Plans are set for the northcentral Ohio grazing conference in Dalton, Ohio

DALTON, Ohio — Managing the farm under drought conditions will be among the topics covered at the 2013 Northcentral Ohio Grazing Conference, Jan. 24-25 at the Buckeye Event Center in Dalton, Ohio.

The conference opens Jan. 24 with a presentation by Mark Martin, who operates a grazing dairy near Shiloh, Ohio.
Following Martin will be Edwin Blosser of Tampico, Ill., with a presentation on the value of humus to your farm.
Morning agenda

The morning will conclude with a choice of three break-out sessions: dry to freshening, with Dr. Travis Thompson; what you need to know about fencing, with Bob Hendershot; and sharing farmers’ numbers and schedule F with Emery Miller.

Afternoon agenda

The afternoon session opens with a young farmers panel featuring Nelson Zimmerman, Ashland, Ohio; Aaron Nolt, Nova, Ohio; Leon Yoder, Butler, Ohio and Jeff Miller, Dundee, Ohio.
The afternoon will conclude with a choice of three break-out sessions: how to compost, with Edwin Blosser; fall annuals and drought solutions, with Bob Hendershot; and financial insight roundtable discussion.

Two-day event

The second day of the conference opens with presentations by William R. Yoder, Butler, Ohio, and David Miller Jr., Sugarcreek, Ohio, sharing the differences and similarities in their farming operations.
Ben Bartlett, Traunik, Mich., will be the featured speaker Jan. 25 to discuss the power of managing holistically and a blueprint for successfully grazing.

The afternoon will include a choice of three break-out sessions: managing drought: Options and issues, with Ben Bartlett; what water system, with Bob Hendershot; and taking advantage of grassfed branding and adding income to the farm, by Jesse Meerman, Cooperville, Mich.

Conclusion

The afternoon will conclude with a panel discussion: surviving hard times: When to be frugal and when to spend, by Meerman, Henry Yoder, Clarence Yoder and David Miller.

Deadline

The deadline for registrations is Jan. 17. Cost of the conference is $50 for the first person from each farm and $45 for each additional person from the farm if made before Jan. 18.

Participants may also register for a single day; either Jan. 24 or Jan. 25 at a cost of $40. After that registrations may be made at the door and the cost is $65 for both days or $55 for a single day. The conference fee includes meals, breaks, registration and the vendor show.

Checks should be made payable to the Small Farm Institute and mailed to P.O. Box 214, Millersburg, OH 44654.
The conference is sponsored by the Northcentral Ohio Grazing Council, Agroecosystem Management Program, Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and the Small Farm Institute.