Family Farm History
The Branstrator farm has been in the family for almost 200 years. The farm was first purchased by Andrew Branstrator, a land acquiring entrepreneur from Virginia, on February 14th 1832. The farm was purchased at 400 acres but through the years pieces of the land have been given to other family members and sold off to other local farmers yet 170 acres of the original farmland is still in use by Jon Branstrator. A couple of historical items remain on the farm such as a barn and a family graveyard where Andrew Branstrator himself is buried.
A very Abbreviated Geological History
About 1.8 million years ago before Andrew Branstrator got a hold of his land there were glaciers. Glaciers slowly made their way from Canada to Clark County greatly changing the landscape. Over time the glaciers churned the soil which added nutrients to it. After the glaciers melted, beginning the Pleistocene ice age, they left behind a large lake in the Clark County area which turned into a swamp as time swept by. In the late 1800's a ditch was built to drain the swamp and thus farming began.
What's Grown Throughout the Year
Jon starts out his growing season in April with Asparagus, mostly green with some purple furnishings. These are finished in early June just as the strawberry season begins. During strawberry season Jon encourages pick-your-own strawberries in which families and friends come out to pick the best of the best for jams, pies and just to eat! When the strawberry season finishes its run about June 21st, black raspberries are staring to ripen and will be in season for only about 3 weeks.The infamous delicious red raspberries however will be in season from late June until mid-September. Blackberries start in July and will run until August. Sweet corn and tomatoes will run from July to October. The peaches and nectarines are in season from July to September. Pumpkins, squash, ornamental corn and gourds will be in season from mid September to November.
Although Jon does spray his crops with pesticides it is always a very low spray. He works closely with many different agricultural organizations one being Ohio State University's Department of Agricultural Environmental and Development Economics to improve the quality and taste of his crops. Other agricultural organizations he is associated with are Clinton County Open Lands, Innovative Farmers of Ohio, Fruit and Vegetable Growers and Development and North American Strawberry Growers Association.
