Musings of a “Hollywood” mom

Last week, I had the opportunity to jet set across the country and hit L.A. representing Ohio Farm Bureau and the United States Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. Sounds glamorous, but I was out there talking about all things agriculture. Who is not to say farming is glamorous, right? What we do is the backbone of our country and very important work, which provides food for many, including my family.

Farmers and Ranchers from across the country, along with TV producers, chefs, business owners and even a few celebrities gathered for talks called the Food Dialogues. Topics covered a wide spectrum about food from the farmer, processor, distributor, store and ultimately on to our dinner tables.

I participated in the panel titled “Real Chef Challenge: Understanding how Food is Grown and Raised.” We had cattle rancher and Dean from Chico State University Dr. Dave Daley; hog farmer Julie Maschhoff; the owners and chefs of the restaurant “Animal,” Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook; Ray Martin, VP Culinary Development for BJ’s Restaurants; Gabe Segovia, Manager of Culinary Innovation of El Pollo Loco; Laura McIntoch, host of “Bringing It Home;” and me. How did I fit into this equation? I was not sure at first. Why would they invite a small farm mom from Ohio to participate in this dialogue? When I arrived, I saw very few familiar faces. But as our conversation began, I came to realize the importance of a small farmer/mother role at our conversation table.


From left to right:  Jon Shook,  Kristin Reese, Ray Martin, Gabe Segovia


I have a very unique role that I feel is of great importance in the conversation of food and agriculture. Without one there is not the other. The only thing missing in between the farm and the table is perhaps the most important chair at the table…the farmer who can connect the two. Although our farm is very small, I have a great appreciation of how large farmers farm. I also get to see firsthand the practices that they use and learn if I do not already know why things are done the way they are. I also understand how both very large and very small farms can serve vital roles in our food supply.

I often wonder why some in our culture think big is bad and small is good. Why is one better than the other? Why can we not work together to make what we do better, whether big or small?

On our small farm I am continually looking to make sure we are doing the best we can. Sometimes you learn new techniques to improve your farming toolbox. The same is true for all sectors of agriculture.

The other challenge facing agriculture is its responsibility to meet the food needs of a growing population with increasing restrictions. We need farms large and small to work together to produce food to meet these needs. Because we all need to eat, there is room for all types and styles of farming. We are fortunate to live in a free country where we have the opportunity to support causes we feel are important and make the food choices we feel are best for our families.

The tv crew setting up for the event. Those are crew member sitting in at the table
checking the lighting where we sat.

What I learned most from my Hollywood adventure is that there is a definite breakdown between the farmers/ranchers and the mom at the grocery store or even the restaurant owner or chef who puts the food on the table.

I started my small business, Local Flavor Foods, in early 2011 to address this challenge. I saw a huge disconnect between the person who buys food and we the people who produce the food. For years, people have been saying, “If you are not hiding anything then let’s talk.” I could not agree more. Let’s come to the table and have civilized dialogues about what consumers of food want to know. More than ever before, farmers are here to listen, not to condemn, but to listen and answer your questions.

On a trip to Chicago, I met a woman who changed my perspective on the way I talk about agriculture. This was a fantastic experience that opened my eyes as to how others view farmers alike. While I did not agree with most of her statements, I did feel her passion for making sure she and others eat safe and healthy foods. I am not an expert at much, but I sure do have a passion for family, food and agriculture. I invite you to become part of the conversation. If you have questions, find a farmer in your community to ask those tough questions. Let’s put all of our passion to good use and accomplish great things together from the West Coast to the East Coast and all of the farm fields in between.

Dine Original on Ag Day!

All week long in Columbus we are celebrating Dine Originals week. There are 50 signature locally owned restaurants that are being celebrated March 5-11. I find it very appropriate that this week also just happens to include National Ag Day on March 8th. There is a growing sector of our population that is more in tune with what they consume and where they buy their food and fiber. Having grown up in agriculture, I have always felt very connected to where my food comes from and the farmers who produce it. I also have a passion for supporting local business, especially when we eat outside of our home. Most of you who know me well know I love to cook, so we find ourselves eating at home most of the time. You never know what we could be eating at our house and I try to keep it fun, simple and nutritious. Here are some things I hope that you will take to heart not only today but every day that you consume food, use fibers and think about career opportunities.

• Understand how food and fiber products are produced.

• Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

• Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.

• Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.

This is a great fact to remember: For every $100 you spend in a locally owned business, $68 remains in that community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures verses $43 spent in a national chain. These local businesses source all kinds of products from local producers:
Before Matt and I had children we led a much more fun and exciting dining life. While we were dating and through our first 5 years of marriage, we would pick a local restaurant and eat at new one each month, some of my favorites on the dine originals list are:

Shaw’s: (Lancaster) Go for the pork chop! (had our wedding rehearsal dinner there)

The Top: (Bexley) Ask for your salad a lettuce bowl with blue cheese crumbles (favorite steak house)

Alana’s: In the University District, her menu is all beautiful and divine (this was one of our date spots)

Betty’s Fine Food and Spirits: (Short North) Great spot for good old food and atmosphere

Tip Top: (Downtown) Love the Mac and Cheese (our hip and trendy down town friends got me hooked)

Tony’s: (Brewery District) I love their Sea Food Fettuccine

Columbus Brewing Company: (Brewery district) Great for drinks and Aaron White, one of the Chefs, knows how to cook with lamb!

There are so many I enjoy and more I cannot wait to try. At the top of my list to try are:

Black Creek Bistro
Skillet
The Jury Room
Mezzo
The Inn at Cedar Falls

If you have suggestions for any of the Dine Originals restaurants let me know!

As one of my favorite bumper stickers reads” If you enjoyed a good meal today thank a farmer!” If you do not know a farmer, visit http://findourcommonground.com/ to meet lots of them. Try to remember those who own local businesses, produce your food and work in Ohio’s number one industry, not just on special days like today, but each and every day.

Days like these I wish I were a Pig!

The cold North wind blows and the temperature says 17 degrees. I bundle up in my winter farm gear and head out to the barn. Winter gear in Ohio has nothing on the Northern states but it is still cold. The barn water has frozen for the first time and this makes chores take some extra time. Winter guests at our house are familiar with 5 gallon buckets lined up in the entry way along with our family’s barn boots and coats. Not ideal for a girl who likes everything to look just right, but for winter it is a necessity.

The sheep have wool to keep them warm and stay in the barn most of the time, the rabbits are in the barn and the chickens have a clean coop with extra straw in their nesting boxes and thank goodness for the heated water, it cuts off lots of chore time not having to crack more ice. Our animals have it good, but I think they all would like to be hogs in their climate-controlled barn that I recently got to tour.

Through the Ohio Farm Bureau AgriPower Porgram, I got to visit the Standing Oaks Enterprise. Carol Wildman, who is in my class, and her husband own and operated this hog farm. It had been many years since I have been at a larger scale hog facility. We divided up in our 3 groups and set out for a few different areas of their family farm. They were kind enough to allow us to take photos.

We saw them do some artificial insemination, we saw some baby pigs that were just a few days old and then also saw castration. Each area was fascinating and to see the family work together and move so many hogs though their facility from start to finish was just eye opening. There is nothing better than working on a farm doing something you love or have a passion for.

I am a very hands-on person. I am not afraid of much and always want to try new things. They allowed us to see how they dock tails on the little pigs and how they AI (artificially inseminate) the sows (female pig). I must say it was quite exciting for me to AI a sow. I am very excited to find out how many pigs the sow has.

What is so impressive to me when I visit larger production farms is how clean and temperate the barns are. These hogs are kept at the same 70-degree temperature year round. They do not have to worry about rain, snow, wind or hail. Some people wonder why they have to be kept inside all the time. The answer is simple, for their protection! Their environment can be controlled and this takes away so many worries for disease, temperature changes and environmental conditions. When you step outside and the wind and cold air chills your bones, you may wish you were a pig too!

Large Scale vs. Me

I am currently in the AgriPower IV class through the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. This is a program that selects 20 individuals each year to participate and hone their leadership skills, learn more about the organization and politics. Over the next year I will spend 17 days with my classmates and staff from the Ohio Farm Bureau. At the end of September in Columbus, we met with many elected officials including state Auditor, Secretary of State, state legislators, Director of Agriculture and Governor Kasich. I am sure I have left someone out but it was an excellent opportunity to learn how our government works and how everything fits together.


After our formal meetings, we left Columbus and headed toward Raymond, OH to visit New Day Farms. This is a farm that houses laying hens and also has a processing facility for broken out eggs. It was a very large poultry facility to the eyes of most.

This farm was truly amazing. It had been nearly 10 years since I had toured a farm like this and I must say it was fascinating. We live in a society where people are very removed from the origins of their food. Children think their milk comes from the grocery store, eggs come from the refrigerator case and when you open the door it moos and clucks as an effort to help bridge the gap. When I was growing up I never realized how lucky I was to be raised on a farm. I often thought it was hard work and sometimes got tired of missing out on fun things with my friends because I was doing chores or working with animals.

After living in town for a few years after getting married, Matt and I realized just how lucky we were to grow up in rural America. While the town life was easier we knew we wanted to raise a family in the country. Our neighbors thought we were a bit strange when we would pull up in front of our house with a livestock trailer full of sheep. Our old neighbors who are now very dear friends asked us what we were doing with those sheep in town. We told them they were going in the backyard to mow and fertilize. We were clearly joking but they had concern in their eyes.

We raise layers on our farm and invite all of our friends to come see the hens that produce the eggs they purchase from us. Their children like to collect the eggs in a pretty basket. Our egg production is old fashioned and fun but not nearly as sophisticated, clean or efficient as New Day Farms and most poultry farms across the country.

Most uninformed consumers think big is bad! I as a small rural Ohio farmer am here to say Bigger is Better. My customers pay a premium for our natural antibiotic-free farm fresh eggs. New Day Farms feeds no antibiotics to their hens either. The hens have fresh water and food all the time on demand. I was most fascinated that the farm works with a poultry nutritionist who changes the hens’ diets to adjust for what their nutritional needs are week by week. When the hen lays an egg, is rolls onto a mini conveyor belt which heads straight to the processing end of the farm. All the manure is automatically dropped onto another belt system which dries and is discarded multiple times per week. Can you guess how many flies were in the barn? I did not see one fly the entire time I was there. It smelled a little like a chicken but no odor or smells of manure. The barn is temperature controlled for comfort and is on automatic light timers to ensure proper day and night schedules. Another fun fact about this large farm is that everything on the farm is composted. Even the egg shells are composted into lime which is sold locally. I would have loved to take photos but due to liability, which I understand, we were not allowed to take photos.

I would like to add that this farm takes great care to ensure a safe healthy animal and end product. I had to stay out of my own chicken barn for 72 hours prior to visiting and was in a full plastic coverall and hair net. After seeing this farm, I feel 100% safe buying eggs from the store and so glad we live in a country that values animal safety and consumer health.

The buy local movement is huge and I am fortunate to be a part of it. I love to buy local and I appreciate having this option. Do I always buy local? No, it is not always easy and frankly it sometimes costs more. Larger farms allow for a more cost effective food. Just because something is produced on a larger scale does not make it bad or change the nutritional content. Good, safe food, comes from well cared for birds whether they are on a large, or small, farm. Did you know that we are only 9 meals away from going hungry? Keep reading later this week as I will share more about hunger, food supply and Food Day coming up in one week. Every Day is Food Day to a Farmer.