Mount Vernon News

GAMBIER — Eighteen farms in Ohio have been designated for preservation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Office Farmland Preservation this year. Knox County is home to one of those farms, owned by Katheryn Morey on Killduff Road near Gambier.

“Knox County had the second highest number of applicants this year with 18,” said Doug Givens of the Philander Chase Corp., which sponsors the local applicants and aids in the rigorous application process. “Ashland County had the highest number with 26.”

Givens added there were six counties this year that were not previously a part of the process.

There has been a change in the process of awarding the designations. This year only one farm per county can be designated for preservation.

“They made that change to try to broaden the process,” Givens explained.

The Morey farm passed the very difficult application with the aid of Morey’s daughter, Janet Fisher.

The 156-acre farm is located just outside Gambier, on Killduff Road. Known locally as the Lepley farm, it was established around 1869-70 by Marvin Lepley, who would have been 21 or 22 at the time. The farm was passed down to Marvin’s son, Charles, and from Charles to his daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth died unmarried and was the last direct descendant of Marvin’s. The farm then passed to Morey, who was a cousin of Elizabeth.

Marvin used the farm for general agriculture raising crops, hogs and cattle. When Charles inherited the farm, he added sheep. Elizabeth continued that tradition until her death. Morey now leases the land to John Horn, who farms the Lepley acreage along with his own farm. Horn is a longtime neighbor and family friend.

“John was our neighbor when I was growing up,” Morey said. “He farms my land now. He was doing the farming for Elizabeth, and I just told him to keep it up. I trust him to do a good job. He’s been doing it for more than 35 years now. He does the farming for me now, as well as works on the fences and buildings.”

As was the case in the early days of farming, the important thing was the barn and related buildings. Many times the house came later. Such was the case with the Lepley farm. According to Morey’s records, the house wasn’t built until 1894.

“It’s still in good shape,” Morey said. “The roof needs to be worked on, though.”

Morey’s archives also include an old photograph of the barn, probably taken about the same time the house was built, judging from the style of clothing worn by the people in the photo. Except for needing a touch-up of paint here and there, the buildings look exactly as they did 114 years ago.

The farm borders the Kokosing River, which has been designated an Ohio Scenic River. A tree along the southern bank of the river hosts a bald eagle’s nest. This spring, it was reported the bald eagle pair had hatched two eaglets.

Morey is committed to keeping the farm intact as agricultural acreage. The farmland preservation designation will keep her commitment going.

Morey has two sons, William and James, and a daughter, Janet Fisher. Morey’s plans are to leave the farm to them equally. She said Janet’s commitment to keeping the farm intact equals her own.

“ ... not just local, but all farms need to be preserved or our future is grim,” Fisher wrote in an e-mail to the News.

“Smalls [neighbors] came over once and tried to buy [the farm],” Morey recalled. “They said they would put a lake all around the house. I told them I had enough water. I have the river. But I told them there’s no way am I going to give into developing the farm. But I preserved it. Elizabeth would have been happy.”