2023-24 Central State University Extension Plan of Work

In 2023, NECIC farmers participating in the Richland Gro-Op were introduced to the Ohio CAN program and encouraged to expand their market to include selling to Ohio Food Pantries via Ohio CAN. To do this, they contracted with another farm and past SARE Farmer Rancher Grant recipient, the Glass Rooster Cannery, to process all excess tomatoes grown not under contract, into tomato sauce. Two thousand pounds of tomatoes were processed into sauce and sold to Ohio CAN through this new program.

In 2023, a specialty crop manager training program was established in partnership with NECIC and the Richland Correctional Institute. The goal was to pilot a new curriculum that could be used to train individuals in specialty crop production with the intent of eventually creating a specialty crop manager certification for Ohio. NECIC received some start-up funding for the program. Richland Correctional Institute provided land, water, and electricity, and inmates close to being released for parole were recruited to participate in the training. CSU Extension educators provided a curriculum and training in Specialty Crops and Business and a NECIC farmer mentor oversaw their day-to-day engagement on the farm. Six participants completed the training. The 3/4 acre farm produced 7500 pounds of produce which was sold through the Richland Gro-Op cooperative. The six participants apprenticed approximately 3800 hours over the year covering all aspects of specialty crop production from crop planning, recordkeeping, tomato trellising, food safety, composting, cover cropping, harvesting, fence construction, outdoor mushroom production, and business planning.

Eight beginning farmers participated in a 6-month immersive Hydroponic Production series. These individuals gained knowledge on all aspects of production, business, and post-harvest management. Upon completion of the training, 2 individuals took farm management positions and one individual started a micro-farm.

Eight CSU Extension educators engaged 160 beginning farmers in one of nine different beginning farmer programs offered through Central State University Extension in Ohio. The individuals participated in an immersive multi-session series that covered all aspects of sustainable specialty crop/vegetable production, farm business planning, and management. Participants engaged in the production of produce and on-site farm apprenticeship at one of the partnering locations with the aid of on-site farm mentors.

Six participants at a Muskingum County Beginning Farmer demo farm started a food pantry using produce grown on the farm. From this effort, two additional food pantry sites were started also using produce grown on the farm. This farm site is located in the Appalachia region where food disparity exists. This site is focused on empowering community members to actively address this issue while finding innovative ways of reducing food deserts in the community. These are self-service food pantries. Beginning farmers were motivated and encouraged when the produce they grew was taken and appreciated by members of the community.

CSU, OEFFA, and OSU applied for and received an OREI grant to implement 5 workshops throughout 2023 and 2024 to create a dynamic discussion and dialog about research and farming to help growers develop researchable ideas that can be implemented on the farm. Two of these workshops were implemented in 2023. At the OEFFA conference, 45 farmers engaged in this discussion, and at the Black Farming Conference 30 farmers engaged in this discussion for a total of 75 farmers in 2023. In January of 2024, 75 farmers participated in this workshop at the Ohio Organic Grain Growers conference. Two more workshops are planned for 2024. At each of these workshops, growers are introduced to the concept of how to develop a research question and given some direction of researching their ideas. They are also introduced to the SARE farmer/rancher grant and given information about when to apply and supporting resources available to them.

CSU extension implemented a beginning beekeeper training series in the Southeast region of Ohio in partnership with area veteran beekeepers who served as program mentors. Sixty beginning beekeepers participated in the 10-part series to increase their understanding and skills in all aspects of beekeeping.

In 2023, 12 farmers in Southwest Ohio established two separate farm cooperatives that service Dayton: Seven Seed Sowers Cooperative and Nu Soul Farm. These beginning growers developed relationships with each other while participating in two different beginning farmer programs. They found they could better meet the vegetable production demands of the local community by pooling their resources. Each cooperative sells its produce at different locations, one through several markets in the city of Trotwood and the other in the Edgemont neighborhood of Dayton. They learned and continue to refine the sustainable production methods they developed in the Central State University Incubator Farm and Fast Track Farming programs they participated in. Beyond production, the Cooperative model is helping their businesses become sustainable.