See, Taste, and Experience Life on the Farm During Annual Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series: 2016 Guide Now Available

For Immediate Release: May 10, 2016

Contact:
Lauren Ketcham, Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022 Ext. 203, lauren@oeffa.org
Eric Pawlowski, Sustainable Agriculture Educator, (614) 421-2022 Ext. 209, eric@oeffa.org

Columbus, OH—Do you want to learn about sustainable beekeeping, biochar, profitable poultry production, raising high quality grass-fed beef, or improving your forages? Would you like to enjoy a leisurely stroll through organic fields and pastures and visit with farm animals? Or take a farm stand with an organic farmer threatened by pipeline development?

You’ll have opportunities to do all this and more during the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s 21 summer farm tours and workshops, which are part of the 2016 Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series.

“This is a great chance for everyone interested in local foods to grow their farm knowledge and to build bridges with others who share a passion for sustainable agriculture,” said Lauren Ketcham, OEFFA’s Communications Coordinator. “These tours and workshops allow farmers and gardeners to share production and market know-how with each other and help consumers gain a greater understanding of how food gets from the field to the dinner table.”

Meet knowledgeable local farmers ready to share their wisdom, and experience sustainable agriculture up close during these farm tours:

Tuesday, June 7: Take an Organic Farm Stand Tour—Bluebird Farm, Harrison Co.
Saturday, June 25: Pasture-Raised, Rotationally Grazed Livestock Farm Tour—Pastured Providence Farmstead, Ross Co.
Saturday, July 9: Historic Farm Tour and Biochar Workshop—Gorman Heritage Farm, Hamilton Co.
Saturday, July 9: Sustainable Beekeeping Farm Tour and Workshop—Stratford Ecological Center, Delaware Co.
Friday, July 15: Quality Forage for Dairy Operations Farm Tour—Heckman Family Dairy, Darke Co.
Saturday, August 13: Quality Hay and Grass-Fed Beef Farm Tour—Wood Farm, IN
Friday, August 19: Organic Compost Farm Tour—Hirzel Canning Company and Farms, Wood Co.
Friday, September 16: On-Farm Research Farm Tour—Crumrine Farms, Ashland Co.
Saturday, October 11: Pasture-Raised Multi-Species Livestock Farm Tour—Sweet Grass Dairy, Knox Co.

Develop your production skills and gain important food safety knowledge during these practical on-farm workshops:

Saturday, June 11: Loin Eye Carcass Ultrasound Scanning—The Spicy Lamb Farm, Summit Co.
Monday, June 20: Find Your Path to Clean Water: Food Safety Water Quality Standards and Testing Protocols for Produce Growers—MTSO’s Seminary Hill Farm, Delaware Co.
Friday, June 24: Raising the Steaks: Finishing the Finest Beef on Grass—White Clover Farm, Highland Co.
Friday, August 5: Profitable Poultry in Motion: Maximizing Performance From Your Pastured Flock—Breakneck Acres, Portage Co.
Thursday, September 22 and November 10: Season Creation: Pay for Your High Tunnel in Six Months Harvesting Food Through the Winter—Mustard Seed Market at Highland Square, Summit Co., Gorman Heritage Farm, Franklin Co.

Visit with OEFFA member farms during these annual open houses:

Saturday, June 11: Snowville Creamery and Find A Way Farm, Meigs Co.
Sunday, June 26: Sunny Meadows Flower Farm, Franklin Co.
Sunday, September 18: Carriage House Farm, Hamilton Co.

This series is promoted in cooperation with The Ohio State University Extension Sustainable Agriculture Team, Advancing Eco Agriculture, Ashtabula Local Food Council, Columbus Agrarian Society, and Our Harvest Research and Education Institute, who are sponsoring additional tours and workshops.

All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise indicated in the series brochure.

For more information and complete details for all workshops and farm tours, click here.

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