Food as Medicine Mini Conference
2025-01-22 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) | 1819 Innovation Hub – University of Cincinnati, 2900 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, 45206, United States
The Urban Farming Initiative invites you to the Food as Medicine Mini Conference, a game-changing event that’s all about empowering Cincinnatians to take control of their health by understanding what happens to their bodies and minds based on the food they are eating.
Date: January 22, 2024
Location: University of Cincinnati 1819 Innovation Hub
Audience: Any person or organization interested in gaining confidence about their food choices in their local food economy.
Mini-Conference Agenda
9:00am – 10:00am: Networking with Local Coffee & Breakfast Businesses.
10:00am – 10:15am – Opening and welcome with Kevin Mackey, Co-founder of the Urban Farming Initiative, and Hannah Griswold, Food As Medicine Director at La Soupe.
10:15am – 10:45am – Keynote presentation with UC Health Food As Medicine researcher, Dylan Steen, M.D., M.S., who will be discussing his SuperWIN study conducted with Kroger.
10:45am – 11:15am – Food As Medicine social trends, courtesy of social trend startup Nichefire (Abby Zennie) and UC Next Innovation Scholar (NIS) students.
11:15am – 11:45am – Audience-based Q&A with a panel of diverse experts ranging from cardiologists, food executives, food entrepreneurs, community leaders, nutritionists, chefs, and others you can ask about how the food you consume impacts your body. Panelists include:

Councilwoman Anna Albi – Cincinnati City Council; Champion for Food As Medicine programs.
Dr. Florence Rothenberg: Cardiologist, Founder of Heart of Northside
Frank Sawyer, MHA – Senior Vice President of Operations, Trinity Health Oakland Hospital
Katie Jesurun – Chef, Goosefoot Cook and Grow
Laura Brown, MS, RDN, LDN – Director of Nutrition at Kroger
Meghan Henshaw – Founder of Ocotillo Herbals; Food As Medicine educator.
Radha Lakshmi – Chef, Storyteller, Artist

11:45 – 12:00pm – Showcase of local food and nutrition businesses giving quick 3 minute pitches about who they are and how they can benefit your health.
12:00pm – 1:00pm: Networking with Local Lunch & Food Products Businesses

Farmer Help Shop
2025-01-27 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-02-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-03-31 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-04-28 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.

Visiting Artist Talk: Ruth Burke
2025-01-29 16:00 - 17:00 | Hopkins Hall Room 358, 128 N Noval Mall, Columbus, 43210, United States
The Living Art and Ecology Lab at The Ohio State University invites the general public to a visiting artist talk about work intersection of art and agriculture on Wednesday, January 29 from 4-5 p.m.
Ruth Burke is an interdisciplinary artist whose socially engaged practice straddles the fields of contemporary art, human-animal studies, and agriculture. Burke’s work has focused on collaborating with animals since 2015, and her current focus is a series of large-scale native plant earthworks powered by animal traction. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Video Art in the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, School of Art. She also runs DAP STUDIOS LLC, an art-and-agriculture business for hire on public artworks and small scale agricultural or garden projects.

Farmers and Farmers Markets Gathering at Mid-Ohio Farm
2025-02-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Mid-Ohio Farm on the Hilltop, 140 N Wheatland Ave, Columbus, 43223, United States
The aim of this gathering is for farmers and farmers market managers/participants to gather and share experiences related to the challenges and opportunities serving central Ohio communities. We will be joined by eco-activist farmer and civil rights activist Jim Embry, who will offer his own experiences speaking with folks throughout the country.
This event will take place at Mid-Ohio Farm on the Hilltop on Tuesday, February 11th, from 6-7:30 p.m. This is a free event, and refreshments will be provided.
Please RSVP using this form. RSVPs will be accepted in the order they are received until the event reaches capacity.

Keynote Lecture on Hip Hop and Agriculture
2025-02-12 12:00 - 13:30 | The Hale Center, 154 W. 12th Ave, Columbus, 43210, United States
Join Ohio State, Slow Food Columbus, and OSU campus and community partners for Jim Embry’s keynote lecture on hip hop and agriculture. Jim Embry is a lifelong civil rights activist, farmer, eco-activist, educator, social justice advocate, and public speaker.
Participants are able to join in two ways: in person at 132 Hale Hall (MLK Lounge) and online.
For in-person attendance, please use this RSVP form.
To receive the Zoom link, please register here.

2025 OEFFA Conference
2025-02-13 - 2025-02-15 | Cherry Valley Hotel & Ohio Event Center, 2299 Cherry Valley Road SE, Newark, 43055, United States
The 46th annual OEFFA conference will take place February 13-15, 2025 in Newark, Ohio. This celebrated conference welcomes hundreds of farmers, gardeners, and food supporters to learn, shop, and connect at Ohio’s largest sustainable agriculture conference. From backyard gardening to pasture management to food policy, this 3-day event covers diverse themes in organic and sustainable agriculture. Registrants enjoy dozens of workshops, hands-on demonstrations, locally-sourced meals, an exhibit hall of shops and information, and much more.
Learn more at conference.oeffa.org.

Ohio State Soil Health Webinars 2025
2025-02-13 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-03-20 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-04-10 08:00 - 10:00 | Zoom
In this monthly series, farmers, industry, and academic experts will weigh in on practical steps to improve soil health and measure impact on crop yield and farm profitability. Please plan to join us for all four sessions!
Topics and Speakers:

January 16: Zooming into soil health via a producer, an educator, and a researcher lens
February 13: Understanding the basics and practicalities of biologicals
March 20: Comparisons of soil health tests and what they are telling us?
April 10: Soil health in the urban sphere

You can choose to attend one or more of the webinars. All of them will be recorded for later viewing. The link for the recording will be shared with registrants via email when it becomes available.

OEFFA Policy Film Screening Series: Organic Rising
2025-02-14 19:30 - 22:00 | Cherry Valley Hotel & Ohio Event Center, 2299 Cherry Valley Road SE, Newark, 43055, United States
Organic Rising is a solutions-focused film that explores the two predominant agricultural practices in the US: conventional and organic. It works to demystify the USDA organic regulatory process and help consumers navigate America’s foodscape, while making better choices for human health and the planet.
Join OEFFA Policy as we explore the many facets of our food and farming systems and hear the stories of those most intimately connected to climate problems and solutions. This film will be shown at the 2025 OEFFA Conference (conference registration not required).
Registration for the film is required, but the screenings are free and open to the public.
Closed captioning will be offered. Please contact us for additional accommodations and support.

Soil Science Seminar Talks - Carbon Credits
2025-02-26 16:00 - 17:00 | Kottman Hall, Room 333, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, 43210, United States
You’re invited to join upcoming talks, discussions, and a workshop hosted by the Soil Science Seminar and the Soil Water and Environmental Laboratory (SWEL). Each event in the series can be attended virtually (on Zoom) or in person.
If you’d like an Outlook calendar invite to the series, reach out to bean.21@osu.edu.
On February 26, join them for a discussion on carbon credits. They will have Dr. Brent Sohngen (Natural Resource & Environmental Economics) share his perspectives.
When: Feb. 26
Time: 4 to 5 pm
Location: Room 333, Kottman Hall or via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://osu.zoom.us/j/92264076271?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 922 6407 6271
Password: [REDACTED]

Organic Seed Usage Listening Session
2025-03-05 13:00 - 14:30 | Zoom
The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) requires the use of organic seed unless the seeds farmers need, including equivalent varieties, aren’t commercially available. The purpose of the current organic seed exemption is to provide a transition time for the seed industry to catch up to demand and to allow organic growers to find suitable varieties to transition to, with the goal of eventually achieving 100 percent organic seed sourcing. The allowance for non-organic seed is important for growers who lack access to appropriate organic seed for their operations. While it is no one’s intention to force organic growers to use organic seed that may not be optimal for their operations, continuous improvement in organic seed sourcing is essential to incentivizing growth in the organic seed supply and strengthening organic integrity.
Certified organic producers are invited to share their thoughts in this listening session – producers’ firsthand experience is key to shaping practical policies. Farmers face real challenges in sourcing organic seed, and their input helps ensure policies support continuous improvement while remaining flexible for growers. This dialogue will guide advocacy for balanced solutions that strengthen organic integrity and the seed supply.
Discussions from this listening session will help inform work with the National Organic Program (NOP) and National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on continuous improvement of organic seed usage. Register by March 3 at the link below.

16th Ohio Farmers Market Conference
2025-03-06 08:00 - 2025-03-07 17:00 | Ohio Department of Agriculture, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, 43068, United States
The Ohio Farmers Market Network (OFMN) will host their 16th Ohio Farmers Market Conference, We’re All Keynote Speakers: Celebrating the Value in All of Us on March 6 and 7, 2025, at the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
All attendees will have the opportunity to be a keynote speaker by sharing their experiences with guests of the conference. In addition, OFMN has added a “Show & Tell” activity where attendees may showcase their best methods for market operations such as token management and advertising posters. More information can be found on their website, www.ohiofarmersmarketnetwork.org.
This year’s conference will include workshops, presentations and panel discussions designed to improve and enhance Ohio’s farmers markets. Topics for discussion include:

Grant writing
Farmers market survey and customer experience report
Marketing
Emergency planning
Market layout and design
Community engagement
Food safety
Labeling
Volunteer management
Food assistance and nutrition incentive programs
Nutrition Incentives

In addition to the educational opportunities, the conference will host a series of networking and selfcare activities including:

Show & Tell
Office-style yoga
Conference “after hours”
Attendee bingo
Networking dinner

Will you join us? We hope so! Our planning committee and our partners are working hard to bring you an exceptional conference unlike all others we’ve hosted. If you are interested in attending and/or sponsoring the conference, please contact the Ohio Farmers Market Network at hello@ohiofarmersmarketnetwork.org. In the meantime, reserve your seat at the table by clicking here to register.
Registration is $150 per person and includes all presentation materials, lunch, beverages and snacks. If you are a member of the Ohio Farmers Market Network, you have received a discount code to save $25 per person on registration.

Soil Science Seminar Talks - PFAS
2025-03-19 16:00 - 17:00 | Kottman Hall, Room 333, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, 43210, United States
You’re invited to join upcoming talks, discussions, and a workshop hosted by the Soil Science Seminar and the Soil Water and Environmental Laboratory (SWEL). Each event in the series can be attended virtually (on Zoom) or in person.
If you’d like an Outlook calendar invite to the series, reach out to bean.21@osu.edu.
On March 19, join them for an insightful discussion on PFAS with Dr. Nick Basta, Professor of Soil and Environmental Science and Co-Director of the Environmental Science Graduate Program. They will discuss:
1.) recently released EPA regulations on PFAS,
2.) PFAS transportation in the soil and food systems,
3.) risk assessment of PFAS and the potential impact on human consumption.
When: Mar. 19
Time: 4 to 5 pm
Location: Room 333, Kottman Hall or via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://osu.zoom.us/j/92264076271?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 922 6407 6271
Password: [REDACTED]

OEFFA Policy Film Screening Series: Farming While Black
2025-03-23 14:00 - 16:00 | The Nightlight, 30 N Hight St, Akron, 44308, United States
In 1910, Black farmers owned 14% of American farmland. Now, that number is below 2%. Featuring Soul Fire Farm co-founder Leah Penniman, Farming While Black examines the historical plight of America’s Black farmers and the generation reclaiming land and reconnecting with with their agricultural roots.
Join OEFFA Policy and National Young Farmers Coalition as we explore the many facets of our food and farming systems and hear the stories of those most intimately connected to climate problems and solutions. After some of the films, there will opportunities to keep the ideas and conversations flowing about how we can work together for policy change.
Registration is required, but the screenings are free and open to the public.
Closed captioning will be offered. Please contact us for additional accommodations and support.

MVEG Farm Stress Management Cohort: Session One
2025-03-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Zoom
Join the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network (MVEG) and fellow vegetable farmers who will explore together how to integrate stress management practices into their unique farming operations. All sessions are held virtually from 7:30-9 p.m. ET.
March 24 – Identifying and De-Mystifying Stress – What is stress and how does it manifest? Sharing stress stories: how do you recall stress affecting your farm operation? Do you have any wisdom from that experience to share? In this session we will identify how and when shows up for us throughout the season, and see what we have learned from those experiences.
Register for free here.

Supporting Your Farm Employees with Physical and Mental Disabilities: Legal Obligations for Injuries and Disabilities on the Farm
2025-03-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Do you supervise or manage employees on the farm or ranch? Do you have questions about how to support your employees with physical, mental, or cognitive disabilities?
Gain practical solutions to common legal and regulatory questions with this free 90-minute webinar.
The law prohibits discriminating against people with disabilities, and this webinar is designed to help you understand how to support your employees and strengthen your management skills. Bring your questions and your wisdom and gain:

Practical Legal Insight: Explore your legal responsibilities to your employees with physical, mental, or cognitive limitations and learn about ways to support employees with disabilities through hiring and firing;
Applicable Examples: Learn from farmer stories and examples, and discuss creative ways to accommodate employees;
Proactive Action Steps: Explore how to protect your business with employment policies and insurance;
Peer Learning and Q&A: Get solutions to your burning legal questions and exchange ideas with peers.

Learn more and register at the link below.

Soil Science Seminar Talks - Two-hour R Workshop
2025-03-26 16:00 - 18:00 | Kottman Hall, Room 333, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, 43210, United States
You’re invited to join upcoming talks, discussions, and a workshop hosted by the Soil Science Seminar and the Soil Water and Environmental Laboratory (SWEL). Each event in the series can be attended virtually (on Zoom) or in person.
If you’d like an Outlook calendar invite to the series, reach out to bean.21@osu.edu.
On March 26, join them for a 2-hour R Workshop led by Dr. Simon Power, Visiting Professor of Restoration Ecology. This hands-on session will provide essential skills for data analysis and visualization in R, tailored for environmental and ecological applications.
When: Mar. 26
Time: 4 to 6 pm
Location: Room 333, Kottman Hall or via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://osu.zoom.us/j/92264076271?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 922 6407 6271
Password: [REDACTED]

Climate Resilience on Urban Farms: Adapting to Extreme Heat
2025-04-02 13:30 - 15:00 | Zoom
As part of their annual Adapt Your Farm to Climate Change series, CISA is presenting a webinar on how urban farms can adapt their growing practices to increased and prolonged heat events. In partnership with UMASS Urban Agriculture staff and featuring a panel of urban growers, the webinar will focus on how growing practices are being adapted, how other tools like green infrastructure are being used to increase vegetative cover and conserve water, and how to reduce heat stress on workers and the public that may visit sites. The webinar will also provide an opportunity for participants to share best practices, and discuss challenges and potential solutions.
REGISTER HERE
Please contact Stephen at stephen@buylocalfood.org with any questions.

Soil Science Seminar Talks - Agrivoltaics
2025-04-09 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
You’re invited to join upcoming talks, discussions, and a workshop hosted by the Soil Science Seminar and the Soil Water and Environmental Laboratory (SWEL). Each event in the series can be attended virtually (on Zoom) or in person.
If you’d like an Outlook calendar invite to the series, reach out to bean.21@osu.edu.
On April 9, join them for an engaging virtual discussion on Agrivoltaics (virtual only) with Eric Romich, Extension Field Specialist in Energy Education.
When: Feb. 26
Time: 4 to 5 pm
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://osu.zoom.us/j/92264076271?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 922 6407 6271
Password: [REDACTED]

YSFF Presents: SEEDS with Director Brittany Shyne Q&A
2025-04-18 20:00 - 22:30 | Little Art Theatre, 247 Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs, 45387, United States
Interweaving the stories of three Black generational farmers to create a collective and intimate portrait of farming today, SEEDS is a moving and powerful exploration of their lives, joys and struggles as well as the fragility of legacy and owning land.
With remarkable intimacy, the film documents their everyday lives – cotton harvesting, chasing cows, dealing with broken machinery and financial precarities. The camera relishes simple moments – conversations through car windows, candy from grandma’s purse as it captures moments of warmth, joy and fulfillment – turning them into striking vignettes that honor the families’ connection to the land and each other.
But the sobering reality underscores the urgency of their story. Black farmers owned 16 million acres of land in 1910 but today, that number has dwindled to a fraction. The farmers in the community struggle to access funding that white farmers nearby seem to secure with ease.
Through these inter-generational stories, we see the cycles of inequity and embedded racism that persist to this present day, and the signs of hope and renewal with younger generations of farmers. SEEDS emphasizes how human beings are innately tied to our foundational roots, roots which carry our ancestral memories – somber, bitter, and sweet.

OEFFA Lake Effect Chapter: Farm Tour
2025-04-26 10:00 - 12:00 | A’s and O’s Farm, 5947 Hopkins Rd., Mentor, OH, 44060, United States
Join a farm tour with OEFFA’s Lake Effect Chapter at the A’s and O’s Farm in Mentor, Ohio. See examples of no-till mulch farming, solar water pumping, deer and rabbit pest protection techniques, and learn how they (mostly) managed the dozens of human pests surrounding the farm’s 4.5-acre urban lot.
The half-acre of organic field production includes asparagus, snap peas, beans, and sweet potatoes, but mostly is dedicated to fruit producing perennials. The organic asparagus field should be in full production by then so you can pick a meal’s worth to take home, plus some composted wood chips for your own field or garden. And all will have the opportunity to stick around and do some hands-on planting of seeds or perennials, so wear your boots and coveralls!
The rain date will be April 27. Contact Tom Rapini at (440) 257-2673 or tomrapini@gmail.com or call Valerie Garrett at (440) 231-0842 with questions.

Discussing Agrivoltaics in Ohio
2025-04-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Madison County Fairgrounds – Coughlin Community Center, 205 Elm St, London, 43140, United States
Join Farm-To-Power and their panel of experienced Ohio farmers as they discuss some current examples of agrivoltaics in Ohio. Hear directly from solar grazers and developers as they discuss their experiences incorporating grazing practices into solar developments, challenges they’ve faced, and the benefits it can bring.
Panelists:

Brady Kirwan & Amanda Wilson – Ohio Solar Grazing
Camren Mairele – Mairele Sheep Co., and the American Lamb Board Sustainability Director
Sarah Moser – Savion Senior Director, Head of Farm Operations & Agrivoltaics

This event is open to the public. Drinks and light refreshments will be provided. Register here.

Carbon Academy Workshop for Farmers
2025-04-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) is excited to invite you to a Carbon Academy Workshop especially designed for farmers by the Lal Carbon Center.
The mission of the Carbon Academy Workshop is to provide essential insights into soil carbon, carbon farming, on-farm carbon credit assessments, soil carbon measurement techniques (including remote sensing), and to explore broader topics such as policy, legal considerations, carbon as it relates to food security, societal carbon value, ecosystem services payments, and carbon market mechanisms.
This Carbon Academy event is a virtual, two-hour workshop for farmers. The workshop features several guest speakers, including Rattan Lal, Matthew Hamilton, Asmita Murumkar and Roger Williams. Additional speakers may be added.
REGISTER HERE BY APRIL 25 AT 5 P.M.
Zoom link will be emailed upon registration. Attendees will receive a digital certificate of completion. Please address any questions or concerns to Klaus Lorenz at lorenz.59@osu.edu or Alexander Jones at jones.8701@osu.edu.

MVEG Farm Stress Management Cohort: Session Two
2025-04-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Zoom
Join the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network (MVEG) and fellow vegetable farmers who will explore together how to integrate stress management practices into their unique farming operations. All sessions are held virtually from 7:30-9 p.m. ET.
April 28 – Planning for Stress Management – Pre-season planning, how do we commit in our plans to make room for managing stress. During this session we’ll provide some examples of how to plan for stress management, and create space for developing your own plan.
Register for free here.

Grant Writing for Farm and Food Businesses Webinar
2025-04-29 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom
Grants can offer a great opportunity to support your business in scaling up, adding products, or taking on a new project. But grant writing takes time, strategic thought, and preparation in order to be successful. In this webinar, Rural Action’s Sustainable Agriculture Director, Molly Sowash, will overview:

How to decide if a grant opportunity is right for you
A checklist for writing a grant
Best practices for forming a budget
Best practices for writing a narrative
Preparing for grant awards, reporting, and documentation
Resources for finding grant opportunities and receiving grant writing support

This webinar will include time for group discussion and learning from peers about their successes in securing grants.
Register at the link below.

Ohio Proud Food Summit
2025-04-30 11:00 - 14:00 | Ohio Department of Agriculture, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, 43068, United States
Please join the Ohio Department of Agriculture for an event on April 30th that connects Ohio growers and food manufacturers directly to retail and food service buyers. More than 25 Ohio Proud partners, including several who are new to sampling at this event, will be available to sample and answer questions about their local, Ohio-made products!
If you would like to attend the Ohio Proud Food Summit, please complete and return this form by Thursday, April 24. There is no charge to attend, but registration is requested.
Questions? Please feel free to reach out to us at OhioProud@agri.ohio.gov or Ashley.McDonald@agri.ohio.gov. We hope to see you there!
REGISTRATION FORM
