Join other curious minds in the Ohio Farmer Researcher Network
The Organic Farmer Researcher Network is a growing group of organic and transitioning farmers, agricultural professionals, and researchers who meet regularly to discuss emerging issues, possible projects, and recent or ongoing research. Our group is collaboratively facilitated by staff at OEFFA, Ohio State, and Central State universities, but is intended to be farmer-focused and farmer-led. Participation is open to anyone with an interest in organic, low-input, or sustainable agricultural practices.
Farminars
We are planning a series of research-specific farm tours that we are calling Farminars. These are on-farm exchanges of expertise and knowledge that feature both farmers and researchers.
Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m.-Noon
Grazing Innovations and Opportunities Farm Tour
Grim Dairy (northeast Ohio)
49300 New London Eastern Rd., New London, OH 44851
Register for this free tour here.
Co-sponsored by the Dairy Grazing Alliance and the Ohio Organic Farmer Research Network
Tuesday, June 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Soil Health, Silvopasture and Other Grazing Adaptations
Constant Springs Farm, Orrville (northeast Ohio)
Park at Martins Mennonite Church, 14027 Church Road, Orrville, Ohio
Register here.
Thursday, June 25, 6-8 p.m.
Regionally Adapted Seed Work
Trouaville Farms, Athens
12118 Rainbow Lake Rd, Athens, OH 45701
Register here.
Monthly Meetings
In 2023-2025 our group met monthly to learn about specific research projects and resouces. We currently offer monthly office hours on the first Thursday of the month.
- See current and past meeting topics
- Access recordings of past presentations here
- Sign up for reminders of upcoming events
Monthly Newlsetter
We share a monthly newsletter with upcoming events of interest, grant program deadlines, and opportunities to participate in research. Email Cassy Brown to sign up or share news of interest to this network.
Working Groups
Based on our meetings, workshops, and conversations we have created several working groups around farmer-led research ideas. These working groups can be used to compare observations across farms, develop projects and grant proposals, or simply explore topics. Participation is open to anyone with an interest. OOFRN provides group facilitators to help schedule meetings, take notes, and locate resources from our three institutions and beyond.
DIY Research Workshops
Our workshops start with the farm questions you lay awake thinking about. We walk you through the process of turning them into testable research questions. Working in small groups of farmers, educators, and researchers, our workshop facilitators guide discussion about the partnerships, ideas, and resources to get on-farm questions answered.
Our network is happy to provide these workshops at farm events or meetings. These workshops work best when 2 hours can be set aside for the activities. Several successful partnerships, grant proposals, and projects have started in these workshops.
Interested in hosting an event or have other questions? Please contact one of our group faciliators:
Denise Natoli Brooks | Central State | 937-831-5995 | dbrooks@centralstate.edu
Cassy Brown | Ohio State | 330-263-3634 | brown.1844@osu.edu
John Stock | OEFFA | 614-947-1610 | john@oeffa.org
Our work is partially sponsored by a USDA-NIFA Organic Research Extension Initiative grant Building Partnerships for Farmer-led Organic REsearch in Ohio. For more information https://cris.nifa.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=R=100400&format=WEBFMT6NT
Images from (l to r) 1- 2023 OEFFA Conference event initial thoughts, 2- small groups in discussion at 2023 Black Farming Conference workshop, 3- a group at the 2024 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference shares out their research idea on weed flaming, 4- final ideas are displayed at the 2024 Southern Ohio Forest Farming Conference event. 5- 2025 on-farm tour of Blue Owl Hollow included a demonstration and discussion from the research trial that began at a DIY Research workshop.