Keeping Ohio’s experts in their fields

By Todd Jones

A love of farming shines in Len Vonderhaar’s eyes as he gazes at the vast fields of corn and soybeans that he has owned in Preble County, Ohio, since 1961.

“It is such a reward to be out there,” he says.

Vonderhaar still works his family’s farm at age 87 despite three back surgeries and chronic pain in leg joints. He drives a combine harvester across 2,700 acres, for as much as 14 hours a day, to complement the agricultural duties done by his son and two grandchildren.

“It’s not like we’re trying to find work for him,” said grandson Adam Vonderhaar. “We need him to do this, and he loves being needed and being part of the farm.”

The Vonderhaars credit The Ohio State University and its Ohio AgrAbility program for keeping the family patriarch where he wants to be — working in the fields — by arranging to add a platform lift to the family’s combine to help Len overcome physical challenges.… Continue reading