Begin Farming Ohio, a Collaborative Venture
Five entities representing higher education, state government, and the non-profit sector have begun to build statewide capacity to provide services especially responsive to the needs of beginning farmers, and to expand, enhance, and sustain services and resources of high value to those farmers.
Each organization has an accomplished record as a provider of outreach, education, training, and other services to farmers, and has established a reputation for services to beginning farmers. Each has an employee pool of professionals who are experts in both sustainable agriculture production and farm business management. All share a commitment to work together efficiently and effectively.
To learn more about these five collaborating organizations:
- Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy
http://www.cvcountryside.org/about.htm - Ohio Department of Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture
http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/SustainableAg/SustainableAg.aspx - Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
http://www.oeffa.org/oeffa.php - Organic Food and Farming Education & Research Program (OFFER)
of The Ohio State University Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center (OARDC)
http://oardc.osu.edu/offer/overview.asp?ID=2 - Ohio State University Extension
http://extension.osu.edu/about/index.php
Affiliated Partners
Begin Farming Ohio works to identify Ohio-serving organizations, including farm businesses, which provide a service or resource of high value to Ohio beginning farmers that also expands or complements the services offered by the five collaborators. To date, the following organizations are recognized as partners.
- Farm Credit Services of Mid-America
http://www.e-farmcredit.com/ - Innovative Farmers of Ohio
http://www.ifoh.org/ - Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
http://ofbf.org/ - Small Farm Institute
http://www.smallfarminstitute.org/ - USDA Farm Service Agency - Ohio
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/stateoffapp?mystate=oh&...
On a project basis, Begin Farming Ohio seeks the counsel and advice of aspiring and beginning farmers, as well as experienced farmers who have actively supported the development of beginning farmers through mentoring relationships, apprenticeships, and internships.
The following farmers provided their advice in the development of this website:
Benjamin (Benji) Bergstrand, Root Down Farm, Allen County
Chester (Chet) Bowling, Black River Organics, Lorain County
Susanna Dzejachok, Redozo Farm, Cuyahoga County
Lynn Wiblin, Growing Traditions at Legacy Grace Farm, Washington County
Brad Wickensimer, Fayette County
Joan Zerkle, Anderson Creek Farm, Champaign County
