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Jenish Patel has never strayed far from his roots, though he lives very far from where he was born.

“I come from India and agriculture is still the backbone of the Indian economy and the people of India,” he said. “My grandfather and great grandfather produced cotton and peanuts on their farms in rural India.”

Patel’s parents didn’t follow the farming tradition. His father is in the diamond and textiles industry, and Patel himself moved to California in 2009 to earn his master’s degree in business administration. He currently works as an information technology consultant and once worked for Nationwide when he moved to Columbus in 2015.

Patel learned about Nationwide through Kirstie Wilson at the Sylvia Garrett Agency, through which he now has his auto and home insurance coverage.

He had to use his homeowners insurance when a storm came through and damaged his roof not too long after he and his wife, Maulika, moved into their current home.

“They came out to do an inspection and we got the roof repaired,” he said. “It was an easy and efficient process.”

It was during his time at Nationwide that Patel discovered Ohio Farm Bureau and its unbreakable link with its No. 1 partner.

“I had seen the Farm Bureau logo on signages at a few (Nationwide) events. My next exposure to the Farm Bureau was at the Ohio State Fair in 2015 where I got to know more about their work and support to the agriculture industry here in Ohio,” he said, noting that there is no advocacy organization comparable to it in India.

“The person at the booth was friendly and kind enough to share some insights about the agriculture industry in Ohio, and the information shared did get me intrigued about the agriculture industry.”

Patel is a fan of Our Ohio magazine, and stories in the publication have piqued his interest in one key area – dairy farming.

“It has raised my interest in dairy farming and the endless possibilities that come with it,” he said. “I am researching more and more about it and am hoping to make practical use of the knowledge when an opportunity permits.”

One opportunity is seemingly close at hand. Patel is on the planning committee at his temple, ISKCON Greater Columbus, an International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which is a centuries-old, predominantly Indian religion based on the Hindu scriptures.

The temple recently purchased about 54 acres in Hilliard. A new temple is one of many things slated to be established on the property, along with a farm-to-table restaurant, organic farming and cow sanctuary.

“We will also have many trees planted on our property along with walking trails to preserve the greenery on our land. We plan to educate children about how to nurture an animal properly,” Patel said. “Knowing my roots, I have come to understand how much hard work and toil a farmer has to go through in producing their crops. Hence I have deep respect for all farmers and their families no matter their origin. Farmers are not always recognized for the role they play.”