MT. HOPE, Ohio – Farming on an international level and a heroic rescue of trapped miners will highlight the 2024 Northcentral Ohio Grazing Conference, Jan. 25-26, 2024, at the Mt. Hope Event Center at 8074 SR 241 in Mt. Hope.

“We try to hit pertinent topics in farming and grazing,” said John Mark Weaver, a member of the 2024 conference planning committee. “But we also look for speakers who have a story to tell and will grab the audience’s attention. We believe these speakers will appeal to both graziers and conventional farmers A lot of this information is relevant to every component of grazing and farming.”

For example, Matt Steiner, a Marshallville, Ohio, dairy farmer, brings an international perspective to the conference as he shares the work being done in Haiti and Ukraine. Steiner will also discuss adding value to the milk check through the use of genetics and genomics.

Bill Arnold, a Pennsylvania dairy grazier, will discuss how he uses management-intensive grazing on his farm and will be back in the speaker lineup to share the story of the heroic rescue of miners trapped in the coal mine deep below the well-managed pastures on his farm.

Kerry Estes comes to agriculture from a manufacturing background, first working with his father in a metal fabrication business before buying a farm with the idea of raising replacement heifers. When buying heifers to raise and sell to other dairymen didn’t work, he began breeding and raising crossbred heifers and building his herd. Eventually, he was able to bring his son into the operation. Estes will discuss family relationships on the farm and also share his farming story.

The conference opens on Jan. 25 and highlights include presentations on building soils and barns, dairy farming in Haiti at Good Vision Farm, and a farm tour.

Leading off the afternoon session will be a choice of two breakout sessions – a soil building panel or a discussion or using genetics/genomics.

Back for the fourth year is a session for farm wives involved in the family farming operation. The topic for the Jan. 25 session is a panel discussion titled, Privileged to be a Farmer’s Wife, and A Week in the Home of Jared and Kim Miller. The Jan. 26 session includes a panel discussion on profitable farm management. Also included is Starting from Scratch, A Ladies Farm Tour.

On the 26th, sessions are planned on adjusting to the unknown, 35 years of management intensive grazing, and grazing feeding cows.

The afternoon session will offer presentations on family relationships on the farm and Quecreek Mine Rescue.

The conference will include a series of presentations geared towards sheep and goat producers on the 26th.

Leading off the sheep session that morning a presentation on parasite management in goats, followed by the Indiana Shepherds’ panel discussion. Leading off the afternoon sessions for shepherds will be presentations on training sheep dogs, building a profitable meat goat farm from scratch, and a complete farm tour of a grass-based hair sheep operation.

The deadline for registrations is Jan. 12, 2024. The cost of the conference is $35 per person from the farm if made before Jan. 12. Participants may also register for a single day; either Jan. 25 or Jan. 26 for $25. After Jan. 12, registrations may be made at the door and the cost is $50 for both days and $35 for a single day. The conference fee includes meals, breaks, registration, and the vendor show. Weaver said the trade show will feature over 100 vendors. Checks should be made payable to the Small Farm Institute and mailed to 7667 Heifner Road, Shiloh, Ohio 44654.

The conference is sponsored by the Northcentral Ohio Grazing Council and the Small Farm Institute.