CARROLLTON, OHIO Field day emphasizes country living

Experts will teach and demonstrate a variety of farm-related activities.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
CARROLLTON, Ohio -- Wondering what to do with all those acres you just bought in the country?
Carroll County Extension will have a host of experts on hand to teach and demonstrate a variety of small-farm activities at the 10th annual Country Living Field Day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kenwood Farms on Andover Road, just off state Route 9, southeast of Augusta.
Learn how llamas can be used as sentry and guard animals. Learn to grow herbs and how to use them, grow grapes, berries, popcorn or mushrooms, raise sheep and spin wool, raise freshwater shrimp, or restore the old barn on your property.
"Whether you have a few acres or a few hundred, if you're looking for ideas to manage and utilize your land, this field day is for you," said Mike Hogan, Ohio State University agriculture extension agent for Carroll County.
There will be activities for children throughout the day, including safety stations, the Ohio Farm Bureau's Ag in the Classroom trailer, Penn State University's Bugmobile and many more hands-on activities.
At the horse progress area, visitors can watch demonstrations of horse plowing, horse shoeing and modern horse-drawn equipment that shows the simpler side of farm mechanization.
At the home and hearth tent, visitors can learn the art of wool spinning, weaving and quilting, and receive information about food safety, home canning and freezing of fruits and vegetables.
No commitment required
There is no fee or registration for the event. There will be several demonstrations throughout the day, 30-minute seminars on a variety of topics, and six in-depth, 90-minute workshops.
The in-depth workshops are on grape production, managed grazing, pasture-raised poultry, woodlot management, growing and using herbs, getting started in agriculture.
Throughout the day, three nationally recognized experts in sustainable agriculture and family-friendly farming will have keynote presentations.
Jim Gerrish, formerly with the University of Missouri's Forage Research Center, will show how managed grazing can help livestock producers become more profitable.
Herman Beck Chenoweth of Resilience Research Farm and Back40Books.com, is a pastured-poultry farmer from Missouri. He will share tips for family self-sufficiency.
Eric Gibson of California, author of "Selling What You Sow," "The New Farmers Market" and "Growers Guide to the Internet" will address the topics of marketing farm products directly to consumers.
Gerrish will also be the presenter for a seven-hour seminar on managed grazing from 1 to 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at Shamrock Vale Farm, 8002 Merline Road. The farm is off state Route 9 in Carroll County, just south of state Route 644 and the Carroll County line. Registration and a $25 fee per person are required. Send checks to OSU Extension, 32 W. Main St., Carrollton 44619.
Gerrish, a consultant who specializes in managed grazing systems, recently retired from the University of Missouri, where he conducted research and Extension programs in forage management and managed grazing at the University of Missouri Forage Research Center, Linneus, Mo.