More than half of the farms in Butler County could be considered small farms. In 2007, the agricultural census showed that there were 533 farms in the county that consisted of 50 acres or less. I would guess the same is true for most counties in southern Ohio, northern Kentucky and eastern Indiana.

Small farms have many of the same issues to deal with as do large farms. The basics are the same: How do we use the resources we have – financial, natural and human – to produce and market a product as a profit?

Small farm producers tend to be more intensive with their resources. If they are going to be successful, the profit margin per acre must be larger than on most large farms.

Small farm operators may have more difficulty finding educational opportunities in their area of interest. This may be especially true when operators work off the farm five days a week.

You are invited to take part in a new event! “Opening Doors To Success” is a conference and trade show for small farm enthusiasts. The event will be  March 14 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

The conference will be taught by Ohio State University extension professionals and industry leaders. Producers will be able to attend four of the 40 different seminars taught throughout the day. Seminars will focus on areas of interest to you as a small farm operator including: aquaculture; forages and pasture; fruit and vegetable production; livestock – traditional and “exotic”; sustainable agriculture research and education (SARE); farm management; organic production; and marketing.

Registration is $40 per person and pre-registration is required by March 2. Sorry, no refunds and no walk-ins will be permitted.
For your complete schedule of events and registration information, go to www.clinton.osu.edu or call OSU extension, Clinton County, at 937-382-0901.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Steve Bartels may write to him in care of this publication.