Wayne County Farm Tour set for Oct. 11–12 with 8 stops

The Wayne County Farm Tour will be held Saturday, Oct. 11 from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. This event is free to attend. Each stop will have various activities. For complete details on activities and food available at each farm, view the tour booklet on wayne.ofbf.org.

Printed booklets are available at the Wooster Farm Bureau office and other agribusinesses in Wayne County. Booklets will be available at every stop during the Farm Tour.

—Stop one, Ohio State University Wooster campus, 5743 Fredericksburg Road, Wooster. Visitors will have the opportunity to observe Ohio State ATI students demonstrating livestock handling skills, answering questions and sharing insights into careers in agriculture. Newborn lambs will be on-site, and shearing demonstrations will take place both days of the tour. Under the event tent, younger guests can engage with OSU Extension Wayne County 4-H Junior Fair Board members and interact with sheep, goats and poultry. The Bug Zoo mobile trailer also will be on-site.

—Stop two, Apple Creek Historical Society, 185 Church St., Apple Creek. The Apple Creek Woodworking Club & Maker Space will demonstrate 3D printing, laser cutting, a CNC router and other machines. It will offer woodcrafts for sale that have been made in the workshop. Some of the items include birdhouses, bird feeders, squirrel feeders, wooden shelves, laser-cut items and more.

—Stop three, Wayne County Fire and Rescue Association Regional Training Facility, 2725 Millborne Road, Apple Creek. During the Farm Tour, attendees can meet some of the instructors and staff, as well as some of the men and women from departments and special rescue teams from all over Wayne County. In addition, visitors can see the Roger N. and Betty Lou Geiser Education Center, Kirila Burn Building, and many training props including the Safe Farms Rescue Facility and Seaman Corporation Water Rescue site. A touch-a-truck and activities for children also will be available. Visitors also can get hot sandwiches, chips, snacks and drinks.

—Stop four, Sunshine Flower Farm (closed Sunday), 353 Apple Creek Road, Apple Creek. On display will be some of the equipment that is used in gardens. Weather permitting, some pets may be available for children. Free garden walks will be available, or visitors can purchase a u-pick option.

—Stop five, Lowe & Young (closed Sunday), 7058 Lincoln Way E., Wooster. Farm Tour attendees will have the opportunity to walk around, look at equipment and chat with staff on Saturday.

—Stop six, Stirrup Courage Equestrian Learning Center, 823 S. Kohler Road, Orrville. Visitors can experience a self-guided tour to learn more about the program’s first five years, and there will be riding demonstrations and children’s carnival games with prizes and crafts. Children’s pony rides and pictures with the horses will be available at specific times each day by donation. Check the Facebook page for the schedule.

—Stop seven, Woodlyn Acres, 647 Kurzen Road S., Dalton. Come visit the farm, pet the goats, check out an array of farm equipment and experience many farm activities. The Wayne County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association will have displays at this stop.

—Stop eight, Kidron Community Historical Society’s Sonnenberg Village, 13497 Hackett Road, Apple Creek.

The annual Farm Tour provides a unique look into Amish and Mennonite agricultural traditions through self-guided stops, storytelling and farm equipment viewing.