COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Team will host four tours this summer on urban agriculture, agritourism, farming research and farmers’ markets, as part of the 2012 Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series.

“The series is a unique opportunity for growers and other interested people to experience what alternative production systems are all about from farmers themselves,” said Alan Sundermeier, an extension educator who is also a member of the Sustainable Agriculture Team.

Organic and ecological farms are the focus of the tour, he said, noting the main goal of the series is sharing and updating information among growers and people trying to promote sustainability and move the issues forward throughout Ohio.

“We try to highlight farmer-friendly research and education,” Sundermeier said. “Sometimes the best way to learn is to see it in action or experience it in person. Not everything can be learned in a classroom. Sometimes you need to go to the site to understand the entire farm system.”

The ag team works to get people to consider the economy, environment and social structure when farming, he said.

“In production agriculture, if you are improving the economy but destroying the environment, that’s not a good thing,” Sundermeier explained. “To be successful in the long term, you’ve got to consider all three aspects of sustainable agriculture and if there is a negative impact on any of them, to try to mitigate that as much as possible.”

The tours, all of which are free, include:

•July 13: Urban Agriculture, with a look at four successful and economically viable urban farms in Cleveland, including a wine vineyard and farms that offer employment for clients of the county’s Board of Developmental Disabilities and provide beginning farmers with land and technical support. The tour will include stops at Stanard Farm, Kinsman Incubator Farm, Ohio City Farm and Chateau Hough. 12-4 p.m., E. 53rd Street and Stanard Avenue, Cleveland; contact 216-429-8200, ext. 217, or kowalski.124@osu.edu

•July 26: On-farm Vegetable Market at the Green Thumb Farm Market, which uses high tunnels to grow tomatoes, peppers and squash. The market also features vegetables, flowers and plants grown on the farm, as well as other products purchased from Ohio farmers. 3-5:30 p.m., 45869 Southland Road, New Bremen; contact 419-753-2456 or greenthumbproduce@hotmail.com

•Aug. 15: Agritourism, featuring Leeds Farm, one of Ohio’s most successful agritourism farms. The 80-acre farm has included tourism for more than 20 years. The tour will focus on strategies for farm markets and agritourism operations to assess and minimize risks that may arise when the public is invited onto the farm. 1-4 p.m., 8734 Marysville Road, Ostrander; contact 740-660-2020 or leeds.2@osu.edu

•Aug. 22: Farming Research, a look at experiments currently under way at OSU’s Piketon research center, including five bioenergy experiments with miscanthus, switchgrass, willow and other warm season grasses. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., OSU South Centers, 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon; contact 740-289-2071, ext. 223, or moose.14@osu.edu

Other key stops include:

•July 20: Garden Tour and Lecture with Peter Bane – Author and gardener Bane will describe how to develop effective small-scale methods for home-based production at this Shaker Heights location

•July 28: Natural Goat Health and Raw Milk Cheese-making Tour – Blue Rock Station in Philo offers this stop to a 38-acre farm and educational center; learn about strategies for natural parasite control and important ingredients used for healthy livestock management

•July 29: Garlic and Hoop House Season Extension Tour – In Bellefontaine, learn the steps to grow fresh produce year-round, including intensive rotations and weekly plantings; hoop houses and raised beds are highlighted

•Aug. 4: Grain Growers Specialty Grain Workshop – In Belleville, learn about sustainable black bean and pinto bean production; discussion includes production methods, equipment and marketing strategies

•Sept. 14: Produce Auctions and the Local Food Web Tour – This stop in Fredericktown illustrates the role that produce auctions play in moving food from farm to fork at the Owl Creek Produce Auction

•Sept. 14: Institution Sourcing of Local Food Tour – Learn about Kenyon College food system and how such colleges are sourcing local and sustainably produced food

In other stops patrons will learn about sustainable living on an Ohio Century Farm, Ohio Farm History, alpaca fiber production, urban gardening in small places, successful specialty crop marketing, on-farm wind energy and grazing field day activities. Complete details and a list of all 23 tours can be downloaded at www.oeffa.us/oeffa/pdfs/farmtour 2012.pdf