Over the Garden Fence: Farm hop showcases Crawford County entrepreneurs

The thing about growing older is that your experiences keep piling on. Terms that have been ingrained as experiences go way back. Take the word "hop" for instance. As a kid we attended dances called sock hops. Thinking back, dancing the jitterbug on waxed gymnasium floors in stocking feet had to be crazy. We did that.

Later, to earn money for college at the A & W Root Beer stand meant car hop duties. That was moving from car to car to take orders for food and drinks.

Then the notion of the bunny hop came along. At parties, dances and receptions people formed a line linked together by placing hands on the hips or waist of the person in front of you. Today's world is full of hip-hoppers whose lyrics come in a series of quick leap-like releases.

So when the term "farm hop" came up, it was not really strange. I knew it meant quick stops at a series of locations. This was special with its energies directed into efforts to showcase what is happening in Crawford County's farm community. It was a prelude to the total solar eclipse event.

At the hop, the barn and farm hop

Last Saturday, as June (Gebhardt) and I started at Abundantly Blessed, we came into a lavender domain. Many pleasantly packaged by-products filled the tables, from cookies and dried bundles of lavender to oils, syrup and dairy items. Lydia McKnight's 500 plants went in the ground in 2022. Already she has managed the art of marketing surrounded by her husband and children who served lavender tea outside. There were chickens, too.

Our hop went on to Crooked Tree where we were welcomed by Sarah Lester and friend Terri Benson. As we got out of the car, we saw a greenhouse which was being built with recycled parts. Several breeds of chickens were running about. Sarah' s market items that day were baked goods and honey. The plan here is for oncoming seasonal products to appear at her home market.

Since Edible Landscapes was a market familiar to me, I was expecting to see Joyce and Bruce Clinger. We had taken the Master Gardener course years ago. These friends had developed a successful farm endeavor, No Clingers. Jake and Samantha Rittenaur, who bought the business last September, seem well on their way. They admitted to surviving the first winter. Microgreens and bags of spring greens were there. Many flats of purple cauliflower, kohlrabi and broccoli were happy and healthy and promising an ample market.

Strawflowers, tea and herbs

We chatted briefly with Grace at Gracie's Botanicals, which had preserved strawflowers that day. She shared that bouquets of cut tulips soon would be available. At the east side of Bucyrus, 4 Arrows Acres Homestead and Rebecca Hodges, flanked by son Braxton, seemed aglow. She summarized developments since moving here in 2015 including chickens and barn additions. Quick to credit the brains and brawn of her husband and four sons, her shelves tempted shoppers with some standard berry jams and syrups and mulberry items. Chickens were rambling about. Eggs were available.

Brianna Blackburn on Leesville Road had set up her station in front of the garage. Blackmore Farms had chai tea, jams and plans for expanding the business. All of the magnesium oil had sold. As we talked I realized that it was a product already in my life. My daughter raved about its soothing properties and taught me to make it.

Smith Acres Produce was a cheerful spot with an energetic owner telling of the seasonal produce that would be coming. There were goodies there including kettle corn, pretzels with a variety of flavors and honey.

It was nearing 2 p.m. when we entered the lane to Wild Realm Healing. Farm wagons were loaded with thought-out marketing. Herbs and spices were packaged with names like "Buckeye Dust," "Ridin' Thyme" for beef poultry and venison, and "Sand Bath" for fish and poultry. I came away with Realmberry jam and elderberry syrup.

Leslie Cross had quart jars of apples prepared and ready to dump into a pie shell or as a shortcut to cobbler. She said her incentive was initiated by the brick home they moved into in 2015; it was built in 1842. Oh, and chickens were running all over − beautiful fowl.

With so much more to share, my review is that these farm hop people are so young and happy to be bringing to life their dreams. They are down-to-earth, hard-working entrepreneurs.

Life is good.

Mary Lee Minor is a member of the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club, an accredited master gardener, a flower show judge for the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and a former sixth grade teacher.

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Crawford County farm hop highlights young entrepreneurs