TALES FROM THE
FARM
Three local farms celebrate centennial and bicentennial birthdays this year, and each offers its own rich history STORY BY CHEYENNE BUCKINGHAM PHOTOS BY JORGE CASTILLO
T
raveling to a farm may not seem like the most novel experience for a lifelong resident of Southeast Ohio where agriculture is part of the regional tapestry. Even the most jaded Ohio local has moments when merging off the smooth surface of U.S. Highway 33 and trekking up a winding, gravel stone path amid a forest of greenery — it’s hard not to become mesmerized by nature’s innate beauty. While the scenery is indeed breathtaking, the true beauty often lies at the destination. This year, three farms in our region celebrate their centennial and bicentennial birthdays. These homesteads have weathered times by virtue of their sustainable foundations: the families who have diligently passed it down from generation to generation.
SATER FARMS
A sign that reads, “Sater Farms ever since 1916” greets those who journey the half mile incline driveway through an abyss of trees. “We brought the troops in today, I hope that’s okay,” says Joanne Sater, wife of owner, Paul Sater. “The troops” refer to the their daughter Gretchen, their son Bruce and his wife, Stacy, and their three grandchildren, Zoey, Chloe and Sophie, who are all dressed in matching shirts with the farm’s name stamped on the back. Paul inherited the farms and the acres of land in Rockbridge from his father in 1983. “This was originally about 700 acres, going up the valley. Of course my father split up [the two farms] with my uncle and then he sold it and it’s been passed down 3 4 | S ou t hea st Ohio
to several different people and hopefully it’ll stay in the family,” Paul says. Today, the two farms aggregate roughly 330 acres and if current arrangements are any indication, the farms longevity depends only on family harmony. Chloe, the second eldest grandchild, has already declared ownership of the farm. She and her two sisters live with their mother and father on Panther Road, which is located smack dab in the middle of the two farms. Joanne says the girls are actively engaged in helping their dad and grandfather with tasks around the farm. “The girls like to come up and help during the hay season,” Joanne says. “This year they rolled bales.” Paul’s influence on his grandkids resembles that of which his father had on him while growing up, although, Paul says he didn’t know right away that he would one day aspire to take ownership of the farm — unlike Chloe who has taken dibs exactly one generation in advance. Paul grew up on the farm with two sisters and a brother, and while his brother stayed for years, he decided to move away to work in Chicago. “Sometime after that I moved back and decided [that] this is where I’m going to stay and I have been here since. I told Joanne, ‘Don’t try and get me to move, this is where I’m going to be,’” Paul says. Paul graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in dairy technology, which entails the processing of milk and dairy products. During college he worked at the campus dairy, distributing milk, cottage cheese and ice cream to the dorms and commons on campus. But he