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Sam Bigham and his son Brian say they have a lot of great neighbors. Then there are times when rocks are dumped in their hay field, dog waste and grass clippings tossed over their fence and their land mistaken for a public park.

Less than 15 miles from downtown Columbus, their 70-acre grain, hay and cattle farm is now surrounded by suburban housing developments.

"You've got one nosey neighbor, I've got 65," said Brian, describing a long row of houses that line the property.

Also located next to a major waterway, the farm's location made it a perfect site for a group of urban college students to learn about the ecology of agriculture during a field trip.

OFBF Director of Policy Development Chris Henney defined agricultural ecology for the students from the Columbus College of Art and Design.

"It's a vibrant community. It's a clean environment. It's a strong economy. It's about how all those things work together on this farm," he said.

For many of the students, whose areas of study include painting, photography and fashion design, this was their first time on a farm. During the visit, they learned about crop rotations, the importance of drainage and how runoff from residential areas can contaminate water supplies.

After comparing the cost of a new combine to the 1930s corn picker the Bighams use to harvest grain for their cattle, Henney explained that many farmers are "land-rich but cash-poor."

Sam Bigham emphasized the point by explaining that current estate tax law could require families to come up with large sums of money or sell off portions of their land to stay in business when the farm owner dies.

When a student asked what he would be if he wasn't a farmer, Sam quipped "richer."

But Brian was quick to point out that even with the headaches of farming in a residential area, there are good reasons to stay.

"You learn to love something. This is a big part of you," he said. "You can't just throw something away."

Still, it seems the Bighams have some work ahead in educating their neighbors about agriculture. Brian recalled one neighbor who said he enjoyed living by the farm, but referring to an alfalfa field asked, "Could you just cut your weeds?"

Caption: Chris Henney, OFBF director of policy development, talks with college students about ecological farming practices.