Farming
Farming and agriculture have been a part of many Licking County residents’ livelihood for decades. The earliest, still existing farm is dated back to 1805, making it 212-years old.[1] Farms in Licking County raise a variety of different crops and livestock: corn, wheat, soybeans, cattle, alpacas, goats, horses, and many more.
While modern farmers enjoy many advantages, such as advanced farming equipment, pesticides, and fertilizers, many have faced difficulties due to a rise in the price of producing crops and raising cattle and a decreasing payout.[2]
Local resident, Luther Tweeten, shared that in the 1940’s and 1950’s he and his father could plant 10 acres of corn a day and tend to 300 hogs over a few hours. Now with the increase of technology, it is easy to plant 300 acres of corn a day and 1000 hogs in an hour.[3]
In 2008, fifty-three families were reported to have owned century-old farms[4], but as of 2013, only thirteen families “qualify as 100-year farms in Licking County.”[5]
Contents
Blue Jay Farms
Blue Jay Farms began the spring of 1805, making it one of the oldest recorded farms in Licking County. The oldest portion of the farm is now located on Blue Jay Road.[6]
Buckeye Country Alpacas
Buckeye Country Alpacas is one of the four local Alpaca Farms. The farm is located in Granville, where the owner, Laura Lee, owns and boards many different types of Alpacas.[7]
Buckeye Egg Farm
In 1982, the Buckeye Egg Farm, which was originally called the Croton Egg Farm, was one of the largest producing egg farms in the nation, consisting of 75 acres. The farm was located on County Road 3 in Croton, and was owned by Anton Pohlmann, a West German investor. At the time, the farm produced 900,000 eggs per day.[8] The company was first sued in 1983 by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency when it was found that chicken manure was being allowed to seep into Otter Creek.[9] The farm was later renamed Buckeye Egg Farm. The company and the farm underwent many lawsuits and health violations, as nearby Ohioans claimed that the chicken farm was creating a huge fly problem. In 2001, the company had to settle $20 million dollars to twenty-one plaintiffs that endured years of the plant’s odors and the fly infestation that the farm caused.[10] In 2002, the farm was sold for $926,000.[11]
Grand View Farm
Grand View Farm was cleared by the current owner’s great-great- grandfather and great-great-grandmother in 1833, making it one of the counties’ oldest farms. The 200 acre farm is located on Centennial Road, southwest of Utica.[12]
Horst Family Farm
The oldest parts of the farm date back to the 1870’s. The farm was to be destroyed, but in 1999 the Reese Family Foundation saved the farm and donated it to the city of Newark to be used as an educational park.[13]
Licking Creamery Company
The Licking Creamery Company was a substantial dairy producer in the early 20th century. The company was featured in a 1911 Newark Board of Trade publication promoting their use of modern, sanitary equipment to make butter and ice cream.[14]
Lynd Fruit Farm
Lynd Fruit Farm is located on the intersection of Ohio 310 and Morse Road, just west of Granville. The farm’s apple orchards, corn mazes, and beautiful autumn scenery draw thousands of tourists from around the nation.[15]
Pigeon Roost Farm
Pigeon Roost Farm has been owned and operated by current owners, Ralph and Janice Jutte, since 1979. Each autumn, the farm is a main attraction for families, with their corn maze, country style shops, enchanted forest, and many other family activities.[16]
M.J.
References
- ↑ Pat Tavener Walrath, “Bicentennial Highlights,” Newark Advocate, June 1, 2008, 5c.
- ↑ Tiffany Edwards, “Century Farms have Adapted to Today’s Standards,” Newark Advocate, March 17, 2008, 1.
- ↑ Misti Crane, “Tied to the Past, Bound to the Future,” Newark Advocate, May 7, 2000, 1,4.
- ↑ Pat Tavener Walrath, “Bicentennial Highlights,” Newark Advocate, June 1, 2008, 5c.
- ↑ Joe Williams, “A Rare Feat,” Newark Advocate, January 9, 2013, 1.
- ↑ Pat Tavener Walrath, “Bicentennial Highlights,” Newark Advocate, June 1, 2008, 5c.
- ↑ Tiffany Edwards, “Granville’s piece of Little Peru,” Granville Sentinel, October 4, 2007, 4b.
- ↑ Molly Amspaugm, “Huge egg operation locates near Croton,” Newark Advocate, February 27, 1982, 9.
- ↑ Larry Fugate, “Egg farm’s hearing set for September,” Newark Advocate, August 5, 1983, 1.
- ↑ Drew Bracken, “Buckeye Egg hearing’s cancellation lends credence to talk of settlement” Newark Advocate, December 11, 2001.
- ↑ Drew Bracken, “Egg farm land sells for $926k,” Newark Advocate, June 28, 2002.
- ↑ Joe Williams, “A Rare Feat,” Newark Advocate, January 9, 2013, 1.
- ↑ Susan Parker Geier, “Farm Rescued from urban sprawl,” Newark Advocate, July 29, 1999, 1.
- ↑ Denny Ashcraft, “Scenes from Yesteryear,” Newark Advocate, February 5, 1997.
- ↑ Chad Klimack, “Families enjoy harvest at local farms,” Granville Sentinel, October 4, 2007, 3b.
- ↑ Chad Klimack, “Families enjoy harvest at local farms,” Granville Sentinel, October 4, 2007, 3b.
