COLUMBUS — Ohio Farm Bureau Federation released the names of the finalists of its 2008 Outstanding Young Farmer contest.
Finalists are Wayne and Sara Greier of Canfield, Robert and Autumn Morrison of Bloomingdale, Steve and Sonya Quillin of Stone Creek and Brandon and Julia Weber of Jackson.
The award recognizes individuals or couples 35 or younger for their accomplishments in their farming operations and their leadership in the agricultural community.
Greier
The Greiers carry on the family business of selling fertilizer and seed corn, advising customers on choices for crop management and operate an Old Country Retail Store offering an expanded line of products for livestock, lawns, gardens, ponds and more.
The Greiers also grow crops and raise beef cattle, horses and chickens.
Morrison
The Morrisons are the fourth generation owners and operators of Land of Hills Farm in eastern Ohio, specializing in registered Black Angus cows, stocker calves, custom grazing services, natural freezer beef and novelty crops including corn, pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks.
Quillin
Farming alongside Steve’s father and brother, the Quillins represent the third-generation on the family’s Tuscarawas County dairy farm, where they market milk, beef and timber.
Weber
Eighth generation farmers Brandon and Julia Weber grow tomatoes in their self-built high tunnel greenhouses. They also raise pumpkins and decorative gourds for festival sales, host farm tours and provide a haunted corn maze and other agri-tourism events.
Excellence in Agriculture
The federation’s Excellence in Agriculture award competition finalists have also been selected.
Finalists are Katy Endsley of Pickerington, Katherine Harrison of Groveport, James and Susan McDonald of Zanesville and Luke and Lyn Rhonemus of Winchester.
The award recognizes successful people 35 or younger who are involved in farming but whose primary occupations are not farming or owning an agricultural business.
The award is based on their involvement in agriculture and participation in Farm Bureau and other community organizations.
Endsley
As program manager for the Ohio FFA Association, Endsley guides and directs the Ohio FFA officer team.
She also conducts leadership training and assists the officers in agricultural based curriculum development.
Harrison
Harrison manages her multi-generational family sheep and grain farm, which has built an on-farm processing facility to market animals to the growing ethnic community around the city of Columbus.
She also raises a small herd of goats.
McDonald
The McDonalds own and operate a greenhouse and cow/calf farm, where they host an annual corn maze and pumpkin patch which has become a popular attraction in their community.
Rhonemus
The Rhonemus farming operation consists of grain, forage and tobacco, and is currently diversifying to improve the operation for livestock and conservation.
Discussion Meet
Four state finalists have also been named in the federation’s 2008 Discussion Meet: Wendy Chrisman of Jewett, Jodie Gilcher of Quaker City, Randall Hanselman of Georgetown and Neall Weber of Hilliard.
The annual contest tests participants’ subject knowledge, problem solving abilities and personal and small group communications skills.
The winners of each contest will receive an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in San Antonio in January to represent Ohio in the national contest.
