Supporting local farmers reaps a harvest of benefits for both consumers and Geauga County’s economy.
Supporting local farmers reaps a harvest of benefits for both consumers and Geauga County’s economy.
“I believe that the greatest nutritional value in dealing with local is that the product is more often fresher than other options,” said Bill Patterson, owner of Patterson Fruit Farm and Market in Chester Township. “Along with the nutritional advantages of fresh fruits and vegetables also comes a taste advantage. We have seen an increase in consumption of apples now that we are providing better tasting apples, particularly among youth where we are seeing a shift from ‘potato chips’ to apples.”
Adventures in Northeast Ohio met on Oct. 3 with fellow tourism marketing professionals in the region for a day of networking and education at Patterson Fruit Farm in the Orchard Hills Center.
The group — including Patterson; Brenda Hastings, owner of Hastings Dairy & Rowdy Cow Creamery in Burton; and Craig Bednarek, owner of Warrens’ Spirited Kitchen in Burton — held a panel discussion on the popularity of Farm to Fork (also known as Farm to Table), a growing social movement throughout the country that promotes eating, buying and serving local and natural.
“Our panel gave a wide perspective on the topic of agritourism and how Farm-to-Fork dining is part of that picture,” said event organizer Lynda Nemeth, destination director of Discover my Cleveland. “Our audience consisted of 43 guests representing 11 different counties, many of them from urban areas that may not think about the impact rural areas contribute through agritourism.”
Patterson’s growing agricultural based attractions include Family Fun Fest and the newly expanded bakery at their Caves Road market.
“Patterson’s is a landmark in Northeast Ohio,” said Bob Rogish, farm manager for Patterson’s.
Nemeth said billions of dollars are added annually to the state of tourism budget, taking into account everything from farm tours to pick-your-own and hayrides to corn mazes.
She said consumers want to eat healthier and be more educated about where their food comes from and agritourism is only going to grow in popularity.
“The rolling hills of Geauga County provide the perfect environment for dairy, horse, corn, soybean, hay and maple syrup production,” said Les Ober on The Ohio State University Extension’s website. “Although the average size of Geauga’s farms has declined over the years, the number of farms has not. There are more farms in production in the county today than there were 30 years ago.”
Bednarek, who grew up in Cleveland Heights, longed to live in Geauga County’s spacious countryside.
He and his wife, Lana, have lived in the Burton area for more than 10 years and are excited to bring their vision of fresh, local food to their own neighborhood and establishment at Warrens’ Spirited Kitchen.
“I plan menus around using local and whatever makes business sense,” Bednarek said, adding they proudly source much of their food from farmers and vendors locally and throughout Ohio.
Patterson’s supports Hastings’ creamery, selling their bottled milk in a variety of flavors inside their market.
“People are taking more of an interest in knowing where and how their food is produced and farmers are responding,” Hastings said. “Our dairy farm is involved in this movement by bottling milk on-farm so consumers have an opportunity to purchase milk directly from a local dairy farm. We also open our farm to visitors, which provides an opportunity to learn about how cows are cared for, what they eat, etc. People can actually experience a real, working dairy.”
The majority of Hastings’ milk goes to making award-winning Rothenbuhler cheeses in Middlefield.
“People demand to know more about their food today than they did years ago,” Patterson said. “By combining ‘agritainment’ with education, we have an opportunity to inform our consumers while providing them an entertaining atmosphere.”
Hastings said Farm to Fork is a hot trend now and offered samples of her creamery’s milk to her audience.
“People who live in Geauga County can easily participate in this trend because there are a number of farm markets, on-farm product sales, farmers markets, road-side stands and restaurants that provide easy access to local foods,” Hastings said. “Fresh foods are delicious and nutritious. Purchasing local products helps ensure local farmers, restaurants and companies can thrive.”
