Farm Viability Resources

Need a website for your farm operation?

Small Farm Central is working to bridge the gap between rural food producers and urban consumers by allowing farmers to easily and cost effectively set up their own farm web sites.  Small Farm Central will also help small-scale farmers to market their farm and products on the web.

Entrepreneurial Farming Resource Guide

As recommended by farmers and agricultural service providers, this new guide offers the "best of the best" of resources for Entrepreneurial Farming.

Books, magazines, articles, and service organizations.

“ The Farmland Center 's new resource guide to entrepreneurial agriculture is a little gem. It is visually appealing, succinct and well organized. It is a practical, one-stop guide to the most helpful publications and organizations dealing with more responsible and sustainable approaches to agriculture.”

Darwin Kelsey , Executive Director, The Countryside Conservancy.

Cost: $5.75

Request a copy here

Local Food Directories available online

Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy has developed five separate guides to help connect people with local, seasonal food throughout the Northeast Ohio region.

These guides provide information on seasonal fruit & vegetable producers, meat & poultry producers, dairy products, honey & eggs, a listing of Community Supported Agriculture farms throughout the region, restaurants, cafés and caterers who are making an honest effort to support local farms and producers by serving fresh, seasonal produce, meats, dairy and other specialty products from NE Ohio and a harvest guide with a seasonal availability calendar and reasons to buy locally.

Link to the CVCC and local foods directories here

Online Business Planning, Marketing and Agritourism Resources

David Marrison and Julie Fox from Ohio State University Extension made a presentation on Farm Business Planning and Marketing to a group of approximately 60 people at a February workshop held by The Farmland Center.  Click on the link below to view David Marrison's presentation on the "how to" of Farm Business Planning

Farm Business Planning Powerpoint

View the marketing and agritourism handouts from Dr. Julie Fox - OSU, Piketon Center

Entrepreneurial Farmers are an important part of Community and Economic Development

Innovative efforts to increase farm profitability can be found on the following links:

• Paul Johnson developed this company that delivers local organic produce to customers within a one hour radius of his two locations. Word of mouth took his business from a few friends to 5,000 customers in ten years. www.organicexpress.com
• More and more farmers are using "outdoor experiences" to increase profitability. The following web sites illustrate just a few of the many options: Hunting- www.swansonfarms.com; Cross Country Skiing- www.harrisfarm.com; Fishing - www.northbowlodge.com

Farmers Markets

The number of farmers markets in NEOH has doubled in the past three years. 

These markets are a viable option for farmers in Northeast Ohio. While this region deals with the pressures of urban sprawl, we have the benefit of having rural farm communities in close proximity to urban and large suburban centers where a demand for fresh, high quality farm products does exist. Farmers have been capitalizing on this demand and the number of farmers markets has been growing.

Click here for a list of Northeast Ohio Farm Markets.

Information on how you can help preserve working farms in Northeast Ohio:

Contrary to feelings that there is little we can do to effect change in our nation or communities there are many ways to support farmland preservation.

• Visit our regional update page and contact the farmland conservation point person in your community.
• Encourage your locally elected officials to identify areas of viable agriculture in your community and to establish a plan to protect those areas.
• Attend community meetings - keep apprised of what is happening in your town.
• Visit farmers markets and buy local, buy fresh, buy quality!
• Encourage your favorite restaurant to use locally grown produce- not only does this support the community, but the food is more nutritional and tastes better.
• Encourage your local grocery store to support local farmers by carrying their products.
• Be knowledgeable about what is going on your community. Be aware of plans to develop area lands and how that will impact your taxes in the long run. All communities need residential development but too much residential development will increase the tax burden of all residents more than balanced land use planning that includes active and viable farmland.
• Tell your local officials that you care about the quality of your community and you support efforts to preserve farmland.
• Contact the The Farmland Center and let us know what you think and how you would like to help.