Newarkadvocate.com
By Drew Bracken, Granville Sentinel correspondent
Granville will be buzzing this weekend as almost 1,000 farmers, gardeners, researchers and consumers from all across Ohio and several Midwestern states arrive for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s 32nd annual conference at Granville High School.
“We have been amazed at the response to the conference,” said OEFFA Executive Director Carol Goland, of Granville. “The event has grown each year, which is a sign of the growing local and organic food movement here in Ohio and the fact that more and more consumers demand food that is fresh, local, environmentally-responsible and free from antibiotics and pesticides.”
This is the sixth year it will be conducted in Granville, an event so popular it’s already sold out. This year’s theme is “Inspiring Farms, Sustaining Communities.”
“This is the biggest conference OEFFA has held to date and the second straight year the conference has sold out,” said Lauren Ketcham, the communications coordinator for the Columbus-based organization.
Granville has been the site for the event for the past five years because it’s centrally located and because, Ketcham said, “We have a great relationship with Granville schools.”
That’s in large part, Ketcham added, “Because Granville’s school lunch program is leading the way in Ohio when it comes to local sourcing, offering healthy options and using hands-on learning through school gardens. Additionally, unlike conference facilities, we’re able to provide homemade, locally sourced and organic meals, and the auditorium, cafeteria and classrooms meet our needs well, especially since we offer more than 80 workshops throughout the weekend.”
Chuck Dilbone, the Granville school district’s director of business operations, is especially happy to hear the schools’ lunch program, which he tailored to local farmers and producers, is recognized by such an organization.
“We’re very pleased with that,” Dilbone said. “Our lunch program, I think, follows the guidelines of the organization so I think it’s a good marriage for our school and their organization to hold this conference.”
Keynote speakers for the conference will include three recognized leaders in the sustainable agriculture community. Joan Dye Gussow’s address, “Where have we been? Where are we going?” will be at 2:45 p.m. Sunday. She’ll share what it was like in the early days of the organic and local food movement and talk about its connection to current issues, such as climate change. She also will explore some of today’s challenges to establish an ecologically sound food system.
Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens made the transition from conventional farming to being one of the leading experts in organic production. Farming organically since 1993, the Martens’ keynote address, titled “Living Upstream: Decision-Making on an Organic Farm” will be at 4 p.m. Saturday. They will share their philosophy on soil health management, crop rotation, weed control and marketing.
“They’re bringing some very good keynote speakers to talk about sustainability and organic farming,” Dilbone concluded. “Also, a couple really good sessions on how local produce and farming can be marketed to restaurants and schools. As a school, we’re really interested to know how we can better connect with local growers.”
