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Management of County Based Farms for Teaching & On-Farm Research

Extension Education

Alan Leininger
Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator
Ohio State University
Napoleon

Abstract

On- Farm research is a staple to the agriculture and natural resources extension program. In many counties and regions, the development of partner relationships is critical to the success of on-farm research due to the need for land, equipment, and labor to complete a quality project. In other cases, there may be an opportunity to develop a county-based research farm where on-farm research can be conducted. This removes some of the challenges of working with grower partners on on-farm research but may create other challenges as well.  In this presentation we will discuss how two adjoining counties in northwest Ohio have developed county-based on-farm research sites along with a local community college have turned this into a research farm network. The Henry Agriculture Research and Technology Center or (HARTC) was developed in 2022 just north of Napoleon, OH. This site has been a partnership between the current extension educator and the Henry County Commissioner Board with land from the former county home property. The Defiance Agriculture Research Association or (DARA) began in 1992 in Defiance, OH with land owned by the county. The DARA site has been home to many on-farm research projects related to sub surface drainage, nutrient management, and many others. 

These two research sites along with Northwest State Community College located in Archbold, Ohio have developed a network of sites used for on-farm research, extension programing and teaching undergraduate community college students studying agriculture. As a part of this network partnerships have been developed with local equipment dealers, agronomy retailers, seed dealers, and local Soil & Water Conservation Districts to conduct a variety of projects on all three sites. Outcomes of this network include on-farm research project published in the Ohio State University Digital Ag’s eFields publication, eBarns publication, and on-farm research reports published by Ohio State University. Projects are also published in peer review journals. Additionally, the are current field days and other teaching events on these sites and future programs are currently being developed to serve the NW Ohio agriculture industry. 

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.

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Authors: Alan Leininger, Kyle Verhoff, Amber Emmons, Rachel Henry, Vinayak Shedekar, Dara Barclay, Kayla Miller
  1. Leininger, A. Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 43545
  2. Verhoff, K. Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 43512
  3. Emmons, A. Water Quality Associate, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 43402
  4. Henry, R. Water Quality Associate, Ohio State University Extension, Ohio, 45879
  5. Shedekar, V. Assistant Professor, Ohio State University , Ohio, 43210
  6. Barclay, D. Program Manager, eFields and eBarns, Ohio State University , Ohio, 43210
  7. Miller , K. Faculty Member in Agriculture, Northwest State Community College, Ohio, 43502