GRANVILLE, Ohio — The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s 32nd annual conference will be held Feb. 19-20 at the Granville middle and high schools, 248 New Burg St., Granville.
The state’s largest sustainable food and farm conference, this year’s event will feature keynote speakers Joan Dye Gussow, Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens; more than 70 workshops; a trade show; children’s conference; local organic homemade meals; a child care area; and evening entertainment.
Keynote speakers
The keynote lecture, held Feb. 19, will be provided by Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens. Both have farmed organically since 1993 and own and operate New York’s only dedicated organic feed mill and organic seed operation.
Their organic grain business, Lakeview Organic Grain, was started in 1996 and has expanded to supply more than 300 organic farmers in central New York.
The second keynote lecture, held Feb. 20, will feature Joan Dye Gussow, acclaimed nutrition educator, author, gardener, Mary Swartz Rose Professor Emerita, and former chair of the Columbia University Teachers College Nutrition Department.
The workshops
The conference will feature more than 70, educational workshops and cooking demonstrations with a wide variety of topics.
The conference workshops will also feature a grazing track.
Grazing emphasis
Designed for producers and resource managers, this grazing workshop track follows the Ohio Grazing School Program, and will be presented by Jeff McCutcheon, OSU Extension; Bob Hendershot, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Paul Dutter, Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association Organic Certification Program.
The workshops will include topics such as planning and getting started; evaluating resources; environmental considerations; plant growth physiology; plant selection; soil fertility; the organic pasture rule; meeting nutritional requirements; designing and laying out paddocks; fencing; and livestock pasture watering systems.
A certificate will be given to those that attend the entire track, which will be honored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for points in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Pre-conference
This year’s event will also feature a one-day pre-conference titled The ABCs of CSAs. This workshop will provide guidance for farmers interested in Community Supported Agriculture.
The pre-conference will take place Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop will be led by Beth Knorr, with her husband Tim.
Additional features
The conference will also feature a variety of workshops for children 6 to 12; a playroom; a book signing by Joan Dye Gussow and The Contrary Farmer, Gene Logsdon; an exhibit hall; a nondenominational Sunday service; and Saturday evening entertainment provided by the Back Porch Swing Band.
For more information visit www.oeffa.org or contact Renee Hunt at renee@oeffa.org or 614-421-2022 ext. 205.
