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3. 2014 Women in Agriculture Educators National Conference

Helping Northeast Ohio Small and New Farmers Develop the Foundation for their Small Farm Dream

David Marrison, Erik Draper, and Les Ober

Summary

In northeast Ohio and across our nation, consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of buying local and fresh food products. As the demand for local food products increases, so does the interest in growing and producing a variety of locally grown products for consumers. To help new and existing farmers find ways to diversify their agricultural production, the OSU Extension offices in Northeast Ohio collaborated to develop the Northeast Ohio New & Small Farm College. This presentation will describe the Educators’ efforts in offering a small farm initiative during the past seven years. The team designed curriculum and taught eight small farmer colleges to help farm families increase their profits from their small acreage. Course topics included business planning, tax management, enterprise selection, marketing and agricultural resources. Over 300 individuals owning over 6,500 acres have participated in the colleges. This presentation will share how the college is taught over 5 weeks and includes on farm experiences.

Details

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