Speakers
Join us for our 2 day conference on November 9-10,2023 featuring 4 keynote speakers alongside 500+ other attendees and vendors.
Dwight Stoltzfus
Springwood Farm
Grew up on Springwood Farm in Kinzers, PA as the oldest of 11 children. He assisted his father during the 90s in the gradual transition to becoming certified Organic, and later implementing 100% grass-fed grazing practices. After spending a few years off the farm, he, his wife Brenda, and their one-year-old son moved back to PA and joined his parents in a minority partnership in 2007. Dwight took on the herd and crop management role and in 2022 purchased the farm, successfully transitioning the farm to its fourth generation of family ownership. They are members of Organic Valley/CROPP’s Grassmilk program.
Stefan Sobkowiak
Miracle Farms
He has the largest commercial organic permaculture orchard in Eastern North America. Miracle Farms is 12 acres in Cazaville, Quebec, Canada. He started with organic monoculture in 1993 and developed the permaculture inspired u-pick orchard. He uses a NAP pattern (nitrogen fixer, apple, and plum/pear trees). The farm incorporates livestock with the fruits and vegetables that he grows on the farm. He has taught at McGill University and speaks to many different groups about setting up a permaculture orchard on any scale. He uses a CSA and Pick- U own for marketing.
Nathan Weaver
Originally he started dairy farming in Mt. Hope, OH and then, moved to Canastota, NY with his wife, Kristine and their children in 2006. They were part of a group looking to have more farms and farmland as their families grew. They established a dairy grazing farm and since then, four of their nine children have started new farms in the area. They moved to Cazenovia, NY after turning the original farm to one of his sons. He and Kristine have started a new dairy farm in that area. Nathan is a frequent contributor for Graze Magazine.
Schedule
Take a look at the schedule for 2023 below for keynote speakers and breakout sessions, as well as the farm home section of our conference.
Thursday, November 09
8:30am
8:45AM
10:00AM
10:30AM
11:45AM
Welcome and Overview
Keynote Speaker
In Pursuit of Regenerative: Introduction and the Three F’s of Farming in the Future by Dwight Stoltzfoos
Vendor Show / Morning Break
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Soil Prep for Weed Control by Gary McDonald
Room 2: Why We Farm? (Part-time to Full-Time Sheep Farmer) by Levi Hershberger, Jr.
Room 3: Honey Production
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00pm
2:30pm
3:00pm
Keynote Speaker
Using Permaculture Methods in Organic Orcharding by Stefan Sobkowiak
Vendor Show
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Weed Control in Organic Row Crops by Gary McDonald
Room 2: Raising Sheep As Your Primary Income on the Farm with panelists Elvin Miller, Leroy Kuhns, Owen Schlabach and moderator Levi Hershberger, JR.
Room 3: How Do You Manage Your Bee Yard?
Thursday, November 09
8:30AM
Welcome and Overview
8:45AM
Keynote Speaker
In Pursuit of Regenerative: Introduction and the Three F’s of Farming in the Future by Dwight Stoltzfoos
10:00AM
Vendor Show / Morning Break
10:30AM
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Soil Prep for Weed Control by Gary McDonald
Room 2: Why We Farm? (Part-time to Full-Time Sheep Farmer) by Levi Hershberger, Jr.
Room 3: Honey Production
11:45AM
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00PM
Keynote Speaker
Using Permaculture Methods in Organic Orcharding by Stefan Sobkowiak
2:30PM
Vendor Show
3:00PM
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Weed Control in Organic Row Crops by Gary McDonald
Room 2: Raising Sheep As Your Primary Income on the Farm with panelists Elvin Miller, Leroy Kuhns, Owen Schlabach and moderator Levi Hershberger, JR.
Room 3: How Do You Manage Your Bee Yard?
Friday, November 10
8:30AM
Welcome and Overview
8:45AM
Keynote Speaker
What I Learned in my 32 Years of Dairy Grazing by Nathan Weaver
10:00AM
Vendor Show / Morning Break
10:30AM
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Is Yield Important? Panelists: David Beachy, Henry Miller, Nathan Weaver with Adam Yoder as moderator
Room 2: Organic Grain Experiences by Trent Troyer
Room 3: Winter Grazing by Dwight Stoltzfoos
11:45AM
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00PM
Keynote Speaker
Permaculture, continues by Stefan Sobkowiak
2:30PM
Vendor Show
3:00PM
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Calf raising panel with Amos Mast, Dwight Stoltzfoos, Robert Miller and Kevin Miller as moderator
Room 2: Stefan Sobkowiak (Q & A session)
Friday, November 10
8:30am
8:45AM
10:00AM
10:30AM
11:45AM
Welcome and Overview
Keynote Speaker
What I Learned in my 32 Years of Dairy Grazing by Nathan Weaver
Vendor Show / Morning Break
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Is Yield Important? Panelists: David Beachy, Henry Miller, Nathan Weaver with Adam Yoder as moderator
Room 2: Organic Grain Experiences by Trent Troyer
Room 3: Winter Grazing by Dwight Stoltzfoos
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00pm
2:30pm
3:00pm
Keynote Speaker
Permaculture, continues by Stefan Sobkowiak
Vendor Show
Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Calf raising panel with Amos Mast, Dwight Stoltzfoos, Robert Miller and Kevin Miller as moderator
Room 2: Stefan Sobkowiak (Q & A session)
Farm Home Section Schedule, Thursday
9:00am
9:15AM
10:00AM
11:00AM
11:45AM
Introduction to the Conference
Home Brewed Kombucha – Susan Yoder
Ladies Panel
What We Can Do/ Keeping up the Morale on the Farm Moderator – Mary Shetler
Panelists – Pauline Yutzy, Edna Miller, Barbara Grim
Beekeeping for Women – Marion Yoder
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00pm
2:00pm
Sauerkraut and Kimchi – Carrie Laudon
Houseplants Made Easy
Farm Home Section Schedule, Thursday
9:00AM
Introduction to the Conference
9:15AM
Home Brewed Kombucha – Susan Yoder
10:00AM
Ladies Panel
What We Can Do/ Keeping up the Morale on the Farm Moderator – Mary Shetler
Panelists – Pauline Yutzy, Edna Miller, Barbara Grim
11:00AM
Beekeeping for Women – Marion Yoder
11:45AM
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00PM
Sauerkraut and Kimchi – Carrie Laudon
2:00PM
Houseplants Made Easy
Farm Home Section Schedule, Friday
9:00AM
The Basics of Seed Starting – Laura Bowman
10:00AM
Everything Pumpkins – Ada Hershberger
11:00AM
Demonstrating Macramé – Susan Hershberger
11:45AM
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00PM
Altering Dress and Pants Patterns – Becky Yoder / Ada Troyer
2:00PM
Beekeeping for Women – Marion Yoder
Farm Home Section Schedule, Friday
9:00am
10:00AM
11:00AM
11:45AM
The Basics of Seed Starting – Laura Bowman
Everything Pumpkins – Ada Hershberger
Demonstrating Macramé – Susan Hershberger
Lunch & Vendor Show
1:00PM
2:00pm
Altering Dress and Pants Patterns – Becky Yoder / Ada Troyer
Beekeeping for Women – Marion Yoder
Pricing & Lodging
For special conference lodging rates contact:
Sleep Inn, Mt. Hope OH | 330.294.9977
Comfort Suites in Berlin, OH | 330.893.7400
1 Day
- per person
2 Day
- per person