OAK 2023 Conference Recordings and Summary Report

In early 2023, OAK held its annual conference at Kentucky State University's Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm in Frankfort, Kentucky. The conference sold out and brought together amazing speakers and participants to join in learning and networking, with the theme "Rooted in Resilience: Growing Healthy Soils and Opportunities for Kentucky Organics."

#OAK2023 was OAK's 12th annual farming conference and included a growing audience of hundreds of Kentuckians and neighbors active in community food systems: farmers, researchers, nonprofit professionals, federal and state agency partners, allied service providers and conscious consumers working collectively to build a local, resilient and healthy food system. The synergy of these diverse voices, messages and approaches combined with the place-based connection to our Kentucky farms, soil and communities provided a rich foundation for conversation and growth. Read the 2023 Conference Summary Report here. 

Please enjoy these recorded sessions from the 12th Annual OAK Conference Rooted in Resilience: Growing Healthy Soils and Opportunities for Kentucky Organics on January 26-28, 2023. 

Growing and Selling Profitable Greens Year-Round

Ray Tyler - Rose Creek Farm 

Cover Crop Strategies for Small-Scale Farms

Jesse Frost - Rough Draft Farmstead; Susana Lein - Salamander Springs Farm

Agroforestry 201: Nuts and Bolts of Adding Woody Perennials To Your Farm 

Darren Bender-Beauregard - Brambleberry Farm; Jody Thompson - Kentucky State University

Time To Become A Climate Nerd: Implications Of A Wetter And Warmer Climate For Kentucky Agriculture 

Matt Dixon - UK Ag Weather Center

Cover Crops for Soil Health and System Resilience

Hanna Poffenbarger and Danielle Doering - University of Kentucky

Obstacles and Achievements (aka "Do and Re-do") in Field and High Tunnel Grown Flowers

Anna Bynum - Bellaire Blooms

Optimizing Your Farms Sales Funnel-Marketing Success! 

Corinna Bench - Shared Legacy Farms / My Digital Farmer

Adding Energy Efficiency to the Family Farm 

Josh Bills - Mountain Association; Seth Long - SouthDown Farm

Agroforestry 101: What It Is and How To Incorporate It on Your Farm 

Darren Bender-Beauregard - Brambleberry Farm; Jody Thompson - Kentucky State University

Kentucky State Cost Share and Ag Water Quality Plan Basics 

Jay Nelson - Kentucky Division of Conservation; Debbie Apple - River Cottage Farm

Open Daily: Operating a Farmer-Owned Retail and Aggregation Outlet 

Armonda Riggs - Four Flags Farm LLC / Rose Hill Farm Stop; Mike Record - New Ground Farm / Rose Hill Farm Stop

Electric Fencing for Serious Graziers: Setup and Management

Chris Teutsch and Morgan Hayes - University of Kentucky; Jeremy McGill - Gallagher

Beyond Compost: Nutrient Budgeting for Small Organic Farms 

Krista Jacobsen - University of Kentucky; Christopher McKenzie - Grow Appalachia

Introduction to Forest Farming: Almost Everything you Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask 

Andrea Miller - Rural Action; Robin Suggs - Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD)

Strategies and Practices for Building Soil Health on the Modern Organic Farm 

Shawn Lucas - Kentucky State University

Small-Scale Grain and Dry Bean Production

Nazirahk Amen - Purple Mountain Grown and Purple Mountain Organics 

Helping Grow Local Markets

Birch Bragg - Locals Food Hub and Pizza Pub 

Inside Peek at Two Kentucky Farmer Sales Funnels

Corinna Bench - Shared Legacy Farms / My Digital Farmer; Rae Strobel - Barr Farms; Melissa Ballard - Bluegrass Beef 

Sankofa: Rethinking Growing Food in the South

Obiora Embry and Irucka Embry - Getting Back to Nature™

KEYNOTE: Reconnecting with the Roots of Organics 

John Ikerd - University of Missouri (Emeritus)

High Tunnelling to Profit: Managing Your Crops, Soils and Structures 

Matt Kleinhenz - Ohio State University; Paul Wiediger - Au Naturel Farm; Annette Wszelaki - University of Tennessee

Corralling High Tunnel Arthropod Pests Through Integrated Pest Management 

Jonathan Larson - University of Kentucky

Tips and Resources for Beginning Farmers  

Maggie Wilder and Melinda Wilder - Wolf Gap Gardens

Farm Bill - What's in it for you?

Kimmie Ishmael and Laurie White - Community Farm Alliance (CFA)

The Basics of Tomato Grafting: What, Why and How 

Rachel Rudolph - University of Kentucky; Cortney Moses - Good Thymes Farm

Costs and Benefits of Integrating Poultry into Vegetable Rotations

Viktor Halmos and David Gonthier - University of Kentucky

KEYNOTE: Farming Towards a Healthy Future

Nazirahk Amen - Purple Mountain Grown / Purple Mountain Organics

Is There a Grant For That? Focus On Your Farm Funding 

Myrisa Christy and Cara Stewart - KCARD; Jamie Ponder - NRCS; Christopher McKenzie - Grow Appalachia; Joni Nelson - Kentucky State University; Melanie McPartlin - KY Dept of Agriculture; Bryce Baumann - Lazy Eight Stock Farm; Maggie Bowling - Old Homeplace Farm

Outdoor Mushroom Inoculation 

Michael Beck and Joana Amorim - Sylvatica Forest Farm

Livestock Systems Promoting Soil Health and Biological-Based Fertility 

Greg Halich - University of Kentucky; David Burge - Justamere Farm

On-Farm Vegetable Breeding: Developing Varieties Uniquely Adapted to the Southeast 

Megan Allen - Care of the Earth Community Farm; Jared Zystro - Organic Seed Alliance

Pathways to Organic Transition and Organic Careers

Panel Discussion with Kenya Abraham - Slak Market Farm; Marcus Bernard - Kentucky State University; Eymlin and Anthony Brooks - Turner Brooks Farm; Jim Coleman - Coleman Crest Farm; Keith McKenzie - Knob Hill Farm 

Thank you, again, to our 2023 sponsors, partners and funders!