F - 1   Amish Culture Tour  Cost $75

Participants will meet in Holmes County at Behalt, the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center. Begin this experience by contemplating an impressive 265’ x 10’ mural during an interpretive tour that reveals the history of the Amish and Mennonites. Then board a mini tour bus and travel with a local and knowledgeable guide enjoying a scenic back road tour of this unique area while learning about the Amish culture. Participants will experience area homesteads and businesses with behind the scenes tours of a local furniture builder, an Amish broom maker and other cottage industries. Lunch will be at an Amish homestead where we’ll enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal complete with fresh baked bread and pies. At the end of our journey we’ll return to Behalt and join a panel discussion on how Amish and Mennonite communities fit into the environmental education framework. 

F - 2   Agriculture in SE Ohio   Cost $35
Dickenson Cattle Company and Mott Family Farm

Visit two family farms with very different focuses.  The Dickinson Cattle Company, Inc.,
a family-owned corporation, is a serious place for Texas Longhorn marketing and promotion.  The four siblings that operate the farm have over 1100 head of Texas Longhorn.  View some of these impressive creatures as well as BueLingo and African Watusi cattle herds during the interpretive Longhorn Ranch Tour.  Find out more about the east coast one-stop-cattle-shopping-center, then travel to another family farm that focuses on local food systems.  The Mott Family Farm, is a small farm that specializes in diversified vegetable crops (mostly heirloom varieties), stone fruit and berries.  Experience how they put their belief in sustainable practices and renewable energy resources into action in their personal lives as well as on the farm. Learn how they currently run a 45-member CSA, participate in multiple farmers markets, and sell to restaurants in Columbus who are part of the Local Matters network.  Join a panel discussion back at Salt Fork Lodge to discuss how agriculture continues to shape SE Ohio and environmental education.