Ohio barn conference April 2-3 in Greene Co.

BURBANK, Ohio – Ohio rural history and barn restoration will mix at the fifth Ohio Barn Conference, April 2-3, at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio.

Barn tour. The two-day event kicks off with the barn tour on Friday.

Participants will board two chartered buses at the fairgrounds and begin a tour that will include 10 barns and a stop at Young’s Jersey Dairy for lunch and a presentation about and tour of the farm’s 1869 dairy barn.

Orphanage barns renewed. Saturday’s conference program will include local history of Greene County by Joan Baxter.

Robert Impson will describe his youth at the Old Solders and Sailors Orphanage and revisit their dairy operations.

Legacy Ministries will discuss the future of that complex and its desire to find alternative uses for the farm buildings.

Ashland Co. survey. Ashland County residents will describe how they organized volunteers to execute a survey of historic barns in that county.

In another session, Brian Mulcahey will share with us how easy it is to use satellite imaging to discover the impact of development on our farmsteads.

Carroll Neidhart returns with more rural folklore and facts about the relationship of barns to the Underground Railroad and Christina Wilkinson, author of Bicentennial Barns of Ohio, will be available for book signings.

Other sessions include Barn Detectives Rudy Christian and Larry Sulzer and a “barn raising” at the Trade Fair Mixer.

Registration. The conference fee includes handouts, a continental breakfast and lunch at the Assembly Hall on Saturday.

Registration is $55 for members; $75 for nonmembers. Dues in Friends of Ohio Barns are $40 per year (single); $60 per year (family); and $35 (senior/student).

Friday’s motor coach barn tour is $40, limited to the first 90 applicants. Preference is given to conference attendees. Lunch is included in the tour cost.

Make checks payable to Friends of Ohio Barns. Send your registration to: OSU Extension, Greene County 100 Fairground Road Xenia, OH 45385-9543.

Conference sponsors include the Friends of Ohio Barns, Greene County Agricultural Society, Greene County Extension, Convention and Visitors Center, Barn Again!, The National Barn Alliance and the Ohio Historical Society.

Additional information is available at http://ohiobarns.osu.edu; or 330-624-0501.