Entomopathogenic Nematodes for Control of the Asiatic Garden Beetle
Developed through a SARE project, this handout shows how certain naturally-occurring nematodes can kill insect pests, and how they can be isolated from the field, mass-reared, and applied back into the field for potential long-term control of Asiatic garden beetle grubs. The benefits and disadvantages of using locally-isolated nematodes for grub control are discussed.
Scaling Up Specialty Dairy in Ohio’s Appalachian Region
The beautiful vistas of Ohio’s Appalachian region delight visitors with ancient forested foothills, winding creeks, and unglaciated terrain. In the late 19th century, extraction industries like the coal industry also discovered value in this landscape, but as coal resources declined, local economies deteriorated. Today, scaling up local foods is one way these historic communities are […]
Goat Milk Soap Making Manual
This 38-page manual was created to be used in Goat Milk Soap Making workshops and as a tool for producers interested in making goat milk soap. It was developed by Krista Duval of Creekside Farms in 2017, as part of a SARE-supported project to amplify specialty dairy opportunities for local producers and food entrepreneurs in Appalachia Ohio.
Ohio Farmer Develops Mobile Hops Dryer
In a state that boasts 300 craft breweries, David Volkman is one of many craft beer enthusiasts in Ohio. But Volkman, with 12 acres of land in Warren County, is not only supporting Ohio’s craft brewing industry through consumption; he’s also contributing to its production. In 2012, he and his wife, Nina, started transitioning some […]
Building a Mobile Hops Dryer
With support from an NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant, David Volkman of Ohio Valley Hops built a mobile hop dryer that incorporates best drying practices for small-scale hop growers.
Development of a Cooperative Food Distribution Model for Small Farms
Monica Bongue owns Muddy Fork Farm in Wooster Ohio, a certified organic farm for over 15 years, where she produces vegetables, chickens, ducks, sheep, and goats. She wanted to expand her marketing which consisted of direct sales through farmers’ markets and a small, on-farm CSA. Along with a number of other small, local producers, Bongue […]
Agroforestry Fact Sheet Series
With support from a SARE grant, The Savana Institute created an "Understanding Agroforestry" fact sheet series. Users can download free one-page descriptions of five common agroforestry practices.
Producer Raises Prawns for Ohio Locavores
Global demand for seafood is projected to increase by 70 percent in the next 30 years. Because harvests from capture fisheries are unlikely to meet that demand, some argue that a dramatic increase in aquaculture is needed to supply future aquatic food demands (USDA-NIFA). Although the Census of Aquaculture reported a $3 million increase in domestic, farm-level sales between 2005 […]
Multi-Farm Cooperative Model
In 2013, Monica Bongue received an NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant to develop a small farm cooperative food distribution model in Wooster, Ohio. By 2014, Bongue and a group of farmers formed a not-for-profit cooperative registered in the state of Ohio as Farm Roots Connection Cooperative. The multi-farm Farm Roots Connection Cooperative CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) […]
Artificial Insemination
Artificial insemination (AI) has become widely popular in breeding livestock, because it allows farmers to make faster genetic improvement in their animals, enhance biosecurity, and decrease breeding related costs of production. Despite these benefits, some farmers are hesitant to use sheep breeding because sheep have a complex reproductive anatomy. Farmer Don Brown and Dr. Craig […]
Aquaponics in the Classroom
Students at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy are being exposed to their core science concepts in a new way. They are learning biology, chemistry, physics, and other core scientific concepts through hands-on modules based on an aquaponics system. Through an NCR-SARE Youth Educator grant, instructors Kevin Savage and Gary Delanoy have created a curriculum that meets […]
Niche Nuts
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, America’s top nut producers are California, producing nearly 90% of tree nuts in America; Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas, raising 75% of America’s pecan crop; and Oregon, raising the majority of America’s hazelnut crop. Kurt Belser is the owner of the The Wingnuttery in Albany, Ohio, where […]
Family Farm Compares Sweet Corn Varieties
Marissa Kruthaup and her brother started selling produce at the farmers market when their family’s home garden produced too many melons one year. Today, they own and run Kruthaup Family Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which operates on their parents’ 70-acre farm. In order to keep her family business thriving, Marissa wanted to compare different […]
Alternative Parasite Treatment
Sheep and goat enterprises offer diversification opportunities for small and limited-resource farmers. Control of internal parasites is a primary concern for many sheep and goat producers and is particularly challenging in humid areas. Resistance of intestinal parasites to commercial anthelmintics (drugs that are used to treat parasitic infections), and the inability to use commercial anthelmintics […]
Value Added Vegetables
Fermentation is an ancient method of preserving fresh vegetables and other foods for later use. It is accomplished due to lactic acid-producing bacteria, which lower the pH of these foods. Chris Chmiel, co-owner of Integration Acres Ltd., applied for an NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant and learned that fermentation could be profitable and add value to […]
Ohio MarketReady Team Connects Producers to Markets
Proactive marketing strategies have proven to be a key to success for many agricultural enterprises, and a team of researchers and educators in Ohio are working to connect willing markets to quality sources of food. MarketReady is a comprehensive educational program that prepares food producers to sell directly to consumers and wholesale buyers, and the […]
EverCrisp: A New Apple Variety in the Midwest
A grassroots apple-breeding program has released its first apple variety, EverCrisp. The variety was bred by the Midwest Apple Improvement Association (MAIA), a group of more than 140 apple growers who are interested in developing new varieties for the Midwest. Diane Miller is an apple geneticist and researcher at Ohio State University. She is also […]
Ohio Milk and Cheese Initiative Explores New Market Opportunities in Ohio
Abbe and Anderson Turner’s Lucky Penny Farm is a family-owned dairy goat farm located on a once-fallow century farmstead in Northeast Ohio’s Hiram Township. The 14-acre farm includes Nubian, La Mancha and Alpine dairy goats. They also run a creamery located in Kent, OH. “I love working with small ruminants,” said Abbe Turner. “The size […]
Agricultural Educators and Clean Energy in the North Central Region
This feature is a summary of the results of the 2007 NCR-SARE Professional Development Program projects that were awarded grants for the speical call on bioenergy and energy-efficiency.
Ohio
Highlights and a portfolio of North Central SARE Grants in Ohio