• OEFFA Lake Effect Chapter: Farm Tour and Potluck

    A's and O's Farm 5947 Hopkins Rd., Mentor, OH, United States

    Join a farm tour and potluck with OEFFA’s Lake Effect Chapter at A’s and O’s Farm in Mentor, Ohio! This year's tour will be at the farm's "home" field instead of its Lake Shore Blvd. field. This will allow everyone to join a potluck lunch right after the tour, so please bring a dish to share. The farm tour will run from 10 a.m. to noon, with the potluck happening from noon to 2 p.m. The home field features a 16 x 44 foot polyhouse, solar water pumping, an 8000-watt solar array for the home, a small no-till vegetable garden, a small blueberry bush field (they sell the bushes, not the fruit!), and their signature crop: pawpaw trees! Built into the back of the garage, the farm has a small organic food co-op that sells organic food from three sources: local organic farms when available, bulk organic produce from the Cleveland Food terminal, and a buying club that purchases bulk grains, seeds, fruits, and dry goods every month. They will demonstrate planting and tree digging techniques, and hopefully you will have some of your own experiences, methods, and thoughts on small-scale agriculture to share with everyone. This event is happening rain or shine on Saturday, April 25 at 5947 Hopkins Rd., Mentor, OH, 44060. Contact Tom Rapini at (440) 257-2673 (landline) or tomrapini@gmail.com with questions.

  • OEFFA Lake Effect Chapter: Farm Tour

    A's and O's Farm 5947 Hopkins Rd., Mentor, OH, 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.