A Glance Back Washington was the only county in Ohio to have two Agricultural Experiment Farms. In 1914 the state purchased a 170-acre farm in Fleming for fruit and general farming and a 10-acre vegetable experiment farm in Devola. Funding for the county farms came from the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station. The idea for the county experiment farms came about around 1909 as a result of a visit to the Experiment Station by members of the Ohio Representatives. They decided that an experiment farm should be established in each county to demonstrate practical application of research conducted in Columbus and Wooster. The general assembly passed a bill in 1910 establishing the county farms. Each autumn about 400 students from Vocational Agricultural Departments would attend a field day at the Fleming Experiment Farm. Extension Specialists and researchers from The Ohio State University and Wooster assisted the local staff in instruction. Due to the Great Depression, funding ended in 1933 but local Vocational Agricultural Departments with the assistance of Extension Specialists continued the field day until 1951. By Hugh Coffman

Is your Agricultural Education / FFA or FBPA Program safe? If you are a supporter of Agricultural programs in the county, you may want to ask yourself some questions: What does your administration and board of education say about the program (in public and behind the scenes)? Do their actions support their words? Do you have a full-time production program, which includes full time days of extended programming? Also, since the very strength of agricultural programs (FFA and FBPA) is based upon the agricultural community’s involvement (FFA Alumni, Advisory Committees, Adult Farmers and Agribusiness leaders) and support of the program – do your school leaders welcome input from the community or is that interest and input taken as a challenge? The #1 key is generally where your superintendent stands long term.

Does your bank support the Washington County 125 Bushel Corn Club? Ask your banker. If they support it, please thank them. If not, ask them why not? If we do not stand up for agriculture then who will?

5 Washington County Agriculture Leaders:
Agricultural Extension (Chair) - Eric Barrett
Agricultural Teacher’s Association (Chair) - Matt Hartline
Farm Bureau President - Christie Haines
Farm Business Planning and Analysis (Adult Chair) – Marty Clark
NFO President – Scott Upton

Say what? A few years ago we were told by OSHA that several of our pieces of shop equipment, worth thousands of dollars, no longer met safety standards and had to go. One example was the radial arm saw because it did not have an automatic retractable blade on it. We offered to install one, but we were turned down because it had to be factory installed. Therefore, we had to spend more than $1,300 to get a new saw with the said retractable device. I recently found out that the saw with the factory retractable device is not acceptable to the school’s insurance carrier and the school needs to dump it and buy another saw. Every year schools are forced to make alterations or get rid of perfectly good equipment to meet ever changing standards costing tax payers and schools thousands of dollars.

From The View’s Desk I have decided of my own volition to start this newsletter with the purpose of supporting agriculture in Washington County. After growing up on a dairy farm and teaching for 35 years, I have great love and respect for agriculture. I have significant concerns for the lack of support and respect that I see being exhibited by a select few in leadership positions around the county. These select few are damaging the very lifeblood of our excellent agriculture education/FFA programs and our FBPA program, which is arguably number one in Ohio. It seems that the nature of almost all people when they get a little authority, as they suppose, begin exercising personal dominion behind the scenes. When it comes time for necessary cuts, why would you ever cut quality?

I am the founder, writer and publisher. Therefore, any mistakes herein are my own. I would like your input (pro and con) and whom (including addresses) I should put on the mailing list.

Anyone who desires to assist with funding of The Agricultural View may make checks payable to: Ralph Coffman -The Agricultural View. Issue #1 February 2009 coffman_ralph@yahoo.com 984-2567

Congratulations Warren and Waterford FFA for placing in the top 8 in Ohio in Parliamentary Procedure (300+ schools)!

Cattle Trivia
The oldest cow ever recorded was a Dremon cow named “Big Bertha.” She died 3 months short of her 49th birthday on New Year’s Eve, 1993. She also holds the record for lifetime breeding. She produced 39 calves.
It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs because a cow’s knees can’t bend properly to walk back down.

Agriculture is a key foundation of life. Agricultural Education/ FFA and FBPA are vital ingredients for continued excellence in, and promotion of, agriculture.

I would like you to share this newsletter with at least two other people and make at least two key contacts monthly in support of agriculture in the county.

Greatly Begin!
Greatly begin! though thou have time
But for a line, be that sublime-
Not failure, but low aim is crime. (James Russell Lowell)