Ag News Online

Celebrate Ohio Ag This Summer

 Though agriculture is the backbone of Ohio, many consumers take it for granted. Now that summer is fast approaching, why not take a family outing to one of the Buckeye State’s historic farms to learn more about this important industry while having fun, too?

Ohio has a rich agriculture legacy that families can learn more about during farm visits.

Native Americans first introduced traditional vegetable crops to the state and when Europeans arrived during the late 1700s, growing practices were perfected and seeds from Europe were introduced to bring fruits and new grains to the state. Later, Ohio became a lucrative tobacco-producing state and farmers grew hemp for rope and cloth. 

Per an Ohio History Central story, farming birthed many industries:

“It is important to note that most early factories and industries grew out of Ohio's agricultural past. For example, by the 1810s, Dayton had a tobacco processing plant. Cincinnati became known as "Porkopolis" during the 1800s, once the city became the pork processing capital of the United States. Bezaleel Wells established a woolen mill in Steubenville in 1815, employing more than one hundred workers. Many manufacturers produced farming machinery, including Cyrus McCormick and Obed Hussey. McCormick invented the reaper, while Hussey developed an early version of the mower. Both of these men lived in Cincinnati during the 1830s.”

Ohio is home to many historic farms worth visiting.
   
Ohio Farm Sites:
   •    Carriage Hill MetroPark Farm — Dayton
   •    Lake Farmpark — Kirtland
   •    Slate Run Living Historical Farm — Westerville
   •    Ramseyer Farms — Wooster
   •    Malabar Farm — Lucas

What to expect:
    •    Planting demonstrations using period farming techniques and methods
    •    Educational tours/exhibits
    •    Crop picking
    •    Produce tasting

Related to farm sites that are open to the public is the Ohio’s Century Farms Program, which recognizes families who have maintained a farm in their family for at least 100 consecutive years. These farms may or may not be on-site accessible to tourists, but can be viewed from the roadside if traveling nearby.

To find a farm to visit or view, visit http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/cent_farms/.
 
Do you know of a historic Ohio farm that can be registered? Have you visited a historic farm?

Photo obtained from: http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/cent_farms/