Raising livestock can be family affair
While we may walk into those barns thinking we’re raising livestock for the county fair, somewhere along the way we’re raising kids, too.
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Every one of our members is unique and so are their stories. Each week, the Group Member Spotlight takes a behind-the-scenes look at one of our group/business sponsorship members to showcase their story of who they are and what they do!
Our Next Group Spotlight is……
Bissell Maple Farm has been producing maple syrup in Ohio for more than 100 years, starting in the Western Reserve area as a dairy, apple orchard, and dahlia farm, they produced syrup purely for friends and family. The construction of Interstate 90 in 1956 forced the farm to move. Still in the Austinburg area, they continued to farm and kept a sugar shack.
Nate Bissell (sixth-generation maple syrup producer) left his career as a chemical engineer to turn Bissell Maple Farm from a hobby farm to a nationwide operation. When the operation had gotten too big for the farm, Nate moved the operation to Higley Rd in Rock Creek, starting his brand: Rock Creek Sugarworks. Soon, he outgrew the location and moved to a 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Jefferson.
Bissell Maple Farm takes pride in its selection of pure maple syrup, signature syrups (i.e. Rum Barrel Aged Maple and Sweet Heat Maple), and helping Ohio businesses by purchasing food sourced from Ohio. They also give back to the community by offering a free pancake breakfast the first two Saturdays in March at their facility. In November you can visit them for the Craft Maple Brewfest in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America.
You can stop by their retail store, independent (such as Meijer, and Giant Eagle), and local stores (i.e. Mariann’s Chocolates or Sander’s Market), or go online via their website or Amazon to learn more about their products and history. Be sure to follow them on Facebook or on Instagram to keep up with events, recipes, and happenings on the farm.
Bissell Maple Farm
82 W. Ashtabula St.
Jefferson, OH 44047
440-563-3263
[email protected]
If you or your business is interested in becoming a group member or sponsor of Ashtabula County Farm Bureau events and programming, learn more here, contact us via email.
By being a group sponsor of your county Farm Bureau you help us continue to protect the future of agriculture, promote Ohio agriculture and support local youth!
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
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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