WOOSTER — An opportunity to showcase area farms, suppliers and agriculture-related businesses is what the annual Fall Farm Tour is all about.

The Wayne County Farm Bureau invites you to the 2023 Farm Tour on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8, from noon to 5 p.m. This tour will feature eight stops in the northwest quadrant of Wayne County.

This is a free, family-friendly event that offers a variety of activities at each stop as well as food for purchase, according to Farm Bureau Organization Director Lindsay Tournoux. Spend the weekend touring all eight stops, but note that three of the stops are only open on Saturday, so plan accordingly.

Tournoux said that she has heard from families that have been attending the farm tour together for over 30 years.

"We get people from places like Cuyahoga County and Summit County, and it is a great opportunity for them to learn about agriculture in a fun, friendly atmosphere," she said. " "It is an event that is really looked forward to by the public. We get a lot of people from outside the area who come."

Finding host farms and businesses

Tournoux serves on a committee of volunteers who work throughout the spring and summer to develop the program for tour each fall.

"We consider ideally who is available, and we try to offer a variety," she said. "We are very appreciative of every farm and business that is willing to host on the tour."

Centerra, 1009 W Old Lincoln Way, is one of the stops on the tour. Centerra is a progressive agricultural cooperative with locations in Ohio and Western PA specializing in agronomy services, feed, grain storage and merchandising.

Marketing Specialist Jen Warden explained that the Wooster Country Store is Centerra's newest location, and it offers many products and services that appeal to the broader community, from gardening supplies and tools to pet food and supplies, along with livestock feed an traditional farming needs.

"We can showcase a little of the country side of our store, and appeal to the local folks who are looking for a good deal on their dog food," Warden said. "We thought since our Wooster store is relatively new, this would be a great opportunity to showcase the store."

Buckeye Agricultural Museum & Education Center at 877 W. OId Lincoln Way, Wooster, is another stop on the tour.

The museum features an ever-growing collection of tools and pieces of equipment and photographs. The museum attempts to bring to life the experience of agriculture in Ohio from 1800 to World War II.

Historical background

Tournoux said that the farm tour began nearly 40 years ago in the 1980s and has continued to thrive, drawing thousands of visitors to Wayne County for the annual event. She explained the tour was divided into quadrants several years ago in order to make the tour more accessible for visitors.

"It has existed for a long time in the four areas, because if it was countywide, you would spend most of the time driving," Tournoux said. "By consolidating it, you can get to more stops in the set amount of time that we have."

Badger Farms at 9122 N. Elyria Rd., in West Salem is another stop on the tour. Jerry Badger said his family farm has been a regular stop on the tour for nearly 35 years.

"My dad dad started this, but he passed away about seven years ago," Badger said. "I took over the farm with my two boys and my wife. We'll have pumpkins, corn stalks, bales of straw, gourds, fresh vegetables and hayride. We will also have a petting zoo."

Badger added that weather affected the pumpkin harvest this year, but they will have plenty to accommodate the visitors on the tour.

Other stops on the farm tour include Winkler Farms, 13344 Kauffman Ave., in Sterling; and Ross Maple, 9076 Stair Rd., in West Salem.

The three stops that will only be open on Saturday are: Ag-Pro, located at 7762 Cleveland Rd., Wooster; Yoder Hardware, 15077 Rickel Rd. West Salem; Yoder Farm and Greenhouse, 5454 Ruff Rd., in West Salem.

Story by Kevin Lynch. Published in the Wooster Daily Record on Sept. 28, 2023