COLUMBUS, Ohio — There are serious discussions at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation’s (OFBF) annual meeting in November. The proceedings even get a bit heated at times.

But not on Thursday morning at the Omelet Breakfast; that’s a time of pleasant congeniality and good food. The breakfast officially begins at 7:15 a.m., but the lines are already long by 7:10 and the banter is nonstop. Farm Bureau members and guests get made-to-order omelets, prepared by a member of the OFBF board of trustees.

“We get about 420 maybe 450 through here in less than an hour,” said Daniel Rapp, OFBF, business development and Omelet Breakfast planner. “We have 17 stations set up.

“I have no idea how many eggs they crack for this, but there are close to 20 gallons of eggs that are whipped up and readied to make these omelets.”

The trustees, when they arrive in the morning, have a brief training session on how to make an omelet – and then they take over and start cooking. “It’s important they get it right for the members who come through,” Rapp said.

“We’ve got pig, pig and pig, dairy and veggies” – the short description for the bacon, sausage, ham, cheese and peppers and mushrooms prepared – “to put on the omelets,” said Brian Peach, Grand View Heights.

“The star of the show is the eggs – cluck fruit. It’s a great idea, it’s fun. It’s a chance to interact with our members and have a little fun, as long as they don’t expect professional omelets.”

“I think it is wonderful,” said Shawn Jackson of the OFBF, as she took her omelet and headed toward a table. “You get to talk to somebody you never met before and you get to learn new things. You’re learning more about agriculture.”

 “We (each) make about 25 or 30 omelets,” said John Mossbarger of Fayette County. “I’ve made them for the last two years. I do it once a year – if you don’t use it, you lose it. It’s easy and working with the people; I’m a people guy. The people enjoy it – it is promoting agriculture.”

“Everybody loves the omelets,” added Rapp.