The Ohio Independent Baptist, June 2003

The Newsktter Promoting Interdependence Among The Ohio Association ofRegular Baptist Churches Vol. 76 No. 3 June 2003 THEO RO R DEPE DE T B PT §T The Heritage of Farming: Ohio's History by Robert Cochrell , seventh generation farmer and member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church , Smithville 4 1 h grade cla wa tudying agriculture. The teacher told the tudent how farmers till the ground, plant the eed care for the crop. and animaL , and harvest the crop - all so they could have food. One little girl raised her hand and asked, ·'Why don ' t the farmer get their food at the tore like the res t of u ?" We smjle at the young girl 's grasp for mi \ ing the obvious. In a &imil ar way we often fail to comprehend farming's innuence on Ohio 's ri ch hi story . Most of the origi nal ~e ttl ers to Ohi o in the early 1800s came frorn ··back East." Ohio provided good oil , moderate clin1atc , ample f re~h water and ~roods. The \ettler\ provided the character and deterrnination to mold a wilden1e\s into the vibrant \ late we now enjoy. But their n1<>\ c required 1nany change~ . ' hange i~ ne\ er ea\y, scldon1 cornf ortablc and yet alVv·ay~ inc, itable. And change in farn1ing continue~ today. What ·· u\ed to be' ' probably won' t be again. 13ut the heritage farn1ing brought to 01110 i~ worth prc\crving. '"fhal her1tugc i\ found by rc1 lec:t1 ng t>n the val ucs of the prcvit>us generation . 'fh ese va lue~ de\elopcd c:haracter. ' aloes of S t ,,·ard~l1ip in rt•Ct>gn1,1ng that "hat we pos~ ·~~ 1~n ' l our o~·n but t"" llll ust d to u fo1 a se,tson or a Ii feti rne and pa ed on to the next generation. Values of Family– in ho ld ing relation. hips of marriage and children in high regard. Prov iding for family. watching children grow and mature and in. till ing a work ethic. Va lue of Re pons ibility- in the tilling of the land and care of the li vc~ tock. by acqu iring and apply ing better n1ethods for con~e r ation and anin1al hu"ibandry. Value. of ~covenant' - in the un,vri t ten oath of the fa rn1cr to i n1 provc the land, care for the anin1a l\ and leave thing\ better than ~ hen the) \ tarted . Values of ~"aith- 111 rccogni,ing an accountabil ity of \\/hat we do ~ith \vhat we ha c , in th i~ life and the ne l. lnvc\ ting in local chu rchc\ a~ a ..ct>n1111unit y of faith ·· a .Jue~ <>f ( ~on1n1unity- in \ ha, ing ~ ori.. anu equipn1ent \\ 1th ne,ghhtH'\, pro\ iding help and foot.I during t11ne"> of ~1c l,.nc"" unu death . An app1cl' 1at1on 1or the I e lation'ih1p of lr1 L' nd ... c111u ne1ghho1\ .tnd ., l ee l1ng of lo\\ \\hen one 111 the con1n1un1 l ) \\< ou ld l l'H\L' 01 dte. Defiance Barn That heritage or Ohio' -.. rarn1ing can be pre~e r\ ed dc~pi te change~: cl1angcs in far1n O\\'nership, fron1 generation to generation: change · in farn1 Ii\ t\lihood fron1 a \ Ub\i ~tt' lll'l' Ii rc"t\ le to carcc1" of profc">"iional ,pcciah, .llion: ('hange~ in far111 IJracticcs rrnn1 a hl)l' in lhL' hand to a GP " in tht' trnctur: cl1angt\'°I i11 ~ocit\t) fron1 an 1\ grar1c.1n Soc1cry. to thL' lndu"tr1al l{e, oluuon. to the Jnfl)tlll,ll tl)ll ,\ gc. ... Vv L' ht•lp to prL'"l't \ t' the h t· 111 .1g l' l,I Ohio ', lar1n1ne. ,, hL' ll \\L' ' ... Rl'ali,r a pr1L't' ,, .1, paid I u1 ,, h.1t ,, 1.· llll\\ l'llJO\ Rct'ogni,c th.ti tht'l t' ,, L' I L' Lh.·cp \ tl ll" l! IL''i c ..