Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) Events Calendar

Stockport, Ohio

Friday, June 9, 2023
1-4 p.m.

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/pasture-walk-at-shew-family-farm-registration-585915598327?utm-campaign

Join Rural Action for a pasture walk at Shew Family Farm where Pete and Marjie have been raising 100% grass fed & grass finished angus beef since 1979. We will be joined by Bob Hendershot, who is retired from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as the state grassland conservationist and state (GLCI) Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative coordinator.

The pasture walk will cover topics including...
Shew Family Farm and its history
Managing pasture to grow more forage in the summer
Planning for fall and winter grazing
Weed control -- to clip or not to clip?
"Manage your pasture so they never have a bad day."
Other income streams such as agritourism

AGENDA:
Welcome and overview of Rural Action
Group Introductions
Introduction to Shew Family Farm
Overview of pasture and livestock management
Pasture walk with open conversation
On-farm cabin visit - discussion on agritourism
Closing

Remember to bring shoes that you can walk in and plenty of water! Parking is plentiful. Please keep an eye out for Rural Action event signs to direct you towards the farm.

Location:
Shew Family Farm
3915 South Elliott Road
Stockport, OH 43787

Contact:
Rural Action / (740) 677-4047 x610 /

Urban Flower Farm Tour

Columbus, Ohio

Sunday, June 11, 2023
Noon

http://www.commongreensohio.org/

Wild Prairie Flower Farm grows specialty cut flowers using small-scale, no-till market farming practices.

This tour will explore the ⅛-acre active production site, as well as two scattered urban lots that are under development. The tour will focus on systems for bed preparation, planting, harvesting, and weather mitigation. It will also touch on methods for improving soil health, preventing animal pests, and managing disease.

Location:
Wild Prairie Flower Farm
595 Stambaugh Ave.
Columbus, OH 43207

Street parking only.

Contact:
Common Greens / (000) 00-0000 /

Organic Apple Orchard Tour

Newark, Ohio

Friday, June 16, 2023
1 p.m.

Walk through a start-to-finish experience of Charlie's Apples' yearly operations. Attendees will see and hear about their barn, orchard equipment, processing and packing facility, pollinator habitat, the orchard itself, as well as pest-management, nutrient application, and biological fungicide program. This tour will also have a conversation about the operation's challenges with Marssonina Leaf Blotch and how they are implementing a research project in partnership with North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) to reduce its impacts.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Charlie's Apples
1740 Sportsman Club Rd
Newark, OH 43055

Parking is available at the top of the driveway once you enter the farm. There will be signs indicating where to park.

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

Dairy Farm Tour and Pasture Walk

Dundee, Ohio

Saturday, June 17, 2023
10 a.m.

Bear Cave Farm is an OEFFA certified, grass-based, Organic Valley dairy farm focusing on growing pasture and hay with some additional corn. They have been practicing foliar feeding of their grass crops, recently beginning to apply a dry blend of time-released trace minerals to increase fertility. This tour will highlight the benefits of the trace minerals on pastures and hay, along with a comprehensive tour of their dairy operation.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Bear Cave Farm
7328 Township Rd. 664
Dundee, OH 44624

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

Elderberry Farm Tour

Peebles, Ohio

Saturday, June 24, 2023
10 a.m.

Mucky Boots Farm is a small, woman-owned elderberry orchard and farm in southern Ohio. They grow the berries for their elderberry syrup business, selling at markets and online. This tour will explore their elderberry field, visit with the ducks, and enjoy a syrup sample.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Mucky Boots Farm
630 Davis Memorial Rd.
Peebles, OH 45660

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

Chestnut, Blueberry, and Permaculture Projects Farm Tour

Loudonville, Ohio

Sunday, July 2, 2023
1 p.m.

http://www.commongreensohio.org/

Blueberried Alive! grows chestnuts and blueberries commercially, as well as an array of other things for fun and sustenance. These include chickens, pawpaws, hardy kiwi, a garden, elderberries, Croatian plums, hazelnuts, pecans, butternuts, hickories, grapes, and apples. Their chestnut farm is the largest in the Americas, constituting a multigenerational breeding project.

This tour will show their biochar and compost management, a batch of compost tea, as well as their mostly organic methods in blueberry production. Children and responsible dogs are welcome.

Directions: When approaching the farm, go down the longer of the two driveways.

Location:
Blueberried Alive!
532 County Rd . 2302
Loudonville, OH 44842

Contact:
Common Greens / (000) 000-0000 /

Keeping Outside the Box

Jackson, Michigan

Saturday, July 15, 2023
1-3 p.m.

http://www.moffa.net/farmtours-2023.html

Jessica and Keith Steller became interested in beekeeping through gardening and mead-making. Knowing their yields could be greater from the benefits of the bees' pollination, more dedication into the husbandry and natural life cycle of the bee evolved.

At this tour, you will see some of what they have learned over 15 years of alternative beekeeping methods. Jessica and Keith presented at the MOFFA Organic Intensives this past January.

Location:
Steller Apiaries
3342 Clinton Way
Jackson, MI 49201

Contact:
MOFFA / (248) 262-6826 /

U-Pick Blackberry Farm Tour

Hamilton, Ohio

Sunday, July 16, 2023
10 a.m.

Indian Springs Berry Farm is a 2-acre, veteran-owned, u-pick blackberry farm setup using the Rotating Cross Arm Trellis system. This tour will discuss seasonal blackberry farming operations, u-pick operations, trellis usage and modifications, and the development of custom electric work carts. July is the peak season for blackberry production, so participants will be able to see the later stages of blackberry growth. Blackberries may be available for purchase after the tour, depending on weekly production.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Indian Springs Berry Farm
2840 Tylersville Rd.
Hamilton, OH 45015

Parking is available at 2788 Tylersville Rd., Hamilton, OH 45015. It is a used car lot about 500 feet west of the big white barn. Please park on the east end of the lot, toward the farm.

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

Stewarding a Legacy Farm Tour and Grain Growers Chapter Meeting

Wakeman, Ohio

Saturday, August 5, 2023
10 a.m.

As seventh generation farmers, Edward and Rebecca Dalton know what it was like to have inherited a legacy. Wanting the same for future generations, they decided to change their current practices and transition half of their farm to organic production. In addition to growing organic crops, they produce conventional crops, raise beef, do custom zapping, and collaborate with local farms to supply customers with fresh meat like chicken and pork.

An OEFFA Grain Growers Chapter meeting will take place before the tour from 10-11:45 a.m. Bring a side dish or dessert to share for a potluck lunch from 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Meat, drinks, and serviceware will be provided. The tour will begin at 1 p.m.

To register for the potluck, contact Dave Shively at (419) 438-2192 or dshively01@gmail.com.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Dalton Farms
5073 Butler Rd.
Wakeman, OH 44889

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

Chestnut Production and Packing Farm Tour

Carrollton, Ohio

Saturday, August 12, 2023
1 p.m.

In 1957, Greg Miller's father started planting chestnut trees as a hobby. From there, it turned into a family business with his daughter, Amy. A nearby coal company planted chestnut trees, sold it, and the three new landowners, along with Greg, formed a cooperative now encompassing five orchards. During this tour, guests will see a mature chestnut orchard with and without deer fence, younger plantings of chestnuts, and the harvested nuts' packing facility.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Route 9 Cooperative
4300 Germano Rd. SE
Carrollton, OH 44615

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

LTAR—Healthier Soils, Improved Biodiversity, More Profit

Hickory Corners, Michigan

Friday, September 8, 2023
1:30 p.m.

http://www.moffa.net/farmtours-2023.html

The Kellogg Biological Station is home to one of 18 national Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) sites.

Come to this tour to hear about the site, plus discuss some additional projects. Currently, they are trialing OP corn in conjunction with the Michigan Craft Distilleries. Wheat and organic soybean trials are also in full swing. Many of these crops are overseeded with various cover crops. Organic corn trials at the Long-Term Ecological Research site will open discussion of conventional compared to organic cropping systems.

Register and learn more about the exact meeting location closer to the date at moffa.net/farmtours-2023.html.

Location:
Kellogg Biological Station
Hickory Corners, MI

Contact:
MOFFA / (248) 262-6826 /

Organic Herbal Tea Farm Tour

West Jefferson, Ohio

Sunday, September 10, 2023
2-5 p.m.

http://www.commongreensohio.org/

Foraged & Sown holds organic certifications from OEFFA and Real Organic Project as both a grower and a handler—their herbal teas and culinary salt blends are traceable from seed to finished product. Their field production focuses on annual and perennial botanicals used in value-added products and also packaged as single-origin ingredients for home herbalists and practitioners.

A guided tour of the 3.5-acre growing site and drying and processing barn will take place at 2:15 and 3:45 p.m.

Location:
Foraged & Sown
5415 OH-142
West Jefferson, OH 43162

Not all online maps show the address correctly. Consider putting in 5319 OH-412, West Jefferson, OH 43162, a neighboring farm's address, to get a more accurate location. Turn in at the gray pole barn

Contact:
Common Greens / (000) 000-0000 /

CSA Veggie Farm Tour

Albany, Ohio

Saturday, September 30, 2023
3 p.m.

Adam and Tabitha Blaney are first generation farmers settled in the hills of southeastern Ohio. They grow a variety of vegetables and flowers using sustainable and organic practices and run a CSA supplying local restaurants with produce. Starting in 2006 in West Virginia, learning more in Missouri, and finally moving to Albany, Ohio in 2019, they have been a staple at the Athens Farmers' Market since. These farmers are always looking for ways to improve efficiency, expand sustainably, and learn as much as they can while giving back to the community.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Blaney Family Farm
29760 State Route 143
Albany, OH 45710

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

Tree Crop Autumn Harvest

Lawton, Michigan

Saturday, September 30, 2023
1 p.m.

http://www.moffa.net/farmtours-2023.html

Owned and operated by Ken Asmus since 1982, Oikos Tree Crops is a nursery specializing in fruit trees, nut trees, and perennial vegetables.

This tour will walk through the ripening pawpaws, pears, persimmons, and various nuts while hearing about this unique method of plant selection. Ken presented at the MOFFA Organic Intensives this past January.

Register at moffa.net/farmtours-2023.html. Registrants will receive the exact address with parking and car pool instructions.

Location:
Oikos Tree Crops
Lawton, MI

Contact:
MOFFA / (248) 262-6826 /

Alternative Livestock Farm Tour

West Mansfield, Ohio

Saturday, October 7, 2023
10 a.m.

Yaks are unusual livestock, but their small body size and cold-hardy habits make them easy to keep. Since buying their first yak in 2015, Covered Bridge Yaks now has a small herd for meat and producing calves to sell on their 60 acres. This tour will show the yaks, discuss their benefits, and explain how they differ from traditional beef cattle.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Covered Bridge Yaks
23839 State Route 47
West Mansfield, OH 43358

Find the driveway with the black "Mathys 23839" mailbox. There is a covered bridge ⅔ down the driveway; it is safe for passenger vehicles. Parking will be in a pasture past the house.

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /

PaddockTrac Demonstration

St. Marys, Ohio

Friday, October 13, 2023
10 a.m.

Settlage is a veteran-owned, certified organic dairy with more than 300 acres of perennial and annual pasture. This pasture walk will focus on PaddockTrac, a technology developed by University of Missouri researchers that uses an ATV-mounted sensor to measure and predict forage availability.

The spring (June 1) and fall (October 13) events will allow for a comparison of the PaddockTrac performance over the seasons. A pasture walk will be followed by a demonstration and a review of data collected to date.

This event is a part of OEFFA's 2023 Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Visit oeffa.org/farmtours to learn more.

Location:
Settlage & Settlage Farm
12218 St. Rt. 29
St. Marys, OH 45885

Contact:
OEFFA / (614) 421-2022 /