Richland County Pastures for Profit Grazing School
2024-07-23 - 2024-07-27 | The Longview Center, 1495 W Longview Avenue, Mansfield, 44906, United States
Join Richland Soil and Water Conservation District and partners for this workshop for anyone interested in pasture and grazing management. Those new to livestock and forage management are encouraged to join. This is a 3-day series.
The Grazing School is July 23 and July 25 at The Longview Center from 6 to 9 p.m. The Pasture Walk is July 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eisenhauer Farm. The School fee includes a grazing stick, and USB with course manual. Pre-registration is required.

OEFFA Lake Effect Chapter at the Lake County Fair
2024-07-23 08:00 - 2024-07-28 22:00 (America/Toronto) | Lake County Fair, 1301 Mentor Avenue, Painesville Township, Ohio, 44077, United States
The Lake Effect Chapter of OEFFA will be setting up a passive display at the Lake County Fair from July 23rd through July 28th. It will be in the Natural Resources Building along with a dozen or so other environmental / sustainability groups. Please stop by and check it out if you go to the fair!

If you are interested in volunteering to help monitor the building in exchange for a FREE day pass to the fair, contact Tom at 440-257-2673

NRCS Organic Practice 823 Strategies and Best Practices
2024-07-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has many programs to help farmers convert to organic farming operations. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. Under EQIP, Organic Transition Initiative 823 (OTI) is specifically meant to help those transitioning to organic operations, by cost-sharing and providing technical support on practices organic and transitioning farmers want to implement on their farms.
This program is relatively new, and a little different than other NRCS practices. Join the Organic Farming Research Foundation, Organic Farmers Association, and National Organic Coalition to hear directly from ag professionals and farmers about their experiences with 823 and their ideas regarding how to best utilize this valuable conservation planning tool.
Register at the link below.

Principles of Biological Systems Workshop
2024-07-26 - 2024-07-27 | Agraria Center for Regenerative Practice, 131 E Dayton Yellow Springs Road, Yellow Springs, 45387, United States
This immersive two-day event will explore cutting-edge practices in biological farming designed to enhance soil health, crop yields, and produce quality with Dan Kittredge, Founder and Executive Director of Bionutrient Food Association.
Workshop Highlights:

Nutrient Density: Discover why two organically grown carrots can vary in nutrients by over 40%. Learn the secrets behind nutrient-dense crops.
Seed Quality Improvement: Techniques to enhance seed vitality.
Microbial Community: Understanding the critical role of soil microbes.
Pest Management Without Pesticides: Effective natural pest control methods.
Soil Testing and Mineral Balancing: Key strategies for soil health.
In-Season Monitoring: Utilizing conductivity and Brix for crop management.

Participants will gain hands-on experience and insights into biological farming, helping growers increase the health and marketability of their produce. This workshop is ideal for farmers, gardeners, and growers of all types who are committed to sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

Bouquet Making Workshop
2024-07-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Clintonville Farmers Market, 3535 North High St., Columbus, OH, 43214, United States
Working with flowers is a wonderful way to bring people together, promote positive energy, stress relief, and healing. Learn to craft flower bouquets in this workshop with two long time Common Greens producers, Pam of L Marie and Adrianne of Owl’s Nest. Leave with the bouquet you made wrapped in tissue or craft paper, knowledge about arranging, and a fun experience!

Site Assessment Workshop
2024-07-27 10:00 - 16:00
Before investing in farmland, you need to find a place that is right for your business and your life. This full-day workshop is for anyone searching for farmland, and is suitable for crop, livestock, and agroforestry producers.
Explore topography, land infrastructure, location, soil and water, and other important considerations with hands-on activities, a site visit to a 3rd-generation family farm, and interesting tools. Gain the knowledge and confidence in your own land assessment skills, plus connections with a team of supportive technical assistants.
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.

Growers & Griots: A Screening & Conservation Series (High on the Hog)
2024-07-28 13:00 - 15:00 | Grandview Theater and Drafthouse, 1247 Grandview Ave, Grandview Heights, 43212, United States
Growing & Growth Collective will focus on the roots of Black foodways and the path toward food sovereignty. Following each 45- to 55-minute screening, the audience will participate in a guided reflection led by Dr. Jared Grant, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics at The Ohio State University.
Tickets are $10 per person OR BOGO – $5 per person with a 2-for-1 deal! Bring a friend!
Part 1: Sunday, June 29 (1-3 p.m.)
Part 2: Sunday, July 28 (1-3 p.m.)
Part 3: Sunday, August 25 (1-3 p.m.)
Part 4: Sunday, September 29 (1-3 p.m.)

On-Farm Organic Vegetable Trials 2025 Working Group Meeting: OOFRN August Meeting
2024-08-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
The Ohio Organic Farmer Researcher Network invites you to join in making key decisions about a state-wide organic vegetable variety trial for the 2025 growing season. Variety trials are a useful and relatively easy entryway into on-farm research. When replicated on multiple farms, the results can offer good information across the variety of growing conditions in our state. Be part of this discussion to make sure these plans are practical and focused on useful questions.
If you’d like to be part of this working group, but can’t make the meeting, please let OOFRN know and they’ll send other options for weighing in.

Bouquet Making Workshop
2024-08-01 17:00 - 18:00 | Bexley Farmers Market, E. Main and Dawson Ave, Columbus, OH, 43209, United States

Organic Inspection Field Day at The North Farm
2024-08-02 10:00 - 14:00 | The North Farm, N5431 Rock River Road, Chatham, MI, 49816, United States
Join us for a field day focused on organic inspection at The North Farm, a diverse certified organic farm that is part of MSU’s Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center. Learn what to expect during an inspection and have time to discuss inspection questions and concerns with fellow farmers.

Pawpaw Workshop
2024-08-03 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-08-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Clintonville Farmers Market, 3535 North High St., Columbus, OH, 43214, United States
Join Libbey Farm for a seminar on growing pawpaws (Asimina triloba) in your backyard! Discover the history and magic of Ohio’s official state native fruit. Guests will receive a swag bag that includes a pawpaw seed kit, plus exclusive access to seedlings and grafted trees. Learn about propagating plants, finding tools and resources, and other insider tips.

No Till, No Problem - Managing Soil Health at Rose Hill Farm
2024-08-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Rose Hill Farm, 7680 Rose Hill Road, Roseville, 43777, United States
Soil management on commercial produce farms tends to entail some combination of tillage, cultivation, herbicides, plastic mulch, and fertilizer. A new generation of farmers are inventing ecological approaches that reduce or eliminate these inputs and their negative consequences. While most folks have heard about no-till farming and soil health by now, there is less clarity about the scalability, efficiency, and profitability of these concepts within the context of local food systems. This Rural Action workshop is hosted by Rose Hill Farm, a 125-acre family farm and wildlife habitat that currently grows about 10 acres of summer produce and 10 acres of willow coppice.

Learn more and register by clicking the link below.

Cultivating Connections Conference
2024-08-05 - 2024-08-06 | University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2925 Campus Green Dr, Cincinnati, 45221, United States
The Cultivating Connections Conference, an annual event dedicated to farm transition planning, is returning for its second year on August 5 and 6, 2024. Cultivating Connections serves as a forum for learning, discussing, and collaborating on the latest strategies, tools, and legal and tax aspects of farm transition planning. The conference fosters a supportive community dedicated to preserving the legacy and sustainability of family farms for future generations.
Learn more and register at the link below.

The USDA and You: Local Food Grants
2024-08-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Explore how federal funding can benefit a direct-to-consumer food system. Get an overview of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) and how it supports the development of direct marketing, local and regional food, and value-added agricultural products. LAMP encompasses the Farmers Market Promotion Program, Local Food Promotion Program, Regional Food System Partnerships Program, and Value-Added Producer Grants Program. Join this virtual conversation to learn how these are important investments to support your communities’ future growth.
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.

Faithlands National Conference
2024-08-06 - 2024-08-08 | Methodist Theological School of Ohio, 3081 Columbus Pike, Delaware, 43015, United States
Join a gathering of faith-community leaders and farmer advocates from around the U.S. who are interested in learning and sharing about growing food on lands owned by faith-based communities. Participate in structured dialogue about how to facilitate access to thousands of parcels owned by faith-based institutions to empower beginning, immigrant and BIPOC farmers. Learn about partnership opportunities and successful models of leasing to commercial farms, nonprofits and more!
Click the link below to learn more and register.

Manure Science Review
2024-08-06 09:00 - 15:30 | Molly Caren Agricultural Center, 135 State Route 38 NE, London, 43140, United States
Learn about best manure application practices, effects of manure placement on subsurface drainage, and the 360 RAIN irrigation unit. See demonstrations of the 360 RAIN for liquid manure application, dry manure calibration, an autonomous tractor, and manure spill mitigation.
Register at the link below.

Yellowbird Foodshed Facility Tour
2024-08-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Yellowbird Foodshed, 13246 Wooster Road, Mount Vernon, 43050, United States
Tour Yellowbird Foodshed facilities, and talk with the owner and buyer to see if working with them is a good fit for your farm. Click the link below to register.

Land Leasing Basics
2024-08-08 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Leasing farmland is so commonplace that landowners, farmers, and ranchers may not think twice about the lease itself…until things go wrong. Prevent problems with a strong lease while building a path to a resilient future. With Farm Commons, understand what a lease should include and how to put it in writing. Get started with the tools, knowledge, and skills you need to create a strong document that works for your needs, whether you are a landowner, rancher, or farmer.
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.

Nutritious Grains Farm Tour and Grain Growers Chapter Meeting
2024-08-09 10:00 - 15:30 | Next Gen Organic Farms, 6444 State Route 65, Leipsic, 45856, United States
Next Gen Organic Farms is a father and son operation in northwest Ohio. They travel to four surrounding counties to farm around 900 acres of certified organic corn, soybeans, and wheat. They strive to continue producing strong nutrient-based organic grains for consumers while keeping a good cover crop rotation and maintaining their soil health. An OEFFA Grain Growers Chapter meeting will take place before the tour from 10-11:45 a.m.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

Organics 101
2024-08-12 13:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
In this virtual workshop series, OEFFA staff will cover the basics of organic certification, organic farming practices, and some things farmers should consider before becoming certified.

What is organic? (Monday, June 10)—Understand the wide variety of definitions of organic, the holistic approach to organic farming, and some land stewardship practices used in organic agricultural systems.
Is organic for me? (Monday, July 8)—Examine how your farm business could benefit from organic certification (or not) and discuss the pros and cons of becoming certified organic.
How do I become certified organic? (Monday, August 12)—Walk through the steps to becoming certified, understand the paperwork, and hear tips for making the certification process as smooth as possible.

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

Diversified Fruits Farm Tour
2024-08-17 13:00 - 16:00 | Boulder Berry Farms, 5580 Lundy Whitacre Road, Morrow, 45122, United States
Boulder Berry Farms is a 143-acre farm located on Todd’s Fork Creek in southwest Ohio. They grow organic elderberries, haskaps, aronia berries, and kiwi berries. The farm also has a herd of purebred KuneKune pigs raised for personal consumption and for breeding stock, feeders, and farm companion sales. This tour will offer an in-depth look at the installation, maintenance, and harvesting of all the specific fruits Boulder Berry grows, as well as their ideas for further farm expansion.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

Urban Goldenseal Farm Tour
2024-08-17 17:00 - 19:00 | Golden Summit Forest, Akron, United States
Are you interested in touring a working urban forest farm? Join Rural Action for a sunset farm tour at Golden Summit Forest in Akron, Ohio. Gain a deeper understanding of what it means to grow goldenseal in alternative habitats directly from a grower. The farm tour will cover the ins and outs of growing goldenseal and other woodland botanicals.
Register for free at the link below.

No-Till Farm Tour at Sunbeam Family Farm
2024-08-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Sunbeam Family Farm, 3414 Northridge Rd., Alexandria, OH, 43001, United States
Join Chuck and Cynthia Dilbone at Sunbeam Family Farm to learn how they have transitioned to a no-till permanent bed system on their CSA and market farm. Sunbeam has six hoop houses and over 300 permanent beds that are 100 feet long and 30 inches wide. Tour their farm to see the practices they currently employ and discuss the strategies they used in making this shift. Hear about the benefits they are seeing as well as the challenges they encountered along the way. This is your opportunity to ask all your no-till questions of seasoned, successful growers!

Click the link below to register.

Organic Weed Control Field Day for Row Crops
2024-08-19 10:00 - 15:00 | Bishop Family Farms, 6362 Township Highway 80, Mt. Blanchard, 45867, United States
This event caters to agricultural professionals who would like to learn more about organic production. Participation is also open to row crop farmers considering a transition to or towards organic production. The workshop will focus on organic weed control, with an overview of the regulations, biology, tools, and tactics, including (conditions permitting) equipment demonstrations. Register at the link below.
Co-sponsored by Organic Agronomy Training Service (O.A.T.S.) through a grant with USDA North Central Region SARE program project number ENC22-215

Farmer Help Shop
2024-08-19 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-Pennsylvania No-Till Field Day
2024-08-20 13:00 - 16:30 | Myron Wehr Farm, 45404 State Route 46, New Waterford, 44408, United States
Attendees will see cover crop plots and learn how they improve soil health with Jay Brandt from Walnut Creek Seeds. Osler Ortez, a corn specialist with OSU Extension, will discuss corn trials at the Wehr Farm and across the state, also diving into his cover crop research projects. A farmer panel will answer questions about sustainability, regenerative agriculture, and economics.
Learn more and register at the link below.
