SIDNEY — Excitement is building as the Shelby County Farm Tour is coming up on Sunday, Sept. 18, from 1 to5 pm. Three farms, one agri-business and the RiverMobile, all located or set up in the southeastern part of Shelby County, will be open to the public for free tours.
Watch the feeding of baby calves, milking at 4:15 p.m. and many jobs that are a part of life on a dairy farm at Dell Delight Farms, 7870 Johnston Slagle Road, Sidney, and enjoy some delicious ice cream while you are there, courtesy of the Shelby County Dairy Boosters.
The University of Dayton’s “RiverMobile” will make its debut appearance in Shelby County at Fairlawn School, 18800 Johnston Road, Sidney, for the Farm Tour. Come and visit the air conditioned semi-trailer that highlights the history, benefits and preservation of the Great Miami River watershed. There will also be several hands-on activities and crafts for guests of all ages to enjoy, courtesy of Fairlawn FFA, FCCLA, Shelby Soil & Water Conservation District and the Shelby County Master Gardeners. The Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association will be providing tasty samples of beef at this stop.
The Everett Family Farm, 18370 Suber Road, Sidney, features a 300,000 bushel grain storage facility along with state of the art farm machinery. The Everett’s are fourth generation grain farmers in Green Township. The Shelby County Farm Bureau will have things to see and do at this stop, along with free samples of nutritious pork courtesy of the Shelby County Pork Producers.
Watching sheep and beef cattle grazing on 30 acres of pasture in a multi-paddock forage management system will delight both young and old alike when visiting the Voress Family Farm at 1801 Bulle Road, Sidney. The Voress family has raised and shown sheep for many years and are now passing down the tradition to their daughters. The family also grows corn, soybeans and hay.
Bambauer Fertilizer and Seed, 18937 State Route 706, Sidney, serves farmers in seven different locations and has been in business since 1958. In 2007 the Bambauer family started their own research farm which guests will have an opportunity to explore during the Farm Tour. The research farm provides solid data to examine different products and practices in an effort to further the agricultural industry.
Please watch www.shelbyofbf.org, www.shelbyswcd.org or the Facebook page of each, along with the Sidney Daily News for additional details. You may also call Lynda Adams, education coordinator for the Shelby Soil & Water Conservation District at 937-492-6520, ext. 2589, or Jill Smith, OD for the Shelby County Farm Bureau at 877-775-7642 for additional information.
