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Building Ag Awareness & Community Traditions through a Fall Foliage and Farm Tour

Extension Education

David Marrison
Professor
The Ohio State University
Coshocton

Abstract

For over 50 years, a partnership of OSU Extension, the U.S.D.A. Farm Service Agency of Coshocton County, and the Coshocton Soil and Water Conservation District has offered the Coshocton County Fall Foliage and Farm Tour attracting over 1,500 individuals annually. The goal of this drive-it-yourself tour is to educate attendees about agriculture and to allow attendees to view the splendor of the fall foliage along the winding back roads of this east-central Ohio Appalachian county. This two-day tour is held in October and over 20% of attendees are from outside of Coshocton County. On average it annually attracts attendees from one-third of Ohio’s 88 counties as well as at least 5 other states. Coshocton County encompasses 567 square miles of land over 22 townships and has 1,191 farm operations. The tour highlights a different section of the county each year, featuring 4 to 5 townships with a driving loop of approximately 50 miles. Each year the tour highlights major sectors of the agricultural industry including beef, dairy, small-ruminant livestock, equine, grape and wine, and row, forage, and horticulture crops. Additionally, the tour highlights some of the historical landmarks of the townships highlighted. Evaluations results over the past five years indicate that over 95% of the attendees learned something new about Coshocton County’s agriculture industry. This poster describes Extension Educators can engage community partners to highlight their local agriculture industry. The management steps to developing a drive-it-yourself tour, working with farm family hosts, marketing, sharing leadership between agricultural agencies, and how to mitigate risks will be shared through this poster exhibit.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.

A poster file has not been provided

Authors: David Marrison, Emily Marrison, Alonna Hoffman
  1. Marrison, D. Professor, OSU Extension, Ohio, 43812
  2. Marrison, E. Assistant Professor, OSU Extension, Ohio, 43812
  3. Hoffman, A. Program Assistant, OSU Extension, Ohio, 43812