Harvesting Success: Resources for Urban Growers
Date: October 25, 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Metropolitan Campus Center MCC201
Addresses:
Front Door Drop-off: 2480 East 30th Street, Cleveland, OH 44115
Parking Lot 4: 2900 Community College Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115 (parking in Lot 4 is free)
This one-day event is designed to bring together urban farmers, community leaders, and agricultural professionals to share practical knowledge, innovative resources, and local success stories that support urban agriculture in Northeast Ohio.
Please contact Yiyun Lin (lin.2266@osu.edu) if you have any questions.
Agenda
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM Welcome and announcements
Morning Presentation Sessions
- 10:20 AM – 10:50 AM Keynote Presentation by Tanya Holmes (Ka-La Healing Garden Center)
- 10:50 AM – 11:20 AM Invited Presentation "Successful High Tunnel Production Requires Optimizing their Interior Environments" by Matt Kleinhenz (The Ohio State University)
- 11:20 AM – 11:50 AM Invited Presentation "Applying IPM in Specialty Crop Systems: Collecting and Using Your Toolbox" by Logan Minter (The Ohio State University)
Lunch, Networking, and Farmer Panel Discussion
- 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch and Networking (needs assessment survey)
- 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Panel Discussion on “Overcoming Challenges in Urban Farming”
- Panelists: Michael Bartunek (Ohio City Farm), Jamel Rahkeera (Village Family Farm), and Slader Moss-Coleman (Rid-All Green Partnership)
Afternoon Presentation Sessions
- 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM Invited Presentation "How AI Can Help Simplify Your Marketing" by Christie Welch (The Ohio State University)
- 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Invited Presentation "Digging into the Details: Managing the Business of Urban Farming" by David Marrison (The Ohio State University)
- 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM Invited Presentation “Navigating the Regulatory Environment of Urban Farming” by Guil Signorini (The Ohio State University)
Resource Exhibitions
- Available from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Exhibitors:
- OSU Urban Agriculture Team
- Central State University Extension
- USDA Farm Service Agency
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Soil and Water Conservation District
- Northeast Ohio Ag Innovation Center
- SCORE Business Mentoring
- Ohio Farm Bureau
- Rid-All Green Partnership
- AG Futures Cleveland
4:00 PM Event closing
Meet our speakers (slides attached below)
Tanya Holmes (Ka-La Healing Garden Center)
Matt Kleinhenz (The Ohio State University)
Title: Successful High Tunnel Production Requires Optimizing their Interior Environments
High tunnels are incredibly effective tools only when temperature, light, and other conditions match the needs of the crop(s) inside them. These conditions are typically set by the high tunnel grower/user using trial and error as their primary teacher, which is costly in many ways. This session will shorten learning curves for less experienced growers and challenge experienced growers to examine their assumptions and approaches to this critical aspect of high tunnel production and management.
Logan Minter (The Ohio State University)
Title: Applying IPM in Specialty Crop Systems: Collecting and Using Your Toolbox
This presentation will cover a foundation in the principles of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) and highlight case studies in application of various tools used in specialty crop systems in different environments, management regimes, and scales. Comparisons of systems historically used as well as new adaptations to combat insects, weeds, pathogens, and other pests will be discussed.
Christie Welch (The Ohio State University)
Title: How AI Can Help Simplify Your Marketing
Learn how marketers and using AI (artificial intelligence) to save time and increase effectiveness of marketing their businesses. You will be introduced to AI platforms that are currently used by marketing professionals.
David Marrison (The Ohio State University)
Title: Digging into the Details: Managing the Business of Urban Farming
From business structures to tax essentials, this session will unpack the nuts and bolts of running a successful urban farm. The presentation will address common questions around operations, record-keeping, and taxation – equipping you with practical tools to build a more sustainable and profitable farming business.
Guil Signorini (The Ohio State University)
Title: Navigating the Regulatory Environment of Urban Farming
This presentation covers a comprehensive guide to navigate the regulatory landscape for urban agriculture in Ohio. It outlines essential licenses and approvals at the state, county, and local levels that urban growers must obtain to avoid fines, approval delays, or shutdowns. A hypothetical urban farm is used to illustrate the information search and application processes for obtaining certificates and licenses to operate.
Presentation slides and factsheet (work in progress)
Registration has been closed on October 17th, 2025 at 5pm.