A restoration agriculture weekend workshop featuring nationally-acclaimed author Mark Shepard takes place in Bluffton next month.

Hosted by brothers Jerrod, Joel and Jonah Agner, the weekend enables participants to immerse themselves in two days of hands-on restoration agriculture learning.

Watch Mark Shepard video at bottom of story -

The weekend is designed for homesteaders, organic farmers, community activists and small and large-scale farmers.

“Participants will learn about ways to flood-proof land and grow quality food. It will also cover many related topics,” said Jonah.

Hosted on the Joel Agner farm, 20527 Township Road 56, Bluffton, from Friday evening, Sept. 15, through Sunday morning, Sept. 17, registration details are at the bottom of this story.

Jonah explains that he and his brothers want to support the community using regenerative agricultural practices. Those practices focus on native perennial plants to produce food, fuel, fiber and medicine.

Keynote speaker
The keynote speaker, Mark Shepard is author of “Restoration Agriculture.” He is CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises, and founder of Restoration Agriculture Development. He runs New Forest Farm, a 106-acre perennial agricultural savanna. It is considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agriculture projects in the U.S.

Three elements of the workshop are restoration ecology, reading the landscape and earthworks.

Topics covered include:
•  principles gleaned from interacting with natural systems and inspiration on designing a system for you and your land
• Identifying and practice of principles with observation and measuring equipment
• Tools and strategies for implementing restoration agriculture designs

“Participants will learn about equipment selection and operation and will watch the construction of earthworks such as swales and pocket ponds,” said Jonah.

Registration is $300 per participant. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER, or send check to (in care of Joel Agner):
Joel Agner
20527 TR 56
Bluffton, OH 45817

For more information contact Agner at 937-309-2055.