Credit and Insurance Available for Small Farms – Nick Davidson, AgWest Farm Credit; George Harris, AgWest Farm Credit; John O’Neil, USDA- FSA; Aaron Qualls, American National Insurance

This session will help small farmers understand the availability of lending and insurance opportunities that are available for them.

Food Hub Trade Networks: How Food Hubs Connect Regional Markets in Oregon – Erin Maher, Agricultural Connections; Kristen Penner, Regional Food Systems Value Chain Coordinator; Kiara Kashuba

How food hubs, producers and makers are collaborating to expand their markets by creating and piloting a trade network and sharing infrastructure.

Design and Implement a Holistic Grazing Plan – Mike Guebert, Oregon Pasture Network and Terra Farma; Jared Gardner, Nehalem River Ranch

If you want to raise healthy, happy livestock in a way that promotes soil health, carbon sequestration, and improved profitability, this session is for you. You will learn how to plan and implement an adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) system to achieve these goals and more. We’ll cover forage assessment, fencing options, monitoring and much more in a session suitable for grazing managers of all experience levels.

IPM for the Flower Farmer – Sarah Head, Eda Creek; Margaret Parks, Evergreen Growers Supply

Join us for a vibrant discussion about insects, pests and diseases in cut flower crops. With an emphasis on biological controls and greenhouse/high tunnels growing conditions this sessions is applicable to crops outside of flowers as well. Sarah and Margaret have been working closely together for years to hone solid IPM plans and pest reduction on Sarah’s farm and those of other regional growers.

How DO Farmers Balance Work and Family Life? – Katie Kulla, author of Farm-Raised Kids; Chris Overbaugh and Shannon Shipp-Overbaugh, Winter Green Farm; Christina Menchini, Campfire Farms; Kara Gilbert, Vibrant Valley Farm

Are you a farmer-parent or hoping to become one? Join Katie Kulla, author of Farm-Raised Kids, as she and a panel of fellow experienced farmer-parents discuss the joys and challenges of raising kids while also operating a small farm. We’ll address important topics such as safety, child care, stress management, farmer pregnancy and postpartum care, navigating evolving professional relationships on the farm, and more. There will be time for questions, discussion and information-sharing between attendees.

Organic Certification Solutions – Levi Fredrikson and Matthew Molyneaux, Oregon Tilth; Nick Andrews, OSU Extension; Organic Farmer Panelists TBD

Organic certification opens up new markets but getting inspected can be a difficult process. Experienced organic farmers and certification experts have found ways to navigate organic certification well. We often hear questions like these: How do I get my records ready for inspection? How can I figure out if a new input is complaint with NOP standards? What are my options if I can’t find an organic handler or processor for my crop or livestock? How do the new fraud prevention plans apply to my farm? Join us to get some tips from experienced organic farmers and inspectors.

Strategies for Dry Farming and Minimal Irrigation in Less Ideal Soils and Climates – Lucas Nebert, OSU Organic Agriculture Program; Jennifer Clark, Roots Farm, Paulsbo, WA; Matt Davis, OSU Dry Farming Program

Dry farming is a millennia-old tool that farmers can use to grow valuable food and fiber during the dry season without relying on irrigation. While dry farming generally works best in more water-holding soils and more humid climates, there are still management strategies you can use to successfully dry farm warm-season vegetables and other crops in sandier soils and hotter, drier climates. This session includes a deep-mulch approach for dry farming in sandy soils, field preparation and microclimate management strategies to control blossom-end rot in dry-farmed tomatoes, and using affordable soil moisture sensors to inform decisions for dry farming and minimal irrigation.

Growing Strawberries Under High and Low Tunnels in the Willamette Valley – Joussy Hidrobo-Chavez, Graduate Research Assistant in the Horticulture Department at OSU; Matt Unger, retired 43 years as a berry farmer

Join Joussy Hidrobo-Chavez and Matt Unger in this session to learn about strawberry production under tunnels and how tunnel systems can extend the fresh market strawberry season on both ends. Joussy will focus on recent strawberry research at OSU and Matt will give a producer perspective on the use of high tunnels. Topics covered from Joussy’s research will include yield performance, fruit quality and pollinator presence for ‘Albion’ and ‘Seascape’ cultivars planted in low tunnels, double tunnels, high tunnels, and open beds. Matt will provide a grower’s perspective on day neutral strawberry production in high tunnels and open field. Matt will also discuss how high tunnels help with extending the season and provide more consistent production. In addition, he will compare the cost vs. benefits of high tunnels and discuss some of the challenges with high tunnel production.

Beyond Direct to Consumer: A Panel on Wholesale Marketing Channels for Small Farmers – Jeremy Mueller, Commonplace Farm; Facilitated by Teagan Moran and Evie Smith, OSU Extension Small Farms Program Faculty

Interested in exploring market channels for your farm other than direct-to-consumer marketing? Join us for a facilitated panel with representatives from a distributor (Organically Grown Company), a cooperative grocery store (First Alternative CoOp), and Oregon Farm to School Program, along with a farmer who has experience with a variety of wholesale channels. Market representatives will be sharing what they need (information, samples, paperwork, volume, etc) from farmers and how they decide what farmers to work with. Our farmer panelist will offer insight into their experience and lessons learned as they transitioned from direct to consumer to exclusively wholesale. You will leave knowing what gets you in the door, and what will set you up for a successful long-term relationship with these market channels. There will be plenty of time for discussion, so bring your questions!

Bring Your Culture to the Farm Stand – Nikita Vincent, Twig and Bloom Farm; Chong Kee, Homesteader; Bea Johnson, Sunbow Produce

Plants are an essential part of culture and lifeways. For many of us, certain crops are only accessible affordably or with consistent quality if grown by the household, but how can you bring crops significant to your culture and community to your farm? This session will discuss strategies to incorporate specialty crops vital to you and your community at various production scales. Our panelists include Nikita Vincent, a self-described micro farmer of food and flowers who integrates her African American and Scandinavian heritage into her crop choices and community work, Chong Kee, a household scale grower with a Singaporean background who focuses on southeast asian herbs and crops that are hard to source with predictable quality and Bea with Sunbow produce. This well-established organic farm is expanding its offerings of Hispanic cultural crops. Topics such as adapting crops from different climates to western Oregon, being authentic to your lived experiences, avoiding cultural appropriation, connecting with avenues for sale, and understanding the practicalities of production will be discussed.

Pricing Info For 2024

• Registration $85 per person until Feb. 3rd
• After Feb. 3rd $100 per person
• At the door registration may NOT be available due to venue capacity.