Pioneer Region - Ashtabula and Trumbull County Farm Bureaus
by John Parker In October 1996, representatives of the Trumbull County Farm Bureau paid a visit to the metro editor of the Warren Tribune Chronicle. Their purpose was to get acquainted, take some agricultural story ideas to him and talk about more agricultural coverage in the Tribune. During the discussion, the editor asked if there was anyone who would be willing to write a weekly agriculture column. Trumbull County Farm Bureau found not only person but three who agreed to write for the paper. A decision was made at that time to provide weekly columns. After discussing the opportunity with the Trumbull County Farm Bureau board and asking for volunteers to write, three members volunteered – Susan Montgomery, Gary Smallsreed and me. Montgomery and her husband, Richard, have a dairy and grain farm while Smallsreed and his wife, Mary, are part of a family dairy farm. I retired after 35 years with Ohio State University Extension. The Tribune started off the columns with a feature story and pictures of the writers to let readers know to look for the articles on Thursdays. They have appeared regularly since then. Montgomery and Smallsreed write about once a month while I write twice with help from guest writers from time to time. Mary Smallsreed also fills in occasionally. Column topics have varied widely, but they all tell some aspect of agriculture’s story. Ideas come from experiences, everyday life and community involvement of all three of us and from other sources such as Ohio Farm Bureau. These experiences vary and provide an interesting assortment of columns for the readers. Over the years, we have provided and published more than 400 columns for the Tribune Chronicle. Feedback from comments and letters suggests there is a regular reading audience and many are from urban areas. As Tribune editors have changed, regular visits have been made to the newspaper to get acquainted and get suggestions for improving the columns. The Tribune has a cooperative reporter working with the Farm Bureau. As long as the writers can find the time and the ideas, which are limitless, we will continue to write. When we can’t, someone else will step forward to do the job. In the mean time, more than 400 columns telling agriculture’s story is an accomplishment the writers and Trumbull County Farm Bureau can point to with a sense of satisfaction. Trend continues Ashtabula County Farm Bureau representatives made contact with the Ashtabula Star Beacon, a daily newspaper, and the Gazette Newspapers, a weekly paper that covers large areas of northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. As a result, four writers now contribute to weekly Star Beacon columns. These include Hope Swank, wife of a local fruit grower and marketer; Kathy Smith, wife of a grain-equine farmer; Danielle Kobsik, OFBF organization director for Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties; and me. The Geauga Maple Leaf, a weekly paper distributed in Geauga and nearby counties, also has requested the Star Beacon articles. Parker is the county information coordinator for the Ashtabula County Farm Bureau. | |