June 2009

Fresh Country Air

By Matt Reese


My job as an agricultural journalist is fun because it allows me to travel this fascinating state on a regular basis, often on Ohio’s 26 beautiful designated scenic byways (five of which have a national designation). The five National Scenic Byways in the state highlight some of the state’s finest features, including Ohio’s bountiful agricultural production.

Lake Erie Coastal National Scenic Byway
June is wine month and there is no better route in the Midwest to travel for fine wines than Ohio’s northern coast. Ohio’s wine business is booming and gaining more international recognition every year for its high quality wine production along the temperate shores of Lake Erie.
“We have grown by 1.5 to 2 new wineries a month opening their doors in Ohio. We had 123 wineries in the state as of the end of April and record wine sales to date,” said Christy Eckstein, executive director of the Ohio Grape Industry Committee. “The kids are getting out of school and people are thinking about vacations, but with the economy, people are staying closer to home and wineries are a good option. There are a lot of different wine tasting events going on this month. And, we’re launching a GPS wine-on-the-go program where people are going to be able to download an itinerary of where they want to go and door-to-door directions on their Garmin, I-phone or home computer.”
This route also offers ample natural attractions for fishing and bird enthusiasts and the thrill-seeking appeal of Cedar Point. Roller coasters, walleye and wine, how can you go wrong?

Historic National Road National Scenic Byway
Much of this byway is lined with interesting agricultural attractions. Dull Homestead Farm in Montgomery County features a diversified operation including hogs and seed corn, but the real attention getter is the farm’s towering windmills and dedication to renewable energy. The Dulls have a visitor’s center to inform guests about the farm. Devine Farms and Pigeon Roost Farm in Licking County offer pumpkins and a myriad of fun family oriented activities in the late summer and fall. The trip through Belmont County passes near the state’s largest Christmas tree farm run by the Feisley family. The renowned Dickinson Cattle Co. Longhorn Cattle Ranch is also near the route, just outside of Barnesville. Also, be sure to note the productive corn and soybean fields lining much of Route 40 that are pumping dollars into the economy and biofuels into our vehicles.

Amish Country National Scenic Byway
Few routes through Ohio offer more picturesque glimpses of modern and Amish agriculture than this byway winding through the heart of the nation’s largest Amish community in and around Holmes and Wayne counties. Grazing dairy cattle, rolling hay fields and plenty of down home Amish appeal (and merchandise) attract many visitors each year. Ohio leads the nation in Swiss cheese production, and ranks high in other types of cheese production, largely due to this region of the state. Along with a variety of delectable cheese products, hungry visitors can find almost every other kind of homemade farm fresh food, furnishing and knickknack.

Ohio River National Scenic Byway
It is hard to beat the rolling landscape, charming towns, historical and agricultural attractions that ooze from this 452-mile route along the Ohio River through 14 counties. A few of my favorite stops along the way, or nearby the designated byway, include Sweetapple Farms (agri-tainment), Stacy Family Farms (strawberries) and Grimm’s Green Acres (apples) in Washington County; the bridge from Galia County to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of the mysterious Mothman that inspired a book and movie; the appealing murals in Portsmouth; and some tasty Montgomery Inn ribs and a Reds game in Cincinnati.

The Canal Way National Scenic Byway
This byway runs from Cleveland to Dover along the path of the Ohio and Erie Canal and offers several agricultural destinations. The Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area preserves 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, including a working farm.
Hale Farm and Village offers the sights, sounds and smells of a bustling Western Reserve township in 1848. Also, not far from this byway is the city of Barberton, where visitors can learn the fascinating history of O.C. Barber’s eccentric and opulent agricultural estate that featured jaw-dropping buildings, many of which can be visited.
Each of Ohio’s designated scenic byways has much to offer visitors and summer is a great time to travel. So, find a scenic byway near you and have a great time learning about agriculture and many other things in our fascinating state. Maybe we’ll cross paths.
For more information about Ohio’s summer travel opportunities, visit www.ohiobyways.com, www.ohiowines.org, http://www.geovative.com/GeoTours/premium/MiniSite-tours.asp?75r4Vq=EHDHJ and http://consumer.discoverohio.com.

Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.