By Robin Mayes, Farm Educator
The old saying that “time flies when you are having fun” seems to be true because the last ten years at Gallant Farm seem to have flown by! We celebrated the milestone on October 16, 2022 with an “Apple-versary”! We made cider and apple-butter as well as other apple dishes and apple-themed crafts. Costumed interpreters entertained visitors as they discussed FDR’s latest “Fireside Chat” and the on-going hard times. More than 300 guests made the anniversary memorable.
I can hardly believe that it has been a decade since we held the grand opening for Delaware County’s only living history farm. Although the years passed quickly, it wasn’t all fun and games. There was a little bit of work involved, too. The Depression-era homestead has evolved from 19 empty acres into a productive working farm.
What began as an idea by donor Charlotte Gallant and then Preservation Parks Executive Director Rita Au, has become a fun and educational destination for over 10,000 visitors annually. The two worked with local historians and the vision of the 1930’s farm took shape.
Development of the farm began in 2004 with a Clean Ohio Grant to purchase the 19-acre site. The next seven years were spent adding the driveway, pond, trail and parking lot. In 2011, construction began on the farmhouse followed by the construction of the granary and equipment shed in 2012. The livestock barn was relocated to Gallant Farm from the Columbus Zoo at the end of that year.
Even before the farmhouse was completed, generous county residents donated cherished family heirlooms with which to furnish it. Everything from a working Edison phonograph to a small Jadeite-handled serving spoon has all come together to make the rooms of the house feel as if the family has just stepped away temporarily. Perhaps they have just gone to town to pick something up?
The feeling that a family still resides here is so real that many visitors ask staff and volunteers, “Do you live here?” or “Am I trespassing?” This is exactly the atmosphere we were hoping to create. Wonderful items large and small are still brought to the farm to be preserved for future generations to enjoy. In fact, the artifacts gathered at Gallant Farm today came from more than 150 donor families.
Farm Manager Gabe Ross joined the farm team in 2013 and developed the plan for bringing livestock to Gallant Farm. His experience and passion for animals and soil conservation would prove invaluable for the future of Gallant Farm.
Introducing a dozen Rhode Island Red chicks in 2014 delighted the youngsters attending “Farm Hands Camp” that summer and began to make the farm feel more … well, more farm-like. But, it was the addition of a ewe and her twin lambs in 2017 when the real farm fun began! More lambs each spring have been delightful, but lambing time is also very stressful. We have had the joy, tempered with worry and lack of sleep, of bottle-feeding a couple of them.
In 2021, Sandy the Dexter cow and her calf, Sheila, joined our pasture family.
The first ten years of operations have been a success, due in part, to our wonderful volunteers. Our tireless farm volunteers help with everything from baking cookies to helping to install fencing or building a pig shed. School field trips are more memorable for youngsters because of these kind, patient volunteers.
Today, guests to Gallant Farm can wander the grounds and see a variety of agricultural pursuits. Children love to shell corn and feed it to the flock of chickens or pet the wooly sheep. Adults enjoy touring the farmhouse and being transported back to “Grandma’s” house. Many today are very interested in the cover crops grown in the fields or the harvesting of the hay.
Up until the early 20th-century, most people lived on farms or at least had family members who were still farming. Almost everyone had a “family farm” they could “go home to” or spend time on. It is the sad reality today, however, that farmers are few and most people do not have the opportunity to spend time in the country. Fortunately for those of us in Delaware County, we have Gallant Farm to fill that void.
During the pandemic, all of the county’s Preservation Parks, including Gallant Farm, proved to be havens for a public craving outdoor spaces. Like a visit to Grandmother’s farm of the past, many young parents discovered their little ones enjoy the farmyard so much, it gives them some respite from a hectic schedule.
For the young, a visit to Gallant Farm can create lasting memories. For the young-at-heart it can evoke the memories from their childhood. The experience for many is so moving that it brings them to tears.
The farm is currently open Thursday – Sunday 12pm – 5pm through April. Why not make Gallant Farm YOUR family farm?
