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Rep. Larry Wolpert of the 29^th House District visited Ehmann & Sons Greenhouses near Grove City to learn about the day-to-day workings of the operation.

Ehmann & Sons Greenhouses consists of 32 greenhouses run by the Ehmann family, including Gene, his wife, Norma, and their three sons, Keith, Kevin and Roger – all Franklin County Farm Bureau members. Five generations of the Ehmann family have operated a truck farm or greenhouse since 1900. Wolpert could identify with this history because his grandfather and father, Paul and Richard Wolpert, farmed in northwest Franklin County for more than a century.

In 1962, the Ehmanns began growing plants in greenhouses. On his visit, Wolpert saw more than 10,000 hanging baskets and learned that Gene sells Wolpert's favorite tomato plant, Jet Star, which the representative had not been able to find in years.

"We wanted to show (Rep. Wolpert) how we raise our plants from seed to retail. Farming in this state is important, and we wanted to reinforce that to him by showing the hard work we put into our operation," Gene said.

To repay the family for the experience, Wolpert has invited the Ehmanns to the Statehouse in the spring to see the day-to-day activities of a House representative.

CAPTION: Franklin County Farm Bureau member Gene Ehmann, left, shows Rep. Larry Wolpert the day-to-day operations of the Ehmann family greenhouse near Grove City.