The conservation tour will depart from the Miami SWCD office (1330 North County Road 25A, Troy, Ohio 45373) promptly at 8:30am. The first two stops of the two day, one night tour will be in Urbana where the group will tour the Champaign Berry Farm and Freshwater Farms of Ohio before heading to Columbus.
Since 1995 the Champaign Berry Farm has provided red and black raspberries to Central Ohio. Champaign Berry Farm is family-owned and operated, serving you-pick customers, wholesalers, and farmers markets each summer. The Pullins family grows and manages over 20 acres of raspberries along with a small planting of gooseberries.
Freshwater Farms of Ohio was founded in 1983 and is owned and operated by the Smith family. This fish farm is a converted poultry operation. They are the largest indoor fish hatchery in Ohio.
The next stop on the tour will be the Watershed Distillery founded in 2010. Before prohibition, Ohio was home to dozens of distilleries, Watershed Distillery is the newest addition to that very long history. They are famous for Vodka and Gin, and soon will be producing Bourbon. The groups will be divided and given a tour of the Distillery followed by an opportunity to sample their products. After the tour, the group will check in to their hotel before an evening at Scioto Downs. All participants will be given a complimentary $25 player’s card and $10 food card for the casino. Live harness racing will be taking place at the race track for those interested.
Day two of the tour will bring the group to The Wilds in Cumberland. The Wilds is a private, non-profit conservation center located on nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mine land in rural southeastern Ohio. It was created as the conservation center and has been envisioned as a facility that combines cutting-edge conservation science and education programs for visitors.
The final stop will be Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs. In 1958 the Young’s decided to sell their Jersey dairy milk to the public and have been going strong ever since. They have added onto the operation many times over the years and strive to make each visit unique for their guests. The Young’s have agreed to give a tour of the farm while the group enjoys some homemade, local ice cream before returning home.
If you are interested in participating in this tour, please contact the Darke Soil and Water Conservation District at 937.548.1715, extension 3. Due to a very limited number of spots available, payment will be required to reserve your spot. The registration fee of $75 will cover your hotel, all tours and most meal expenses. Registration and payment are due by Wednesday, July 17, 2013.
Don’t hesitate; call now to reserve your spot on the A.C.E. Conservation Tour!