Audience: Specialty Grower

Farm Resource Class Series from OSU Extension – How to Lose Less on the Farm

My OSU Extension colleagues will be hosting both an online and in-person series of classes titled How to Lose Less on the Farm. The five part class series stretches from December to February and includes topics such as budgets, record keeping, alternative crops, taxes, and more. There is no charge for the class but they do ask for registration for planning and require registration if you wish to attend online.

 

CLICK this LINK to register.  The online link will be sent shortly before the class.

For questions please contact the Madison County Extension Office at 740-852-0744

Home Hydroponics Class at the Urban Farm Church on Wednesday November 13th, 2024 at 6pm

Home Hydroponics is one of the most popular classes I get asked to teach.  I get lots of questions from clients on this topic including what can I grow, what kind of lights do I need, how does this system work.  It can be a little bewildering but the benefits are amazing!  All this will be addressed at The Urban Farm Church on 11/13 at 6pm.  This class is free and open to the public but does require registration (so they know how many snacks to make!) so bring your friends and your questions!  If the weather is nice we can do a little garden walk too!

Table top unit growing eight heads of lettuce in less than a month!

CLICK HERE to Register

You can learn more about The Urban Farm Church HERE plus find directions to the class (lots of free parking!) HERE

Growing Garlic Class at Mt. Carmel Healthy Living Center on Wednesday October 16th @ 1pm

I will be teaching a class on Growing Garlic in the Home Garden in partnership with the Mt. Carmel Healthy Living Center, 777 West State St.,  on Wednesday October 16th @ 1pm.  The class is free and open to the public but they do ask for registration to ensure there is enough space.  Bring your friends and your questions and hope to see you there!

Heads of garlic, shown at the top, are separated into individual cloves. Select large healthy cloves to use as planting stock. Photo by Timothy J. Malinich, Ohio State University Extension.

Click Here for a Garlic Fact Sheet from OSU Extension

Check out the registration link below to register for this class as well as view a ton of other free learning opportunities.

CLICK this LINK to Register

CLICK HERE for directions to the center

Making Food at Home to Sell: Virtual Q & A Sessions

My colleagues at OSU Extension are hosting a series of virtual Q and A Sessions on the topic: Making Food at Home to sell.  This is a topic of interest to many urban farmers and is sure to provide a wealth of knowledge.  The series is free but does require registration. The registration link is below.

Here are the topics and dates/times:

Register here: go.osu.edu/virtualQA24

Each virtual Q&A session will begin with a 5–10-minute presentation.

You do not need to come prepared with questions. Feel free to drop in to listen!

*Please note that these virtual Q&As solely pertain to foods approved to be made at home (in Ohio) with the intention to sell them (e.g., cottage foods and home bakery products).

Learn more about Controlled Environment Agriculture

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is where we grow faster and more efficiently, using less water and nutrients by controlling the inputs such as light, temperature, pH, water, and nutrient delivery.  A lot of people know about CEA as hydroponics.  Ohio’s #1 industry is agriculture and our fastest growing segment is controlled environment agriculture.  Ohio is now the number TWO state in the nation in the indoor production of fruit, vegetables, and herbs!  There is a lot of opportunity in agriculture.  My largest program is engaging youth in agriculture in workforce development in their classrooms so they can see if agriculture is something they enjoy as a possible career.  I have a ton of information to share about CEA for you to learn more.

Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons is a USDA NIFA grant project that created a guidebook with supplemental online modules to engage teachers and students in schools in agriculture.  It was pilot tested by 46 teachers from Columbus City Schools so it is data-driven and teacher informed. Reach out to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu if you would like to get GTS into your schools to engage your kiddos in agriculture.

Hydroponics at Home! Did you know you can grow all year long using hydroponics in your home?  It is fun and easy.  Check out this video to learn more about Home Hydroponics.

 

Extension Today at Howlett – OSU’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences has classes on controlled environment agriculture in our Horticulture and Crop Sciences Department. Learn more about what the students are doing in this video.

 

Extension Today at the CEARC – come take a tour of OSU’s brand new research greenhouse, the CEARC!

 

Want to learn more? Email me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu

 

Growing and Using Herbs Class at the Urban Farm Church on Wednesday May 8th @ 6pm

Jenny and I will be co-teaching a class at the Urban Farm Church on Growing and Using Herbs on Wednesday May 8th @ 6pm.  The class is free and open to the public but UFC does ask for registration so they know how much snacks to make!  Bring your friends and your questions.  If the weather is OK, we can do a walking tour of their amazing farm.

Click here to view, print, or download the flyer –> May 8 flyer

Click here for directions to the Urban Farm Church.

Register using the QR code, the go link at   –>    go.osu.edu/herbsworkshop

OR Click HERE to register.

Hope to see you there!

Gardening for Conservation Webinar Series with The Nature Conservancy

I will be partnering with The Nature Conservancy for the third consecutive year for some gardening education and outreach.  We have expanded the webinar series to SIX topics of interest.  All are free and open to the public, but do require registration to get the link, so bring your friends and your questions!  I will be talking about ticks, growing your own food, and composting with both my OSU colleagues and TNC friends co-hosting! Registration links are below. 

 

 

CLICK HERE for the event page with more information plus registration or register for the individual classes below!

Registration Link for 4/24

Registration Link for 5/22

Registration Link for 6/26

Registration Link for 7/24

Registration Link for 8/28

Registration Link for 9/25

 

You can also click on the QR to register as well!

Hope to see you there!

Small Farm Conference in Guernsey Co. on April 6th, 2024

It may be a bit of a drive from Franklin Co. but there will be a ton of useful information for small farmers, or those who are looking to start a small farm.

OSU Extension will host the Eastern Ohio Small Farm Conference on April 6, 2024, at the Mid-East Career Technical Center Buffalo Campus, in Senecaville, Ohio! This is an incredible opportunity to hear from a vast selection of producers, professionals, and peers all in one place and just a short drive away.

Conference session topics are geared to beginning and small farm owners as well as to farms looking to diversify their operations. There will be five different conference tracks including: Horticulture and Produce Production, Business Management, Livestock, Natural Resources and new this year- The Farm Kitchen.

Some conference topic highlights include:

  • Raising Meat Rabbits (Kim Ray)
  • Making Goat Milk Products (Radisson Norman & Kirstin Roman)
  • Pastured Poultry (Jessie & Tyler Radcliff)
  • Livestock Handling (Mid-East CTC Students, Garth Ruff, & Brady Campbell)
  • Timber Harvesting and Marketing (Jake Peer)
  • Invasive Species (Carrie Brown)
  • Basics of Growing Paw Paws (Valerie Libbey)
  • Food Preservation Basics (Emily Marrison)
  • Herb Vinegars (Kate Shumaker)
  • Organic Pest Management (Logan Minter)
  • Growing Produce with Hydroponics (Tim McDermott)
  • Starting and Setting Up a Business (David Marrison)
  • Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership Program (John Morton)
  • Introduction to Bramble Production (Ryan Slaughter)
  • Products from the Hive (Joan Leary)
  • And SO MUCH MORE!

Anyone interested in developing, growing, or diversifying their small farm is invited to attend including homesteaders, gardeners, farmers market vendors, and anyone with a general interest in small farm living.

Attendees will have the opportunity to browse a trade show featuring the newest and most innovative ideas and services for their farming operation. The conference provides an opportunity to talk with the vendors and network with others.

The Conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2024 at the Mid-East Career Technical Center Buffalo Campus (57090 Vocational Rd. Senecaville, Ohio 43780). Registration to attend is $100 and includes light breakfast and catered lunch by Hog Hollow BBQ, due by March 28, 2024.

For conference and registration information call OSU Extension Morrow County 419-947-1070 or OSU Extension Knox County 740-397-0401.  You can also register for the conference online at: https://go.osu.edu/2024osusmallfarmconference

 

I will be speaking on hydroponics! I hope to see you there!

 

 

 

 

 

Online Fruit Pruning School on Thursday March 14th, 2024

There is an upcoming webinar on pruning that should be of interest to growers of fruit trees, grapes, and raspberries.  The event is free but requires registration to access the zoom link.

 

Click HERE to register. 

Click here to view, download, and print the flyer –> Pruning 2024

Please direct questions to sherman.1473@osu.edu