HSWCD Program Administrator Trevor Berger explained Graham was a soil scientist who worked with the Holmes SWCD and loved helping out with the tour. After his passing, the farm tour was renamed in his honor, so that his love of teaching kids about the importance of soil would live on for generations to come.
The tour has been divided into East and West Holmes tours at separate farms to better accommodate the students. The East Holmes tour took place last week at Ayrdell Farm near Trail, and the West Holmes version took place on Tuesday at Dalroy Farms near Shreve, hosting fifth-grade students from Millersburg, Killbuck and Lakeville Elementary Schools, as well as Holmesville Elementary School of the Southeast Local Schools.
A historical perspective
Berger is on his second farm tour as program administrator. He took over for Michelle Wood who retired last May.
"Farm tour has been going on since 1965," Berger said. "The goal of the tour is to get the kids out on a farm, show them different things, not only what pertains to this individual farm, but when they go to another farm they may learn something.
"It all fits in with the science curriculum so it all works together to be a good event that is remembered by the kids," Berger continued. "This event is truly something that sticks with the kids."
He related how when they stopped to pick up hot dogs from Winesburg Meats, all the employees there shared memories of their farm tours.
Students looked at honeycombs used in bee hives on the farm.
Berger pointed out there is a lot more to agriculture than livestock, which the farm tour displays through the various stations, which include wildlife, soils, equipment, safety and forestry.
"Every farm tour is unique," Berger said. "We're not sitting on a dairy farm, but we have what feeds the dairy cows, what feeds the rest of us, or the other livestock; as well as the equipment and the soils, and the forestry that is everywhere.
"Plus, the wildlife and the pollinators are a fun twist that the Croskeys work a lot on," he continued. "They have hives planted throughout the county. They have entire fields full of pollinators for bees."
He noted that the tour is good for the students because not everyone is familiar with life on the farm. Exposing the students to all aspects, including the safety side of things is something that has been incorporated into the farm tour.
About this year's host
Shirley Croskey and her husband James operate Dalroy Farms. Shirley is a retired teacher from the West Holmes District and enjoyed the opportunity to host the farm tour, which her parents did back in the 1980s when she was away in college.
"Our grandson J.J. is in fifth grade at Holmesville, and I told my husband since we're fixing up this farm, I would like to host the tour this year," she said. "J.J. loves the farm. He wants to be a farmer, so he was all excited about this."
Croskey's aunt Anna Mae (Schlegel) Shoemaker made the trip up from Dublin to return to the farm where she grew up. She said it did her heart good to see the kids on the farm again.
"I remember when mom and dad hosted the farm tour back in the '80s," she said. "My niece Shirley and her family are hosting it now. It's pretty amazing to see.
Holmesville School has always been a part of the program since the school is located in Holmes County. However, as the Southeast District Schools are being consolidated, Berger hopes to be able to coordinate an invitation to the entire Southeast District in the future.
"We couldn't do this without the administration help, coordinating all the teachers, the busses, the schedules, and the planning process that begins in the spring," he said. "HSWCD also hosts an essay contest, where the kids write a short creative essay and the top five from each class are submitted and we judge the essays and present awards to the top three from each district at our annual meeting in November."
The FFA programs also host a poster contest about the farm tour.
Students walk through a 5-foot-deep trench to see the different layers in the soil while on the Holmes County 5th grade Farm Tour.
A favorite day
Berger noted another important piece of the day's activities is the work done by the FFA students. "They do a great job," he said.
West Holmes Vocational Ag Instructor and FFA advisor Jaime Chenevey said the farm tour is probably one of the favorite days of the year for her students, who serve as guides and instructors on the tour. There were 30 juniors and seniors on hand to help guide the fifth graders through the tour.
"I think it would be fair to say this is one of their favorite days," Chenevey said. "They like coming out and being group leaders, teaching about the agriculture industry. They have siblings, cousins, kids they work with in 4-H, so they get to interact with them here. They like sharing the knowledge and experiences with the kids. This is definitely one of the activities they like"
Hayden Smith is a junior at West Holmes. He likes the opportunity to hang out with his friends and share some of his experiences on the farm with the young kids.
"My station is safety, and I really like talking to the kids about safety," he said. "Having the kids learn about farm safety is one of the most important things they can learn. I've been involved in farming most of my life. My parents and my brothers taught me a lot. I remember going on the fifth grade farm tour and how much fun it was.
"To get to come out here and help out with the kids and help them learn what goes on the farm and how to be safe around the equipment is important," Smith continued.
Maren Drzazga, a senior who serves as Vice-President of FFA, loves being around the animals. She grew up on a livestock farm, raising goats, lambs, chickens and horses.
"Coming from a farm, it's really cool to learn about what you're supposed to do and how to keep you and everyone else safe," she said. "It's fun to form a connection with other kids who grew up on a farm. I also like seeing kids who didn't grow up on farms learn what to do and maybe find new interests.
"One of my favorite things to do is see the kids and watch them learn something new," Drzazga added. "They will remember this for a long time and hopefully it will resonate with them for a few months and hopefully for a lifetime."
Berger thanked the Holmes County Farm Bureau and the HSWCD partners in conservation, Loudonville Equity and the Holmes County Dairy Committee for their sponsorship and support of the event.
