Photos by Jodi Miller

My family: Charles is my husband. The children were named alphabetically so Charles could remember their names: Andy, Bill, Cindy and Deanna.
 

How we met: We worked at the same plant, Lime Material, which produced electrical transformers. We had big groups who went to square dances. When Charles came back from Korea, he had saved enough to buy the 80 acres of the farm which was in disarray. When he proposed, he said we had a lot of work to do and if I didn’t plan to live here until the day I died to say no to his proposal. Today we farm 244 acres and we’ve been married 50 years.
 
Tell us about your farm: The farm was purchased at the end of 1957, the original 80 acres, and we added to it as we got the money. We’ve always raised cattle, sheep, hay, grain and had a large garden, with fruits and vegetables for ourselves. We never sold those things to make money for the farm; my husband always said this was his hobby. We never understood why we had to work so hard at his hobby.
 
What do you enjoy most about farming?: The peacefulness of it. Away from the city hubbub. It’s hard work but we enjoy working. We’re not sit-around people.
 
What’s happening on the farm now?: Winter feeding, cleaning up and repairing equipment, hauling manure. We’ve downsized some with the animals. Our children are preaching at us to downsize more. We’re still able and it keeps us motivated and we enjoy doing it.
 
Achievements: We thought it was an achievement to get the ground cleared, repair falling down buildings and raise four children here. There is an advantage of raising a child on a farm. Our children know how to work and have good jobs and make good money because they know how to work. The farm teaches responsibility.
 
What about Farm Bureau?: We joined around 1960 for the benefits, particularly the legislative part of the Farm Bureau for tax purposes. I have served on the county board several times, been Young Farmer Discussion Meet chairman different times, membership chairman numerous times, and I currently write articles for the paper once a week.
 
Hidden talent: I did design and make gowns for weddings, Miss Ohio and show clothes for horse people. Charles served in the Signal Corps in Korea where he learned to repair radios and signal tanks, radios, TVs, anything broken.
 
Community involvement: Well, we’re involved quite a bit at church — First Christian Church in Zanesville — on the property committee, served on that for over 50 years. We work on the hospice follies to raise money for patients who can’t afford their care.
 
What do you want your legacy to be?: We try to help anyone who needs help. We didn’t turn people down that needed help.

 

Pleased to Feed You is compiled by Lynn Snyder. To comment, e-mail info@ourohio.org.