WILMINGTON, Ohio -- Small farm landowners interested in improving production and marketing practices will get the information they need in March at conferences hosted by Ohio State University Extension's Small Farm Program in Wilmington and Massillon.
The first conference is the fourth annual “Opening Doors to Success” Small Farm Conference and Trade Show, March 9-10 at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio The conference will feature 30 breakout sessions and a trade show for small farmers.
The conference kicks off on Friday, March 9, at 5:30 p.m. with “Meat Marketing—Front and Center,” which will address such topics as the obstacles to marketing meat; labels and what they mean to both producer and customer; the meanings of the terms grass-fed, antibiotic-free, free-range, organic and grain-fed; finding the right processor; and pricing the product.
On Saturday, March 10, registration begins at 7:45 a.m. and the day concludes at 3:45 p.m. The day will feature 30 breakout sessions offered throughout the day, including: Aquaculture; Bee Keeping; Cut Flower Production; Herb Production; Raised Bed Production; Invasive Species Affecting Your Woodlot; Pasture Management; Goat Production; Beef Production; Greenhouse/Tunnel Production; the Organic Process; Poultry Production; Addressing Health Issues for Livestock; Equipment Needs; Food Safety; Agricultural Law Considerations; Tomato Production, Pasture and Hay Production; Local Foods; Social Media Marketing; Financial Management; Livestock Production (including pastured pork and poultry); and Resources – How Do I Find the Info I Need.
The cost is $20 for March 9, $50 for March 10 or $60 for both days. The registration deadline is March 5. For more information, see http://go.osu.edu/sfmtgs or contact Tony Nye, OSU Extension educator, at nye.1@osu.edu or 937-382-0901.
The other conference, the third annual “Living Your Small Farm Dream” Northeast Ohio Small Farm Conference and Trade Show, will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on March 31 at the R.G. Drage Career Center in Massillon, Ohio.
The conference will begin with a keynote address, “Top Ten Trends in Local Foods and How You Can Profit from Them,” by Eric Barrett, OSU Extension. That will be followed by 23 breakout sessions, including: Managing the Woodlot for Profit; Leasing Farmland for Oil and Gas Production; Raising and Marketing Meat Goats; How You Can Profit from Social Media Such as Facebook and Twitter; Utilizing High Tunnels to Extend the Growing Season; High Tunnels and Organic Cost-Share Programs; Grape Production and Wine Making; Direct Marketing of Meat in Ohio; Herb and Cut Flower Production; Irrigation Systems for Fruits and Vegetables; Tax Issues for Small Farms; Pasture Raised Poultry; Rules and Regulations for Direct Marketing Food Products; Maple Production; Oil and Gas Legal Issues; Managed Grazing; Resources Available for Small or Beginning Farmers; and Starting an Orchard.
The cost is $50 per person. The registration deadline is March 22. For more information, see http://go.osu.edu/sfmtgs or contact OSU Extension educator Mike Hogan at hogan.1@osu.edu or 330-324-6341.
Both programs are co-sponsored by OSU Extension’s Small Farm Program; Farm Credit Services of Mid-America; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offices of the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Agriculture Statistic Service and Rural Development. Wilmington College is an additional co-sponsor of the “Opening Doors to Success” program.
The mission of OSU Extension’s Small Farm program is to provide a greater understanding of production practices, economics of land use choices, assessment of personal and natural resources, marketing alternatives, and the identification of sources of assistance.
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