Organic Farming Conference

Speakers

Join us for our 2 day conference on November 9-10,2023 featuring 4 keynote speakers alongside 500+ other attendees and vendors.

Dwight Stoltzfoos

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

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8:30am

8:45AM

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10:00AM

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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

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2:30pm

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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

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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

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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

Organic Farming Conference

PO Box 214, Millersburg OH 44654

Call or write for a brochure to register for the conference.

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