By DOUG GRAVES

Ohio Correspondent

RUSSELLVILLE, Ohio — Cattleman Adam Bolender and his wife, Aubrey, are keen on the health, diet and market value of their herd. Any new methods or tips they learn, they often share with his fellow producers in southern Ohio.

The couple have a true interest in the well-being of their herd and herds belonging to their friends and neighbors in Brown County – being a good neighbor, if you will.

“The inclination to share tips and best practices comes naturally to my generation, and those methods may not have been the way years ago,” Adam Bolender said. “It may be a little outside of the box for older farmers, but I’ve had several come up to me and say they think it’s a good thing.”

So it seems natural the Bolenders formed the Buckeye Valley Beef Cooperative. They reached out and got the support of fellow farmers Eric and Lori Nethero, and joining them a month later were Ben and Dr. Tricyn Huntsman-Parker. Finding there is strength in numbers, Adam and Alli Hamilton joined forces, for a total of four farm families comprising this cooperative.

“We can do together what we cannot do apart,” Lori Nethero said, “and that is sell to wholesale meat suppliers, grocery stores and directly to consumers year-round. Alongside the sale advantages, having multiple heads to brainstorm ideas keeps us all thinking, motivated and in check.”

“The opportunity to work together, ask questions and share ideas has been helpful,” said Ben Parker. “A lot of times farmers tend to keep things to themselves. What we’ve got going is really neat.”

Huntsman-Parker, a veterinarian, is eager to share her medical knowledge and the information she gleans while caring for animals on other farms. A self-described “city girl,” she appreciates the insights and experiences the longtime farmers bring to the co-op.

The other founding members all grew up around cattle and participated in 4-H together. The Bolenders and Eric Nethero serve on the Brown County Farm Bureau board. The Netheros are 4-H advisers, and Parker helped start the Young Ag Professionals group in the county.

Dairy was once in the Bolender blood, but Adam’s father and uncle began shifting to beef cattle in 2012 because of declining milk prices. They sold the last of their dairy cows in 2015.

The couple – who had been enjoying some success with a side cow-calf operation – saw the growing interest in local food as an opportunity to expand. They knew they would need help because their farm did not produce enough beef to meet a year-round demand.

“Consumers want that wholesome, local product,” Aubrey said. “You see it everywhere – the movement towards knowing where your food comes from, where it was raised and who raised it.”

The four families take turns providing the animals to fill their orders and driving them to the processing facility. Together they harvested roughly 200 head of cattle last year. As they began to cater to buyers interested in local food, the group found that customers needed help understanding the various choices available to them.

“The public has interesting questions about how we feed and what we feed,” Aubrey said. “There’s misunderstanding about some things being unsafe. Sometimes we have to undo what’s been put out there by others.”

The co-op members feed a mix of grass and grain, saying it leads to a tasty end product. They say they’re raising cattle the way their grandparents did.

“The ability to connect with consumers through the cooperative has been exciting,” Lori said. “One of the aspects we have enjoyed the most about meeting with consumers, at local craft shows and festivals, is having the opportunity to educate them on the importance of where their food comes from. We would never provide a product that our own families wouldn’t eat.”

“The quality of meat is the result of careful production practices,” Huntsman-Parker said. “Our job as farmers and cattle ranchers is to make sure to deliver the best product possible.”

All indications are that this newly formed cooperative is off to a great start. “It’s been going great from a marketing standpoint,” Parker said. “As far as competition, it’s hard for people to compete against us in this area of Ohio, since we have the availability. We can get a call at anytime and can have something to them in a few weeks.

“And, people are always loyal to the farmers that they’ve always been loyal to. Now we’re trying to pick up those new customers.”

Expansion of their cooperative is in their minds, though not on the front burner of things to do just yet.

“We want to expand on our own individual farms to where we feel we’ve reached a comfortable and manageable spot,” Parker explained. “We show the need is there. We don’t want to get too far out of our county range because we want to maintain that family relationship within the cooperative.

“We like to meet the customers and more than anything, we like to meet a happy customer. We not only like to build a business relationship but a trust with good friends. We have to stay on top of what we’re doing.”

The co-op is headquartered at George Miller Road in Russellville. For information, call 937-403-4135.