AgriPOWER Class VI Session 2: Ohio Agriculture

Whew!  I just got back from a whirlwind tour of Ohio agriculture!  I am and have always been a livestock farmer in central Ohio.  I live on the Darby Plains, and the landscape is very flat. . . beautiful, but flat.  But, that does not mean I do not like the hills, too!

Session 2 of Class VI's AgriPOWER was held this past weekend in Wooster (in the hilly part of the state) at Ohio State ATI/OARDC (Ohio State Agriculture Technical Institute/OhioAgricultural Research & Development Center).  And, oh the things we learned!

Our first seminars were on using Social Media and developing Authentic Voices to share our stories in agriculture.  Dan Toland showed us what is available in Social Media.  This isn't my parents' Social Media anymore, as we have now moved far beyond just email and/or FaceBook.  There are so many modes of Social Media, that I am sure heads were spinning as the seminar came to a close.  Melanie Wilt helped us learn how to sound authentic as we passionately share our agriculture stories with the world.  In today's world, less really is more.  Joe Cornely continued where Melanie left off, sharing with us how to best speak with the media as the opportunities present themselves.  And, Callie Wells shared tips for using visual aids in our intereactions via Social Media.

August sunset over Troutman Vineyard

We then adjourned to an awesome dinner at Troutman Vineyards near Wooster.  We were able to tour the vineyard and learned of the devastating affects that the 2014 Winter had on the grape crop in Ohio.  Troutmans are not harvesting any grapes from their vines this year.  And, many plants are a total loss.  Fortunately, the family is able to purchase grape concentrate to use in their wines.  An interesting side note is that Deanna Lombard Troutman grew up in my small central Ohio community of Chuckery!  What a small world this truly is!

The Water Garden at Secrest Arboretum

The next morning we were given a tour of OSU ATI.  Our first stop was the Secrest Arboretum.  I was fascinated to learn first hand about their research for various nurseries.  They often test plant and tree varieties to see how they will do in the Ohio climate.  Secrest Arboretum was hit by a devastating tornado in September of 2010.  As a result, there are very few mature trees in the arboretum today.  More on the 2010 tornado can be found at http://youtu.be/S-VMjWhx7TA and http://youtu.be/fdfKJZ0u1aY.

Quasar Bio-Digestor

Our next stop was at the Quasar Bio-Digestor.  What a fascinating peak at the future of energy!  Approximately 30% of the energy used at OARDC and ATI is supplied by the bio-digestor.  This was closer to 50% before energy began to be diverted to use at the Wooster Waste Water Plant.  The technology used here is based on German research.  There was also a fueling depot where vehicles could fuel up if they were capable of utilizing the fuel created by the digester.

ATI/OARDC Greenhouses

We then ventured over to the greenhouses.  The greenhouses were especially hard hit by the 2010 tornado.  And, the greenhouses are still being rebuilt.  But the research continues on.  One of the most intriguing studies that we saw was a dandelion for latex study.  European dandelions are high in latex content.  So, studies are being done to determine the hardiness of the dandelions to survive in American climates as well as the possibility of breeding in more latex to American dandelions.  Can you imagine fields full of purposely cultivated dandelions in the future?  

USDA Eastern Soft Wheat Lab

Our next stop was the USDA's Soft Wheat Labratory at OARDC.  Being a livestock farmer, I had no idea that this laboratory existed.  It was interesting to see what research is being done with wheat.  We learned that it can take 10-12 years to develop a new strain of wheat that might have a market life of just a few years.  New strains of wheat are constantly being developed and brought to market.

That afternoon we received several briefings on important issues facing Ohio Agriculture.  Our first guest was Bruce Buurma of Buurma Farms.  He spoke to us about the desperate need for Immigration Reform.  His farm uses a large labor force that is comprised primarily of guest workers.  But, current US policy makes procuring workers more and more difficult.  

Dr. Larry Antosch spoke with us about the water crisis in Toledo.  He shared with us what is being done to work with residents towards a solution.  This is a critical issue that continues to affect farmers in the water shed.

Jennifer Coleman from the Ohio Soybean Council then shared with us the dilemmas facing farmers today.  It seems that perception of farmers is great while the perception of farming is less than stellar.  Today's society demands that we receive "permission to farm."  We are constantly having to educate and re-educate the public regarding the science of farming.  This is an ongoing battle.

Welcome to Rittman Orchards!

After such a information packed day, our AgriPOWER class traveled to the Hawk's Nest Golf Course to unwind with a golf lesson.  We soon felt like we were pros and challenged each other to a "Put-Off!"  Brooke Beam of Sabina won this little contest.  Dinner was a steak fry at the clubhouse on the golf course.

The next morning we travelled to Rittman Orchards for a tour.  This is a classic example of niche marketing in north east Ohio.  The orchards at this location date to the 1920s.  The farm began as an apple orchard.  It now consists of a farm market, orchards, a vineyard, and some traditional farm fields.  Rittman Orchards is also foraying into agri-tainment and has recently added a corn maize and wagon rides in addition to u-picks at the site.

A family owned dairy

Our final stop of the session was Bristol Dairy.  And, I have said it before, you can take the girl off the dairy, but you cannot take the dairy out of the girl.  This was by far my favorite stop of our tours!  The dairy is a 2500 cow dairy that ships 9 semi loads of milk a day.  The farm is family owned and operated.  I was hesitant at first to embrace the size of this operation, but after a thorough tour, I have come to the conclusion that the size of this farm is the only thing that sets it apart from so many other Ohio dairies.  

And, now I find myself anxiously awaiting our next session.  We are traveling to Washington, DC in September.