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Editor’s Note: Lilly Cappitte, Audrey Pinger, and Lainey Roberts are serving as Ohio State Fair and ExploreAg interns for Ohio Farm Bureau.

Lilly Cappitte is a Delaware County native currently working toward an associate’s degree in agricultural communications at Ohio State ATI. She is serving as part-time ExploreAg Camp Counselor/part-time state fair intern. Audrey Pinger is a native of Felicity, Ohio in Clermont County and is currently in her third year at The Ohio State University – Main Campus where she studies agriscience education with minors in production agriculture and education policy. She is serving as full-time state fair intern. Lainey Roberts, a native of Preble County, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences at The Ohio State University. She is serving as full-time state fair intern.

Near the beginning of our internship with the Ohio Farm Bureau, Audrey, Lilly, and I took our intern trip with Julie Shull – our supervisor and the director of events for Ohio Farm Bureau. The purpose of this trip was to learn more about agriculture and the role it plays in Ohio, to connect with industry professionals, and to bond with the ExploreAg Camp staff, as well as the other interns and Julie.

MVP Dairy

We started at MVP Dairy in Celina, Ohio. The McCarty-Vantilburg Partnership (MVP) is a sustainable grain and dairy farm, composed of two families: The McCarty Family, dairy farmers from Kansas, and the VanTilburg Family, grain farmers from Ohio. The two families decided to join forces and relocate to Celina, where they work together to focus on animal welfare, sustainability, and a fun, safe, working environment.

We started on the bus tour, where Abby, an MVP Dairy intern, spoke to us about the operation. We drove through their barn, where we could see the 4,500 Holsteins that they house in tunnel-ventilated freestall barns. After seeing the barns, we drove around to see where they wash the sand for bedding reuse, their silage storage, and their wetland areas, designed to support the environment. Once we got off the bus, we headed upstairs to their learning center, where we were able to see more about their sustainability practices, the history of their operations, and how they work to protect the environment. Finally, we headed up to the third story to look down on their milking carousel, where they can track the health, activity, and production statistics of their animals while milking 80 cows at once. We finished the stop off by enjoying a Dannon yogurt, produced with MVP Dairy’s own milk. 

Sauder Village

Our next stop took us to Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio, where we met with Roy Norman, the Farm Bureau organization director for that area. Sauder Village is a historic village that showcases pioneer settlements from 1803 all the way to what a town’s main street would have looked like in the 1920s. Roy took us around to a few different buildings in the pioneer village, including a basket shop, tin shop and woodworking shop. He also took us into the museum, where we were able to learn a bit about Eric Sauder, the man who started the settlement. Inside the museum, we looked around to decide what sort of displays we may be able to use for future Ohio State Fair displays to teach the public about the history of agriculture.

After the museum, we went to the 1920s Main Street, where we were able to visit the 1920’s Ohio Farm Bureau Office! After touring the village, we enjoyed a dinner at their restaurant, The Barn, and enjoyed talking to Roy about the counties that he covers as an organization director, how he got to his position, and some of the things he has been working on recently. Roy gave us excellent insight into what it is like to work for Ohio Farm Bureau and some of the issues that are currently being faced by Ohio’s farmers. We are appreciative of Roy for taking the time to speak with us! 

Joining the ExploreAg team

The following day, we packed up early and headed north to Port Clinton, where we met with Katie Share and the ExploreAg staff, as well as Jordan Hoewischer, the director of water quality and research for Ohio Farm Bureau. After arrival, we boarded the Jet Express and went across the lake to Put-In-Bay, where we rented some golf carts and explored the island. After eating lunch, we found a place to sit and listen to Jordan present to us on water quality. Jordan’s presentation covered the causes of water quality issues that Lake Erie faces, as well as the changes that have been made in farming practices toward water quality efforts. He shared data from recent water tests with us and explained the efforts that have been made by programs like H2Ohio that are showing positive improvement in the quality of the water and the nutrients that are being passed through soil and water runoff from agricultural fields. Water is such a crucial part of our lives, so it is important that we learn how to preserve and protect it. 

Patterson Fruit Farm

On the last day of our trip, the ExploreAg Camp staff and the Ohio State Fair interns all hopped into the van with Julie and made the drive to Chesterland, Ohio where we met with Ohio Farm Bureau President Bill Patterson and his wife, Kristin. When we arrived at Patterson Fruit Farm, we drove around the property and got a wonderful tour from Bill and Kristin, learned about the events they host, and the activities offered for customers. After arriving at the pick-your-own-strawberry fields, we were given the chance to try to find some ripe strawberries to pick. After picking our handful of strawberries, we returned to Bill and Kristin’s house, getting a chance to see the market where they sell their apples and other products, as well as the barn where their kids raise their 4-H animals. 

We then made our way to their patio, where Kristin led us through one of her jam making classes. While making our jam, we got to have a conversation with President Patterson about what he believes is important to Ohio agriculture and the future of the agricultural industry. Once we all finished with our jam, Kristin allowed us to make lunch, where we all played a part in creating a delicious protein bowl for lunch. We had a great time engaging in conversation and laughter over a delicious meal! We enjoyed getting to hear about the history of the family farm that they operate, as well as some of the considerations that they have for the future. The passion that they have for providing opportunities for the community to have fresh produce and foods while learning about agriculture and speaking to the Patterson family about their operation is admirable. It was amazing to see everything that they have done to make their business successful, and the community that they have built clearly is important to them. We are all so grateful that Bill and Kristin were willing and able to take time out of their busy schedules to speak with us!

My takeaways

Overall, this trip was a perfect way to kick off our internship experience – from exploring innovative agricultural operations to meeting passionate industry leaders, we gained a deeper understanding of the vital role that agriculture plays in Ohio’s economy and communities.

One of the biggest takeaways was seeing how these farms and organizations communicate with people who may not have a background in agriculture. It shaped the way we think about having conversations with non-farmers by making agriculture approachable, relatable, and easy to understand. This lesson will be especially valuable as we prepare for the Little Farmers Exhibit at this year’s Ohio State Fair, where we’ll connect fair visitors of all ages to the agricultural industry and teach them where their food comes from.

Beyond the knowledge we gained, this trip also gave us a chance to build relationships with each other and with professionals across the state. We are excited to carry these connections and experiences with us as we continue our internships with the Ohio Farm Bureau and look forward to what the rest of the summer holds.