OHIO'S LARGEST SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FARM CONFERENCE

OEFFA CONFERENCE 2017

OEFFA Conference 2017 Flashback

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Welcome to OEFFA’s 39th Annual Conference!

Thank You!

Thanks so much to the many sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, volunteers, and others who helped make this year's conference possible! We couldn't do it without YOU!

Please check out the list of this year's sponsors below, and support the farms and businesses that support OEFFA.


Take the conference home with you!
Dove Audio Visual is selling individual workshop, keynote, and Food and Farm School MP3 recordings, and the complete set for one low price.

Keynote Speakers

Jeff Moyer

Jeff Moyer

Friday Keynote Speaker

Welcome to the Future of Change!

Jeff Moyer is a world renowned authority in organic agriculture with expertise in organic crop production systems, weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and use, and facilities design.

Jeff conceptualized and popularized the No Till Roller Crimper for use in organic agriculture and in 2011, he wrote Organic No-Till Farming, a publication that has become a resource for farmers throughout the world.

He is a past chair of the National Organic Standards Board; a founding board member of Pennsylvania Certified Organic; board chair of The Seed Farm; a member of the steering committee of the Organic Farmers Association; and board member of the Soil Health Institute, PA Farm Link, and IFOAM North America.

In September 2015, Jeff was appointed as Executive Director of Rodale Institute after spending the last four decades at the Institute, helping countless farmers make the transition from conventional, chemical-based farming to organic methods.

Stacy Malkan

Stacy Malkan

Saturday Keynote Speaker

Fake News, Fake Food:

Standing Up for Organic and Our Right to Know in the Era of Big Ag

Stacy Malkan is an author, investigative journalist, and leading consumer advocate for safer products and our right to know what's in our food. Stacy is co-founder and co-director of the nonprofit group U.S. Right to Know, whose mission it is to educate and inform consumers about the often hidden practices that shape the food system.

She served as media director for the 2012 ballot initiative in California to label genetically engineered foods and is the former communications director for Health Care Without Harm.

Stacy is author of the award-winning book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry and a co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of health and environmental groups.

She has been named a Pioneer of Green Beauty and one of the seven most powerful women in the natural beauty industry. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Democracy Now, and in newspapers around the world to discuss her research on safer products, and writes for the Huffington Post.

Conference Schedule

Thursday, February 15

  • 8:00 a.m.: Food and Farm School check-in begins
  • 9:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.: Food and Farm School: Produce Safety Alliance Food Safety Training Course
  • 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.: All other Food and Farm School classes
  • 4:00-7:00 p.m.: Exhibit Hall and raffle open to the general public*
  • 5:00 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.: Networking opportunities and movie
  • 7:00-9:00 p.m.: The Contrary Farmers’ Social reception [2nd Street Market]

Friday, February 16

  • 7:00 a.m.: Conference check-in begins
  • 7:00-8:00 a.m.: Breakfast, chi kung
  • 8:00 a.m.: Welcome, Exhibit Hall and raffle open
  • 8:30-10:00 a.m.: Workshop Session I
  • 10:00-10:30 a.m.: Exhibit Hall break
  • 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.: Workshop Session II
  • 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Lunch
  • 1:00-2:00 p.m.: Exhibit Hall break
  • 2:00-3:30 p.m.: Workshop Session III
  • 3:45-5:00 p.m.: Keynote, award, and announcements
  • 5:00-6:30 p.m.: Cash bar, Exhibit Hall open to the general public*
  • 5:15-6:15 p.m.: Members' meeting*
  • 6:30 p.m.: Exhibit Hall and raffle close
  • 6:30-8:30 p.m.: The Cream of the Crop Banquet

Saturday, February 17

  • 7:00 a.m.: Conference check-in begins
  • 7:00-8:00 a.m.: Breakfast, yoga
  • 8:00a.m.: Exhibit Hall opens
  • 8:30-10:00 a.m.: Workshop Session IV
  • 10:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m.: Exhibit Hall break
  • 10:30-12:00 p.m.: Workshop Session V
  • 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Lunch
  • 1:00-2:00 p.m.: Exhibit Hall break
  • 2:00-3:15 p.m.: Keynote, award, and announcements
  • 3:30 p.m.: Exhibit Hall closes
  • 3:30-5:00 p.m.: Workshop Session VI

Schedule is subject to change. Events will be held at the Dayton Convention Center, unless otherwise noted.

*OEFFA members are invited to attend the member meeting at no cost. The Exhibit Hall is also open to the public on Thursday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. and Friday from 5:00-6:30 p.m. All other conference events require paid registration.


Food and Farm School Classes

Thursday, February 15 ~ Dayton Convention Center

Sarah FlackGrazing School

10:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m.

In this day-long workshop, Sarah Flack will start by covering the basic principles of good grazing management systems, including grazing and non-grazing adapted plant species and soils and management systems that improve pasture quality and productivity. Using examples of real farm grazing systems, she will cover system design, fencing, water systems, lanes, paddock sizing, and acreage requirements. In the afternoon, she will go into more depth about how to use different stocking densities, pre- and post-grazing heights, length of rest periods, and different plant species to improve pasture and maximize dry matter intake from pasture. Using photo examples to demonstrate how to observe and monitor pastures and cattle, Sarah will help you can better understand if your grazing systems are working the way you want.

Sarah is the author of The Art and Science of Grazing, and a consultant, speaker, and writer, specializing in grass-based and organic livestock farming systems.

Barbara UtendorfRestorative Health From Your Backyard

10:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m.

Join Dr. Barbara Utendorf in this full-day session that addresses incorporating key health-restoring foods and herbs in your cultivated environment. She will review the multiple benefits of plants—from important nutrients and vitalizing compounds to flower oils and essences—and share practical tips for cultivation. Both new and experienced growers will take away ideas for developing novel sites and incorporating key plants into already-established ones.

Barbara is a Doctor of Naturopathy teaching college courses in nutrition, holistic and integrative health, neuroscience, personal wellness, mind-body health, and health psychology. She has decades of experience in designing, developing, and cultivating health-sustaining environments and sharing this knowledge through writing, workshops, and consultations.

Matt FoutProduce Safety Alliance Food Safety Training Course

9:00 a.m. -5:30 p.m.

Presented by Matt Fout, Ohio Department of Agriculture food safety supervisor, this training is designed for fruit and vegetable farmers to meet the training requirements for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. This Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved course will cover worker health, hygiene, and training; soil amendments; wildlife, domesticated animals, and land use; agricultural water; post-harvest handling and sanitation; and developing a farm food safety plan. Participants will receive a training resource binder and will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials that verifies they have met the FSMA food safety training requirement. By 2018, all non-exempt operations must have at least one person complete this training or a training deemed equivalently adequate by the FDA.

Michael DuranteFinding and Funding Your Farm

10:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m.

Accessing land is one of the biggest and most complex financial decisions that you will make as a farmer. In this full-day workshop designed for aspiring and early career farmers and farm service providers, the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) will prepare you to approach your land access journey with confidence.

You will learn about how to work with a land trust to find land to lease or buy, and how a conservation easement can reduce the purchase price; leasing structures and how to create a suitable farmland lease; financial tools you can use for business planning, including NYFC's Land Affordability Calculator; and lending programs and organizations available to help beginning farmers.


Food and Farm School pre-registration is required. Check-in opens at 8:00 a.m.

Lunch is included.


Featured Conference Speakers

John BobbeJohn Bobbe—John Bobbe is the author of Marketing Organic Grain: A Farmers Guide and executive director of the Organic Farmers' Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM), a marketing cooperative representing organic grain and livestock producers in 19 states. John has almost 30 years of experience working with sustainable and organic farmers.

Eric BurkhartEric Burkhart—Eric Burkhart, PhD, is an ethnobotanist interested in the husbandry, conservation, and quality in native Appalachian medicinal forest plants. His work is focused on developing sustainable medicinal crop management and production systems in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic region through agroforestry and plant husbandry practices.

Michael DuranteMichael Durante—As the National Young Farmers Coalition's (NYFC) land access program associate, Michael Durante helps beginning farmers understand the process of land acquisition and find affordable options. He manages NYFC's Finding Farmland project, an interactive financial planning tool for farmers, and has worked on livestock farms throughout New York.

Sarah FlackSarah Flack—Sarah Flack is the author of The Art and Science of Grazing and Organic Dairy Production and is a nationally known speaker, consultant, and writer specializing in grass-based and organic livestock farming and grazing. She studied pasture management at the University of Vermont before she started a career of helping farmers create positive change in their pastures, soils, livestock, finances, and quality of life.

Liana HoodsLiana Hoodes—Liana Hoodes is the policy advisor to the Northeast Organic Farming Association in New York, where she works on federal and state policy issues related to organic agriculture. Previously, she was the executive director of the National Organic Coalition, working extensively on farm bill policy and appropriations and strengthening organic integrity through the National Organic Program and the National Organic Standards Board.

Allen PhiloAllen Philo—Allen Philo, vice president of sales and operations for BioStar Organics, has a decade of experience in fertilizer sales and organic farming. He has worked both in managing large organic farms and acting as a crop consultant for farms from North Dakota to Ontario. Allen and his wife raise Norwegian Fjord horses and other livestock on their Wisconsin farm.

The Contrary Farmers Social

Thursday, February 15—7:00-9:00 p.m.

2nd Street Market, 600 E. 2nd St., Dayton, Ohio

Kick off the weekend with a festive spirit and join us at Dayton's 2nd Street Market for an evening celebration of our community named in memory of Ohio's beloved Contrary Farmer, Gene Logsdon. Guests will sample fine small plates prepared by 2nd Street Market vendors and Warped Wing Brewing Company beer as they walk the historic market building enjoying live music and good company.

 

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

Thursday, February 15—5:00-6:30 p.m.

Join other food and farm enthusiasts to share information and make connections during these three free events. Although there is no cost to attend, please pre-register where indicated.

Farm Land of Opportunity Reception

If you need a farm, or need a farmer, attend this informal networking reception designed to connect farm hands and aspiring farmers with established farmers looking for employees, retiring farmers interested in a transition plan, and landowners with land to lease.

Old MacGyver Had a Farm:

A Forum for Tips, Hacks, and Reviews of Small Farm Machinery

Let's talk gear! There are tons of equipment choices that give us many potential options for mechanizing some of farm life's persistent frustrations. As farmers, we all have opinions about the proper equipment or equipment modifications to accomplish a task. Let's share some of our favorite equipment, our unique uses for existing equipment, and our problems for which we haven't yet found the ideal solution. Join Ben Jackle of Mile Creek Farm for an informal peer-to-peer conversation about equipment that works (or doesn't work) and innovative ways to make what you have, or can realistically afford, work better.

Homeplace Under Fire

The farm crisis of the 1980s drove hundreds of thousands of family farmers into foreclosure. Yet, out of that crisis arose a legion of farm advocates who refused to stand idly by and watch their way of life be destroyed. [View Trailer]

Ordinary Americans taught themselves extraordinary skills. As fellow farmers, farm wives, and rural leaders, they studied laws and regulations, started hotlines, answered farmers' calls from their kitchen tables, counseled their neighbors, and went toe-to-toe with lenders – giving their all to keep their neighbors on the land.

Homeplace Under Fire celebrates these advocates and their remarkable work. Thousands of farmers are alive and on their land today because of them. As Willie Nelson has said, these advocates are the best of America.

Homeplace Under Fire was directed by Charles D. Thompson, Jr. and produced by Farm Aid in cooperation with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. This inaugural Ohio showing, free and open to the public, will feature a post-screening discussion with Farm Aid Farm Advocate Joe Schroeder.

THE CREAM OF THE CROP BANQUET

Friday, February 16—6:30-8:30 p.m.

After a day of learning and networking, OEFFA welcomes you to treat yourself to a refined dinner with friends. The Cream of the Crop Banquet will feature a special menu of locally sourced fare. This is a full service, seated meal so you can sit back and savor the evening.

CONFERENCE DINING

CONFERENCE BREAKFASTS

New this year! A light breakfast, included in the cost of your registration, will be served on Friday and Saturday morning from 7:00-8:00 a.m.

CONFERENCE LUNCHES

We strive to provide quality meals made from fresh, organic, locally-produced meats, dairy products, vegetables, and grains. New this year, Friday and Saturday lunches will be available for on-site purchase, until sold out. Vegan and gluten-free meals cannot be guaranteed.

Conference registration is required for lunch purchases. Lunch is not included in registration. Children 5 and under eat free.

Featured Workshop Tracks

BEGINNING FARMER WORKSHOPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

If you are a beginning farmer looking to increase your knowledge and skills, the Begin Farming workshop track at the conference is for you! These workshops will be devoted exclusively to helping farmers start or scale-up their operations, with topics ranging from making the right equipment choices to developing a successful business.

To help budding farmers access these educational opportunities, OEFFA is offering a limited number of full scholarships for early career farmers to attend the conference February 16-17. To see if you’re eligible or to apply, click here. Applications are due by January 10 and scholarship recipients will be notified by January 18.

These workshops and scholarships are made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. For more information, click here.

URBAN AGRICULTURE WORKSHOP TRACK

The urban agriculture scene in Ohio and elsewhere continues to grow, offering exciting opportunities for individuals to make a living farming, provide communities with healthy food, transform blighted areas into vibrant ones, and gain educational and job training.

Specific challenges and issues face urban agriculture, and this track will provide skills, knowledge, and networking that you can use in your own urban operation. Presented by Ohio 1890 land-grant institution Central State University Cooperative Extension, workshop topics will address production efficiency for small spaces, summer high tunnel production, cover crops, and dealing with uncertain land tenure.

Conference Workshops

Workshops are subject to change. Click here for workshop descriptions.
With almost 80 workshops, covering everything from commercial production, livestock, food and farm policy, urban, agriculture, research, sustainable living, and more, OEFFA's conference has something to offer everyone!

FRIDAY

Workshop Session I: 8:30-10:00 a.m.

  • Soil Biology and Soil Health—Allen Philo, BioStar Organics
  • Win-Win Cultivation—Barbara Utendorf, Wilmington College
  • How to Prepare for a GAP Certification Audit—Scot Bowman, Quality Fresh
  • Microbe-Containing Crop Biostimulants: What We Know, What is Important to Learn—Matt Kleinhenz, OSU
  • Growing U.S. Organic Production in the Face of Imports—John Bobbe, OFARM
  • The Formulation, Manufacture, and Selection of Teat Dips—Jessica Belsito, IBA
  • Key Principles of Well-Managed Grazing Systems—Sarah Flack, Sarah Flack Consulting
  • A Willow Coppice Patch for Your Garden, Homestead, and Farm—Howard Peller, Rosehill Farm
  • Cover Crops for Small-Scale Vegetable Production—Oliver Freeman, Central State University Extension
  • Changing Customer Expectations: A Possible Path Forward for CSA Farms—Daniel Grover, Small Farm Central
  • Shaping Policies and Programs to Grow More Farms—Holly Rippon-Butler, National Young Farmers Coalition, Abbe Turner, Lucky Penny Farm
  • Your Top 10 Organic Transition Questions Answered—Julia Barton, OEFFA
  • From H1N1 to Histoplasmosis: Preventing Zoonotic Disease Transmission from Livestock and Other Animals—Lisa Craig, Central State University Extension

FRIDAY

Workshop Session II: 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

  • Panel Discussion: Better On-Farm Research for Better Organic Farming—Elizabeth Maynard, Purdue University, Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute, Jordan Settlage, Settlage and Settlage, Douglas Jackson-Smith, OSU
  • Trees for People, Planet, and Profit—Wes Duren, Marvin's Organic Gardens
  • Seed Starting and Soil Block Making—Erin Harvey, The Kale Yard
  • Tighten Up Your Crop Planting Sequence—Todd Schriver, Rock Dove Farm
  • Storing Grain: Keep it Clean, Keep it Dry, Keep it Cool—Dean McIlvaine, Twin Parks Farm
  • Fine-Tuning Your Grazing System—Sarah Flack, Sarah Flack Consulting
  • Raising Pastured Turkeys: From Brooder to Profit—Jessica Conrad, Jonathan Gabis, Leevi Stump, Greenacres Foundation
  • Homesteading with Heritage Breed Animals—Mary Lou Shaw, Milk and Honey Farm
  • You CAN Take It With You: Lessons from Losing Your Land—Lisa Helm, Dayton Urban Grown, Matt Tomaszewski, Earth Source Produce
  • Business Basics for Today's Start-Up Farmer—Anthony Barwick, Central State University Extension, RoShawn Winburn, Dayton Minority Business Assistance Center
  • Panel Discussion: Reforming Crop Insurance—David Bell, Paul Bell & Sons, Jefferson Dean, Timberlane Farms, Marty Warnecke, MJ Warnecke Farms, Julia Barton, OEFFA
  • Land Access and Affordability for Beginning Farmers—Michael Durante, National Young Farmers Coalition
  • Saving the Harvest through Value-Added Production—Jeannie Seabrook, Glass Rooster Cannery

FRIDAY

Workshop Session III: 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

  • Base Cation Balance: What are Soils, Crops, Weeds, and People Saying? —Steve Culman and Matt Kleinhenz, OSU
  • Joyful Gardening, Joyful Eating—Debra Knapke, The Garden Sage
  • Using Liquid Waste from Brewers for Fertilizer—Richard Stewart, Carriage House Farm
  • Cool Season Vegetable Production For Winter Harvest in High Tunnels—Elizabeth Maynard and Michael O'Donnell, Purdue University, David Robb, Eden Prairie Farm
  • Row Cultivators for Organic Weed Control—Jefferson Dean, Timberlane Farms
  • Grazing Q&A: Troubleshooting Your Grazing System—Sarah Flack, Sarah Flack Consulting
  • You Have to Eat Them to Save Them: Choosing the Right Hog Breed for Your Farm —James Anderson, Anderson Farms, Justin Dean, Woodlands Pork
  • Underground Greenhouse Design and Growing Conditions—Stephanie Blessing and John Wright, Red Beet Row
  • Inroads into Food Deserts: A Real-Time Report on Mobile Farmers' Markets and Good Food Access Initiatives—Danny Swan, Grow Ohio Valley
  • Panel Discussion: 15 Minutes of Fame: Forming Strong Relationships with Local MediaJim Coe, WCBE (ret.), Julie Kramer, Edible Ohio Valley, Debbi Snook, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Pete Emmons, Ag Today in Central Ohio
  • Panel Discussion: Defending Organic Integrity—John Bobbe, OFARM, Liana Hoodes, NOFA-NY, Jen Kindrick and Amalie Lipstreu, OEFFA
  • In the Trenches with Farming and Government Regulations—Jacob Coleman, Sweet Grass Dairy
  • Many Places, Many Movements: Listening Back on Our History—David Bell, Paul Bell & Sons, Jess Lamar Reece Holler, Growing Right Oral History Project

SATURDAY

Workshop Session IV: 8:30-10:00 a.m.

  • Interpreting Soil Health Information for Organic Producers—Alan Sundermeier, OSU
  • Companion Planting for Small-Scale Systems—Kate Cook, Carriage House Farm
  • Pay it Forward: Preparing Your Beds for Success—Steve Adams, Sunny Meadows Flower Farm, Ben Jackle, Mile Creek Farm
  • Organic Approaches to Insect Management on Cucurbit Crops—Celeste Welty, OSU
  • Integrating Livestock and Crop Production: A Multi-Species Approach—Joe Funkhouser, Funkhouser Family Farm
  • Designing Health Protocols for Certified Organic Herds—Gustavo Schuenemann, OSU
  • Hogs in an Agroforestry System—Weston Lombard, Solid Ground Farm
  • Discover Unique Uses for Alpaca Fiber—Alicia Rocco, Alpaca Spring Valley Farm
  • Urban Farming Practices and Principles—Milan Karcic, Peace, Love and Freedom Farm
  • How to Identify and Attract Your Ideal Customer—Corinna Bench, Shared Legacy Farm
  • Weaving Food Policy Work Statewide: The Development of the Ohio Food Policy Network—Meredith Krueger, Ohio Food Policy Network, Leslie Schaller, ACEnet
  • Health Insurance and Risk Management for Farmers: Tools for Navigating Health Insurance—Shoshanah Inwood, OSU, Stephanie Petrauskas, Rocking Horse Community Health Center
  • Learning Bounty Hunting: Source More Local Food for Your Restaurant or Institution— Bob Fedyski and Chris Knies, Casa Nueva

SATURDAY

Workshop Session V: 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

  • Pollinator Power—Bethany Majeski, Cleveland MetroParks
  • Seeds of My Ancestors: Saving Seeds from the Past for the Present and Future—Ronda Clark, Blackberry Sage Farm
  • Native Appalachian Medicinal Forest Plants: Finding a Niche in Forest Herbs—Eric Burkhart, Pennsylvania State University
  • Fertility for Vegetables—Allen Philo, BioStar Organics
  • Diversity in Organic Grain Production: Research Ideas for Improved Management—Danielle Kusner, The Andersons
  • Extend the Grazing Season Summer and Winter—Bob Hendershot, Green Pasture Services
  • Decreasing Mortality and Increasing Profits in Pastured Broilers—Michael Jones, Tierra Verde Farms
  • Fight Fossil Fuels at Home: Easy DIY Biogas Digesters—Erin Hogan and Kyle Look, Squeaky Duck Farmstead
  • Urban High Tunnel Tomato Production—Annabel Khouri and Eric Stoffer, Bay Branch Farms
  • "Cultivating" Your New Agribusiness: The First Five Years—Ambrose Moses, Central State University Extension
  • The Environmental and Health Costs of Hydraulic Fracturing in Ohio: Air, Water, Waste, and Land Use—Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, Debbie Cowden, Veteran Affairs
  • Marketing for Your Farm: Sell More of Your Product—Gretel Adams, Sunny Meadows Flower Farm
  • The Ohio Foodways Project—Lisa Trocchia-Balkits, Green Mountain College

SATURDAY

Workshop Session VI: 3:30-5:00 p.m.

  • Agroforestry, Forest Farming, and Native Forest Crops—Eric Burkhart, Pennsylvania State University
  • Fruit Tree Grafting—Bill Johnson
  • Log-Grown Shiitakes: The Ins and Outs of Efficient Growing—Dickie Crowe, Homegrown Crowe's Shiitake Mushrooms
  • Production of Organic Sweet Potatoes—Mike Anderson, Whitebarn Organics
  • Dual-Use Perennial Grain Crops: Grain for Humans and Hay for Livestock—Steve Culman, OSU
  • Goat Health Made Easy—Sasha Sigetic, Black Locust Livestock & Herbal
  • Strategies for Small Apiary Success—Dave Noble, Stratford Ecological Center
  • Building with Grass, Sticks, and Mud—Charles Schiavone, BLD farm
  • Can Urban Soils be Made Healthy for Farming?—Larry Phelan, OSU
  • Get Your Farm Funded: Finding and Applying for Grants—Larissa McKenna, Food Animal Concerns Trust
  • A Future Worth Fighting For: How You Can Stand Up to Big Ag and Make a Big Difference—Stacy Malkan, U.S. Right to Know
  • Panel Discussion: Pasture Raised Humans: Raising Your Children on the Farm—Sherry Chen, Andelain Fields, Jeff Suchy, Darby Meadow Farm, Lyndsey Teter, Six Buckets Farm, Rachel Tayse, Harmonious Homestead
  • Are Two Wheels Enough? Walk-Behind Tractors for Small-Scale Agriculture—Joel Dufour, Earth Tools

Exhibit Hall

BOOK TABLE

Here’s your chance to get great deals on scads of food and farming book titles! We also encourage you to donate your gently used farm and food books at conference, or before the event. Book sales support OEFFA’s work.

BOOK SIGNING TABLE

Books

On Friday, celebrate the republication of Contrary Farmer Gene Logsdon's The Man Who Created Paradise with Carol Logsdon.

Also on Friday, author and grazing expert Sarah Flack will be on hand to sign her book The Art and Science of Grazing.

Enjoy an Exhibit Hall, packed with a diversity of vendors, offering you a one-stop shopping experience. You'll find businesses that can help you find your market, products that you can use on your farm or in your backyard, services that will help your farm or homestead succeed, quality locally-produced merchandise for your pantry and home, and useful information from knowledgeable nonprofit and educational institutions. Be sure to check out all that the Exhibit Hall has to offer, including OEFFAstead—home to all things OEFFA in the trade show.

OEFFA MERCHANDISE

Don’t forget your OEFFA swag! Aluminum “No Spray” and other signs and organic logo stickers will be for sale.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION ASSISTANCE

Are you certified organic or considering certification? Bring your questions and paperwork! OEFFA Certification staff will be on hand to provide one-on-one assistance and to answer questions about the organic certification process, organic standards, and certification guidelines.

 

Raffle

Try your luck for a chance to win a variety of wonderful products and services, courtesy of many of our exhibitors, sponsors, and other conference supporters. Funds raised support OEFFA’s educational work.

Kids' Conference and Child Care

We encourage parents and caregivers to bring the family! Charlene "Charlie" Richardson is organizing this year's Kids' Conference, which offers 6-12 year olds educational and fun hands-on activities.

Child care is available for younger children. Megan DeLaurentis will again organize and offer age-appropriate activities and time to take a nap.

Private space for nursing can be arranged. Children must be with parents during meal times.

MORNING EXERCISE

Gather yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually for the day. No prior experience is needed and all are welcome.

CHI KUNG

Friday, February 16—7:00-8:00 a.m.

Tai chi instructor and Snowville Creamery owner Warren Taylor will lead a morning chi kung session. Chi kung is similar to tai chi, but focuses on upper body movements.

YOGA

Saturday, February 17—7:00-8:00 a.m.

Center yourself for a robust day of learning with a beginner level yoga session. Please bring your own mat to participate.

exhibit hall

PUBLIC EXHIBIT HALL HOURS

OEFFA members and the public are invited to tour the Exhibit Hall on Thursday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. and on Friday from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at no cost.

Admission to the Exhibit Hall at other times requires paid registration.

Recordings

CONFERENCE RECORDINGS

With almost 80 workshops offered, how do you choose? You don't have to!

Dove Conference Services will give you the choice of purchasing individual workshop and keynote presentation MP3 recordings, or the complete set for one low price.

Order on-site or after the event at www.doveav.com/product-category/oeffa/2018-oeffa/.

Members

MEMBERS' MEETING

Friday, February 16—5:15-6:15 p.m.

Join us for OEFFA's annual membership meeting, where we review the past year, elect new members of the Board of Trustees, and discuss other issues on our members' minds.

This is YOUR organization. Please come to listen, learn, and share.

Volunteers

VOLUNTEERS

If you'd like to volunteer in the office before conference or help with set up on Thursday, February 15, contact Renee at (614) 421-2022 Ext. 205 or renee@oeffa.org.

Experience Dayton

The conference will be held at the Dayton Convention Center located at 22 E. 5th St., Dayton, OH 45402.

There’s lots to see and do in Dayton when you join us for the conference! Dayton offers the best of both worlds: the dining, nightlife, and buzz of the city, at a size and scale that makes it easy to get around and enjoy. Check out some of these nearby attractions:

A Place to Stay

Crowne Plaza Dayton

Crown Plaza33 E. 5th St., Dayton, OH 45402
(937) 229-9835
www.cpdayton.com

$105.00 per night (A limited number of rooms are available at this OEFFA group rate. Call (937) 229-9835 to confirm availability and pricing and make reservations.)

The Crowne Plaza is attached to the Dayton Convention Center by a convenient enclosed walking bridge. Complimentary parking in the Transportation Center garage attached to the hotel is included (for vehicles under 6’8”).

Please note: The hotel is SOLD OUT for Thursday and Friday nights; some rooms are still available on Wednesday and Saturday nights. We recommend checking with the hotel, however, and ask to be placed on their wait list in the event of cancellations.

The Red Lion Inn & Suites

Red Lion6960 Miller Ln., Dayton, OH 45414
(937) 898-1120
www.redlion.com/dayton

$79.00 per night (Reservation deadline: February 9)

Shuttle service is offered to the Dayton Convention Center.

 

For a list of other nearby hotel options, click here.

 

Parking

Parking is available in the Transportation Center parking garage for $6 per day maximum ($2 per hour, $1 per partial hour), or at no cost for Crowne Plaza Dayton guests.

The garage is located one block east of the Dayton Convention Center on 5th St. at Jefferson St. The garage offers a covered skywalk on Level 1 that connects to the third floor of the convention center.

Please pay for your parking before you get in your car to leave the facility by using the pay stations located on Level 1 (the skywalk level) at the parking garage.

The pay stations are located directly across from the elevators on the right as you are walking across the skywalk to the garage. They are located immediately on the right before you get to the elevators, which will be straight ahead.

Please note, there are no cashiers stationed at the exits. Credit/debit cards are the only form of payment that are accepted at the exits and are subject to additional charges if used at the exit. To use cash, you must use a pay station that is located on Level 1 of the parking garage. The pay station will also accept credit and debit cards.

For more information and directions, visit the Dayton Convention Center website.

In the event that the Transportation Center parking garage is full, overflow parking is available at the Montgomery County Reibold Building parking garage () on E. 5th St. between Main St. and Ludlow St.

Our Sponsors

Conference Presenters:

Conference Sustainers:

Conference Barnraisers:

Conference Cultivators:

  • Ag Organic
  • Albert Lea Seed Company
  • Certis USA
  • Columbus Irrigation
  • The Fertrell Company
  • Food + Agricultural Transformation
    at Ohio State (InFACT)
  • Hiland Supply Co.
  • Lucky Cat Bakery
  • Morning Sun Organic Farm
  • Ohio Earth Food
  • Paul Hall & Associates
  • Stauf's Coffee Roasters
  • Super Gro of Iowa
  • WQTT Ag Today Central Ohio

Conference Seeders:

  • Andelain Fields
  • Chelsea Green Publishing
  • Curly Tail Organic Farm
  • Eden Foods
  • Kevin Morgan Studio
  • Lucky Penny Farm
  • OEFFA Grain Growers Chapter
  • Plant Talk Radio
  • Tea Hills Farms
  • Trader Joe's Columbus Stores

Conference Friends:

  • Acre
  • AgCredit Agricultural Cooperative Association
  • Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition
  • Bexley Natural Market
  • Blue Jacket Dairy
  • Branstool Orchards
  • Carfagna's
  • Carriage House Farm
  • Fedco Seeds
  • Fox Hollow Farm
  • Great Lakes Organic Feed Mill
  • Hartzler Family Dairy
  • IBA
  • Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
  • Marshy Meadows Farm
  • Mockingbird Meadows
  • Nourse Farms
  • Storehouse Tea
  • Stutzman Farms
  • Warped Wing Brewing Company

Conference photographs by Palamedes Photography and George Remington. Conference artwork created by Kevin Morgan Studio.