Mobile Infrastructure for Rotational Grazing and Fencing
Presenter(s): Brad Ketchum, Mat Boerson, Paul and Marisa Maggio, Randy Cutler
Description: Join Randy Cutler of Cutler Fence and a panel of experienced graziers as they share the what and how of mobile solutions for grazing needs and pasture health. They will look at options for managing and caring for your livestock with portable fencing, movable minerals, mobile shade, and all the tools and equipment you may need as you make your paddock moves.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
In Their Own Words - What Farm Employees Value in a Work Experience
Presenter(s): Abby Benson, Sarah Janes Ugoretz, Magdalen Ng
Description: Hired labor is crucial to the success of many diversified vegetable farms. Yet farm owners struggle to attract and retain employees, and many of those employees struggle to build a sustainable career for themselves in this industry. In this session, we will dig into what employees value in a work experience, key challenges they face, and retention factors. Our discussion is grounded in data collected from nearly 200 farmworkers across the country between 2019 and 2022, as well as co-presenters’ first-hand experience as farm employees.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Managed Grazing 101
Presenter(s): Hannah Bernhardt, Morgan LaSalle
Description: Grazing curious? Join Hannah Bernhardt from Medicine Creek Farm and Morgan LaSalle of ForageScape Farm to learn the basic principles of good pasture management and hear their experiences with multispecies grazing of cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry. Learn practical tips to get started and how to find the resources and funding to
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Taming the Workload / Agile Systems Management for Small Farms
Presenter(s): Joel Barr
Description: While there are many "how-to" resources on small-scale farming, there are a few on the concepts of work(load) management. After years of frustration Joel began to research methods used in various other industries and over time synthesized a simple yet flexible analog system that keeps his complex farm on track through any situation.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
One Year Corn, One Year Rye with Clover a Soil Regenerative System
Presenter(s): Gary Zimmer
Description: A few challenges with organic farming include weed control, providing enough nitrogen, and excess tillage. Learn what Otter Creek Organic farm has done to address these issues. We have been following this system for several years and have managed to lower input costs, radically improve soils, increase yields and reduce tillage with only two workers farming 1500 organic acres in a 45-mile circle with small fields. This session will outline Otter Creek Organic farm’s methods and economics.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
POULTRY PRODUCTION MODELS PANEL
Presenter(s): Michael Gutschenritter, Jody Padgham, Heather Flashinski, Nick Westby
Description: Jody Padgham, long time organic poultry farmer and editor of Raising Poultry on Pasture: Ten Years of Success, will moderate a panel of farmers using paddock shift, chicken tractors, and day ranging models. Hear why they use their system, how it works for them, and bring lots of questions!
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Effective Management of Livestock in Organic Row Crops
Presenter(s): Kathleen Delate and Francis Thicke
Description: Many of the problems we face in agriculture today are the result of disconnecting the animals and plants that together provide our food. This workshop focuses on strategies for reconnecting livestock with our cropping systems to improve soil health, cycle fertility and nutrients, reduce purchased inputs and labor, and improve the overall farm system.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Organic Management of Canada Thistle
Presenter(s): Dave Campbell, Joel Gruver
Description: If you are dealing with this perennial weed in your fields, you know what a stalwart adversary it can be. With its ability to spread by seed and from vegetative buds in the root system, it can be a challenge to manage once established. Joel Gruver of Western Illinois University and 2022 Farmer of the Year Dave Campbell will examine the biology, vulnerable stages of development, and share their experience with management strategies.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Reducing Tillage in Organic Vegetable Production
Presenter(s): Rue Genger, Claire Strader, Dylan Bruce, Liz Dwyer
Description: Farmer-led learning and on-farm research into cover crop-based reduced tillage will build resilience to extreme rainfall for diversified vegetable production.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Organic Apples 101
Presenter(s): Rachel Henderson, Tom Rosenfeld
Description: Want to grow organic apples? This session will address both the business of apples and the basics of growing certified organic apples in the Midwest. Topics include choosing your market, site selection, variety selection, pest, disease, and nutrient tactics and more. The focus will be on resources and decision tools. Co-presented by Rachel Henderson of Mary Dirty Face Farm and Tom Rosenfeld of Earth First Farms.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Farming and Quality of Life: Two Perspectives
Presenter(s): Thelma Heidel-Baker, Ariel Pressman
Description: This workshop will provide two different perspectives: one from a vegetables farmer who ultimately decided to leave farming and one from a Dairy farmer making adjustments to stay in farming. They will discuss in detail the quality-of-life changes both have implemented over the years and the effect they have had on themselves, their families, and farms.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Organic Research Forum Presentations
Presenter(s): Various
Description: The Organic Research Forum showcases research studies on organic farming practices and brings together researchers and farmers to discuss goals and future research needs. The Organic Research Forum is a project of Marbleseed.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Poultry Production Models
Presenter(s): Jody Padgham
Description: Jody Padgham, long time organic poultry farmer and editor of Raising Poultry on Pasture: Ten Years of Success, will moderate a panel of farmers using paddock shift, chicken tractors, and day ranging models. Hear why they use their system, how it works for them, and bring lots of questions!
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Crop Insurance for Conservation-Minded Operations
Presenter(s): Kate Hansen, Megan Vaith
Description: When deciding to implement a new conservation practice, it’s important to make sure your risk management strategies align. This presentation will provide an overview of how crop insurance interacts with various conservation practices and management types including organic, cover crops, multi-cropping, and more. Content will include cover crop guidelines, organic price elections, insuring with contract prices, new relay cropping provisions, double cropping coverage, Whole Farm Revenue Protection, and Micro Farm.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Weed Management for Organic Field Crops
Presenter(s): Joel Gruver
Description: New to field crop production or transitioning to organic management? Effective organic weed management requires more than just equipment. Joel Gruver of Western Illinois University will identify systematic strategies for successfully disrupting weed life cycles, timely interventions through cultivation, and rotation scenarios to give your crop a competitive advantage.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Organic Transition 101
Presenter(s): Kristen Adams
Description: Thinking about transitioning to organic? Hear from organic certifiers about steps to take, and resources to help you along the way.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Improving High Tunnel Soils with Cover Crops
Presenter(s): Julie Grossman and Hannah Walsh
Description: High tunnels are becoming an increasingly popular approach to extend the vegetable cropping season in cold climates. However, soil and nutrient management in organic high tunnels can be challenging. This workshop will explore the concept of ecological nutrient management in high tunnel environments, with special attention paid to cover crops. Research-based information will be provided on cover crop species selection, nutrient contribution, challenges and benefits, as well as management tips and tricks for those wishing to diversify their high tunnel rotations with cover crops. Participants will also learn about current research efforts in high tunnel soil improvement taking place at the University of Minnesota.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Doubling Down on Diversity & Creating an Economy Based in Abundance, Care and Reciprocity
Presenter(s): Anna Jones-Crabtree, Doug Crabtree
Description: What does it take to double down on diversity in crops, animals, enterprises and community in order to build farms that thrive in the face of adversity? Farming on a planet with an unstable climate means we cannot use the past to predict the future. Join Saturday Keynote speakers Anna Jones-Crabtree & Doug Crabtree for this workshop that will explore ways to implement solutions that equitably share the risk and reward of implementing radical stewardship and creating an economy based in abundance, care, and reciprocity.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Organic Farming & Climate Risk: Assessing & Understanding the Insurable Risks of Organic Production
Presenter(s): Jeff Schahczenski
Description: The long-term trends of insurable losses have been increasing and may further increase because of changing and disruptive weather and climate. Can organic farmers better assess their weather-related and market insurable risks in the face of climate disruption? This practical workshop will explore in a case-study format two available on-line tools that can help producers better understand the causes of insurable losses and explore the cost of purchasing crop insurance products to provide some protection against future losses.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Reclaiming Ancestral Knowledge, Dismantling Structural Racism
Presenter(s): Malcom Evans, Xavier Colon
Description: Join 2022 Marbleseed Changemaker Awardee Urban Grower’s Collective for a discussion about their programs and how they are affecting change.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Panel: Vegetable Market Analysis
Presenter(s): Laura Frerichs, Becca Carlson Rudebusch, Liz Granak, and Atina Diffley
Description: It is always something. Markets change. One day home-delivered produces boxes are cutting into CSA sales; the next, a pandemic shuts down restaurants, colleges, and farmers markets. In this workshop, a panel of fresh market farmers shared how they keep their finger on the pulse to evaluate customer's needs, expectations, and perceived competition, and their plans for 2023.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
On Farm Forestry - Finding Value in Your Woods
Presenter(s): Tony Johnson
Description: Farm woodlots have the potential to add economic, environmental, and social value to your agricultural operation. This workshop will provide an overview of the planning, people, and programs that can help your woods reach their potential. The workshop will also touch on some economic opportunities, tax considerations, conservation priorities, and lifestyle benefits found in the farm woods.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Going Solar on Your Farm: Producing Renewable Solar Energy for Profit and Sustainability
Presenter(s): Francis Blake, Bobby King, Nicole Rakobitsch, and Art Thicke
Description: Farmers use solar energy to produce food and fiber. Now with solar arrays it is possible to add renewable electricity to your farm's production. A solar array will pay for itself, generate profit over time, and allow you to have control over your energy costs. This workshop will cover the basics of solar technology, the economics of solar, grants and incentives available to go solar, and soliciting and reviewing bids from solar installers. Minnesota dairy grazier Art Thicke will share his experience with going solar and expanding his solar array over time.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Soil Nutrient Management 101
Presenter(s): Glen Borgerding
Description: Learn about soil testing and nutrient management principles in organic production systems. Topics will include soil testing and its interpretation, crop rotations, nutrient cycling, manure, compost, and fertilizer use. This session will be ideally suited for beginning organic farmers and experienced producers who want more in-depth understanding of nutrient management principles on their farms. Cut through all the hype and get down to the basics of what will work on your organic farm.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Ask a Vet
Presenter(s): Tom Roskos, Sarah Slaby
Description: Ever wished you could just corner your veterinarian and ask them all those burning questions you have regarding the well-being of all your livestock? Well, here is your chance! This facilitated Q&A will feature Dr. Sarah Slaby of Dr. Sarah’s Essentials and Dr. Tom Roskos. We all have questions about how to best care for the critters on our farms in an organic and holistic manner, and this is a unique opportunity to learn from the experience of these caring professionals.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Pastured Pigs for Beginners
Presenter(s): Dayna Burness
Description: Thinking of getting into pastured pigs? Dayna Burtness of Nettle Valley Farm will introduce the basics of finishing pigs on pasture, including fencing, food/water/shelter options, finding feeder pigs, and more. This workshop will be geared towards folks who currently do not have pigs or those who may raise small numbers but are looking to scale up a bit.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Outlook for Organic - Challenges, Opportunities, and Continual Improvement
Presenter(s): Moderator: Lori Stern Panel: Francis Thicke, David Glasgow, Alan Lewis, Adam Warthesen, Doug Crabtree
Description: There are a number of reasons to be enthusiastic about the future of Organic as we work our way through this time of unprecedented support from the USDA, ever growing consumer demand for many organic products, and long-awaited rules updates. We also know we face some challenges and potential threats to the label that denotes for many of us a movement as much as it does an industry sector. Join us as we explore what lies ahead and how we can continue to improve and protect the label that is at the foundation of our work.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Shaping the 2023 Farm Bill Together
Presenter(s): Margaret Krome, Kate Mendenhall, Steve Etka, Hannah Quigley, Maia Usher-Rasmussen
Description: The process is underway to develop the 2023 Farm Bill, and now is the time for the organic community to move our priorities forward together. Join this panel discussion as we identify our shared objectives, discuss the process and how we can engage it, and what all of us can do to help ensure that this next Farm Bill supports the kind of farming that supports people and planet. Margaret Krome, Policy Director at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, will moderate a panel that includes policy experts from NOC, OFA, NSAC, and the National Young Farmers Coalition.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Strategies for Developing a More Robust Rotation
Presenter(s): Margaret Smith, Mike Schulist
Description: Longer and more diverse crop rotations can improve soil health, reduce weed pressure, help with pest and disease management and boost biodiversity. But how does one develop a rotation best suited to their farm? And how do you find a market for all these crops? This session will take a look at principles and scenarios for building robust rotations that work in the Upper Midwest, as well as established and novel approaches for marketing the whole rotation.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Introduction to Growing Pears
Presenter(s): David Sliwa
Description: Pears can be among the choicest of tree fruits when grown to perfection. Growing a really good pear starts with selecting among the best of the old and new varieties; training and pruning these varieties which typically have very strong vertical growth; and addressing the vexing question of when to harvest the fruit which usually needs to be picked when mature and ripened off the tree.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
An Abundance of Broccolini Trials: 2022 Results From Across the Upper Midwest
Presenter(s): Natalie Hoidal, Kristine Lang, Anna Racer
Description: Join us for updates on a variety of broccoli trials, conducted in partnership with farmers and gardeners across the upper Midwest. This session will highlight variety trials including: screening for black rot and Alternaria tolerance, late-season broccoli performance in clover living mulches, an update on Swede Midge monitoring, and a discussion about broccolini as an alternative to broccoli. Come prepared to share your own experiences and walk away with new techniques and cultivars to use on your farm in 2023.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Panel: Next Level Graziers
Presenter(s): Joe Tomandl, Jason Cavadini, Angie Sullivan, Mat Boerson, Cheyenne Christianson
Description: Hear from a panel of experienced grazing practitioners about how they manage their pastures and the tricks and tips that took their grazing to the “next level.” This discussion will be moderated by Angie Sullivan, the Apprenticeship Director from the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, and will look at both beef and dairy operations.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Cooperatives: A Business Model for the Solidarity Economy
Presenter(s): Austin Frerick, Lauren Langworthy, Ken Meter, Kelly Maynard, Josh Bryceson
Description: Generations of farmers have depended on cooperatives as an essential tool to support their livelihoods and their communities. Do co-ops support a fairer food system? Can they offer alternative solutions to corporate consolidation? Join this conversation to hear about the key role that cooperatives can play in re-developing community-centered food and farming systems. Panelists will provide examples of different cooperative efforts from around the country. They will also explore the challenges and opportunities of farmer-led cooperative models.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Building Community Food Webs
Presenter(s): Kristy Lynn Allen, Amy Bacigalupo, and Ken Meter
Description: Organic farms can be potent community builders. By pursuing healthy farming practices, we create new fertility and lower environmental costs, reducing financial flows away from rural communities. Yet farming is a fragile occupation unless community members support farm families. That includes buying or bartering for food. This workshop will focus on how community foods effort have effectively woven webs that connect farmers and eaters. Ken Meter will start with highlights from his book, Building Community Food Webs, that features 8 of the most advanced food networks in the US: Montana; Hawai‘i; Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona; Northeast Indiana; Southeast Ohio; Colorado; and Minnesota. Then Kristy Lynn Allen will describe how the St. Croix Valley Food Alliance (SCVFA) in Northwest Wisconsin builds connections with those who live near their farms, augmenting their metro customer base.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Tips and Tales to Start and Stay in the Mushroom Business
Presenter(s): Joe and Mary Ellen Foltz
Description: Mushroom cultivation is relatively new to the small-farm scene and emerging technologies, equipment and methods keep the grower challenged to meet demand and stay economically strong. Learn from four veteran family business owners/growers about cultivation trends; from how-tos for various mushroom farm models, to things you will want to know if you are going to start and stay in the mushroom business.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Maximizing Nitrogen Fixation From Legumes
Presenter(s): Rebecca Fudge
Description: Nitrogen is critical for plant’s growth and development. Most plants take up nitrogen from the soil, but the legume family of plants can derive nitrogen directly from the air. How can you ensure you are getting as much nitrogen as possible from your legumes? We will give an overview of biological nitrogen fixation and legume inoculation. We will also show you how to calculate pounds of nitrogen you are getting from your legumes and discuss promising options for winter annual legumes in the Midwest.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Perennials on Cut Flower Farms
Presenter(s): Maggie Sheehan
Description: Growing perennial flowers and shrubs is a fantastic way to add diversity and to extend the growing season for a cut flower farm. We will discuss some of our favorite perennial flower and foliage crops to grow in Zone 4, as well as considerations for planting, profitability, and maintenance of perennial plants.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Creative Land Access for Beginning Farmers
Presenter(s): Bonnie Warndahl, Brett Olson, Katie Kubovcik, Moses Momanyi
Description: Join experienced Farmland Access Navigators to learn about the current challenges and solutions of land tenure. They will share land access stories and dive into creative solutions to land acquisition. Whether you’ve identified land or have just begun your search, they will equip you to stride more confidently into your farmland access journey and provide a deeper understanding of the Farmland Access Hub, a consortium of partners that provides transitioning farmers with support and resources to succeed.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Record Keeping for Dairy Producers
Presenter(s): Kristen Adams, Mary Capehart
Description: This workshop will explore how to keep records that help prepare you for your annual organic inspection, remain in compliance, and work for your operation.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
5 Legal Best Practices for Every Farm
Presenter(s): Rachel Armstrong
Description: We will show you the what, why, and how around legal fundamentals like liability, business structures, and government regulations for worker and product safety to build your farm’s legal resilience. You’ll walk away knowing why these 5 points are essential and most importantly, how to take action on those points in a way that is consistent with your values and resources. We provide valuable resources to help you apply the law’s best practices to your situation.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Biosecurity for Pastured Poultry Producers
Presenter(s): Kevin Ellis
Description: With recent outbreaks of Avian Influenza, keeping poultry flocks healthy has become an important topic for anyone who has chickens, turkeys, ducks or other fowl. Implementing biosecurity plans and practices to reduce the chances that that a flock will come into contact with disease-causing agents is the easiest way to help prevent on-farm illness. Understanding how poultry get sick and how to prevent it is critical to developing an effective biosecurity plan. This session will outline general poultry health as well as some easy steps that poultry producers or even backyard chicken owners can take to ensure that their flocks stay healthy and happy. In addition, this session will provide ideas on who to contact, and how in order to get diagnostic help if a flock is sick.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Choosing the Right Equipment for Your Farm
Presenter(s): Wyatt Parks
Description: Tired of doing everything the hard way? Looking to increase efficiency and save yourself from a lifetime of back pain and sore muscles? Maybe just thinking about upgrading from your old Allis to something made this century? Choosing the right equipment is not always easy or straightforward but there is a path to success! This workshop will take you from buying your first used tractor or implement on marketplace to purchasing your dream machine straight from the dealer.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
Funding Your Farm with Little to No Debt - Grants and Creative Fundraising Strategies for Farmers
Presenter(s): Fresh Roberson
Description: There are a variety of ways to incorporate money into your farm besides the sales of your products. We will share several ways to fund your farm while minimizing or avoiding the stress of debt and loans. Fresher Together Farms has raised over $250,000 in funding in their first three seasons and will be sharing strategies from not only their farm, but also other regional farmers who use grants and other debt free resources as a regular presence in their farm’s viability.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.
NOP Program Update and Focus on Transition to Organic Partnership (TOPP)
Presenter(s): David Glasgow, Allison Walent
Description: David Glasgow, Associate Deputy Administrator of the National Organic Program, will provide an update on all that is happening at the NOP, including priorities moving forward. He will be joined by Allison Walent, Midwest TOPP Regional Center Program Director, and other TOPP partners for a dive into the unprecedented USDA support for transitioning and existing organic farmers and ranchers through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Do not miss this opportunity to learn how we work together to secure the future of organic.
Sign in and input coupon code or purchase recording to access.