Three area farms in oral history presentation March 29

A free, public presentation about the most recent narratives recorded for the Ohio Farm Stories project, a collaboration between the University of Findlay and Hancock Historical Museum, will be offered on Thursday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the UF Alumni Memorial Union.

Speaking will be museum Executive Director Sarah Sisser, assistant communication professor Megan Adams, Ph.D., and English professor Christine Denecker, Ph.D, of Bluffton.

The three will detail three additional oral histories they collected from Hancock County farm families, including Greg and Laura Probst from the Bluffton area; the Burner family from Benton Ridge; and the Deeds family from the Rawson area.

The project’s intention is to digitally preserve the area’s agricultural heritage and provide incentive for reflection on farming’s regional influence to the culture and economy. Additionally, the theme of how farming practices have evolved to meet societal demands is a central focus of the study.

The first stories were collected in 2014. They featured Mark Metzger, Gary Wilson, three generations of the Harold VonStein family, Jacquilynn Johnson, Wayne and Barb Marquart, and David and Linda Spahr.

Ohio Farm Stories is funded with a grant from the Ohio Humanities Council.

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