Ohio Grazing Conference returns to Mt. Hope in January

Mt. Hope is preparing for the return of the annual Ohio Grazing Conference, where the green pastures of Ohio come together with the people who steward them. Throughout the rolling hills and pastureland, Ohio’s farms are as diverse as the producers and speakers who will gather at this anticipated event, all of whom are united by a shared commitment to healthy soil, thriving livestock, and creating and preserving profitable, sustainable operations.

The event will take place at the Mt. Hope Event Center Thursday and Friday, Jan. 22-23.

Over the two-day event, the conference will be a place to learn, exchange ideas, and be inspired by innovations and time-tested grazing wisdom that will guarantee Ohio’s agriculture will remain strong today and for generations to come.

The mission of the conference is simple: to create and maintain enthusiasm for farming and provide inspiration for fulfilling family life.

“We want to inspire people and to create excitement about all the possibilities in farming,” committee member John Mark Weaver said. “We’re growing food, and what is more essential than that in anyone’s world? And what better way to promote healthy farming practices than to devote time to the family farm, where everyone is working together in the same environment?”

To do so, the committee has gone to great lengths to create seminars and topics that will be intriguing, educational and ideal for today’s farmers.

In addition, the show will present an expo center filled with vendors. The vendor show, continuing to grow every year, will offer its patrons everything they could possibly need to help build equity, create new ideas or continue to succeed in farming.

Weaver, conference president, said this year’s show promises to be every bit as exciting as ever, filled with plenty of keynote speakers who will bring knowledge and ideas to the forefront.

On Thursday, Jan. 22, the schedule will kick off at 8 a.m. with registration, coffee and doughnuts and the official welcome at 8:25 a.m.

The sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. with Diversity on the Farm with speaker Harlen Rissler, followed by The Value of Epigenetics with presenter Allen Williams at 9:30 a.m.

“Epigenetics is very new, and Allen is known throughout the U.S., so he should be a very informative and enjoyable speaker," Weaver said.

The vendor show will be in full swing, and at 11 a.m. Practical Grass Management will be presented by William Yoder. An 11:45 a.m. lunch break will be followed by a breakout panel session on Dairy Breeds: Why I Milk the Cows I Do, at 12:45 p.m., featuring panelists Edward Keim, Christian Chupp, Owen Yoder, Reuben Yoder and moderator Matthew Steiner Jr.

A second session by Williams on Principles of Adaptive Grazing also will take place.

At 2:15 p.m. Financial Stewardship: Keeping a Proper Perspective of Finances in Prosperous Times will be presented by Firman Miller.

There also will be a pair of sessions geared toward women on the farm, the first at 9:30 a.m. featuring a ladies panel of Anna Marie Hershberger, Elsie Hershberger, Kathryn Miller and Ruth Troyer titled Growing Your Own Fruits & Berries, with the second session title Sisters Garden Tour with Rebecca Wengerd and Verba Graber.

Day two on Friday, Jan. 23 will be loaded with activities, beginning with the vendor show that will operate all day.

At 8:30 a.m. Steven Hochstetler will present From Our Farm to Your Table, a session geared toward insight on direct marketing. Crop Interaction Rotation with a focus on cover crops, yield and quality will be presented by Samuel Fisher at 9:30 a.m., with Mose Beachy presenting the good, the bad and the ugly in a session titled My Farming Career.

Lunch will begin a 11:45 a.m., with 12:45 p.m. kicking off the afternoon with a veterinarian panel of experts including Bob Collett, Ken Blanchard, Eric Shaver and Jim Honigford, who will present more than 150 years of experience in providing animal care for their communities.

“They’ll be sharing life experiences, some fun memories and experiences, and it should be a great panel discussion,” Weaver said.

Another pair of breakout sessions will take place at 2:15 p.m., the first being The Profit Potential on Small Dairy Farms featuring Leon Mast, the second being Understanding the Value or Detriment of Soil Disturbance by Samuel Fisher.

Day two also will feature a special presentation from the crew from Mid-Ohio Shepherds, with five sheep-focused topics taking place.

At 8:35 a.m. Raising a Lot of Sheep on Minimal Acres will be presented by Bill Simmons, followed at 10 a.m. by a Shepherd’s Panel presented by Merlin Bontrager, Perry Hershberger, Lamar Miller and moderator John Miller.

Following lunch, Pasture Management for Sheep by Richard Earhart at 12:15 p.m. will be followed by the 1:15 p.m. session titled Know Your Pasture Plants by Bob Hendershot. The final sheep session will be Common Diseases in Sheep, focusing on symptoms, prevention and treatment by Earhart.

There also will be a pair of women’s sessions on day two. The first will be at 9:30 a.m. titled Farm Tour: Making Memories on the Farm, presented by Myron and Linda Miller. The second will be a 12:45 p.m. session titled Family Financial Communications, a couple’s panel featuring Bryan and Rhoda Miller, Paul and Fannie Mae Miller, Robert and Marietta Miller, and Wayne and Susie Yoder.

Walk-in tickets are $40 for one day and $55 for a two-day pass, with children age 12 and under free.