This year’s 2018 honoree, Chuck Seiberling of Seiberling Farms, was born in Wadsworth, but was raised on a farm in Norton that was established by his family in 1831. He and his sister are the fifth generation owners and caretakers of this beautiful acreage.
His ancestors came from Eastern Pennsylvania after hearing stories about the Ohio territory called The Western Reserve. It was said that farmland was fertile, plentiful, and affordable….$5-7 dollars an acre. This news caused the young couple to dream and begin preparing to venture westward by covered wagon. Their journey of 400 miles took 25 days and ended at the home of Paul Baughman in Doylestown. Soon after, they purchased 100 acres for $600 near the hamlet known as Western Star, in what would come to be known as Norton Township.
The homestead had been occupied by four consecutive generations when he was a child, living there with his grandparents, parents, and sibling. His childhood included the normal “fun” that farm kids get to experience: picking rocks out of fields, learning to drive earlier than his friends, and getting locked inside a corn crib by his sister. He learned discipline and responsibility from the daily chores he encountered on a dairy farm….milking twice a day, 365 days a year. And he learned the rhythm of the seasons as he helped with planting, cultivating and harvesting. After graduating from Norton High School in 1956, he continued his education at his beloved Ohio State University in Columbus and earned a degree in Agricultural Education in 1960. His firm friendship and love of this institution continues to this day.
Returning to the farm, he took a teaching position at his Alma Mater, Norton High School. He taught Biology, Botany, and eventually was chosen to lead the O.W.E. Program (Occupational Work Experience) designed for students who had difficulty achieving in the regular school program. He mentored many students in developing work skills and improving their attitude toward school and themselves, with the end goal of seeing the student become gainfully employed after graduation.
Sometime along the way, his mother, noticing the opportunity of the farm being situated on a well-travelled road in Norton, began advertising eggs for sale along the roadside. Based on the positive response, she began offering sweetcorn as well, and the roadside market was born. The demand was great, and under his mentoring, the business has grown to what it is today….drawing many local customers, folks from neighboring communities, and some from distant locales who enjoy a summertime visit to a family farm where they can find delicious sweetcorn and a large variety of produce that is picked fresh each morning.
His watchful eye oversees it all, as he supports and is supported by many family members…his sister, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Summer at the farm is a 6-8 week long family reunion. High school and college age students also work with the family to plant, pick and market the crops.
Even though he retired from formal teaching in 1991, he has never stopped teaching and mentoring others in agricultural aspects or career guidance. Some credit him for being the reason they stayed in school and graduated, and others will say he influenced the career choice they made.
My personal experience with this year’s honoree was at Norton High School in his biology class. One of our lessons was to figure out the profit from a 100 acre farm planted with 25 acres of wheat, 25 acres of hay, 25 acres of oats and 25 acres of corn. The results were that an adequate living could not be made on a 100 acre farm planted as such.
In the 4th year of my selling produce, he (the honoree) asked if I would like to sell his sweet corn. I thought to myself that the question is like those rhetorical questions, “Is the Pope Catholic? or Does a bear ____ in the woods?”. Even though I could not drive at the time, he, the farm crew and cousin Walter (known as Junior) accommodated me and helped me along the way in my business. That’s just the kind of folks they are. I can never repay all the help he and his family have given me without their having any thought of recompense.
He has made his sweetcorn a brand name in Summit County and beyond, but, it is MORE than corn that he grows….young lives are nurtured and matured at his farm….and for this great, ongoing contribution to the agricultural community of Summit County.