OEFFA Conference 2025
Welcome to OEFFA’s 46th annual conference!
This celebrated event welcomes hundreds of farmers, gardeners, and food supporters to learn, shop, and connect at Ohio’s largest sustainable agriculture conference.
The 2025 OEFFA Conference is February 13-15 at Cherry Valley Hotel in Newark, Ohio.
On-site registration will be available.
Online registration closed February 1.
Our Sponsors
Earth Tools
Farmhand
Farm-To-Power
Green Field Farms
Heaven’s Dew Agriculture & Healthy Home
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
MOSA Certified Organic
Mt. Folly Enterprises
The Nature Conservancy
Nifty Hoops
NOPEC
Ohio Farmers Market Network
Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council
Tilth Soil
Weston A. Price Foundation
Common Greens
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Farm Action
Lynd Fruit Farm
OEFFA Grain Growers Chapter
Stauf’s Coffee
Yellowbird Foodshed
Conference Schedule
Thursday, February 13
| 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Food and Farm School* |
| 4 p.m. | Registration/Check-In Opens, Exhibit Hall Opens |
| 4-6 p.m. | Welcoming Exhibit Hall Happy Hour |
| 6-7:15 p.m. | Keynote with Gary Nabhan |
| 7:30-10 p.m. | OEFFA Open Mic Night |
Friday, February 14
| 8 a.m. | Registration/Check-In Opens, Exhibit Hall Opens |
| 8-9:30 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 9:15-10:30 a.m. | Workshop Session I |
| 10:45 a.m.-Noon | Workshop Session II |
| Noon-1:30 p.m. | Lunch* |
| 1:30-2:45 p.m. | Workshop Session III |
| 3-4:15 p.m. | Workshop Session IV |
| 5-6:30 p.m. | Exhibit Hall Happy Hour, Exhibitor Flash Demos, Farmers’ Market Vendor Fair, Seed Social and Swap, Writers Meetup** |
| 6:30 p.m. | Exhibit Hall Closes |
| 7:30 p.m. | Film Screening: Organic Rising |
Saturday, February 15
| 8 a.m. | Registration/Check-In Opens, Exhibit Hall Opens |
| 8-9:30 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 9-10 a.m. | Members’ Meeting** |
| 10:45-Noon | Workshop Session V |
| Noon-1:30 p.m. | Lunch* |
| 1:30 p.m. | Exhibit Hall Closes |
| 1:30-2:45 p.m. | Workshop Session VI |
| 3-4:15 p.m. | Workshop Session VII |
| Conference registration closes February 1, 2025. Recordings of workshops and keynotes will be available for registrants to access until April 30, 2025. | |
| * | Lunches and Food and Farm School registration must be purchased separately; they are not included in general registration. Breakfast is included in general registration. |
| ** | The exhibit hall will open to the public at these times. OEFFA members are invited to attend the members’ meeting at no cost. All other conference events require paid registration. |
Gary Nabhan
February 13 Keynote Address
Farmers and Farm Workers as Innovators
One thing is for sure: innovation often comes from the margins. And most in the farm and food workforce have been marginalized at one point or another in their lives and livelihoods. While farmers are often stereotyped as risk aversive and conservative, now more than ever there is evidence that proves that prejudice to be flawed because there is innovation—and resistance to the status quo—expressed throughout farm country. Through adaptations such as soil microbial management, agroforestry, agrisolar, novel crop selection, seeds, and energy, the growing number of farmers, farm workers, and food service workers are meeting the new normal of climate uncertainty.
Gary Nabhan is an Arab-American agroecologist, foodshed restorationist, and internationally-celebrated nature writer. He has been honored with a James Beard Award, a MacArthur Genius Award Fellowship, lifetime achievement awards from Slow Food, Chef’s Collaborative, Edible Communities, and other professional societies. Born in the Midwest, he worked on farms and prairie restoration projects there before moving to Arizona, where he focuses on home-grown solutions to climate change, including agrisolar and agroforestry systems. There on the desert’s edge, Gary grows many varieties of perennial fruits and nuts, species of agaves (century plants), and dozens of spice crops. His books and podcasts are featured at garynabhan.com.
Featured Conference Speakers
Halee Wepking
Meadowlark Community Mill
Halee came to farming with a degree in modern dance and a resume filled with professional cooking jobs. With her husband, John, they manage a 1,000-acre Wisconsin farm of culinary small grains, buckwheat, edible dry beans, and open pollinated corn. In 2021, they launched Meadowlark Community Mill, an on-farm flour mill committed to sourcing grain from regional organic farmers and producing high quality stone-ground flour and other staple food crops.
Patty Lovera
Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment
Patty is the policy advisor for the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment, a coalition of state and national groups working to fight factory farms. She previously served as the policy director for the Organic Farmers Association, the food and water program director at Food and Water Watch, and the deputy director of the energy and environment program at Public Citizen.
Jeff Poppen
Long Hungry Creek Farm/Barefoot Farmer
Jeff helped develop an organic farm and Tennessee homestead in the mid 1970s, later beginning to prepare and apply biodynamic methods. His livelihood comes primarily from vegetables and cattle grown on the 270-acre Long Hungry Creek Farm, where cows, compost, and community keep the land vibrant and productive. Jeff advocates for more peaceful agriculture by mentoring, consulting, hosting events, and writing books.
Lauren Cain
Find Hope Farm
Lauren is a registered veterinary technician with a master’s from the Ohio State University in animal welfare science. She founded Find Hope Farm in Pataskala, Ohio, ten years ago, and currently focuses on all things goat—dairy goats, agritourism, and targeted vegetation management using goats.
Donetta Boykin
Endigo’s Herbals & Organics
Donnetta is an urban farmer and seed saver, passionate about providing nutrient-rich produce and herbs to communities facing food insecurity. She is owner of Endigo’s Herbals and Organics and the founder and president of Seven Seed Sowers Co-op in Columbus.
Florentina Rodriguez
Flora Seeds
Florentina is a doctoral candidate researching culturally- and community-informed seed work. She serves as an advisory board member for the BIPOC Food and Farming Network and Seven Seed Sowers Co-op. She founded Flora Seeds with the mission to plant seed education and grow seed commons along with founding the Miami Valley Seed Commons.
Food and Farm School
Thursday, February 13 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Intentional Investment:
Maximizing Your Time and Dollars for Lasting Impact
In today’s fast-paced world, where every hour and every dollar counts, the choices we make on how to invest both are critical. But how do you decide where your next hour of work or your next dollar will have the most meaningful impact? Holistic Management International (HMI) will share a management framework to help make these decisions with greater clarity and confidence. This approach provides a powerful process for aligning your time and money with your personal goals, enabling you to improve the health of your land, boost profits, and enhance your quality of life. Walk away equipped with tools to intelligently balance and prioritize your investments, empowering you to cultivate long-term success, sustainability, and personal satisfaction.
Farm Succession School:
Planning for the Future of Your Farm
Succession planning can be challenging for landowners. From vision and goal setting to management transfer planning, dive into the key components of a farm succession plan. Discuss strategies for identifying a successor for farms operating without an heir, resources for better family communication, and how to build a team of advisors to turn a succession plan into reality. Facilitators from Land For Good and OSU will provide an overview of the process, a detailed workbook, key resources, and help to create an outline for your farm’s succession. Attendees are encouraged to come with family members and partners so you can work as a team right from the start.
Wholesale for All Scales
Whether you’re scaling up or honing your skills to serve current customers, learning from your peers can help improve production systems to work better for you and your farm needs. Take a deep dive into organic vegetable production on two crops—tomatoes and peppers—as three farmers of varying scales share the details of their systems. Hear from a regional buyer about opportunities for sales outlets, and learn about food safety practices.
This project was financed in part or totally through a grant from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the State of Ohio, and the United States Department of Agriculture under the provisions of the Specialty Crop Block Grant. This project was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 23SCBPOHI204. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
Free
Organic System Plan
Help-Shop
Writing your first Organic Systems Plan (OSP) can be overwhelming. If you are planning to certify for the first time in 2025, OEFFA invites you to bring your draft OSP and your questions to this supported work session. Experienced OEFFA staff will address common stumbling blocks farmers encounter in their first OSP, provide individualized assistance, and answer your questions so your first year of certification goes as smoothly as possible. Space is limited.
Free
Organic Farmer Researcher
Network DIY Research
Farmers, educators, and researchers are invited to work together in small, facilitated groups to generate specific farmer-led research ideas. First, participants will focus on generating research ideas specifically for livestock farms, then network leaders will be available to assist with further proposal and project development—either with those research ideas or from previous events. Leave with new partnerships, ideas, and resources to address specific on-farm questions.
The Organic Farmer Researcher Network is a collaboration of Ohio organic and regenerative farmers, Central State University Extension, OEFFA, and Ohio State’s OFFER organic program. The workshop is supported by a USDA OREI (Organic Research Education Initiative) grant.
Workshops
FRIDAY WORKSHOPS
Friday, February 14
Workshop Session I: 9:15-10:30 a.m.
Can Organic Feed the World?—Anneliese Abbott, Abbott Farms
Evaluating and Marketing Animal Welfare—Lauren Cain, Find Hope Farm
Here's How to Impact Organic Rules—Steve Ela, National Organic Coalition
Choosing the Right Variety for Your Farm—Dana Hilfinger, Johnny's Selected Seeds
FlowersInSeason.com Cut Flower Farm App—Michelle Wallace and Marc Amante, CSU
Participatory Community Driven Agriculture—Weston Lombard, Solid Ground Farm, Molly Jo Stanley
Getting Started with Organic Beekeeping—Ross Conrad, Dancing Bee Gardens
Edible Flowers—Barbara Utendorf, Backyard Nourishment
Drought Mitigation Strategies for Crops—Cody Creech, University of Nebraska
Workshop Session II: 10:45 a.m.-Noon
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program—Jaime Hadji, Ohio Farmers Market Network
The Essential Guide to Pawpaws—Valerie Libbey, Libbey Farm
Building Soil Organic Matter Through Rotational Grazing—Jim Linne, White Clover Farms
Understanding Heirs' Property at the Community Level—Steve Washington, CSU
What is a Foodshed?—Benji Ballmer, Yellowbird Foodshed
Which Tool is the Right Tool?—Joel Dufour, Earth Tools Inc.
Organic Grain Market Outlook: A New Normal—Ryan Koory, Argus Media 
Solar/Agrivoltaics Roundtable—Matt Kleinhenz, OSU, Katie Carothers, Old Slate Farm, Jeff Dean, Timberlane Farms
Organic Pigs on Pasture—Shara Trierwieler, Agape Organic Farms
Workshop Session III: 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Introduction to Dairy Goats—Lauren Cain, Find Hope Farm
The Forgotten Farm—Bryna Chandler, Drunken Duck Farm & Rescue
Farmer Voices in D.C.—Dave Shively, Shively Farm, Alexis Dragovich, Mud Run Organic Farm, Sophia Buggs, Lady Buggs Pharm, Lauren Hirtle, OEFFA
Recordkeeping: Do More than a Tax Return—Wm. Bruce Clevenger, OSU
For Peat's Sake—Nathan Rutz, Tilth Soil
Freeze Drying Fundamentals—Shari Gallup and Candace Heer, OSU
BIPOC Breakout Room—August Taylor, OEFFA
Marssonina Leaf Blotch in Organic Apple Production—Zachary Dobbelaer, Charlie's Apples
When it Rains it Pours (or not!)—Halee Wepking, Meadowlark Community Mill, Mike Stites, Rex Stites Farms, Inc., Casey Brooks, OEFFA
Workshop Session IV: 3-4:15 p.m.
High Tunnel Construction Best Practices—Bob Rimol, Rimol Greenhouse Systems
Solar Applications for the Home or Farm—Tom Rapini and Valerie Garrett, A’s and O’s Farm
Influencing Federal Food and Farm Policy—Stef Funk, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Incorporating Mushrooms into a Market Garden or Farmstead—Thomas Lodge, MidAm Mushrooms
Organic Mite Control in Hives—Ross Conrad, Dancing Bee Gardens
Farming & Family Care Podcast Roadshow—Beth Knorr, FairShare CSA Coalition, Dana Hilfinger, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Shoshanna Inwood, OSU, Bryn Bird, Bird's Haven Farm, Fresh Roberson, Fresher Together 
Appalachia Regional Food Business Center—Paul Freedman and Herron Linscott, Rural Action
REAP the Benefits of Clean Energy—Mat Roberts, Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council
SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
Saturday, February 15
Workshop Session V: 10:45 a.m.-Noon
The Fight for Fair Markets—Patty Lovera, Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment
The CSA Retention Road Map—Michelle Keniston, Farmhand
Navigating Climate Impacts of Vegetable Farms—Douglas Jackson-Smith and Matthew Kleinhenz, OSU, Nick Olsen, Land Stewardship Project
Seed Library Starters—Donnetta Boykin, Endigo's Herbals & Organics, Florentina Rodriguez, Miami Valley Seed Commons
Keeping You and Your Produce Safe—Denise Natoli Brooks, CSU
Moved on Pasture Poultry—Eric and Kayla Gibson, Sugar Butte Farms
Prevent Burn-Out—Bryn Bird, Bird's Haven Farm, Taylor Wiggins, From Scratch Farms
Adding Value with a Grain-Focused CSA—Halee Wepking, Meadowlark Community Mill
Advocating for Sovereignty: Value-Added Coalition Building—Jennifer Lumpkin, My Grow Connect and Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition, Zainab Pixler, City of Cleveland
Workshop Session VI: 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Pest and Disease Scouting for Vegetable Growers—Dan Fillius, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Balancing Ideals and Reality—Amanda Hanger, Gorman Heritage Farm, Steve Edwards, Gorman Heritage Farm and White Oak Farm
Farm Bill: What We Know and Where We're Going—Patty Lovera, Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment, Stef Funk, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Steve Ela, National Organic Coalition, Milo Petruziello, OEFFA
Fiber Farming and Diversification—Dianne Ganslein, Ohio Valley Farm and Fiber Mill
Biodynamics Simplified: Making Biodynamic Preparations—Jeff Poppen, Barefoot Farmer and Long Hungry Creek Farm
Creating Ecology-Based Food Communities—Debra Knapke, The Garden Sage
Queer Breakout Room—Jerah Pettibone, OEFFA
Can Biochar Restore Soil Carbon and Other Ecosystem Services?—Cody Creech, University of Nebraska
Mentoring on the Farm—Annie Warmke, Blue Rock Station Sustainable Living Center and Farm
Workshop Session VII: 3-4:15 p.m.
Community Land Ownership Models—Ian McSweeny and Kristina Villa, The Farmers Land Trust
Want Your Employees to Work Faster? Create the Right Environment!—Katie Bishop, PrairiErth Farm, Sarah Janes Ugoretz, University of Wisconsin Extension
Drought and Our Way Out—Robert Hamilton, Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Soil & Water Conservation, Aaron Wilson, OSU, Matt Kleski and Trevor Kerr, Farm Service Agency
Is Organic for Me? Panel—Adam Blaney, Blaney Family Farm, Leon Atwell, O Farm, Shara Trierwieler, Agape Organic Farms, Zachary Dobbelaer, Charlie's Apples
Whole Farm Planning—Shoshanna Inwood, OSU
Perennial Vegetables for Your Plot—Dani Baker, The Enchanted Edible Forest at Cross Island Farms
Mini Site Assessment Workshop—Jerah Pettibone, OEFFA, Marc Amante and Denise Natoli Brooks, CSU
Start Clean, Stay Clean: Weed Control—Mike Stites, Rex Stites Farms, Inc.
Homestead Scale Staple Crop Production—Eleanor and Scott Hucker, Great Lakes Staple Seeds
We incorporate organic and/or local meats, dairy products, vegetables, and grains into these conference meals. Given this sourcing work, a limited number of meals are available for purchase and the menu is subject to change. Vegan and gluten-free meals cannot be guaranteed. Lunch must be purchased separately when registering—registrants’ name tags will be checked on site.
Yogurt and granola
Sausage and eggs
Veggie tofu scramble
Bread
Tossed salad with microgreens with ranch and vinaigrette dressings
Coleslaw
Pulled pork sandwich with selection of BBQ sauces
Black bean burgers
Roasted Russet potato wedges
Bread
Winter green kale salad with candied walnuts, ranch, and Ohio maple syrup vinaigrette dressing
Meatloaf with brown sugar and tomato glaze
Vegetarian tofu loaf with brown sugar and tomato glaze
Mashed sweet potatoes
Green beans almondine
Apple crisp with chef-crafted butterscotch sauce
Bread
Local Food Donations
Every piece of conference meals are as local and organic as we can make it. OEFFA thanks the food donors and growers already lined up for the 2025 conference:
- Marshy Meadows Farm
- Meigs Logging
- Mile Creek Farm
- MoSo Farm
- Mud Run Organic Farm
- Reservation Farm
- Shagbark Seed & Mill
- Snowville Creamery
- Stauf’s Coffeehouse
Compostable dishware is courtesy of Northstar Cafe
If you’re interested in donating food, contact jessica@oeffa.org or (614) 725-1437.
CSAF Summit
Thursday, February 13—10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Organic grain and row crop farmers are invited to a day of instruction and discussion on ground water recharge and drought mitigation and adaptation techniques with researchers from UC Davis and Washington State University. Learn about the Climate Smart Ag and Forestry Grant, a program that assists farmers in implementing NRCS conservation techniques while receiving compensation and participating in carbon sequestration research.
This event is an add-on when registering for the conference. Space is limited. A limited number of scholarships are available.
Welcoming Happy Hour
and Keynote
Thursday, February 13—4-7 p.m.
We’re kicking things off on Thursday evening with a welcoming happy hour and keynote in the exhibit hall! Reunite with food and farm friends, get a headstart on your conference shopping, and enjoy snacks and a cash bar in the exhibit hall before keynote speaker Gary Nabhan speaks.
Exhibit hall doors open at 4 p.m. The keynote begins at 6 p.m. Access to this event is included in both general and Food and Farm School registration.
Open Mic Night
Thursday, February 13—7:30 p.m.
Come and share your artistic side!
This is a free time to share your songs, poems, stories, skits, and more—share whatever moves you. There will be a sign-up sheet available to claim a spot on a first-come, first-served basis. An acoustic guitar will be available for anyone who needs it.
Film Screening: Organic Rising
Friday, February 14—7:30 p.m.
Join OEFFA’s Policy team for a screening of Organic Rising, a 2023 award-winning documentary highlighting the need to evolve the American agricultural system to one that conserves natural resources, provides healthy food for communities, and protects food security into the future. Featuring interviews with farmers, researchers, and activists, the film looks at the modern organic movement and the people who make it what it is.
This film is being shown as the second installment of the 2025 OEFFA Policy Film Screening Series. Enjoy this time together with your fellow conference-goers and enjoy some popcorn from our friends at Shagbark Seed & Mill!
Seed Social and Swap
Friday, February 14—5-6:30 p.m.
Enjoy this time for casual chats and growing community with others passionate about preserving one of the most important resources: seeds. Join Donnetta Boykin and Florentina Rodriguez to explore topics such as choosing varieties, storage and sharing seeds, as well as any seeds you might want to swap.
Writers Meetup
Friday, February 14—5-6:30 p.m.
Calling all wordsmiths! Join writers Deborah Fleming and Debra Knapke in this special creative space for storytellers. Bring examples of your own work to share, hear from published authors, and enjoy camaraderie and inspiration with others.
Exhibit Hall
Happy Hours
THURSDAY
4 – 6 pm
FRIDAY
5 – 6:30 pm
Exhibit Hall Hours
Open throughout the conference!
THURSDAY
4 – 6 pm
FRIDAY
8 am – 6:30 pm
SATURDAY
8 am – 1:30 pm
Flash Demos
FRIDAY
5 – 6:30 pm
Exhibit Hall Hours
Open throughout the conference!
THURSDAY
4-6 pm
FRIDAY
8 am-6:30 pm
SATURDAY
8 am-1:30 pm
Happy
Hours
THURSDAY
4-6 pm
FRIDAY
5-6:30 pm
Flash Demos
FRIDAY
5-6:30 pm
With more than 31,000 square feet of space, the exhibit hall is a one-stop shop! Here, you’ll find businesses that can help you find your market, products to maximize your farm or backyard, services to improve your farm or homestead, quality locally-produced merchandise for your pantry and home, and useful information from knowledgeable nonprofit and educational institutions.
Visit the exhibit hall during Friday’s happy hour to see exhibitors showcase their products, tools, and services in a quick, flash demonstration style!
Certification Assistance
Are you certified organic, or considering it?
OEFFA Certification welcomes your questions at their booth in the exhibit hall. Knowledgeable staff will answer questions about the organic certification process, standards, and guidelines, and provide one-on-one assistance as needed.
Feeling Lucky?
Check out the raffle table to try your luck and win a variety of valuable products and services, courtesy of many of our exhibitors, sponsors, and supporters. Funds raised support OEFFA’s educational work.
Farmers’ Market Vendor Fair
Friday, February 14—5-6:30 p.m.
This is an opportunity to connect farmers’ markets/managers with farmers and vendors searching for direct-to-consumer opportunities to sell their products. Market managers looking for new vendors will have informational displays conveniently set up along the way to the exhibit hall, making it easy for farmers and food entrepreneurs to network with potential markets and seek out a good fit.
Farming Business Services
Representatives from the Northeast Ohio Ag Innovation Center (NEO-AIC) will be available for free 15-minute mini consulting sessions for all Ohio-based farms. Use this link to reserve your spot! The NEO-AIC offers individual business development services to farmers who want to add or expand their production of value-added food, fiber, or fuel products. They'll work with you to assess specific needs, connect to support services, navigate regulations, develop business plans, and examine financing options. Learn more at go.osu.edu/NEO-AIC.
The NEO-AIC is funded by USDA Rural Development and OSU Extension. Offices are located on the Ohio State campus in Wooster.
Land Access Assistance
OEFFA is committed to supporting farmers and land stewards in their quest for farmland and farm succession. A new addition to the conference exhibit hall this year is an OEFFA Land Access booth. Conference-goers can submit and browse posters made by fellow attendees, connect to the LandLink program, chat with experienced OEFFA staff and technical professionals, and find resources on anything related to finding farmland, farmland transfer and succession, site assessment, relationship building, and more.
Landlink Posters
Are you a farmer looking for farmland? Do you have land and need a farmer?
There will be space to prominently display posters and personal ads highlighting your land or your skills and goals as a farmer in the conference exhibit hall. You’ll find templates and instructions at oeffa.org/landlink.
General Registration
| Individual Registration Friday and Saturday |  before 1/10 |
 after 1/10 |
| Members | $267 | $337 |
| Non-Members (Become a member) | $337 | $397 |
| One-day Only Member Friday or Saturday | $197 | $267 |
| One-day Only Non-Member Friday or Saturday | $257 | $327 |
| Student Member | $157 | $227 |
| Student Non-Member | $227 | $297 |
| Volunteers more information | $217 |
Food and Farm School
| Thursday only, lunch included | |
| Farm Succession School: Planning for the Future of Your Farm | $97 |
| Intentional Investment: Maximizing Your Time and Dollars for Lasting Impact | $97 |
| CSAF Grower’s Summit more information | $97 |
| Wholesale for All Scales | $57 |
| Organic System Plan Help Shop | free |
| Organic Farmer Research Network DIY Research | free |
Kids
| Kids’ Conference (6-12 y/o) (Available Friday and Saturday only; rate is per day) | $60 |
| Child Care (0-5 y/o) (Available Friday and Saturday only; rate is per day) | $60 |
Lunches
| Friday Lunch | $37 |
| Saturday Lunch | $37 |
Online registration closed February 1. On-site registration will be available.
Questions about registration? Visit conference.oeffa.org/faq or contact OEFFA at (614) 421-2022 or members@oeffa.org.
Scholarships and Inclusiveness
A welcoming and accessible conference for beginning farmers, and an increasingly diverse community of farmers of all experience levels is important to us.
To further this goal, OEFFA has conference funding available to support people who have been farming less than ten years in the Appalachian counties of Ohio, as well as Black, Indigenous, persons of color (BIPOC) and veterans who are or want to be in food systems work—farmers, farmworkers, food preparation and service workers, food nutrition and food system advocates, or food and farm educators. Funding is also available for organic grain and row crop farmers interested in learning more about groundwater recharge, drought mitigation and adaptation, and NRCS conservation practices. If you fit any of these criteria and are in need of assistance to cover your registration costs, please consider applying.
Current Funding Opportunities
Beginning Appalachian Ohio Farmer Scholarship Application
If you are a beginning (farming 1-10 years) farmer in an Appalachian county of Ohio and need assistance with OEFFA Conference registration costs, please fill out this form.
Applications are closed.
Organic Grains Producer Scholarship Application
If you are a certified organic grain producer who would like to attend the Grower's Summit on Thursday, February 13, along with the general OEFFA Conference (February 13-15), but need assistance with registration costs, please fill out this form.
BIPOC and Veteran Registration Scholarship Application
If you are a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or person of color) or veteran farmer/aspiring farmer/food systems worker, but need assistance with OEFFA Conference registration costs, please fill out this form.
This application has closed.
Conference participants who purchased their registration prior to applying are not eligible for this funding.
All are welcome here. OEFFA values diversity within our organization and at our annual conference. Like in ecological agriculture, diversity plays an important role in cultivating symbiotic and sustainable relationships between both plants and humans. A community that embraces everyone regardless of race, nationality, creed, political belief, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or ability braves the harshest season and bears the sweetest fruit. We ask that all participants exercise kindness, patience, and respect. OEFFA reserves the right to revoke conference access or remove content if community codes of conduct are broken.
To see OEFFA’s full list of community standards, visit conference.oeffa.org/faq.
OEFFA is committed to making this conference as accessible and welcoming as possible. All conference events will be held on Cherry Valley Hotel and Ohio Event Center’s ground floor, except for Kids’ Conference, which is accessible by elevator. The venue has ADA compliant bathrooms, multiple accessible entrances, and nearby parking. The venue is spread out, so please contact OEFFA if you have any concerns about the distance between different portions of the event. The hotel has two floors with elevators and ADA accessible rooms available; please contact Cherry Valley for more information. If you have any questions, concerns, or special needs, contact oeffa@oeffa.org and we will do our best to assist you.
CONFERENCE FEATURES
Kids’ Conference
and child care
The OEFFA Kids’ Conference, for 6- to 12-year-olds, is full of screen-free, hands-on activities related to food, farming, and nature. It is a mix of guided workshops with engaging educators, plus open stations featuring arts and crafts, games, and live chicks. Child care is also available for younger children with age-appropriate activities and naptime.
Registration for the Kids’ Conference and child care are available as add-ons to an adult conference registration.
Private space for nursing will be available. Children must be with parents during meal times.
Call for Volunteers
In exchange for four hours of work, approved volunteers may register for both days of the conference for only $217.
All volunteer slots have been filled.
The North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Farmers Forum is a traveling annual event giving farmers, ranchers, researchers, and others the chance to share information about sustainable agriculture practices with a national audience.
These presentations focus on research, demonstration, and education projects that promote profitable practices that are good for the environment and community. The projects highlighted in these presentations and the Farmers Forum are funded by grants from NCR-SARE, a USDA funded program that supports and promotes sustainable farming and ranching by offering competitive grants and educational opportunities.
For more information about NCR-SARE, visit northcentral.sare.org, or contact ncrsare@umn.edu or (612) 626-3113.
Saturday 15—9-10 a.m.
Join us for OEFFA’s annual membership meeting to come together to hear the latest about OEFFA and share their thoughts. This is YOUR organization. Please come to listen, learn, and share. This event is free and does not require registration. At this meeting, members will consider amending OEFFA's bylaws. The amendments include many stylistic or non-substantive changes, as well as substantive changes. Review them here.
Saturday, February 15—12:15-1:15 p.m.
Sit down and eat with your community! Grab your lunch and join your OEFFA chapter in the Barrel Room. Learn more about chapters at oeffa.org/chapters. Contact (614) 947-1611 or members@oeffa.org with questions.
BIPOC Breakout Room
Friday, February 14
For Black, Indigenous, and People of Color conference attendees: this is a safe space to focus on connecting with each other, identifying goals, sharing resources, and finding points of collaboration.
Queer Breakout Room
Saturday, February 15
This is a space intended for farmers who identify as LGBTQIA to come together and make connections. It will be a loosely structured conversation around the different joys and challenges we face as queer farmers. If this applies to you, come, meet, share, and connect in community.
Location and Lodging
Cherry Valley Hotel and Ohio Event Center
2299 Cherry Valley Rd. SE, Newark, Ohio 43055
cherryvalleyhotel.com | (740) 788-1200
Rooms are sold out the main two nights of the OEFFA conference. Visit oeffa.org/stay or call and ask for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association room block rate to see other availability. To find other hotels in the area, visit this guide from our friends at Explore Licking County.
With its renovated rooms and thousands of square feet of space, Cherry Valley Hotel is our home for the whole conference weekend. Parking is complimentary, and guests will enjoy their rooms being only a minute’s walk to all conference activities. There is an indoor pool, fitness center, and multiple places to eat and drink on site.
DISCOVER THE NEWARK
AND GRANVILLE AREA!
Dawes Arboretum
Stroll through the 2,000 acres of seasonal gardens and walking trails of The Dawes Arboretum. Popular attractions include the Japanese Garden, birdwatching, and a 10,000-year-old glacier ridge.
Granville Downtown Square
Experience New England charm in the heart of Ohio by strolling
down Granville’s downtown square. Explore the unique shops and sit down to enjoy the local dining options.
The Works
The Works is an interactive museum for families of all ages! Experience central Ohio’s best destination for hands-on discovery with local history, art, science, and glassblowing.
Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
NEW ADDRESS
150 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. Suite 230
Worthington, OH 43085
oeffa
oeffa
orgOEFFA: (614) 421-2022 (614) 421-2022
OEFFA Certification: (614) 262-2022 (614) 262-2022