MT. HOPE, Ohio — Soil health and dairy farm profitability will be among the topics for the Organic Farming Conference to be held November 6-7 at the Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Mt. Hope, Ohio.

The planning committee focused on helping producers find ways to improve their operations, according to Adam Yoder, who operates an organic dairy farm near Charm, milking 35 Holsteins, and is a member of the conference planning committee.

“The conference is geared towards people who are in the business of production agriculture,” said Yoder. “Agriculture is ever evolving.”

He said the goal of the conference is to help producers be profitable and with that in mind, the conference features a mix of speakers in both the production side of agriculture and the business side of agriculture.

“We also want to bring in a mix of speakers that are local, from surrounding states and from a national level,” he added. Yoder also pointed out that the trade show continues to grow

The conference opens on November 6 at 8:30 a.m. with an overview of the day followed at 8:45 a.m. by a choice of presentations from Greg Bachman on Starting a Dairy Farm from Scratch or Direct Marketing by Brian Buckley of Jorgensen Farms. Bachman will share how they grew their operation from a single cow to their current herd of 70 cows, while Buckley will share tips on growing produce for the market and creating a unique experience for the customer. Further, he will share tips on regenerative farming with raised beds and silage tarps.

Other morning sessions include a choice of Carbonomics – The Amazing Economy of the Soil by Keith Berns. He will share how the principles such as supply, demand, currency, capital and infrastructure apply to the soil.

Conference participants will have a choice of afternoon sessions including a dairy panel on farm succession by Tim and John Miller, with Jared Miller as moderator. Also on tap are Soil Health Makes Sense — But Does it Make Dollars by Keith Berns; Timber Management by Henry Yoder; and Getting Started in Organic Produce by Roy J. Yoder.

On November 7, sessions begin at 8:45 with a presentation by dairy farmer Jordan Settlage on Grazing Against the Grain or Organic Tree Fruit Production by Isaac Yoder of Sunny Slope Orchards. The morning presentations will conclude with sessions on Living the Life by Aaron Hershberger, or a panel on growing organic vegetables.

Afternoon sessions include Grassfed Dairy in Today’s World, Dairy Economics and Record Keeping, Organic Goats and Growing and Storing Your Own Food. Lambright will share his journey from starting a conventional dairy to transitioning to organic to fall freshening to 100 percent grassfed with year-round freshening.

The deadline for early-bird registrations is October 25. The cost of the conference before October 25 for one day is $25 per person and $35 per person after October 25. The cost of the conference for both days is $40 per person before October 25 and $50 per person after October 25. After October 25, registrations may also be made at the door. Children 5 and under may attend for free. The planning committee wants the conference to be family-friendly with a room available for mothers to feed or tuck their babies down for naps, with sleeping cribs and rocking chairs included.

 The conference fee includes meals, breaks, registration, and the vendor show.  Checks should be made payable to the Organic Farming Conference and mailed to 5119 Township Road 613, Fredericksburg, Ohio 44627. For more information contact Adam Yoder at 330-231-4226 or visit their website at www.organicfarmingconf.com.

Lodging is available at Sleep Inn in Mt Hope (330-294-9977) or Comfort Suites in Berlin (330-893-7400). Mention the organic conference for a special discount.