In-Depth Workshops to Explore Vital Farm Business and Production Practices

For Immediate Release: January 10, 2017

• Farming Smarter, Not Harder: Tune Up Your Farm Business and Increase Your Net Profit—This full-day session, led by Richard Wiswall of Cate Farm in Vermont and author of The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook, will help farmers plan to increase their net profit, market their products strategically, and meet their long-term business goals. Participants will learn how to efficiently determine the profitability of different enterprises, and about farm office administration, key financial statements, employee management, and more.
• Growing Bionutrient Rich Food: Applying the Principles of Biological Systems—Dan Kittredge, founder and executive director of the Bionutrient Food Association, will take an in-depth look at soil, crop, and human nutrition and how farmers can improve crop quality by applying the principles of biological systems to their land. With a strong focus on management practices and techniques, this intensive session will cover pest and disease control, soil testing, mineral balancing, cover crops and minimal tillage, plant visual analysis, seed quality, Brix, and other topics.
• Respect Your Elderberries: Growing and Selling Niche Fruit Crops from Aronia to Service Berries—Jim Riddle of Blue Fruit Farm in Minnesota will explore how to grow high value specialty perennial berries, like black currants, elderberries, aronia berries, josta berries, service berries, and honeyberries. He will describe nursery sources, site selection and preparation, fertility, irrigation, pollination, pest management, and marketing challenges and strategies for effectively selling these niche berries.
• Building a Profitable Pastured Broiler Business—Mike and Christie Badger of Badger’s Millside Farm will take an in-depth look at developing a profitable pastured broiler business. Topics will include breed selection, designing shelters, nutrition, management, marketing, and pricing.

• The Contrary Farmers’ Social from 7-9 p.m. at the nearby 2nd Street Market featuring food, drinks, and a remembrance of Ohio’s Contrary Farmer, Gene Logsdon, led by David Kline of Farming Magazine;
• Free, public admission to OEFFA’s Exhibit Hall from 4-7 p.m.;
• A free, public Farm Land of Opportunity reception from 5-6:30 designed to connect farmers looking for land with established farmers with land and farming opportunities;
• An Old MacGyver Had a Farm meet-up from 5-6:30 where farmers can share on-farm innovations they’ve developed to solve problems on the farm; and
• An oral history presentation from 5-6:30 p.m. featuring stories, multimedia shorts, and interviews with the founders of Ohio’s organic movement.

In addition, on Friday and Saturday, the conference will feature:

• Nearly 80 90-minute workshops on topics including sustainable farming, gardening, cooking, livestock, business management, and policy;
• Keynote speakers Robyn O’Brien, presented by Horizon Organic, and
  Jim Riddle;
• A trade show featuring dozens of businesses, non-profits, and government agencies offering an array of food, books, products, and services;
• The Cream of the Crop Banquet on Friday, February 10 featuring a dinner celebrating Ohio’s farming community;
• A kids’ conference for children ages 6-12; a playroom for young children, and a teen conference for teenagers ages 12-15; and
• Locally-sourced, from-scratch lunches; raffle; book table; morning yoga and tai chi; book signings, and much more.