BELLE VALLEY, Ohio – The 2,000-acre Eastern Agricultural Research Station (EARS) in the hills near Belle Valley in Noble County, has been helping farmers improve productivity and profitability in southeast Ohio for 61 years. It is managed by Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

“This research station got its start in the mid-1960s and the purpose of this facility was to help with some of the ag issues facing people in southeast Ohio and the Appalachian region of the country at that time, to address the unique farming challenges in Ohio’s Appalachian Plateau region,” said Chris Clark, the current manager at EARS. “In the early days, the facility offered assistance to farmers with their hilly terrain, steep valleys and specialized soils.”

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, burley tobacco was a major crop in parts of Appalachia Ohio, but its role has declined in favor of diversified farming. The creation of EARS came at the right time, helping farmers in this part of the state to transition from tobacco to forages.

EARS got started in 1965 when Ohio State purchased 728 acres of hilly land in Noble County, and within the next two years added a 1,325-acre strip-mined tract donated by Union Carbide and Baker-Noon Coal Co.

That same year, Roy Kottman, then the dean of the College of Agriculture at Ohio State, encouraged Charlie Boyles, of West Virginia University, to come help manage the research farm. Much of the land at that time was reclaimed strip-mined land. Boyles’ task was to show farmers around Caldwell how to use new and innovative practices on their land to help make it more productive.

“EARS is actually one of eight outlying stations throughout Ohio and each station specializes in agriculture that is prevalent in that part of the state,” Clark said. “While the key natural resources in this part of Ohio are coal, oil and natural gas, the most abundant agricultural resource in this area is forages and grass and the farms in Southeast Ohio and Appalachia are more suited for grass and hay production than for corn and soybeans.

“Here at the research center, we specialize in livestock operations, mainly beef cattle and sheep, and all is based on a forage system. “There’s a lot of timber in our area, too, so we do a lot of research on different species of trees and the management of those species as well.”

According to Clark, the efforts from the facility have supported farmers in the region with their sheep and beef production through forage management by developing low-cost, high-quality forages to extend grazing seasons and reduce mechanical harvesting.

The sheep research involves studying management systems, animal health and productivity, as well as improving livestock handing practices. The beef cattle research has helped farmers in the region with their grazing options, nutrition, growth rates and selective breeding.

“All work at the research farm is aimed at helping farmers in the area make better use of their resources through implementing new and proven practices introduced at the research farm and taught through local agricultural educators,” Clark said. “It has, and continues to fill, a vital role in Southeast Ohio agriculture.”

Today, farmers in the region produce a variety of specialty crops adapted to mountainous terrain and microclimates, such as apples, berries, pumpkins and heirloom vegetables. Some farms focus on value-added products like cider, jams and dried goods. All thanks to EARS.

EARS also serves as both a research hub and educational resource, hosting seminars, demonstrations, and outreach for local farmers, ranchers and students.

At its onset, EARS pioneered land reclamation experiments, demonstrating how degraded, mined land could be restored to productive use, providing practical models for other Appalachian and strip-mined areas.

EARS has conducted sheep management system studies, improved animal health initiatives and broader natural resources research to enhance sustainability in the region.

Most notably, for 30 years EARS hosted the Ohio Performance Tested Bull Program, allowing breeders to test bulls in a controlled environment and offering buyers a single-site, multiple-breed bull sale. This program improved beef quality and efficiency across Ohio’s cattle industry.

Geologically, Appalachian Ohio corresponds closely to the terminal moraine of an ancient glacier that runs southwest to northeast through the state. Areas south and east of the moraine are characterized by rough, irregular hills and hollows. Villages like Caldwell are in the heart of this zone and thanks to EARS, agriculture is thriving.

“All work at the research farm is aimed at helping farmers in the area make better use of their resources through implementing new and proven practices introduced at the research farm,” said Chuck Bell, former 4-H educator for Muskingum County. “It has and continues to fill a vital role in Southeast Ohio agriculture.”