By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Anna Cotterman got the bad news out of the way first.
“I was told Corinne made treats for you,” she said of her predecessor Corinne Gordon, who baked monthly for the Wood County Park District Board. “I am not Corinne.”
But as the new historic farm specialist at the park district’s Carter Historic Farm, Cotterman presented the board members with their own aprons so they could help make pickled cucumbers.
A conservationist at heart, Cotterman shared a lesson with the board members Tuesday as they sliced cucumbers.
An estimated 119 billion pounds of food are wasted every year in the U.S., she said. And “everything you consume creates a carbon footprint.” Food waste alone generates as much carbon dioxide as 42 coal plants, Cotterman said.
“These cucumbers were grown right out there,” she said, pointing to one of the farm’s gardens. So no carbon dioxide was created in their transport.
Cotterman shared the three ways to reduce home garden waste. First, plan what you plant. Don’t plant 13 tomato plants unless you plan to can them or give them away.
“Don’t grow artichokes in your garden if you don’t like them,” she added.
Second, prepare for the care of the garden and the storage of the harvest.
And third, preserve vegetables and fruits by canning, freezing or freeze drying.
After the lesson, Cotterman shared the finished product – cucumbers, onions and garlic – made ahead of the meeting.
Cotterman is the newest member of the park district’s programming staff. She graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor of science in Environmental Policy and Decision Making with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture. She has worked at a depression-era farm in Delaware County, and most recently was employed by the Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The Carter Historic Farm is a working farm and living-history cultural heritage center interpreted to the Depression-era. Visitors can see farm equipment, sustainable old-fashioned agricultural practices, and trails through the woodlot and wetland.
Cotterman said she is thrilled to work at the intersection of agriculture and parks.
“I’m excited about connecting Carter Historic Farm to the Wood County community,” she said.
That’s already been happening with 647 pounds of produce from the historic farm’s gardens being recently given to the Brown Bag Food Project in Bowling Green.
Cotterman said there was a point in her life when she relied on items from a food pantry. So it feels good to give back. “Being able to donate fresh produce feels great – knowing they are taking home good quality produce to their family,” she said.
Cotterman is also working with Chris Dauer on the farm to grow wheat, buckwheat and spelt, and grinding it for use by the community. In her previous historic farm position, Cotterman gained experience with sheep, chicken, pigs, woolworking, and no-till gardening to help local food pantries.
The Carter Historic Farm site is larger, and includes an historic one-room schoolhouse.
The farm is preparing for its annual Heritage Farm Festival on Oct 7. A 12-gallon crock of cabbage is fermenting into sauerkraut, and the pigs will be turned into bratwursts, she said.
In other business at the park board meeting:
- Smalley reported ODOT funds were secured to pave the roadway at W.W. Knight Preserve in Perrysburg Township, and that tar and chip seal will be applied at two entrances to the Bradner Preserve by Wood County highway crews.
- Smalley also noted that progress is being made on finding funding for development of the Wood County connection to the Chessie Circle bike trail.
- It was reported that more than 2,500 fairgoers visited the Wood County Park District’s tent at the Wood County Fair last week. The tent was staffed by volunteers and park district employees.
- The board went into executive session to discuss a real estate transaction.
