Ohio State Extension educators in the Erie Basin and Maumee Valley EERAs are working together to offer a workshop for new and aspiring farms, the Northern Ohio New & Small Farm College. This workshop will focus on topics related to profitable and alternative agriculture for small acreages and adding new enterprises to existing farm operations.
Sessions will be held once a week for four weeks during the month of March. Each session will run from 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm. This workshop will be held at two locations, one in each EERA. The Putnam County Extension office in Ottawa, Ohio will be the site on Mondays, March 7, 14, 21 & 28. EHOVE Career Center in Milan, Ohio will be the site on Tuesdays, March 8, 15, 22, & 29. The same program is offered at each site.
The topics taught at each site will include: developing real-life expectations for your farm, as well as a business plan for your operation, selecting agricultural enterprises, developing budgets, marketing your product through direct marketing tools, and resources that are available.
Cost is $50 with each additional registrant from the family or operation at $30. Participants will receive 10 hours of classroom instruction, a resource notebook (1 per family), connections to people and resources who will provide insight to helping you grow your idea into a business, and light refreshments. Registration deadline is March 1, 2011.
To register contact Alan Sundermeier at- telephone 419-354-9050 or e-mail sundermeier.5@osu.edu. More information about this program is available at http://wood.osu.edu