Date/Time
Date(s) - February 14, 2019 - February 16, 2019
12:00 am

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The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s 40th annual conference, Just Farming: The Path Before Us, will return to Dayton this winter. Celebrate OEFFA’s 40th anniversary during Ohio’s largest sustainable food and farm conference, which features nearly 80 educational and inspiring workshops; a three-day trade show; in-depth, full day Food and Farm School classes; engaging nationally recognized keynote speakers Elizabeth Henderson and Onika Abraham; made-from-scratch, local, organic meals; Thursday and Friday evening networking and receptions; a kids’ conference, child care, and more.

Online registration is now open at www.oeffa.org/conference2019.

Keynote Speakers

Friday keynote speaker Elizabeth Henderson is a pioneer of the community supported agriculture (CSA) model and outspoken advocate working to address the many injustices of our food system. She is an author with more than 30 years of experience as an organic farmer and is the core leader behind the Agricultural Justice Project.

Saturday keynote speaker Onika Abraham is a farmer, educator, and social justice leader. She is Executive Director of Farm School NYC, where she works to cultivate diverse future leaders in the food justice movement. She is one of the co-founders of Black Urban Growers and served on the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Social Justice Action Committee.

Food and Farm School
Four full-day Thursday Food and Farm School class options provide in-depth learning opportunities:

  • Agroforestry in the Century of Cities and Climate Change: Blurring the Lines Between Fields, Forests, and Backyards—led by John Munsell, Catherine Bukowski, John Fike, and Katie Trozzo of Virginia Tech
  • Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agriculture Systems—led by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin and Tony Wells of the Main Street Project
  • Using the Lean System to Increase Profits with Less Work for Market Growers—led by Ben Hartman of Clay Bottom Farm
  • Want Clean Organic Grain Crops? Successful Weed Control Starts in the Soil—led by Gary McDonald of Organic Resources

Free Soil Health Workshop

The Ohio State University is offering a free 3.5 hour Thursday workshop to help farmers and gardeners understand soil tests and improve soil health:

  • Digging into Soil Health: What Tests Can Tell Us About Our Soil

Workshops, Networking, and More

This three day event offers more than 100 hours of workshops, abundant networking opportunities in the Exhibit Hall and beyond, moments to unwind and share a drink with new friends, activities to please the whole family, and more including:

  • Nearly 80 90-minute workshops on topics including sustainable farming, gardening, homesteading, livestock, business management, and policy, and more;
  • An expanded three-day trade show featuring dozens of businesses, non-profits, and government agencies, along with areas for large equipment display and live demonstrations;
  • The Contrary Farmers’ Social on Thursday at 2nd Street Market;
  • The Cream of the Crop Banquet on Friday;
  • A free farm land and labor mixer on Thursday;
  • A kids’ conference for children ages 6-12 and a playroom for young children; and
  • Locally-sourced, from-scratch lunches; raffle; book table; book signings, and much more.

A limited number of scholarships are available to persons of color and beginning farmers, along with reduced rate volunteer spaces. Online registration will be open until Jan. 28. On-site walk-in registration will also be available for an additional fee. For more information about the conference, or to register, go to www.oeffa.org/conference2019.