Seldom Seen Maple Farm

First-generation farmers Kevin and Morgan Holy didn’t initially set out to wrangle thousands of maple trees and harness the sap for syrup at Seldom Seen Farm back in 2012-2013.

“It was 100% by accident, like all great farms start,” Kevin Holy said, with a laugh. The Holys first foray into agriculture included a different kind of harness. Initially they were members of the equine industry before making a sweet transition.

Kevin and Morgan Holy“We started out with 10 trees and a turkey fryer,” he said. “Now we have 5,000 trees, and this is a full-time career for us.”

The couple, who have two children, Chase and Cora, work from home full time and produce around 1,500 gallons of syrup per year, sourcing locally another 3,000-4,000 gallons. Holy said the operation took a big jump in 2018-2019, when they built a new sugarhouse and bought new equipment, among other upgrades.

“It has been such a blessing for us,” he said, noting that all of his maple trees are located about 10 minutes away from their home.

They sell direct to consumers through their retail store, online and what Holy calls “wholesale plus,” which includes local farmers markets. They are also part of the Ohio Maple Producers Association’s Maple Madness Tour, which is usually the first two weekends in March, depending on the weather.

“I think we have about 50 producers on that tour now, from Chillicothe to all the way up here in Geauga,” he said.

Seldom Seen Maple Syrup

Holy also has spent the last several years as the president of the Geauga County Farm Bureau. He’s made two trips to Washington, D.C. to advocate for members and helped host Sen. Sherrod Brown at Ohio Farm Bureau President Bill Patteron’s farm last summer for a discussion about the upcoming farm bill.

“The agricultural landscape of northeast Ohio is about as diverse as they come, and every type of farmer will be impacted in one way or another by what goes into the 2023 Farm Bill,” Holy said. “To have Sherrod Brown, who is not only a U.S. senator, but also a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, listening to what area farmers need as the farm bill is developed is tremendous, and we look forward to continuing these conversations as the farm bill process moves forward.”

Meeting with state lawmakers and those in Congress has made a favorable impression on Holy.

“It’s really important to be involved and sit down with our representatives, go to their office and tell them how laws affect farm life and home life,” he said. “They do listen, and hopefully they remember when they are writing legislation.”

He encourages anyone who is contemplating becoming a Farm Bureau member, or a current member who is thinking about getting more involved in the organization, to “just do it.

“When I first started with Farm Bureau, someone actually gifted me my first year’s membership. I was one of those people who was reluctant about joining because of time and availability of my schedule,” Holy said. “In all honesty it was one of the best things someone gave me.”

Once he was engaged, he said he was impressed by the “dedication and hard work at all levels of leadership from the county to the state and even national organization.”

He noted that the opportunities for leadership training, personal growth, and the protection of the agricultural way of life is up to the members and those who get involved to ensure that Farm Bureau is advocating for agriculture for decades to come.

“The most important thing to me is that Farm Bureau is going to be there in the future for the next generation of our sons and daughters,” he said. “Just like for the past 100 years, they’re going to be there for the next hundred years fighting for them as well.”

To plot your tour stops on the Ohio Maple Madness Tour, visit ohiomaple.org.

Labor has always been an issue, mainly because we are a seasonal operation. So that's a challenge finding somebody who only wants to work three months out of a year, sometimes up to six months.
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Mandy Way

Way Farms

Farm Labor Resources
I appreciate the benefit of having a strong voice in my corner. The extras that are included in membership are wonderful, but I'm a member because of the positive impact to my local and state agricultural communities.
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Ernie Welch

Van Wert County Farm Bureau

Strong communities
I see the value and need to be engaged in the community I live in, to be a part of the decision-making process and to volunteer with organizations that help make our community better.
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Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Leadership development
Farm Bureau involvement has taught me how to grow my professional and leadership experience outside of the workforce and how to do that in a community-centric way.
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Jaclyn De Candio

Clark County Farm Bureau

Young Ag Professionals program
With not growing up on a farm, I’d say I was a late bloomer to agriculture. I feel so fortunate that I found the agriculture industry. There are so many opportunities for growth.
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Jenna Gregorich

Coshocton County Farm Bureau

Growing our Generation
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
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Jared Hughes

Groovy Plants Ranch

Groovy Plants Ranch
If it wasn't for Farm Bureau, I personally, along with many others, would not have had the opportunity to meet with our representatives face to face in Washington.
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Austin Heil

Hardin County Farm Bureau

Washington, D.C. Leadership Experience
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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