked goods, condiments, specialty sauces, bath and body care– and more! Please complete the attached form and submit your RSVP to Ashley.McDonald@agri.ohio.gov by Thursday, November 14, 2024.
REGISTRATION FORM

Greener Pastures: Film Screening & Discussion with MVEG
2024-11-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Running a family farm is hard enough. Add in climate change, a worldwide pandemic, and the increasing economic uncertainty brought on by megafarms, and it’s easy to see that being an independent farmer in America is a profession of survival. Following four Midwest family farms over several years, the documentary Greener Pastures is a story of perseverance within the farming industry in the heartland.
Join FairShare CSA Coalition live to watch the 90-minute documentary, hosted by the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network, and then stick around for conversation with two of the farmers featured in the documentary: Chris Petersen, from Iowa, and Jeff Ditzenberger, from Wisconsin. We’ll have lightly facilitated discussion with an opportunity for open Q&A. View educational resources related to the film here.
This event is brought to you by FairShare CSA Coalition and the MVEG Network’s working group on Farmer Resiliency & Mental Health. Find our support resources here.
Register for free here.

Ohio Organic Farmer Research Network Meeting
2024-12-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Help OOFRN consider a farmer-led working group model to develop projects and proposals in the future. We will discuss ways to build this structure and also share feedback on specific research ideas to move forward. Active network participants are encouraged to provide feedback, specific ideas, or general suggestions. We’re open to new participants as well. If you know someone with an interest in organic research, please invite. No experience needed, just interest!
Past OOFRN meeting session topics and YouTube links are posted at offer.osu.edu/oofrn-events.

OEFFA Grain Growers Chapter Meeting
2024-12-06 09:45 - 13:15 | Wildcat Cafe, 300 S Buffalo St, Vanlue, 45890, United States
The OEFFA Grain Growers Chapter will meet on Friday, December 6 from 9:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. at the Wildcat Cafe in Vanlue. They have a decent menu and are reasonably priced. Everyone is responsible for their own lunch (and tip).
RSVP to Bridget by email (grain.growers.oeffa@gmail.com) or text your RSVP including name to (419) 491-4436.
