Monday, March 23, 2009
Exploring the Small Farm Dream - Is Starting an Agricultural Business Right for You?  A four-session course intended for those thinking about starting an agricultural business.  Brought to you by the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy and led by Janet Hahn, co-owner/operator of Hahn Family Farm in Garrettsville, OH.  The fee for this course is $150 for one individual; $250 for two people working on the same business idea.  Fee includes workbook and additional handout materials.  The class will meet four Monday evenings (March 23, April 6, April 20, and May 4) from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Boston Store, 1548 Boston Mills Road, Boston Township, located near the center of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Space is limited, so register now by contacting Stephanie Webb (330-657-2542) or by visiting:  http://www.cvcountryside .org
 
Saturday, March 28th, 2009
Annual Tree Pruning Workshop
The Brown County Master Gardener Volunteers in conjunction with Brown County-OSU Extension--will hold their annual tree pruning workshop. Added this year will be segments on pond maintenance--including fish ponds, and vegetable garden planning & set-up for first time gardeners.
The workshop will start at 10:00 a.m til 4:00 p.m. Location is the Fraternal Order of Eagles Hall at 600 Mt. Orab Pike, Georgetown. The package price of the workshop is $35.00 to members of the public.  Master Gardeners (Volunteers, interns and students) will receive a $10.00 discount.  The program fee includes a lunch catered by the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary. We must receive your payment by March 20th.  Please make your check or money-order to 'OSU Extension - Brown County'.  Mail it to OSU Extension - Brown County, 740 Mt. Orab Pike, Georgetown OH 45121. If you have any questions, our phone number is 937-378-6716. Oh, please bring your pruners and folding saws if you have them.  Don't forget your work gloves.
 
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Nourishing Downtown: Connecting Local Foods to Our Downtowns
Join us from 9:30 am-4:00 pm in The Treaty City, one of the state's top agricultural communities, as we showcase local foods making the connection to a downtown market.  Whether you are a restaurateur, grower, producer, market vendor, downtown manager, city representative, extension agent or a grow local advocate, this training is for you.  We will uncover the tools necessary to successfully bring local foods to the heart of your community.  We will explore different avenues to create and appreciate what the local soils and farmers provide to a community.  The event will be held at Romer's Banquet Facility, 118 E. Main Street in Greenville, Ohio and with a training fee of $100, Heritage Ohio Network Members $30, and Ohio Main Street Program $15. Registration deadline is Wednesday, March 25. Registration form at: http://www.heritageohio.org/html/trainings/Nourishing%20Downtown%20Flyer.outline.pdf
 
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Victory Gardening for the 21st Century
Part of the Worthington Libraries series, The Green Gardener, you are invited to join this free program on growing your own vegetables, which is fun, healthy and good for the environment! Master gardener Joanne Dole will share her secrets for growing delicious produce the organic way. This program is from 7-9 p.m. at the Old Worthington Library meeting room, 820 High Street.
 
April 16, 2009
Marketing Agriculture Products led by Christie Welch and Julie Fox and part of the Third Thursday Horticulture Business Training Series held at OSU South Centers, 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon, OH from 6:00 ? 8:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00.  For more information, contact Julie Strawser at Strawser.35@osu.edu or call 740-289-2071 or 800-297-2072 (Ohio only) ext. 223. 

Thursday- Saturday, April 16-18, 2009
Hands-On Basic Cheese Making -- Enhancing Dairy Profitability with Cheese
Enhance your dairy operation with a farmstead cheese business with the aid of an OSU Extension cheese-making workshop. The workshop will be held in Ashtabula County, 39 Wall St., Jefferson. The course will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an optional evening cheese house tour. Peter Dixon, one of the nation's premier cheese-making instructors and operator of the Center for Farmstead Milk Processing in Vermont, will teach the course.  Registration is $425 per person and includes course tuition, resource materials, workshop supplies, lunches and refreshments. Registration is limited to the first 15 people. The workshop is intended for those interested in a value-added opportunity in meeting the public?s growing demand for local cheeses. For more information, contact the OSU Extension office in Ashtabula County at (440) 576-9008, or email Abbey Averill at averill.10@osu.edu
 
Save the Date!
 
May 11, 2009
The Social Responsibility Initiative will host Dr. Rich Pirog, associate director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture as part of its 2009 Brown Bag Series. This endeavor is supported by the Center for Farmland Policy and Innovation and the Ohio Department of Agriculture?s Sustainable Agriculture Program. Dr. Pirog will share with us Iowa?s journey in developing a more resilient local and regional food system. Don?t miss this opportunity to learn!
 
August 6-9, 2009
American Community Gardening Association 30^th Annual Conference ? Putting Down Roots at the Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, OH.  For more details, visit: 
http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/training/annual-conference/index.php