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The Fairfield County Farm Bureau is planning a self-drive tour of local farms. The Farm Hop will begin in early spring and run through the growing season. Visitors can ‘hop’ to a different farm each month to learn more about agriculture in Fairfield County. Participating farms will have an opportunity to sell farm products to the public.

“We plan to showcase all sizes of farms and all types of operations, from grain to livestock to garden production,” said Organization Director Ivory Harlow. “The Fairfield County Farm Hop is a great way to get to know local farmers and learn about local food, fiber and fuel production.”

Trish Preston chairs the Farm Hop committee. She owns and operates Preston Family Farm in Pickerington. She conceptualized the Farm Hop because of the positive response of customers visiting her operation and their interest to learn about local production.

“The Fairfield County Farm Hop will provide an opportunity for visitors to have one-on-one conversations with farmers to understand the value of agriculture in our community,” Trish said.

According to the USDA Census of Agriculture, there are 188,407 acres of farmland in Fairfield County. The majority farms in the county are small and family owned. Hogs are the No.1 livestock inventory and soybeans are the top crop in acres.

Many residents assume they must visit the big city to find fresh local food, but there are vast opportunities to purchase produce and proteins direct from local farmers, downtown farm to table restaurants and specialty grocers such as Keller Market House.

Lynne and Josh Schultz of Schultz Valley Farms in Lancaster will host a Farm Hop stop. Their farm offers Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions that provide a weekly share of local food to CSA members.

“For many people in our community they think food just appears on the shelves at the grocery store. Our family farm wants to change that; we want people to reconnect to their food and the first step to that is educating them on the step on how their food is grown and the work that goes into it,” said Lynne Schultz.

If you are interested in hosting a Farm Hop Stop, complete the application.

 For more information, email [email protected].

Ohio Farm Bureau’s mission is working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities. Learn more at ofbf.org.