::: Agri Passport Farm Tour :::
Overview ::: Passport ::: 2009 Results

OVERVIEW

AGRI PASSPORT TO THE SPLENDOR OF THE VALLEY FARM TOUR

The Mahoning Valley Agribusiness Focus Group is made up of local producers and representatives of the local soil and water conservation district, county extension, farm bureau, metro park and two local school district food service departments. It was formed January 2008 with a goal to connect agricultural producers and consumers as well as to enhance farm income. Through a series of six meetings, the Focus Group hosted informative sessions with speakers from Ohio Department of Agriculture's Ohio Proud program, The Mahoning County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ohio Department Agriculture-Division of Marketing, the Grow Youngstown Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, Crossroads Resource Conservation and Development Council, and a local congressman's office.

The Agribusiness Focus Group decided to do one project a year. Their first project was to develop an agricultural products and services shopping guide which included not only food products, but also grain, straw, and other agricultural products. The intent was to promote "buying local" and inform the general public of what services their local agricultural communities offered.

Although the metropolitan portion of Mahoning County is an economically depressed area, it was determined that by using the information in a shopping guide, consumers could learn how they could benefit by supporting their local agricultural community. The result of the Focus Group's initial project was the Mahoning Valley Agri Guide, developed and published as an information resource for local consumers.

The second project of interest to the Agribusiness Focus Group was a farm tour. Historically, the planning of farm tours in the area has proven to be unsuccessful due to liability concerns of the host farms. A new farm tour format was created by a subcommittee of the Focus Group with the goal of encouraging the use of the Mahoning Valley Agri Guide throughout the growing season. Unlike typical one-day or two-day farm tours, the Agri Passport to the Splendor of the Valley Farm Tour extends over a ten and one half month period beginning on April 20th through December 11, 2009.

The Focus Group subcommittee designed a pilot project involving elementary and middle school students from the two participating local school districts and their families. As the project was finalized, a third school district joined in this novel program. For 2009, the participating school districts are: Canfield, Boardman, and St. Charles. Only students from those schools are eligible for the prizes at the end of the season, but the public is encouraged to download the Agri Passport and visit the listed producers as a fun way to learn about their local agricultural resources and support local producers. If this project is a success, it is anticipated that it will be expanded in future seasons.

The Agri Passport to the Splendor of the Valley Farm Tour is an exciting project and the Focus Group is inviting you to enjoy it.

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::: Agri Passport :::

2009 Agri Passport blank form (PDF)

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::: 2009 Passport Tour Results :::

Success!!! Held from April through December of 2009, the Splendor of the Valley Farm Tour offered prizes to 3,100 Mahoning County elementary school students for visiting farms in the tri-county area. According to Kathleen Vrable-Bryan, District Administrator for the Mahoning County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Tour met all its goals to "educate local consumers about local agricultural goods and services, to promote buying local, and to stimulate local agricultural business."

Out of a possible 19 farms, two students in the Boardman school district managed to get stamps from all of them. In a run-off drawing, Leanna Weese from the Stadium Drive School won a Grand Prize. Casandra Wigley won a First Prize. The Grand Prize was an e-Trex Venutre handheld GPS and a family fun night at the Fairfield Inn, complete with a pizza party for family and friends.

In the Canfield school district, second grader Ella Mitchell also won a Grand Prize. The First Prize winner was another second grader, Sophia Neddy, who received a Garman handheld GPS and a gift basket from Detwiler Farms. During the Tour, Ella picked strawberries, and Sophia baked cobbler and bread with the blueberries that she picked herself at the Ellsworth Berry Ordinary Times Farm. First grader Morgan Prather won Second Place Prize of a Bob Evans Gift Card and tickets to a Youngstown Symphony performance.

Get more details on the inaugural Passport Farm Tour from the local Town Crier December 21, 2009 (Boardman edition) and December 31, 2009 (Canfield edition) newspaper articles.

All around, everyone won who became involved with the Tour. Best of all, the Tour's goal of bringing local growers together with school food service departments met with success, giving students healthier, more tasty lunches.

Courtesy
Naturally Yours Farm

Grand Prize

Boardman

Courtesy G.
Burbick Farms

1st Prize

Boardman

2nd Prize

Boardman

2nd Prize

Boardman

Grand Prize

Canfield

1st Prize

Canfield

2nd Prize

Canfield

Page updated 7 February 2010

Web site by Charlotte Agustin