JAMESTOWN, Ohio — Beginning June 10, folks in Ohio have the opportunity to see, taste, feel and learn what sustainable food and fiber production is all about – from farmers themselves.

Thirteen tours and workshops are being sponsored by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Assoc. (OEFFA). The tours run from June-September and features organic berry production, high tunnels and hoop houses, commercial composting, permaculture, natural goat health, raw milk cheese-making, specialty grain production and even produce auctions.

“Consumer demand for fresh, locally produced food and farm products continues to grow, along with the desire to understand how food gets from the field to the dinner table,” said Michelle Gregg, OEFFA’s sustainable agriculture educator. “Farmers are opening their gates this summer to show consumers how sustainably produced food is grown and marketed.”

In addition, stops inform visitors about institutional sourcing, Ohio farm history, fiber production, specialty crop production and farmers using a wide range of direct-to-consumer marketing strategies, including farmers’ markets, restaurants and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

“The more consumers know about how their food is grown, the better prepared they are to make informed choices about who to support with their food dollars,” added Gregg.

The tour begins June 10 at Brickel Creek Organic Farm in Jamestown. The farm was founded in 2007 and is the homestead of the Brickel family, who settled in Jamestown (Greene County) in 1890.

“I purchased the 69.5 acres in 2006 and have 2.25 acres certified organic,” said owner Sue Borton. “We grow fall-bearing red raspberries in a 30-by-100 (feet) high tunnel, thornless blackberries on an adjustable trellis system and a wide variety of vegetables, herbs and cut flowers.

“We also have chickens, both meat and brown egg layers, better known as ‘the girls.’ We enjoy having visitors come out and get their hands in the dirt or just stop by for a visit.”

On June 24 visitors are invited to the OEFFA Athens Chapter compost tour, visiting The Compost Exchange in Athens (Athens County). This stop features detailed description of soils and composting.

Four stops will take place in July, beginning with the Garden Tour and Permaculture Lecture with Peter Bane July 21-22. This takes place in Shaker Heights (Cuyahoga County). Bane will provide an advanced urban permaculture workshop.

On July 28 natural goat health and raw milk cheese-making will be highlighted at Blue Rock Station, in Philo (Muskingum County). Visitors will also see eco-friendly buildings made from reused materials such as tires, demonstrating alternative building techniques. Tires used to create walls of a single-family dwelling are on this premise.

On July 29 garlic takes center stage at Jandy’s Farm in Bellefontaine (Logan County). Visitors can learn about Jan Dawson’s and Andy Reinhart’s techniques for growing fresh produce year-round, including intensive rotations and weekly plantings.

The pair grow garlic and other crops on just one acre, using no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Their focus is on improving the soil through crop rotations and green manure cover crops. Other stops on these tours include:

Aug. 4: Grain Growers Chapter specialty grain workshop and potluck, Gregg Organics, Belleville (Richland County)

Sept. 14: Produce auctions and the local food web tour, Owl Creek Produce Auction, Fredericktown (Morrow County)

Sept. 14: Institutional sourcing of local food tour, Kenyon College, AVI Foodsystems, Gambier, Ohio (Knox County)

Sept. 16: Sustainable living on an Ohio Century Farm tour, Carriage House Farm, North Bend (Hamilton County)

Sept. 16: 2012 OEFFA Stewardship Award winner tour, Peach Mountain Organics, Spring Valley (Greene County)

Sept. 23: Ohio farm history tour and potluck, Stone Garden Farm and Village, Richfield (Summit County)

Sept. 27: Alpaca fiber production tour, Alpaca Spring Valley Farm, Minerva (Stark County)

For more information about the tour, contact OEFFA Communications Coordinator Lauren Ketcham or sustainable agriculture educator Michelle Gregg at 614-421-2022. For a complete list of all farm stops, dates, times, farm descriptions, directions and maps visit www.oeffa.us/oeffa/pdfs/farmtour 2012.pdf