gorman heritage farm

The Gorman Heritage Farm, located in the southwest Ohio Village of Evendale in Hamilton County, is a 120-acre historic, educational working farm that provides visitors with memorable experiences ranging from hands-on farming to strolls through woodland trails. The James A. Gorman Interpretive Center is a venue for classes, lectures and demonstrations.

Visitors to the farm can see:

The Bank Barn: This barn built in 1835 from white oak and tulipwood with shake roof, with addition construction from dismantled covered bridge. The upper level is used for storage of crops and machinery, the lower level is used as shelter, lambing area and display of animals. The barn was renovated in 1998. Features of barn include summer beam, pegged construction, ax marks, hay track.

Alfalfa Barn: Built by Pete Gorman in 1917 to store alfalfa. Structure has hay and machine storage area with rear lean-to for animal shelter with observation platform, feeding area. Structure was renovated in 1998.

Spring House: An 1835 stone and shake roof structure was built to contain water from spring and for food storage.

Pond: A shallow teaching pond within a naturalized habitat near the Interpretive Building. The pond is of high quality and contains diverse selection of wildlife.

Demonstration Plots: Ongoing installations of raised beds on hillside behind the Interpretive Building contain a variety of vegetables and flowers grown in a bio-intensive manner. It also features grapes, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.

Orchard: Installed in 2000 with 20 apple trees, including some antique and pest-resistant varieties, the orchard is located approximately where an earlier orchard was established by Isabella Gorman. Cherry trees wee added in 2002.

Trails: One trail begins at the Interpretive Building and passes along the Upper Meadow and comes down at the east end of the property, then connects with the All Persons Trail at the farmyard. Another trail bisects the longer loop through the center of the hillside.

Old Growth forest: At the northeastern corner of the property, about 15 acres of the farm remain untilled. This area has several mature specimens of ash, black locust, walnut, hickory and other trees.

Production gardens: Produce consists of vegetables, fruits, herbs and berries. Corn, green beans and tomatoes are the crops grown in the largest volume. Raspberries are expected to be higher yield as the patches get established along with grapes. Others vegetables grown in smaller volume (okra, lima beans) are often (because of their scarcity as a fresh vegetable) an attraction which brings customers to the site.

Produce is marketed primarily at the Market Cart at the Reading Road location on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Produce is available in the James A. Gorman Interpretive Center on other days. Staff will be selling cut flowers form this location also.

The farm is open Wednesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 513-563-6663.

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