Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

Artist Talk: Teatime with Soil Kin
2024-11-14 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Toronto) | 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
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.

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.

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

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.

Cooperative Farming Learning Series
2024-11-04 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-28 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-21 15:00 - 17:00 | 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.

OEFFA Market Gardening Chapter Farm Tour and Potluck
2024-11-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Green Table Gardens, 1469 Hook Road, Xenia, OH, 45385 , United States
Take some time to reflect on the season and connect with other market gardeners at a farm tour and potluck at Green Table Gardens in Xenia. Farmer Stephen Mackell is in his 12th year of market gardening (formerly at Mission of Mary Farm) and the 3rd year at this new site. Take a quick tour of the no-till and no tractor operation, high tunnels, caterpillar tunnels, propagation, and wash/pack. The OEFFA certification process will also be discussed as the site is certified organic through OEFFA.
The tour starts at 3 p.m. with potluck dinner and discussion to follow. Please bring chairs to sit in and food to share! Bringing your own plates/utensils would also be helpful. Click the link below to join the OEFFA Market Gardening Chapter Facebook group and view this event.

Food & Farm Marketing Basics
2024-10-29 15:00 - 18:00 | Meigs County Fairgrounds, 41850 Fairgrounds Rd, Pomeroy, 45769, United States
Do you feel like your food and farm business marketing is missing the mark? Improve your marketing skills and better connect with your customers in this workshop. Learn how to price your products, identify your target customer, what to do with this information, and how to ensure your brand is effectively representing your business. This hands-on workshop will enhance your marketing and give your business a boost.
Click the link below to register.

Indigo Exploration Workshop
2024-10-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Praxis Fiber Workshop, 15301 Waterloo Road, Cleveland, 44110, United States
This hands-on workshop includes a brief history of Praxis and its indigo program, a tour of the studio and garden, and the chance to dye material in several indigo and natural dye vats. Praxis Fiber Workshop will provide bandanas and fabric, but guests are also welcome to bring t-shirts or something similar for dyeing.
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.

Farmer Help Shop
2024-10-21 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 State West Fest: West Campus Science & Sustainability Festival
2024-10-19 11:00 - 15:00 | Ohio State University, 1059 Carmack Road, Columbus, 43210, United States
In its 8th year, this event features interactive STEM-related activities at various booths and behind-the-scenes tours of Ohio State research facilities, along with food trucks, prizes, and other fun family activities. Visit u.osu.edu/stemimpact/westfest for more information, including event sites and parking options.

2024 Green Teen Alliance Conference
2024-10-19 09:30 - 16:30 | The Wells Barn – Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1777 E Broad St, Columbus, 43203, United States
This exciting event brings together partners dedicated to supporting teens and tweens (grades 6-12) in urban agriculture with interests in environmental careers, food systems, horticulture, and sustainability. Attendees will enjoy a day filled with career exploration, and engaging panels featuring students, educators, and environmental professionals.
Don’t miss this chance to connect and grow!

Attendance is free with pre-registration.

Drought Community Conversation
2024-10-17 14:00 - 15:30 | Zoom
Drought conditions? Beyond frustrated? Stressed? You’re not alone.
On Thursday, October 17 at 2 p.m., OEFFA is hosting a virtual Drought Community Conversation. This will be a space for farmers to discuss the challenges they are facing, ask questions, and share ideas. Together, we can reflect on the challenges we’ve faced this season and consider solutions for the future.
OEFFA’s John Stock will facilitate this conversation with those who are currently battling drought conditions. Other agricultural service providers and educators will be present to hear what is happening on the farming front-line, as well as to offer resources and feedback.
These include:

Matt Kleski – Ohio FSA: Production Adjustment, Compliance and Risk Management Programs
Dr. Stephanie Karhoff – State Climate Office of Ohio
Nathan Brown – Grain farmer and mental health advocate
Bridget Britton, MSW, LSW – OSU Behavioral Health Field Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources

Register for free here.

Contemporary Differences in U.S. Farm Financial Performance By Race: Does Farm Size Matter?
2024-10-17 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
What are the similarities and differences across farms operated by producers of different races?
This talk—part of the 2024 CFAES DEI Speaker Series—examines whether farm financial performance differs among farms operated by White, Black, and Native American producers. Black and Native American farmers, in particular, have struggled to hold on to farmland over the last century. The talk will explore the historical context in which these farms operate and highlight observed racial differences in performance for farms that engage in beef cattle production, an industry in which a large share of Black and Native American producers specialize. The findings will be placed in the broader context of other work examining socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
About the speaker:
Dr. LaPorchia Collins is a research agricultural economist in the Market and Trade Economics Division for the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS). At ERS, she examines issues affecting the U.S. livestock, dairy, and poultry industries. Her research covers topics related to food security, inequality, and the environment. Prior to joining ERS, Dr. Collins served as a Professor of Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Economics at Tulane University. Her research has been published in high-impact, applied economic and interdisciplinary journals such as The American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Applied Economics Perspectives and Policy, Empirical Economics, and Applied Geography, among others. She earned her doctoral degree in agricultural, environmental, and development economics from The Ohio State University and bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Southern University and A&M College.

MVEG Farmer Discussion Series on Risk Management
2024-10-16 13:30 - 14:30 | Zoom
Join your farmer peers, the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network (MVEG), and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, to learn all about risk management courses available for farmers!
They’ll share about these programs, and provide information about how your cost for participating in the courses can be covered by the MVEG Network:

Becoming The Employer of Choice (BTEC): supporting humans in hired labor contexts, establishing stronger infrastructure on farms; mix of self-study and instruction with peers; centers farmer voices as trainers; virtual delivery to national audience.
Training and Education for Aspiring Managers (TEAMs): supporting long-term management position development; focuses on engaging with conflict, emotional intelligence, delegation, communication; delivered by staff in partnership with farm managers.

Presenters:

Stacey Botsford (she/her) – BTEC farmer trainer; Red Door Family Farm in Athens, WI
Kaitie Cosmos (she/they) – TEAMs farm manager trainer; California Farm & Garden in San Diego, CA
Sarah Janes Ugoretz (she/her) – BTEC & TEAMs staff; Diversified Vegetable Educator at UW Extension Dane County & FairShare in Madison, WI

This is a joint program of the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, & FairShare CSA Coalition. This training is intended for both farm managers/owners & farm employees/workers.

Growing Equity Program
2024-10-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Capital One Cafe in Easton Town Center, 167 Easton Town Ctr, Space A-103, Columbus, 43219, United States
Interested in starting an urban farm? Want to resolve the food desert issues in your neighborhood? Are you already growing a vegetable garden and want to earn a few extra bucks? Join this urban agriculture business assistance program with Central State University Extension.
Fall Business Series 1:

Tuesday, Sep. 10 – Business Mission Vision Values
Tuesday, Sep. 17 – Business Structures
Tuesday, Sep. 24 – Business Planning
Tuesday, Oct. 1- Business Marketing
Tuesday, Oct. 8 – Business Records and Financials
Tuesday, Oct. 15- Business Operations and Resources

This program is free, but registration is required at the link below.
