Friday, Mar 6

Sustainable Livestock Track

9 am        Determining Markets and Pricing for Meat Animal: Selling at the auction is easy. Selling direct in your county or to a wholesaler can be                            tougher. What is the market, what will it bear, and how do you know what to charge for steaks and roasts. Wisconsin beef farmer and                              consultant Jim Munsch walks through the process.

 10:30      Jeff Moyer, has been at the Rodale Institute, and now manages its the 300+ acre farm.  He is past chair of the National Organic Standards                    Board and currently vice-chair of the Organic Farming Research Foundation. He will give his personal overview of organics today,                                       including information on conventional vs organic yield research, soil quality, carbon sequestration,and changes in the organic market. 

11:45      OAK annual meeting and elections

12:15      Organic Burrito Bar and Vendor Fair

1                 No-till organic on a small scale: Rodale Institute farm manager literally wrote the book on no-till organic farming (Organic No-Till                                       Farming, Acres Publishing, 2011), which relies on cover crops to add soil fertility, prevent erosion, and control weeds. He’ll discuss the                            labor savings of no-till and small-scale technology that helps that makes it more practical on Kentucky farms

2 pm          Managing animals in a Diversified System: diversified farming offers economic protection to the farmer and nutrient growth for the                                  farmland. Jeff Moyer discusses nutrient mgt, cover crop grazing, and food safety in with a variety of animals, including pigs and chicken.

3                 Networking break and vendor fair

3:30           Profitable poultry – Daniel Pike raises beef, pork, chicken and turkey on grass at his farm in Lancaster, Ky and sells direct to the                                            consumer, wholesale and retail. Find out how he makes money in the poultry business, including why he grows his poultry in 2 sizes.

 4:30         Announcement of Organic Census, David Knopf, NASS

4:40          Farmer question and answer: Ask anything. OAK gives you three experienced farmers to answer. Rodale Institute farm manager,                                      Wisconsin beef farmer and consultant Jim Munsch, and organic dairy farmer and Organic Valley representative Kevin Kiehnau are ready                        for any question you can throw at them.

5:30          Reception: sip, mingle and get to know your fellow organic and sustainable enthusiasts.

6:30          Organic dinner buffet including organic beef stroganoff, lamb stroganoff and kale salad whose ingredients have been provided by                                     Kentucky growers.                    

A Better Dairy Track 

9                Cows on grass: making a profit –   Organic Valley

10:30      Jeff Moyer, has been at the Rodale Institute, and now manages its the 300+ acre farm.  He is past chair of the National Organic Standards                    Board and currently vice-chair of the Organic Farming Research Foundation. He will give his personal overview of organics today,                                      including information on conventional vs organic yield research, soil quality, carbon sequestration,and changes in the organic market. 

11:45     OAK annual meeting and elections

12:15     Organic burrito bar and Vendor Fair

1               Raising healthy calves and heifers:  The greatest risk for sickness and death of dairy cows is  during the first eight weeks of life. Time and                         attention can help mitigate the risk and help build a herd that will healthy for years to come. Organic Valley veterinarian Dr, Guy Jodarski                      walks through calf and heifer management in an organic system.

2                Managing cost on an Organic Dairy—Wisconsin cattle rancher Jim Munsch developed Veggie Compass to help farmers manage their                             financials based on their whole-farm information on their diversified farms. Now, in partnership with Organic Valley, Jim is working on a                        dairy compass that will similarly help dairy farmers.

 3              Networking break and vendor fair

3:30       Cash crop/cover crop/pasture sequencing. The Rodale Institute’s Jeff Moyer discusses fertility, weed control, disease suppression, cultiv                     ation, and crop selection so you can get the most out of your pastures and labor.

4:30      Announcement of Organic Census, David Knopf, NASS

4:40      Farmer question and answer: Ask anything. OAK gives you three experienced farmers to answer. Rodale Institute farm manager,                                       Wisconsin beef farmer and consultant Jim Munsch, and organic dairy farmer and Organic Valley representative Kevin Kiehnau are ready                      for any question you can throw at them.

 5:30     Reception 

6:30      Organic dinner buffet including organic beef stroganoff, lamb stroganoff and kale salad whose ingredients have been provided by                                      Kentucky growers.                    

Success with Produce Track

9 am   Organic greens, indoors and out. Berea’s Janet Meyer, Ky State University’s Tony Silvernail

10:30 Jeff Moyer, has been at the Rodale Institute, and now manages its the 300+ acre farm.  He is past chair of the National Organic Standards                      Board and currently vice-chair of the Organic Farming Research Foundation. He will give his personal overview of organics today, including                information on conventional vs organic yield research, soil quality, carbon sequestration,and changes in the organic market. 

11:45 OAK annual meeting and elections

12:15 Organic burrito bar and vendor fair

1 pm   Undercover project: Pikeville resident Cathy Rehmeyer, extols the virtues of low tunnels. They are easier and cheaper than greenhouses,                     and very productive, even (especially) during a polar vortex. She was so successful growing under fabric row covers that she started a winter                CSA in 2014 and is writing an e-book about her experiences.

 2 pm  Bugs: The good, the bad and the ugly: From greenhouses to gardens, bugs can make our lives miserable, but they can also step in and save                      the day. Blair Helvey of bugsbehavingbadly.com makes it her business to know the friends and the foes, and will tell you handle flies, mites                    and caterpillars with beneficials. Bring your questions and photos; there’s very little Blair doesn’t know about bugs.

3           Networking break and vendor fair

3:30     High tunnel talk: Growing in a high tunnel can use space more efficiently, helps helps regulate water use, and allows farmers to produce                           high value crops that earn more money. These are just a few of the reasons farmers are interested in high tunnels. NRCS agent Lacey Gaw                   explains the benefits of high-tunnel cost-sharing. Bill Best, of the Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center talks about how high tunnels                       help him make more money with fewer plants.

4:30     Announcement of Organic Census, David Knopf, NASS

4:40    Farmer question and answer: Farmer question and answer: Ask anything. OAK gives you three experienced farmers to answer. Rodale                           Institute farm manager, Wisconsin beef farmer and consultant Jim Munsch, and organic dairy farmer and Organic Valley representative                           Kevin Kiehnau are ready for any question you can throw at them.

 5:30   Reception

6:30     Organic dinner buffet including organic beef stroganoff, lamb stroganoff and kale salad whose ingredients have been provided by Kentucky                growers.                    

Organics and more

9 am         Organic certification 101: The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Adam Watson gives this always-highly-evaluated talk on how to                             become a certified organic producer.

10:30        Jeff Moyer, has been at the Rodale Institute, and now manages its the 300+ acre farm.  He is past chair of the National Organic                                          Standards Board and currently vice-chair of the Organic Farming Research Foundation. He will give his personal overview of organics                             today, including information on conventional vs organic yield research, soil quality, carbon sequestration,and changes in the organic                                 market. 

Keynote

11:45     OAK annual meeting and elections

12:15      Organic burrito bar and vendor fair

1 pm:         Integrated nutrient management for the organic farm. We often hear about “feeding the soil to feed the crop” in organic and sustainable                      farming systems.  But how do we do this?  Who are we feeding in the soil and what do they want to eat?  How can we make sure our crops                   are getting enough? University of Kentucky agroecologist Krista Jacobsen will focus on using soil ecology theory to create integrated                             nutrient management plans for organic farms. 

2              Small farm tech:  beginner and beyond: Farmers market technology and easy CSA client management

3              Networking break and vendor fair

3:30      High tunnel talk: Growing in a high tunnel can use space more efficiently, helps helps regulate water use, and allows farmers to produce                          high value crops that earn more money. These are just a few of the reasons farmers are interested in high tunnels. NRCS agent Lacey Gaw                   explains the benefits of high-tunnel cost-sharing. Bill Best, of the Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center talks about how high tunnels                       help him make more money with fewer plants.

4:30      Announcement of Organic Census, David Knopf, NASS

4:40      Farmer question and answer: Farmer question and answer: Farmer question and answer: Ask anything. OAK gives you three experienced                    farmers to answer. Rodale Institute farm manager, Wisconsin beef farmer and consultant Jim Munsch, and organic dairy farmer and                                Organic Valley representative Kevin Kiehnau are ready for any question you can throw at them.

 5:30       Reception: sip, mingle and get to know your fellow organic and sustainable enthusiasts.

 6:30     Organic dinner buffet including organic beef stroganoff, lamb stroganoff and kale salad whose ingredients have been provided by                                      Kentucky growers.                    

Saturday Mar 7

 Make Mine Organic: a special look 

Make Mine Organic:

9 am      Good Fat, Bad Fat, organics change everything: Dietary fat has long been implicated as a contributing factor to chronic health problems l                      like heart disease. Recent research sheds new light on fats and their positive roles in a healthy diet. Grass fed organic meat and dairy                                 products contain more beneficial fats like omega 3 and CLA. Join Dr. Guy Jodarski as he shares details of this developing story.

10       Pure and Simple: Is organic food better for you? It turns out organic produce has more nutrients and fewer pesticide residues. Who knew?                     Integrated medicine nurse practitioner Kim Evans explains the whys and hows of transitioning to organic eating.

11 am     Holistic health and wellness:  Don't dwell on calories, carbs and fats. Cook up fresh and healthy food you like. Health coach and                                           professional chef Mat Shalenko demonstrates easy ways to incorporate organic foods in your life. Food so delicious it becomes the natural                   choice. 

Noon:     Organic soup and baked potato bar: baked sweets and russets with delicious toppings along with butternut miso soup.

1 pm      Master Class: Investing in food systems:  Slow Money Kentucky organizers can help you understand the first steps in putting your money                     where your heart is to help change the world. Learn how your investments, even relatively small ones, can create the change you'd like to                      see.

Sustainable Livestock Track

 9                Kevin Kiehnau – Organic Valley

10 am      Managing milk quality in an Organic Setting. Organic dairy producers must maintain high milk quality without the use of antibiotics. Learn                    about managing mastitis and SCC issues holistically by preventing them in the first place and also treatment options and strategies to use                     when prevention fails - Dr. Guy Jodarski, Organic Valley veterinarian.

11             Measuring and Managing Costs of Grass-fed Beef—Organic, grass-fed beef farmer Jim Munsch follows up Friday’s session on meat                                  markets and pricing with this discussion on controlling the costs of production in order to have a profitable grass-fed beef operation.

 12             Organic soup and baked potato bar: baked sweets and russets with delicious toppings along with butternut miso soup.

1                Meet the buyers: Meat buyers and processors

Success with Produce

9                 Vegetable profitability: Profit = Income + Expense, right? Well, it’s not quite that simple. Organic beef farmer Jim Munsch is one of the                             creators of Veggie Compass, a tool that helps diversified farmers collect all the data they need to judge if they are farming successfully or                     not by taking whole-farm expenses into account. Get a Veggie Compass primer at OAK, and download the software and video tutorial at                       http://www.veggiecompass.com/

11               Cash flow, loans and free money: Kiva Zip, Slow Money, & KCARD With farmers who have benefited

12              Organic lunch buffet

1               Meet the buyers: wholesale and direct markets