Land Access in Southeastern Ohio: OEFFA Community Conversation at Pawpaw Festival
2024-09-15 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Toronto) | Lake Snowden, 5900 US Highway 50, Albany, 45710, United States
The Ohio Pawpaw Festival is a fun-filled, educational community event celebrating one of America’s largest native tree fruits – the pawpaw!

As you enjoy the fun and food of the fest, stop by the Mother Earth News tent on Sunday, September 15 from 1 – 2 pm. OEFFA will facilitate a community conversation engaging farmers and landholders in the Athens/Meigs/Vinton County area. While the area is rich in sustainable agriculture and active community care for the environment, it still faces many of the same statewide challenges of keeping farmland affordable, accessible, and available for those who feed us.
As development pressure increases and farmland prices rise, OEFFA will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the current and future state of land access for new and retiring farmers. Join the conversation and talk with county commissioners, land bank representatives, real estate professionals, and land seekers. Together we will discuss the current state of land access, share personal experiences, brainstorm solutions, and envision a future where sustainable, local agriculture can continue to thrive.

Farmer Help Shop
2024-09-16 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.

Growing Equity Program
2024-09-17 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-09-24 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-10-01 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-10-08 18:00 - 19:30, 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.

Sowing Seeds for Success
2024-09-19 16:00 - 17:30, 2024-09-26 16:00 - 17:30, 2024-10-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Zoom
Are you thinking about starting your own food- or farm-based business and don’t know where to begin? Are you ready to level up or are you thinking about adding a new venture to your existing operations? Two farmer entrepreneurs will be presenting the Sowing Seeds For Success: A Farm Business Toolkit curriculum to help you build your farm business dream. A simple guide created by small farmers to help get you started, it covers business structures, funding opportunities, marketing and fundraising, agritourism basics, and more.

You and your great business idea (September 19)
Setting up shop (September 26)
Paint a picture (October 3)

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.

2024 Food Policy Summit
2024-09-20 10:00 - 16:30 | Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, 43210, United States
Food systems professionals and advocates are invited to attend a day of riveting discussion, networking and innovation to move toward nurturing a just, sustainable and thriving food system for all Ohioans. Register at the link below.

The What, Why and How of Organic Webinar Series
2024-09-20 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
This three-part webinar series is primarily focused on training individuals who provide services to farmers, such as MSU Extension staff. However, the program is open to all, including organic-curious farmers.
Zoom webinar information will be provided after registration.
September 13 – What
Learn about USDA Organic rules, approved products and participate in an Organic System Plan interactive activity .
September 20 – Why
Learn from a variety of farmers the reasons why they chose to pursue organic certification for their farm, a different type of certification or no certification at all.
September 27 – How
Learn all about getting certified, including: the process of choosing a certifier, the organic system plan and recordkeeping.

Farm Marketing Conference
2024-09-22 10:00 - 15:00 | Agraria Center for Regenerative Practice, 131 E Dayton Yellow Springs Road, Yellow Springs, 45387, United States
Join Central State University for a day packed with marketing insights that you can apply directly to your operations. Learn about different point of sales that help with tracking inventory, sales, and other various sale information, enjoy a lunch, and listen in on farmer panels and roundtables.
Register at the link below.

Growers & Griots: A Screening & Conservation Series (High on the Hog)
2024-09-22 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-09-29 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.)

2024 Black Farming Conference
2024-09-27 - 2024-09-28
The Black Indigenous People of Color Food and Farming Network (BFFN)’s fifth annual Black Farming Conference is taking place Friday and Saturday, September 27 and 28 in Columbus. Visit the link below for more information on conference programming.

Livestock Management Farm Tour
2024-09-28 15:00 - 17:30 | MoSo Farm, 5686 Enlow Road, Athens, 45701, United States
MoSo Farm is a small farm in southeast Ohio raising grass-fed beef and pastured pork for the community. The farmers aim to raise pastured meats in order to regenerate soil, sequester carbon, and provide nutritious food to customers. On this tour, attendees will see how they rotate cattle daily to fresh pasture and manage pigs on pasture, as well as how they planted 510 trees in order to implement silvopasture on 10 acres.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

Surviving the Drought of 2024 and Beyond
2024-09-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
If you are a livestock producer, you need to see this! Extreme to exceptional drought is something we don’t experience on a regular basis and most of us don’t plan for it. Jim Gerrish, grazing consultant, from Mackay, Idaho will join Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District on Monday September 30, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. for a Live Zoom meeting. Jim will be sharing management information that will help us deal with the drought now and into the future.
Jim’s extensive experience with grazing management and drought conditions will give us a variety of ideas to be able to manage through this drought and the future impacts. He is concerned about the sustainability of family farms and speaks at producer-oriented workshops, seminars and field days He consults on grazing across the United States and Canada.
Jim spent 22 years at the University of Missouri Forage Systems Research Center. He helped write the Missouri Grazing Manual. He has written a monthly column in The Stockman Grass-Farmer and has authored three books. The titles of the books are Management-Intensive Grazing: The Grassroots of Grass Farming, Kick the Hay Habit: A Practical Guide to Year-Around Grazing, and most recently Keeping It Green, A Handbook for Creating & Managing Irrigated Pasture.
The current weather conditions have put additional stress on our operations. It is good to get information from someone who has been there and done that. Jim Gerrish is one of those people!

There are two ways to attend the event – virtually by Zoom or join us for a watch party/dinner and discussion at Rolling Plains Global Methodist Church (3350 Moxahala Park Rd., Zanesville, OH 43701). This program is sponsored by the Muskingum SWCD and the Southern Ohio Grazing Council. You can register for this Zoom meeting by using the link below.

Unlocking Local Grain Potential
2024-10-07 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.

The USDA and You: Organic Transition Support
2024-10-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Review how federal funding affects organic farmers on the ground, talking through the National Organic Program, the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), and how the feedback loop works within the USDA through the National Organic Standards Board with producers. An OEFFA Sustainable Agriculture Educator will review the TOPP program and how it’s being implemented in Ohio. Understand why these federal funding programs are critical for expanding the organic market and resilient food systems.
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.

Perspectives on Organic Certification: A Farmer Webinar Panel
2024-10-09 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
Join FairShare CSA Coalition and UW-Madison Extension for a webinar panel of certified, recently transitioned, and non-certified farmers as they discuss their decision-making process for organic certification. Kat Becker of Cattail Organics, Brad Wissmueller of Little Society Farm, and Martice Scales of Full Circle Healing Farm will talk about their experiences and the key factors that shaped their decisions about organic certification, including market opportunities, recordkeeping, and feasibility. Learn more about the organic transition process, as well as financial and technical assistance available to transitioning farmers through the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). A live question-and-answer session will also give you the chance to ask your most pressing questions about organic certification.

Fresh Finds Farmers Market Tours
2024-10-12 10:30 - 11:15 | Clintonville Farmers Market, 3535 North High St., Columbus, OH, 43214, United States
Join Common Greens for special market tours led by their passionate board members, farmers, or producers. These tours unlock the secrets behind the beloved weekly market, offering a short history of the market and an opportunity to hear directly from some of your favorite producers. Whether you’re a seasoned market enthusiast or new to the scene, these tours invite everyone to discover the magic that brings our vibrant markets to life.

Pitch Your Farm Dream
2024-10-12 13:00 - 16:00 | Oberlin Public Library, 65 S. Main Street, Oberlin, 44074, United States
A strong personal pitch can be essential for landing the land you want, but as a new farmer, promoting yourself can feel daunting. In this guided experience, participants create a personal farmer pitch, a story that highlights you as a person and as a grower. Build confidence and acquire strategies for engaging landowners or financial institutions. This workshop includes expert tips on what landowners are looking for, and face-to-face time practicing your uniquely crafted “farm-seeker pitch.”
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.

Organic Pork and Mushrooms Farm Tour
2024-10-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Agape Organic Farms, 1905 East Dexter Trail, Dansville, MI, 48819, United States
Agape Organic Farms specializes in the ethical and sustainable production of purebred Berkshire pigs and more than 28 varieties of gourmet mushrooms sold direct to consumer, retail, and small-scale wholesale avenues. As one of only two certified organic Black-owned farms in Michigan, and the only Black-owned livestock farm, Agape is dedicated to empowering and supporting Black-owned and organic farms.
This event is a part of OEFFA’s 2024 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Learn more at oeffa.org/farmtours.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
