Cinderella rode to the ball in a coach that her fairy godmother crafted from a pumpkin in the patch. A fairy tale, yes, but growers of giant squash, Cucurbita maxima, are growing pumpkins that are approaching the size of small cars.
As Ohio's population grows, farm and nonfarm families are increasingly living and sometimes working alongside each other. Farmers who are near the metropolitan areas have been familiar with this trend, while those in more rural areas are seeing pockets of new development around them. There are many benefits for the farmer, nonfarmer, and also the community to living and working together. These include increased awareness and appreciation of interests and increased trust and confidence of farmers and nonfarmers, and a shared sense of community.
