Sustainable Foundations

Friday

Workshop Session I: 8:45-10 a.m.

Climate Ready Farming Practices 

April Jones, Pinehurst Farmers Market 

Become your own climate hero! Learn about the ways that you can combat climate to create a more friendly and kind farming practice. This session will teach you how to create your own direct climate action plan, the types of drought-tolerant plants you can plant and profit from, and how to grow revenue at your farm.

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Workshop Session II: 10:45 a.m.-Noon

A Look into Business Ecosystems: Regenerative Poultry 

Diane Christofore, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance 

Hear about the framework used to organize and deploy an ecosystem of enterprises centered on regenerative poultry. The Regenerative Agriculture Alliance’s strategy for growth is to develop models and businesses that lower barriers to entry and participation while ensuring the wealth generated stays within the community. Learn more about these tools so you can integrate them in your vision for a better food system. 

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Workshop Session III: 1-2:15 p.m. 

Cover Crop Strategies for Annual and Perennial Crops 

Dan Kneier, Hocking College 

Cover crops can speed up long term soil fertility and regeneration, but appropriate management is key to success. This session will take a comprehensive look at cover cropping strategies to help growers identify the best cover crop approaches for their goals. You’ll hear sowing methods, seeding rates, timing considerations, and seasonally appropriate species.   

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Workshop Session IV: 2:30-3:45 p.m.

Making and Using Chestnut Flour 

Michelle Ajamian, Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative, Amy Miller, Route 9 Cooperative, Eleanor Reagan, Route 9 Cooperative 

The market is hot for fresh chestnuts of high quality, but what about Grade B chestnuts that don’t meet specifications for the fresh market? We will explain and demonstrate value-added opportunities for chestnut production by turning suitable Grade B chestnuts into chestnut flour. Growers, retailers, and marketers will learn how to produce and utilize value-added products like dried chestnuts and chestnut flour. 

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Saturday

Workshop Session V: 8:45-10 a.m.

Farmer Perspectives on Applying for and Managing SARE Grants 

Mike Hogan, OSU Extension, Aaron Hopkins, South Side Family Farms, Krysti Morrow, Rocky Knob Farms of Ohio, Jeannie Seabrook, Glass Rooster Cannery 

The USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program helps farmers improve their production practices and grow their businesses by funding experimentation and innovation. During this panel, grantees will talk about their projects, their experiences applying and working with SARE, and how their grants shaped their businesses. If there is something a bit outside the box you want to try on your farm, come and learn how SARE can help make it a reality. 

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Workshop Session VI: 10:45 a.m.-Noon

#RealSchoolFood—Challenges Working with Schools 

Julialynne Walker, Bronzeville Growers Market 

School breakfast and lunch are a major source of nutrition for children. Incorporating local, nutritious produce into school meals is touted as a major tool to combat the pandemic of childhood obesity and diet-related diseases in the U.S. However, major structural and logistical barriers persist despite recent legislation designed to address these issues. This session addresses the challenges and how concerned producers can play a stronger role. 

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Workshop Session VII: 1-2:15 p.m.

An Overview of Silvopasture and Forest Farming Practices 

Andrea Miller and Molly Sowash, Rural Action 

Agroforestry practices can enhance pasture and woodland management, bringing in more revenue and conservation value for farmers. This session will discuss silvopasture, the practice of planting and managing trees, livestock, and forage together for enhanced shade and fodder, and the multi-story cropping practice known as forest farming. Through exploring implementation, management, and financial considerations, you will develop a clear picture of how and why an increasing number of farms are adopting these systems. 

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